Eric33432
Member
I installed soft start devices on all our Trane a/c units. They work very well, even though our 60 kW gen set will start our a/c units, the soft start units reduce pretty much completely eliminate flicker and strain on the generator and the compressors and may extend the life of the compressors.
They work by stretching out the time the start capacitor is in the circuit to the start winding into a 4-part start ramp sequence and controlling the current through the start capacitor and start winding using a triac so that the current through the start capacitor and winding is lower than it would otherwise be if it was just across the 240 volt line in series with the start winding. The units I have "learn" the amount of current that is necessary to start the compressor and have reduced the peak starting current by about 3 times.
Shown are two units connected to Trane XL20i dual compressor condensing unit. This a/c has two compressors, a 2 ton and a 4 ton, thus requires two soft start units. (Note that only one or the other compressor runs at a time under the control of a two stage thermostat.)
At the time of this screen shot, the 2 ton compressor was operating. Nice day today, about 80˚F:
The app connects to the unit using Bluetooth.
They work by stretching out the time the start capacitor is in the circuit to the start winding into a 4-part start ramp sequence and controlling the current through the start capacitor and start winding using a triac so that the current through the start capacitor and winding is lower than it would otherwise be if it was just across the 240 volt line in series with the start winding. The units I have "learn" the amount of current that is necessary to start the compressor and have reduced the peak starting current by about 3 times.
EasyStart™ 368 Soft Starter
The EasyStart™ soft start motor starter supports 115 & 230V A/C motors & employs a 4-part start ramp sequence that offers the lowest possible start-up current.
www.microair.net
Shown are two units connected to Trane XL20i dual compressor condensing unit. This a/c has two compressors, a 2 ton and a 4 ton, thus requires two soft start units. (Note that only one or the other compressor runs at a time under the control of a two stage thermostat.)
At the time of this screen shot, the 2 ton compressor was operating. Nice day today, about 80˚F:
The app connects to the unit using Bluetooth.