A simple visual guide · 6 slides

Help your older RV air conditioner start more gently

A soft starter can reduce the brief power surge that makes some generators or inverters struggle.

01 / 06 · What it is

A gentler start for the compressor.

An air conditioner briefly asks for extra power when its compressor starts. A compatible soft starter manages that startup demand. It may let a suitable generator or inverter start an AC it otherwise struggles to start.

Startup surge

Soft-start control

Compressor running

02 / 06 · What you’ll notice day to day

Starting and running are separate checks.

Reducing the startup surge does not remove the power needed to keep cooling. Other appliances, heat and generator conditions still affect whether the supply can cope. No generator-size or overnight-runtime promise applies to every RV.

Can it start?

Can it keep running?

What else is using power?

03 / 06 · Which option fits you

Plan for at least a 3,000-watt inverter.

For inverter-powered air conditioning with this upgrade, ATRV requires a minimum 3,000-watt inverter. The battery supply, wiring, AC and other loads still need to work together; that rating alone does not guarantee operation.

3,000W minimum inverter

Suitable battery supply

Matched AC circuit

04 / 06 · What the install involves

Match the device to the AC.

A technician checks the AC model and condition, follows the device’s wiring and setup instructions, and tests startup on the intended power source. Inverter wiring must actually supply that AC circuit.

Identify the AC

Install and configure

Test with the intended supply

05 / 06 · Questions to ask / what we need

Tell us how you want to power the AC.

Let us know whether you use a generator or inverter. For an inverter setup, ATRV’s minimum is 3,000 watts. We can discuss the rest of the installation with you.

Generator or inverter

3,000W inverter minimum

Discuss the installation

06 / 06 · Next step

Ask about a soft starter.

Contact us to discuss a soft starter for your older RV air conditioner. ATRV supplies the equipment for its installations and does not install customer-supplied parts.