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Started By
Message
Soft start for carrier 17 seer 2 stage
Posted on 9/8/24 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 9/8/24 at 7:20 pm
The unit is wired for single stage, it was just the only thing that was available whenever the house was being constructed.
I'm having issues with a 13.5 K Peak generator starting the 4 ton unit. I isolated all circuits and even with just the AC it won't kick it over cleanly. Is there anyone who sells a soft start that I can possibly have delivered Tuesday?
If you give me a link I will happily purchase it.
Should be able to run 10,000w.
Everything is wired with 8 gauge or better wiring, and the disconnect goes through a 60 amp breaker.
I'm having issues with a 13.5 K Peak generator starting the 4 ton unit. I isolated all circuits and even with just the AC it won't kick it over cleanly. Is there anyone who sells a soft start that I can possibly have delivered Tuesday?
If you give me a link I will happily purchase it.
Should be able to run 10,000w.
Everything is wired with 8 gauge or better wiring, and the disconnect goes through a 60 amp breaker.
4
Posted on 9/8/24 at 11:27 pm to X123F45
Make sure you don’t have an integrated contactor that is circuit board mounted. My BIL’s unit {2 speed) was set up that way and I tried wiring it but kept getting errors. Called the tech number and after sending diagram and pics they said it won’t work.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 1:01 am to Wraytex
Parts fiche shows one like this
Posted on 9/9/24 at 1:33 am to X123F45
Then you’re good to go I think I saw a cheaper soft start on signature solars site.
Soft start
Soft start
This post was edited on 9/9/24 at 2:18 am
Posted on 9/9/24 at 8:26 am to X123F45
instead of going this route you can also set up the system so it starts on 1st stage and then kicks to 2nd stage based on a timer.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 8:52 am to notsince98
Unit is currently wired for single stage. It was just what was available.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 9:06 am to X123F45
If it was wired for two stage you wouldn't need a soft starter. It would essentially act as one per the timer set up above.
MicroAir EasyStart is popular. SureStart is another one.
ETA: my EasyStart gets my 4 ton inrush down to 46-48, which is still stout for that size generator. Not sure if you would see a better decrease. SureStarts and other brands I believe (could be wrong) have a set inrush amperage setting, which may be lower than what you experience with your "learned" inrush with the EasyStart.
MicroAir EasyStart is popular. SureStart is another one.
ETA: my EasyStart gets my 4 ton inrush down to 46-48, which is still stout for that size generator. Not sure if you would see a better decrease. SureStarts and other brands I believe (could be wrong) have a set inrush amperage setting, which may be lower than what you experience with your "learned" inrush with the EasyStart.
This post was edited on 9/9/24 at 9:09 am
Posted on 9/9/24 at 9:34 am to X123F45
I thought I’d share this. I purchased a MicroAir Easy Start Flex Soft Start about 5 weeks ago, installed it it on my 4-ton Trane and it runs the HVAC on a Firman Tri-Fuel generator producing 6900 peak watts/5500 running watts on natural gas. I didn’t think it would and I didn’t buy that generator with running the HVAC in mind (I just wanted the NG capability and was able to buy it 1/2 price), but 1 or 2 posters on this site said that generator ran their 4-ton units on NG so I bought the soft start and low and behold it also runs my HVAC while still operating refrigerator-freezer (3), lights, fans. So once you install a soft start you won’t have any issue running your 4-ton HVAC on the generator you have.
Now the down & other upside - the soft start failed after a month of use - Friday before Labor Day, I reported it and by the end of the day Micro-Air after reviewing the on-board diagnostics & photos they requested was sending me a new replacement - it should arrive today. Their service & response to a problem with their unit was immediate.
But I don’t think you can get it a MicroAir Easy Start by tomorrow but there is an Eltwin Soft Start for $259 on Amazon that shows you could receive it overnight if ordered today + there are Y/T videos of installing that unit on a HVAC condensing unit - very straight forward like installing the MicroAir.
Now the down & other upside - the soft start failed after a month of use - Friday before Labor Day, I reported it and by the end of the day Micro-Air after reviewing the on-board diagnostics & photos they requested was sending me a new replacement - it should arrive today. Their service & response to a problem with their unit was immediate.
But I don’t think you can get it a MicroAir Easy Start by tomorrow but there is an Eltwin Soft Start for $259 on Amazon that shows you could receive it overnight if ordered today + there are Y/T videos of installing that unit on a HVAC condensing unit - very straight forward like installing the MicroAir.
This post was edited on 9/9/24 at 9:36 am
Posted on 9/9/24 at 9:51 am to X123F45
quote:
Unit is currently wired for single stage. It was just what was available.
I understand that. If you dont have a t-stat that can do 2-stages, you can still set it to start on 1st stage and then go to 2nd stage on a short timer.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 11:59 am to notsince98
I was under the impression that the thermostat required the additional wire to be run inside to actually operate the two stage, my mistake. I guess I'll reach out to a buddy of mine and see if I can get him to actually just set it up properly. I did overnight one of the ones listed above though just in case.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 12:26 pm to X123F45
quote:
I was under the impression that the thermostat required the additional wire to be run inside to actually operate the two stage, my mistake. I guess I'll reach out to a buddy of mine and see if I can get him to actually just set it up properly. I did overnight one of the ones listed above though just in case.
What furnace/air handler do you have? It isn't "always" possible but sometimes it is.
Posted on 9/9/24 at 8:21 pm to CrawDude
quote:
Now the down & other upside - the soft start failed after a month of use - Friday before Labor Day, I reported it and by the end of the day Micro-Air after reviewing the on-board diagnostics & photos they requested was sending me a new replacement - it should arrive today. Their service & response to a problem with their unit was immediate.
My buddy in Houston had one of the new Easy Start Flex units fail on him. Looks like the biggest change in it from the soft start I have is rather than using one large starting capacitor it has 6 smaller capacitors in series or parallel. He sent me a picture with brown liquid inside the soft starter and I knew immediately it was dielectric fluid from inside the capacitors (which obviously should only be inside of them
) 
He's working with them for a replacement and I imagine they'll get him another one quickly. I had one of their soft starters fail after 7 months and they sent me a replacement that is still kicking. It has 23k starts on it and my other starter is the original with 32k starts on it.
Highly recommend MicroAir. They stand behind their product and make it right if there is an issue. And it does reduce inrush current by about 70% as they advertise.
This post was edited on 9/9/24 at 8:22 pm
Posted on 9/10/24 at 8:00 am to bapple
quote:
bapple
I haven’t removed the soft start from the condensing unit yet other than disconnecting the wiring but I’ll take a look inside the bad one after the new one arrives and is installed which, now looks like it will not arrive until until the storm passes through BR - ain’t that the way things always work.
But I didn’t notice oil splattered on the plexiglass cover from exploded capacitors like your friend. We’ll see when I open it up if there are bulging capacitors, but looks like Micro-Air may need better QA/QC from whomever they source their capacitors from.
Posted on 9/10/24 at 1:07 pm to CrawDude
quote:
but looks like Micro-Air may need better QA/QC from whomever they source their capacitors from.
My thoughts exactly. I like the smaller footprint of the flex version of the soft starter but if the capacitors eventually explode that isn’t exactly an improvement
. Hopefully they make smart decisions on sourcing going forward. 
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