You should also add a grommet or wire clamp at the connection between the cable and the cover. It is included with the installation kit if you purchase it. These also do not change the warranty status of your condenser unit. I thought they increase the life of the compressor motor but I learned from a forum member that compressors fail mechanically before they fail electrically. So they do not increase the longevity. But they do increase the longevity of your inverter circuit. *Does off-grid solar confuse you?* Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com *Join our DIY solar community* #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com *Check out my Book* Best-selling and beginner-friendly guide to 12V off-grid solar! amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Energy! They will price out a system and get your house offgrid: ts.la/william57509 *My DIY Solar Equipment Recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):* 12V/48V Lithium Solar Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html Complete Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html Plug-N-Play System Recommendations: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html Complete "Add to Cart" 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html *My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:* *Signature Solar* Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Current Connected* SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components. Fantastic customer support: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp *Litime* My favorite 12V budget battery!: www.litime.com/?ref=XBIA62RFcalHns *Epoch Batteries* My favorite high-quality 12V battery: www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-lifepo4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms?rfsn=7352625.50494d *Renogy* A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages! DC to DC Chargers and more! renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx *Rich Solar* Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek *Battery Hookup* Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 5% off code: diysolar *Contact Information:* I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar *FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:* Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

@WillProwse

4 ай бұрын

I'm not going to add it lol but people will complain 😂

@GavinStoneDIY

4 ай бұрын

You know…..you should add a grommet at the bottom there where the wire comes through. 😉

@vinny143

4 ай бұрын

You forgot to say "bye"

@sspyder181

4 ай бұрын

Will these are wifi capable and the company can remote in to fix any issues... get what you pay for in my opinion

@pbertlin6194

4 ай бұрын

The area that you ran the soft start cable through is intended for low voltage thermostat wire, it is a transition place because the stat wire insulation usually does not have the voltage rating(600V) to be in the area with higher voltages.

Air-conditioner manufactures should build their AC units with soft starts installed. It just makes it easier on everything.

@Bowhunters6go8xz6x

4 ай бұрын

Soft starters just became prevalent a few years ago and some HVAC's do not need a soft starter, some HVAC's are designed to be low power consumption on startup. If you want one on a new HVAC or Heat Pump most installers will put one in during installation.

@WillProwse

4 ай бұрын

Agreed. I just got this condenser and didn't come with it. I was bummed.

@gg-gn3re

4 ай бұрын

Yea we have to design specific grid infrastructure around the fact they don't and all will start up immediately if the power was out thus dropping hertz from lack of supply and destroying everything.

@AtlasReburdened

4 ай бұрын

​@@Bowhunters6go8xz6x You mean prevalent in HVAC, or in general?

@hoekbrwr

4 ай бұрын

Here in Europe we have Vacuum cleaners that are all with soft starters, electronic power control for more levels of cleaning!

I put this MicroAir soft-start on my 30-year-old AC. It cut my inrush from 86 amps to 45... that's on 1 leg of the 240. I wanted to be able to run my AC off my generator during a power outage. My generator can run the AC, but it can't start it. This device has an additional benefit of not allowing the compressor to try to start for 5 minutes after a momentary power blip. That along with the ramp-up to full power is easier on the compressor. Will is right. It is kind of confusing to wire it at first, but once you watch enough KZread videos it is very simple to install.

@wadebrewer7212

4 ай бұрын

I wonder of this can be wired in to a WaterFurnace. My mom has geothermal and currently no back up for it in a power outage. Given it's size and whole house...my guess is it's about 4 ton. A good size inverter generator can run it but likely cannot start it according to the maintenance tech. Guess I need to grab LRA and understand what the unit needs before doing anything. May be able to use a clamp on it and actually get the in rush. The nice thing about her furnace....the resistive auxiliary heat grids are all on separate breakers. Those can be shut off in the event of a power outage and she can have at least some heat.

@billboyd7938

4 ай бұрын

@@wadebrewer7212 MicroAir says they can do more than just AC units, but it requires you to contact them. To get the best performance, you have to buy the one for the tonage/BTU rating of your AC unit. It may cost more if they have to program one just for you. I would assume all they would need is the inrush and running current of what ever you're powering, but I am not an Electrical Engineer. :)

@wadebrewer7212

4 ай бұрын

@@billboyd7938 lol....neither am I. 🤣

Don't forget to secure cable where cable goes from AC unit. Sharp edges can damage cable over time and (possible) expose hot on the surface of the unit. I'm not an electrician, but heard that there are some NEC rules about it

I just ordered 2 of these as I had a 26kw generac standby generator installed. Thank you for your videos.

Will will will making my life a million times easier..I’ve seen so many videos and I was kinda confused but you explained and demonstrated so much better 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

Thank you for showing everyone how to install this soft starter! Explaining all the steps and showing how it works! I myself install the really big ones on the 3 phase big motors at work which is much cooler but yes I have installed and had to calibrate these through the programs on the panels that it comes with. Many more setting for me!

These old units certainly stress the inverters! Nice. Our 15kva Victron triple parallel Multiplus II system is connected to 3 large AC units. The inverter AC units are so gentle on our system, it's a pleasure to watch them slowly ramp up. 😎 Thanks for the vid - @OrganicPower-Australia

LOVE my Micro-Air - I installed them for my backup generator and they work fantastically!! Literally dropped the starting current by half!

One of the best upgrades you can do.

A cable tie or two to make sure the cable can't be pulled out would be a good idea!

I had one installed and it works great. I will add, Customer service for Soft-Start are great.

Prepping for Solar/battery installation; installed a Micro-Air Soft Start on our 5 ton AC compressor; start Amps (LRA) dropped from 130 Amps to 30 Amps (12 Amps when running on 5 Ton). South Texas; 40-50 starts a day, 100 Amps less, that has to be much better on both Solar Inverters and compressor lifecycle. Also installed an Eltwin Hyper Engineering SureStart on our 12 ton (140k BTU) Pentair Pool Heater/Chiller and the start Amps dropped from 194 Amps to 44 Amps (LRA listed as 185 Amps - limit of SureStart) Micro-Air could not go over 5 tons. Full Running Amps on Pool Heat Pump is 28 Amps (Eltwin SureStart higher model is 16-32 running amps). Today’s install is on a 1.5 Ton AC compressor that is currently pulling 44 Amps on Start. FYI - both AC’s are 4 year old Carriers (builder install). In summary I wish that I had put the Soft Starts on the AC’s when new as the 5 ton has been getting loud on start-up and start - amazing at how much quieter they are with a Soft Start.

Great how to and explaining where you could use one of these, I reviewed the RV model years ago and it still kicking and I love it, I run my 13500btu roof AC of a little HF 3000w inverter and it was well!

I installed a competing brand soft starter a few years ago, and it made a big difference in starting my 4 ton A/C condenser with a large inverter generator. These really do work, and it wasn't that hard to install.

Just bought this been meaning to install.

Thank you for the detailed video, I will be installing that system on my 4 Ton package unit for my home and 5 Ton split for my shop. Also may want to share your opinion on surge protectors for those units!

Thanks Will - SoftStart is a modern miracle - Cheers!

We have a 5th wheel with 3ACs. I put soft start on them all and bypassed the power management system so we could start and run all 3 at once. And since they only draw 11.8 running amps we can run the bedroom unit on our power-urus batteries (bought on your recommendation) for a few hours in a pinch. We primarily use our 5er in the dunes at glamis with no hookups. I put in 600ah of batteries, 800w of solar on MPPT. It keeps the lights, furnace, various chargers, coffee pot, and fridge going for a full week without worrying. Assuming there is good sun. I started with 400ah and it wasn’t quite enough, especially if we have a cloudy day or two.

Great video. I put ICM Controls Soft Starters on my AC units. These were cheaper than the MicroAir , but do not have bluetooth. Cost ~$190 for the 16 Amp and ~$230 for the 32 Amp. My Growatt 12k works like a champ with these.

Great soft start kit. They allowed me to run my 5000 ton AC unit on my homes, standby generator without pissing off the UPS un voltage dip

This is the same soft start I use with my EG4 6500EX's. My inrush was 77amps and about dumped the inverters first time the pump kicked on. Now Inrush is reduced to 19 amps. So far works great and the inverters don't have any issue starting the pump even while handling other loads at the same time.

I installed my MicroAir soft start on my air conditioner as it was bogging down our generator (sorry, no solar.... yet). My Goodman condenser had a plated LRA (locked rotor amperage, that "surge" to start the compressor) of 120A! The MicroAir dropped that to a far more reasonable 35A which is a huge change. Now, when the generator's providing power, the condenser kicks on and it doesn't cause my UPSes to complain about the power sag. The MicroAir soft starts are learning modules, it takes five cycles to learn the condenser's power characteristics, then from then on out it applies what it learned and kicks in. If you can spring for it, I'd recommend the Bluetooth LE soft start as you can check in on it to make sure it's working as it should without having to go out and read flashing lights for error codes.

Good info Will & ur use of more smaller splits is also a very good idea for efficiency & redundancy, if a big unit goes down the whole house is hot/cold, where several smaller units can take up the slack or at least give you an alternative air-con area to escape to. Installation & costs for a soft starter like this is where you need to consider spending a few more dollars on the unit initially and maybe get an inverter model which are much more power efficient than the older hard start type, one more thing to consider is to try and get a newer Propane based gas type inverter split (like R32) as the gas is more efficient.

My Micro Air lowered the inrush on my 16 seer 3.5 ton unit from 82 amps to 24amps making it possible to run on my 7000 watt geni! Worked great and I thought it was a fairly easy install.

I installed one so my generator would be capable of starting it.... works like a charm and the Bluetooth is an added bonus. My LRA went from 78 amps down to 22.

I installed one of these so I could run my 4 ton heat pump from the 30 amp outlet from my Lightning during an outage. It worked, went from 110A inrush to 35A.

Great topic and great breakdown! A very underrated device!

Large "traditional" split systems like that are starting to go to variable speed inverter compressors, my 16 year old 4 ton Trane that looks similar to the ones in your video just died the new one I am looking at looks identical but has a inverter based variable compressor just like a mini split, see Trane XV17 or XV18 so does its own soft start.

I need to do this this year so thanks! Solark 15k / 17kw / 25kwh

I installed the Micro Air on my 5 ton central AC unit and it is awesome, but, then Signature Solar started carrying the EG4 12k BTU solar hybrid Mini splits and I installed 3 of those and now my central AC has been turned completely off for almost a year. But, if I ever needed to run it off my solar I could so, money not completely wasted lol.

You can also use Inverter type ac units to overcome hi start up currents.

Keep in mind... these soft starts helps a TON when used with a Generator as well

They also work great for well pumps. We bought a Schneider electric soft start 110-460vac, 12a, 1 or 3 phase for $175 a year and a half ago and it works great!

@edwardbowles5587

4 ай бұрын

Interesting, never thought of that. I'm on well water and trying to figure out how to move everything to grid tie or off grid. Would love more input on this idea

great info Will! . a question maybe you or another viewer can answer: As a newbie not ready for DIY yet, I got a dual delta pro setup with their dual hub for "mostly whole home backup" so I've got 240v capability and as I understand it, 7200w max, running into a 30amp inlet and I have an interlock switch on the generator breaker. We have a 240v well and all electric home, so that was the requirement for emergencies (water). we have trane XLR15 units for our home and I got 2 micro air soft start switches installed on our units. Our delta pro/inlet setup is currently for emergency power and in grid down situations it's working intended minus the hvac units (well booster pump and water heater can both be used in this setup). I've tried a few times now to fire up a single hvac unit/blower unit with these soft starts and the delta pros just give up the ghost right away. I initially thought wattage (if I read the label right - it's 230v x 40amp max (min is 23) - so I thought I was in the surge range, but now I think even with the soft starts, I'm exceeding amperage between the pump outside and blower unit in the attic. I'm too chicken to open my panel to be sure, but I can tell you the breakers for the one I tried are split - the outdoor pump breaker is on the right side of the panel and the blower unit is on the left - I've read the 2 delta pros together actually just feed up to 3600w on each leg of the panel, but i'm too clueless to know what that means relative to what I'm looking at. Just curious if you know if the delta pros can handle the load and maybe I need some panel re-configuration, or if I'm better thinking longer term about maybe a separate inverter that can handle 50 amps or more and moving the 240v units to a separate panel / transfer switch - thanks !! btw - there has been less than 1,000w in use when I've tried this previously.

Like the connector to the soft starter, you also need one where it goes into the A/C. After cutting the outer sheath carefully, if it is metal lined, there should be an antishort bushing that goes between the metal and the wires. If it's nonmetallic, you'l onlyl need a connector. Once the connector is installed, pick up two reducing washers that match the connector and the hole in the A/C. One inside and one outside, then tighten the locknut.

Thanks Will!

Thanks for the video, I've been looking to add one of these and watching youtube vids on the install and none have made it as ez as yours. I wish you'd have spent some time talking about the Core Sense diagnostic module and the required setup for that piece.

Thanks Will ! TAKE CARE..

I initially bought the same smooth starter then returned it after finding the one on Signature Solars website for just about half the cost. I put a video on my channel of installing it. It’s worked great so far. Pulled the surge from 125 amps down to about 32.

there is one circumstance about installing it in general. My house lighting would always dim when the air-conditioning condenser kicked on not because the wiring was under sized, but because the condenser was on the opposite side of the house (long circuit) now I can’t even tell when the condenser kicks on or off unless I hear it running. I agree if it’s not needed then don’t bother.

That company has easy starts for RVs too, I use one to run my roof unit off my solar system. It also helps with having a smaller Generator if you go that route.

Installed on my old 47-year-old Honey Motorhome. It Doesn't justify going full solar but allows for a much smaller generator@2200Watt. to operate my roof a/c.

Awesome thank you 🙏

Great explanation and tutorial. You made want to explain proper wire stripping and spade crimping procedures. Peace

when one of my linked trace inverters went flakey the remaining one no longer reliably started my 1hp well pump. solution was to go to a soft start well controller at over a grand. works fine though and the 28 year old trace is still plugging along. (should have gone to a smaller well pump when I replaced it but..)

For what it's worth, Furrion RV A/C units have a soft start built in, and they use separate fan motors for inside air circulation and condenser fan.

I have a slow start box both on my heat pump and one on my well. The reduction of inrush current is dramatic. I have a 9KW propane generator that is now vastly oversized because it was originally sized to start the well before the slow start box was installed. In my mind, the cost of the slow start is negligible compared to being able to use downsized capacity components in my energy storage system or keeping what I have and having more run time based on battery or propane.

ICM870-16A is about half the price of that one without the connectivity features but performs just as well.

Wow. Thanks, Will, for a great tip! I am in the planning phase of a new solar system for my house and I have been wondering how to handle the condenser''s anticipated surge at start up. I also got the exact same situation with the pump for my 700+ feet deep well. Do you think this AC Soft Start will work for a well pump as well? Keep up the great work; you're the best!

I installed one of these to start my 4 ton unit using my 7500W portable generator running on NG.

I need one of these on my well pump for running it on generator power.

Will, do you have any experience with well pumps? Wonder if a soft start option is available for one of them? Keep making these great videos!

Really appreciate your channel and need your advice on a system that will run my total off grid 50amp rv with solar and wind turbine? Have the cash from 5k to 10k in the next month, want to run in alk ac , heat ? , so I really believe your the guy to set me up with a reliable system..ty keep up such a great channel..something easy I'm bit disabled but still get around..

The softstart is great for generators too.. These are active soft starts not the "extra capacitor" types. Ive been using that brand for years..

Thx for the great video very helpful

Nice idea

Thanks will this has been very informative six stars

About to install one of these this weekend myself. Thanks KZread algorithm LOL

@WillProwse

4 ай бұрын

Oh heck yeah haha I love when it knows the future 😂

Correct me if I am wrong, I think the soft start device would also be beneficial when powering your home during power grid black outs when on emergency generator backup.

@marktomlinson3448

4 ай бұрын

Yes, it would. I don't have solar yet but have been using a soft start on my 4 ton Climate Master ground source heat pump for many years now and it works great to allow starting with a smaller generator, eg 4 to 6 kw.

Thanks Will, you just let me know that this was the proper device to get rather than a "hard start kit" commonly sold by HVAC companies. It might be a nice follow up video to compare the differences between a generic "hard start" kit vs this soft start one. My application is being able to start the compressor with my generator, and even though it's rated for the KW, the high inrush current causes the generator to momentarily bog down, which causes a voltage sag enough to trip the lock-out circuit of the compressor board. I'm hoping one of these will 1) allow the generator to actually start the compressor and 2) not place undue stress on the start windings like generic "hard start" kits can do.

@terryuland6502

4 ай бұрын

Looks like I was wrong, I installed this exact kit and while it did cut down the LRA from 105 amps to 38 amps, it still wouldn't allow the generator to start the compressor. There was too much of a voltage sag in the 24VAC transformer which reset the demand defrost board and released the contactor, sometimes even AFTER the compressor actually started. So I swapped it out for a generic hard start kit and that fired it right off, AND still brought the LRA down to 38 amps.

As a mechanical contractor, they will help the compressor, and contactor last longer. I have one installed on my own system. Truth is that all non inverter hvac systems should be built with one.

We asked and he delivered! 🤘

4:10 MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO TUBES ON THE INSIDE OF THE CASE IN THE MOUNTING LOCATION BEFORE INSTALLING ANY SCREWS TO THE AIR CONDITIONER! 💨 💨 💨

I always look forward to your unique, topical videos. Last year, I installed this device and it seemed to made a huge difference to the LRA on my old 5-ton Trane unit. HOWEVER, here in Texas, the LRA reported by this unit varies wildly between just warm days and stifling heat days. During the mild warm days (105ºF or high humidity), the LRA is north of 60A. So, keep this in mind when you make such a purchase. It was a great addition last Spring, but during the hottest Summer months it started performing differently due to the weather. I'm not sure it's worth the money on a 5-ton in such conditions. Your mileage may vary.

@WillProwse

4 ай бұрын

Good to know. I'll test again when it's hot

@tkonzl6059

4 ай бұрын

@@WillProwse, it could be the age or some other failing part of my unit, so keep this in mind when you do your testing.

@everymickle1278

4 ай бұрын

I’m in Texas as well and we installed one of these on each of our three AC units- a 4-ton and two 2-ton units. The cost of the units plus installation was a tough pill to swallow but we immediately noticed a difference in the electrical bill after installing in the late summer. Interested to see the impact at the height of the Texas heat in July and August. We are also hoping to prolong the life of the unit by adding these. The starting current is about 70% less than before and our portable generator handles all three units just fine.

@tkonzl6059

4 ай бұрын

@@everymickle1278, I believe that the amperage needed to start the compressor varies based on outside heat/humidity conditions, age/condition of the compressor, proper refrigerant level, and maybe even pressure in the lines. Everything started out fine in the Spring and early Summer, then it seemed to go downhill in the hottest months I started getting faults, then my Last Start Peak (A) doubled from 30-35A to 65-70A. Just sayin. I also had to replace my outdoor condenser motor, but that didn't help the faults and LRA - faults just kept increasing at every start. Some items of note are that my older 5-ton Trane XR13 was installed in 2008 and it came with a factory-installed hard start kit, which I removed when I installed the Micro-Air soft start. The LRA increases appear to be directly related to the outside conditions. I'm also looking forward to early March 😆when we start using the A/C again. Sorry to hijack Will's video, but my experience has been mixed so far.

@everymickle1278

4 ай бұрын

@@tkonzl6059 Thanks for the feedback. My units are all less than three years old (new construction post C-19). As you know last summer was particularly brutal here in Texas. Let's pray that this year we have a little reprieve.

Installed them on both of my AC units last year. Now my generator can run the entire house, even on natural gas.

I know not everyone has them on hand and you're showing the way to do it with what you have but a Resistor that can handle the wattage is definitely better than using a screwdriver. Purely pointing it out for people who wonder or are afraid to short terminals like that. 👍 Good information though. 😎 Your videos are always informative.

@ThisRandomUsername

4 ай бұрын

There are tradeoffs either way. If you use an insulated screwdriver, you will not be able to shock yourself, but if you use a resistor you run the risk unless you're careful. It's much less dangerous once Will removed both Line and Neutral, but it's still possible to lean on something with one hand and shock yourself with a resistor with the other.

@EdKy101

4 ай бұрын

@@ThisRandomUsername I put shrink tube on the leads and leave just enough lead sticking out to make contact and minimize possiblity of an accident. But I repair Audio gear so I have all the spare junk laying around 😆 We don't all have that 😊 An insulated screwdriver is a great idea and can be bought at almost every local hardware and definitely every Lowe's or Home Depot. 👍 Even the cheap Doyle brand at Harbor Freight would be enough.

@ThisRandomUsername

4 ай бұрын

@@EdKy101 Nice. A resistor is definitely the way to go if you can. If I were always doing repairs on high voltage stuff I'd probably make up a stick with a resistor stuck to the end of it.

I installed one of these Micro-Air Softstarts to my outside unit so that I can run my whole house, including the 2.5 ton central AC, with my portable generator no problem. Worth its's weight in gold during power outages in the Summer months.

You should use a grommet where the cable enters the compressor enclosure.

Most newer units that have two stage compressors already have soft start technology built in to the control board. So make sure to verify before you invest in one of these. Also most newer well pumps also have built in soft. So check first or you may be purchasing something you don't need.

Micro-Air is awesome. Expensive, but worth it. Just never upgrade the software, as it may brick it. At least that was my experience. My peak was cut from around 81 to around 34 amps.

@clayainsworth9018

4 ай бұрын

Their customer service is great as well.

Would like to see the old condenser(s) cooling (not as backup) review/power use/noise VS all the new mini-splits. How long to recapture cost? How much better the splits are compatible with power storage (power wall/batteries) and grid if ever needed. Plus overall feel of house powered on each. Does one dry the house out more than the other? Tall order, I know, my apologies but knowing you, there is already a vid made doing exactly this, im just not wanting to dig for.

Some (soft starters) are about $100 - $150 for a 2Ton HVAC but they do get more expensive for larger 3 or 4 or 5 Ton HVAC's ! The MicroAir brand that Will has on his are expensive but one of the best, ICM Controls soft starters are also very good. Some brands of HVAC's like Coleman have their own soft starters and using other brands may void your Coleman warranty.

I'm hoping one day I can afford a mini split.. DIY.. offgrid setup to aid in heating and cooling.

I have a cheaper version which is definitely not equal to these since it doesn't analysis and give errors codes. Also doesn't start fan and compressor separately. It does though lower LRA significantly on initial startup. Went from around 129amps down to like 70amp. Once running it drops down to like 19 amps continuous. Costs like $75 in comparison. The start capacitor can blow up so have a spare kit if possible or take it oit until you can replace. Also highly recommend a spare dual run capacitor on hand. Have changed those over the years when AC wouldn't start or fan does, but not compressor. Be safe and uncharge any capacitor. Amazing how much juice they hold.

@davidjanis1997

4 ай бұрын

Many moons ago in college electrical class, we would charge up some capacitors and leave them on the workbenchs . Not funny now.

In your last video you showed a part that you added to your golf cart to help it sliw down. Could you please go into more detail on that part?

One thing that I've always wondered about these devices is: Do they have a memory built in so that it remembers the settings that it established during the initial few cycles, that way it picks up where it left off when power is restored after an outage so that it doesn't have to relearn all over again?

If I recall from my electronics days, your clamp meter may not be displaying the actual inrush of current draw as the largest amp draw is within the first few milliseconds of startup. Some meters do not display the first milliseconds and average out the reading which is not a true reading. Just a thought. As usual a great video.

@dlpeters0n

4 ай бұрын

Some clamp meters specifically catch the inrush. Just check for the feature when you choose one.

Howdy DIY-S-P-w-W-P, ... Thanks COOP ...

Some of the newer "traditional" units now have soft-start built in from the manufacturer.

@Sanwizard1

4 ай бұрын

In my opinion, they should ALL have them built in. No reason not to.

Would a two-stage compressor A/C unit have different wiring for a soft start? Dumb question, but do you see a soft start installation voiding a warranty?

Other than already owning an air conditioner, why would you choose an A/C over a heat pump? And why use one if you own both? Does the A/C cool faster?

Could you add one to a 220v well pump to save energy and wear?

Went through 3 HVAC contractors on mine, never worked. Setting in the box!!

Can you install one of these on your hydraulic car lift? Just curious since it seems to have a huge amp requirement at startup too

Looking to go off grid current use avg is about 1,800kw a month (63kw a day but let's over estimate that to 79-80kw which gives me a 25% buffer). What would be a good setup? I like the EQ4 18k, after seeing the cube I like that too. Just want simple plug and play vs how some of these guys build really complex systems that take 45 minutes just to explain how it works. I have ran my house off of a 9k predator generator during winter storms and was able to do everything except run the heat pump but I had an alternative source for that so I was good. Got TX sun so there's no struggle there when it comes to getting enough sun each day for the panels. I will be using soft starters on both traditional HVAC units

@WillProwse slightly off topic, but in between a solar array and batteries etc, what is the benefits of using a bulky isolator switch or a smaller mcb circuit breaker? If you have done a video regarding this please point me to it. Kind regards

I have carrier evolution 2 stage, and the control board shuts down the compressor after the soft start because it seems the compressor blew the time limit to start up. You mentioned at the beginning of the video that the sensors need additional steps to fool the programming, but that part of the vid is missing... I went from 92A to 16A!!!!

Is this something you can do only on your home or could be done elsewhere? I'm wondering if I could help a friend installing one without getting into any issues!

Thoughts on if this would needed with a dual Ecoflow Delta Pro 240v system?

Would a minisplit inverter style air conditioner benefit from this kit, or is the fact that it is an inverter style mean the functions are already incorporated?

Nice.

My mr cools are soft start built in. I have 2 five ton heat pumps. Bad ass. No heat strips either! Zero degrees out and these still turn off. 75 inside

Looks like there's lots of Chinesium clones of these out there. Would be cool to see you do some tests and teardowns.

Do you have any recommendations for a soft start for a RV ac unit and do soft starts ever create issues?

I have geothermal with a central heat pump. How do I determine if one of these would work? Would like to go whole house battery backup.

Do they make a similar product for chest freezers?

Looking for something like this for refrigerators.

Does this apply to the latest mini split systems? I see that you are talking about the traditional air conditioners, but I will install mini splits, so I wonder if this applies. Thanks in advance.

do you know if this could be used on fixed wood working machinery as they also have large start up current ??