GlennWest Posted February 16, 2021 Report Share Posted February 16, 2021 (edited) With my mini splits my power consumption is low. 15-20 amps typical. I don't need over a 3K generator but would like to run my 240v cassette also. I can turn bedroom into an oven or an icebox. But they only pull around 5 each. Really a 2k would. No one makes a 240v unless I get a big unit. What you think of an generator around 2-3k with an autotransformer to make 240v? Or can you think of better way. This storm got me needing one. Well, actually loud units do but don't want that. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 I found a cheap 5,000 watt, 240 volt generator for our well. Found it on Craigslist for $150. It is a beast and it is noisy but we keep it away from our 5er and it was a cheap solution. Pull start. If you are thinking of more than occasional use then a better generator with a transformer should work. Do you need capacity for cooking or refrigerator? Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Randyretired said: I found a cheap 5,000 watt, 240 volt generator for our well. Found it on Craigslist for $150. It is a beast and it is noisy but we keep it away from our 5er and it was a cheap solution. Pull start. If you are thinking of more than occasional use then a better generator with a transformer should work. Do you need capacity for cooking or refrigerator? Well, would like to use microwave but that doesn't have to happen. This is for emergency mostly. See my solar upgrade had to take a back seat with this virus lockdown. So only way to charge batteries is my charger. We got very cold the last few days. Don't ever want to go thru this again. If I can keep mini splits running I can do without propane. Fells better with propane but we can move to bedroom and be toasty with the mini split. I made a mistake putting my living room unit where I did. Kitchen area comfortable. Living room cool. These units cool better than they heat. Believe that is height issue. Predator has a 3500 unit with a 30 amp plug. That would run everything but electric cooking. But we can have sandwiches in cases of power failures. We couldn't even get propane for a few days. We will be in rv parks for a year or so. Want a quiet one. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 We carry a 3,000 watt Yamaha for the 5er. It is 120v but that is all we need. It is quiet and electric start. It stays on the HDT and uses the HDT battery for starting. Replacing the little generator battery and trying to keep it charged was a pain. Also use it to power a charger for 5er batteries when needed. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Yamaha is priced right there with a Honda. Right now money is tight until next job. Predator more my price range and no more than I will use it likely be good match. I have not found much on transformers like I need unless chinese built like on Amazon. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 33 minutes ago, GlennWest said: Yamaha is priced right there with a Honda. Right now money is tight until next job. Predator more my price range and no more than I will use it likely be good match. I have not found much on transformers like I need unless chinese built like on Amazon. I bought the Yamaha a number of years ago. Before Predator was offered. On Ebay there is a transformer made by Rockstone that might work. It has a 3 year warranty by the manufacturer for whatever that is worth. I don't know where it is made. I saw a 2,000 watt unit, good for 1,300 watts for $89. I don't know if that is a good price? Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennisvr Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 I bought the Predator 3500 3 1/2 yrs ago when we were living in the trailer while our house was being built. I didnt want to run the on board 5500K Onan that many hrs. We have 600 hrs on the Predator and its still running strong. It will run the 15000 BTU AC. You just have to turn off the AC if you want to use the microwave. I'm still using it now when we boondock, I just cant stand running the Onan just to charge the batteries. Quote "It is better to have more truck than you need than to need more truck than you have" 2001 Volvo 660, Cummins 400 ISX, Eaton 3 Peddle Auto Shift 2014 Fuzion 40' Toyhauler 2015 Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, dennisvr said: I bought the Predator 3500 3 1/2 yrs ago when we were living in the trailer while our house was being built. I didnt want to run the on board 5500K Onan that many hrs. We have 600 hrs on the Predator and its still running strong. It will run the 15000 BTU AC. You just have to turn off the AC if you want to use the microwave. I'm still using it now when we boondock, I just cant stand running the Onan just to charge the batteries. Yes if it runs a 15k rv ac It will run both of mine with ease. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 18 minutes ago, Randyretired said: I bought the Yamaha a number of years ago. Before Predator was offered. On Ebay there is a transformer made by Rockstone that might work. It has a 3 year warranty by the manufacturer for whatever that is worth. I don't know where it is made. I saw a 2,000 watt unit, good for 1,300 watts for $89. I don't know if that is a good price? I looked at them. They don't have a neutral. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 1 minute ago, GlennWest said: I looked at them. They don't have a neutral. Does the mini split need a neutral? Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) 12 hours ago, Randyretired said: Does the mini split need a neutral? Mini split breaker is in my panel. A simple square D breaker. No way to seperate. Need to make a 2 leg hot with neutral so I can run my camper. Victron makes one but it is as much as the generator. But in answer to your question, no. I just have 2 hot and a ground run to my mini split. It doesn't have a place for a neutral. I could pull a seperate line off that breaker and put a plug on it. That would allow a less wattage transformer also. I would have to remember though to turn off the breaker or I would put 240v on my 120 side. That not good. I would forget. anyway to make that work? Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Would this be large enough? https://www.amazon.com/Watts-Inverter-Generator-Gasoline-Recoil/dp/B07HG8PY9Z/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=inverter+generator+240v&qid=1613536988&sr=8-5 Quote 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) That listing is misleading. I thought wow, found one. Details says 1 30amp 110 volt plug, 110v plugs. No mention of 220 or 240. Also if exspan pic you see 30amp/125v. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lappir Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Will be watching this. I am in a similar situation. My mini split system provides all the heating I need, but for some reason at my current park my surge protector seems to want to interrupt the power coming in quite often. No one else in the park seems to have an issue. It's an older park and initially I thought it was the entire park, but then it happened several times on night and I was seeing all my neighbors with their lights and TV's on and all the street lights were on too. Moved my remote monitor inside and found it was my Surge Guard doing a "Delay". I have reached out to the folks and have a couple tests that I need to do, but haven't been able to for multiple reasons. It has been better the last several days even when it was -10 degrees, but this morning at 10 degrees and 4am the power was interrupted again. I heard rumbles about "rolling black outs" yesterday, but hoped they would not include the RV Park, and so far it seems they haven't. I had to stay at a 30amp park right after my Mini Split system was installed. Unfortunately I didn't realize my system wouldn't work on 30amps. The one it replaced did. Wyatt at Spacecraft built me a dual 30 amp plug to a 50 amp outlet and instructed me on what I needed to see on my hand held tester before plugging it in. It worked great for the 3 months I was at the park and I have thought about doing it with my Two Honda 2000 watt inverters, but haven't had the need until recently. I don't know if it would work. I did post a question several months ago and will try and find it to see if there was info posted I don't remember. My solar plans have also been put on hold for who knows how long. I may consider doing what Steve Dixon did with his Spacecraft and find a "Volt" battery and set up everything but the solar panels. He runs everything in his home off the batteries and only plugs in to charge them. Seems I could do that with my two little Honda's in an emergency, if I monitored my use. Buying something for emergencies is something I try not to do. If I can't use it for anything else, then do I really need it? Lot's of folks are thinking about this right now. Many of my coworkers in their sticks and bricks are cold with water pipes frozen and I am warm and can take my daily shower when ever I want. I can also hook up and head North when it starts getting real hot here in South Central Oklahoma. Rod Quote White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors, JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift. 1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022 2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top. 2007 Honda GL 1800 2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Dual 30's don't give on 240v. Exception the 30's out of phase. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) question. Seeing how my cassette mini split is 240v is there a way conveniently to pull a seperate line off it to an transformer for 240v? mini split doesn't need a neutral. I stated conveniently because I don't want to pull wire from panel every time I need generator. Could power it from a 15 amp circuit. Now that I think some, I could remove the mini split power from the panel. Mount a transformer next to my converter plug. It is a dedicated 15 amp circuit by itself. Run mini split power to it. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 One simple way is to always run the 240v mini split from a 120v line through the transformer. This would also work if you had a 30 amp site. Another way would be to set up a plug to plug the mini split into whichever power source you wanted. Another way is to use a switch. I would prefer to just power it through the transformer off of 120v line and forget it. Then use a 50 amp to 30 amp converter plug for the generator or any 120v source. When on 240v it would still use just 120v line. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Randyretired said: One simple way is to always run the 240v mini split from a 120v line through the transformer. This would also work if you had a 30 amp site. Another way would be to set up a plug to plug the mini split into whichever power source you wanted. Another way is to use a switch. I would prefer to just power it through the transformer off of 120v line and forget it. Then use a 50 amp to 30 amp converter plug for the generator or any 120v source. When on 240v it would still use just 120v line. Thanks Randy. I am no electrician and just didn't think of that. Would be simple. Also don't need a heavy high dollar transformer for this. That Rockwell unit be perfect. 3000 watt. overkill but stay cool that way. I feel like an idiot. Randy, you have mentioned this to me before concerning inverters and how to power my 240v mini. Glad you have patience with this hard head. Thank you. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 There will be some loss powering through a transformer but it shouldn't be much. Let us know how it works. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) Should be fine. The max wattage on that mini split is 1283 watts and normal 923. But 600 watts is all I have ever seen. But I have not stood out in the cold checking it. That was warm weather when I checked it. Actually I should get by with a 2000 watt transformer. Edited February 17, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 1 hour ago, GlennWest said: Should be fine. The max wattage on that mini split is 1283 watts and normal 923. But 600 watts is all I have ever seen. But I have not stood out in the cold checking it. That was warm weather when I checked it. Actually I should get by with a 2000 watt transformer. 2,000 should be fine. Our 120v mini uses more when heating. Our inverter displays the usage and I have never seen it draw more than 550 watts. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 What I was basing that on was amps showing on surge guard display. Usually be 5 amps on one leg and 7 on another. Both minis running, lights, tv, fridge. So they are just sipping electricity. Love em Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 On 2/16/2021 at 11:57 PM, GlennWest said: That listing is misleading. I thought wow, found one. Details says 1 30amp 110 volt plug, 110v plugs. No mention of 220 or 240. Also if exspan pic you see 30amp/125v. My bad, I failed to read the fine print, shoulda expected that from China. Quote 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Ray,IN said: My bad, I failed to read the fine print, shoulda expected that from China. Can still use it. Read above posts. Thank you. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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