Sorein overloads when starting air conditionerUpdated 12 hours ago

Although the Sorein Power Station can usually start air conditioners up to 15K BTU, there are situations where the power station may overload at startup. Sorein can handle brief spikes up to 4200 watts, but will overload if there's a continuous load exceeding 2200 watts. You can see the total load on the front panel of the Sorein Power Station.

Here are some ways to prevent that from happening:

1. Avoid running other electrical appliances at the same time.
   
   
   • The water heater must be running on propane, not electricity.
   • A 2-way refrigerator (one with propane and electric options) should be running on propane.
   • Don't use the microwave while the air conditioning is running.
   • Turn off the RV's inverter (if equipped) since it won't be needed.
   • Disconnect items that are plugged into the AC power outlets (like laptop computers). Small items that plug into USB outlets can remain connected.
     
     
2. Keep in mind that when you plug your RV into the power station, you're energizing the RV's entire electrical system including the built-in power converter ("battery charger"). The power converter will go on immediately, which adds a load of anywhere from 150 to 900 watts (depending on the converter that is installed, the type of batteries, and their level of charge).
   
   You can turn off the power converter to reduce the overall load on the power station. Usually this is possible by flipping the circuit breaker for the power converter. If you do this, be aware that the house batteries will receive no charge until the circuit breaker is reset. Be sure to reset the breaker before you plug into shore power.
   
   
3. A "soft start" in your air conditioner will help a lot. The Sorein Power Station has soft start capability but it is managing all loads in your RV. A dedicated soft start installed in the air conditioner is the best solution. Check out the Micro-Air EasyStart here.