DIY install of air conditioner soft-start (Micro-Air Easy Start Flex) - so much quieter!
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- In which I install the Micro-Air Easy Start FLEX into the condenser unit of our central AC system. The condenser makes an obnoxious loud noise when starting up, due to the high inrush current, and even causes the lights in the house to flicker. After installing the soft-starter, the compressor is sooo much quieter when starting up, and the light flickering is completely gone.
The usual disclaimer: do NOT attempt to do this if you are not completely comfortable working with household electrical components. 240V is no joke. This video is for entertainment purposes only, and is simply to document my experience installing this device on my particular AC unit, and is not intended as a recommendation for you to install it on yours. I assume no liability for any damage or injury resulting from any equipment, tools, or procedures in this video. Always use proper safety procedures, and hire professionals when needed. Attempt any projects and repairs at your own risk.
I have watched several of these micro air install videos as I plan to install the same flex this week. With that, I have to say you made a fantastic video and I appreciate the effort involved. I laughed out loud at the blackout after the install.
I installed an older version on my home AC and my RV. They are wonderful devices. I can't believe this is not built into AC units already.
I have seen a lot of videos on how to install the soft-start and this video is the best, simple, direct and without beating around the bush. I think even my grandmother can install one. Thanks, now I am encouraged to install my soft-start, especially the "Flex" model.
Hi, Dmitry excellent job I just ordered my Micro-Air Easy Start Flex, I've watched your video quite a few times Thank You ...Carlos
No longer wakes me up when the compressor turns on! I think it's great.
Nice Job on this video- very clear, and had the info I need to upgrade my 2 ton unit. I particularly like the before and after startup sound level comparison!
Thanks for the great video. If your lights were flickering you should start from the breaker in the panel. Pull the breaker and check the buss bar and the breaker where it snaps onto the buss bar. then make sure the wires are properly torqued. Then the disconnect at the condenser and finally the connections in the condenser. They all seem to loosen over time. The Soft Start is a great way to make your unit last longer.
Good point for some great troubleshooting. Thanks for your input
@@RadioRich100 are you speaking about a soft start?
@@RadioRich100 Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) have been running equipment for over forty years. All the new systems that are “inverters” are soft start. They allow the compressor to ramp up to speed unlike getting hammer by across the line starting (contactor). The running current is the same.
@@RadioRich100 ignorant 🤦🏻.
@@RadioRich100 my friend research it yourself, test the voltage usage yourself. There are plenty of great videos that measure the start up amperage and normal running amperage.
How do you think people run their AC unit with a basic generator?
Also it can expand the life of your compressor and fan as well. Do yourself a favor and research and learn it yourself, don’t listen to some hvac guy that possibly is clueless about soft starts. You have in front of you a very powerful device, I’m talking about your smart phone and or computer, use it..Google and learn
Great video. Reddit points to this being a positive and gaining life out of the compressor. Less hard starting on the compressor makes sense that it extends its life. It does seem to however be a gray area for warranties but generally doesn’t void it from what I’ve seen.
I got mine on order. My unit starts just like how yours did. Can't wait to install this!
You'll appreciate it. Worth the $350
Your vintage electronics says huge thank you for installing the gadget.
Never ever assume the power is off just by pulling the disconnect. Always test for voltage at the contactor.
Micro air tech support said to me the "Flex" model is replacing the EasyStart ASY-368-X72-BLUE model. The Flex model is suppose to be 40-50% smaller.
Came here to ask this question. Thank you.
The only difference is size and one box fits all tonnage. The old 368 boxes are cheaper the lower the tonnage, thus people with smaller units are paying more. Buy the old boxes while you can for a cheaper price.
I like that this should be able to go with me to my next home. Not happy about the price, but happy with the quality. Currently 2.5 tons
I am installing a Flex on my 5ton. LRA about 150. I'm seeing people get starting amps down in the 30s. This is important for people using a portable gen for whole home power. There is a big movement of people doing this down here in hurricane alley. It should be mentioned that this company has incredible customer service and support. This unit has Bluetooth capabilities and you can run diagnostic and then email to Micro-Air and they will help you troubleshoot.
Think I'm going to go steal the Hutch Mountain wiring approach. Blue female spade disconnects for orange and black, then Wago 221 splicing connectors for the white and brown wires. This way you can splice into the existing wires leaving the original connection, and should the Micro-Air fail you can have a running AC again in relatively short order without having to redo the termination on the wires.
Nice video. Very thorough and easily explained. The satisfaction I got from hearing the before and after definitely sold me lol.
@@RadioRich100 it’s that much of a difference??
@@jmill7450 He's a clown troll. Obviously a disgruntled customer who had a bad run in with customer service
@@hyoslvr1668 ahhh gotcha. One of them, huh ?
Great video. Doing this in a few weeks for potential Generator start capability. Many Thanks!
OMG!! just sold me on the before and after sound clips! Thanks a million for the great video!
@@RadioRich100 cute reply. It would be MUCH more helpful, with logical reasoning, if you can explain exactly the negative mechanisms of this product , so I would reconsider purchasing one . thx
Thank you for the simple and clear explanation. Have ordered a system to allow operation with a generator during power outages. Just saved $300+ on a proposed installation cost.
Thank you for your video. You answered so many of my questions in your video. You helped me make my decision. Now time to purchase mine before the next hurricane hits!
I installed a micro-air soft start last year. I love it. I have also had to run off a generator for 48 hours and we had full use of our A/C due to the soft start drawing much less power at start-up.
Wow what a difference in noise reduction. I need one.
@@RadioRich100 Do you need a cry towel?
Thanks for making this video. I have a new Easy Start sitting here on my desk ready to go. Our 3T is loud, and flickering lights are common. Also, my WGen7500DF generator wouldn't run the AC along with our freezer, fridge, and a couple of fans during our 8 day outage last week because of Hurricane Beryl. Hopefully this will be a good thing for our situation.
Got my Micro-Air Easy Start Flex unit today. 8-27-24. Reading over the paperwork. It sure would have been nice if the installation kit were offered at the same time as ordering the unit. Now I have to wait more days to receive it. Slow shipping.
These are a must if you have solar power. I have 2 more to install for people with solar. I read about them for 2 years before trying it on my rv. My start up amps went from over 30 to 8 amps and it’s so much quieter. I tried to get a few hvac wholesale stores to carry them but no luck yet. They will!
@@RadioRich100 I installed an ICM soft start 3 years ago and still going strong. RV a/c’s are factory installing these too so people can run their ac with small generators. I was skeptical of hard start capacitors when they came out too. I researched soft starts for years before trying one and they are much better than hard start capacitors. And they cost a lot more.
@@RadioRich100 They are absolutely factory installed by Coleman for RV’s. They offer a soft start series. Soft starts will increase compressor life and reduce energy consumption.
@@RadioRich100 Sir, you are very much mistaken. Coleman has made RV AC units for years. They are not as popular as Dometic ACs but they are very much a player in the RV market. Oddly enough, I am commenting simply because my RV currently has a Coleman AC sitting on the roof. Not sold on the whole soft start trend, so I can't agree or disagree with you on that point. As for Coleman, they produce much more than just coolers and lanterns.
Ordered mine right after Beryl. Lost in shipping atm but hopefully ill get it soon and test b4 and after !!!
Holy smokes.. I did a Hyper Engineering Surestart on mine a few years ago (3 ton).. but it doesn’t even come close to that level of noise reduction. I may need to switch it up! I’m in the generator motivated crowd. Thanks for the video!
If you use the bluetooth feature to monitor starting current and number of starts you may find that it may have faults due to a capacitor or loose wiring problems. Micro Air was very helpful in solving these problems for me. You may also find that the compressor does hum louder on startup as time goes on.
What I have found is that you have 5 learn starts when installed. I installed mine when it was cooler during the spring but once we got to 100 degrees everyday I had a fault, so I reset it to learn all over again...problem solved.
I have the 368 model running with my condenser and the Flex does look to be smaller by 25%; pretty much the same as the setup as in the video but the 368 was too big to jam into the same spot. Great video.
With all the precautions at the beginning, I am surprised you physically screwed in the Micro-Air before testing it all worked :).
You may consider getting a 25k ohm 20 watt resistor with wire/alligator clip on each end to bleed your capacitors. It’s a slow bleed that won’t damage your capacitors. I use one especially for electrolytic capacitors. It takes about thirty seconds to discharge and is the best method for bleeding them.
Thanks for the video. This helped a lot along with the microair ac install guide.
Out of all the videos on RUclips regarding how to properly install this....your video by far was the best I have seen. It solved my problem instantly, thanks!
I need one of these! My outside unit looks just like that.
Great video!! I installed one on my a/c and 2 on my Brother's units about a year ago. Easy install, they work great, and my interaction with the Company was fantastic. Great customer service and help answering questions. I highly recommend Easy Start for ANYONW with an a/c.
Nice video.
Energy savings - I was going to post this as a reply to a post below, but thought I'd make it a separate post. I don't think it will provide any savings. As Dmitry commented below, the amp reduction is only for a brief while, at startup. So while that technically does save some current ($), the compressor isn't doing as much work (as much cooling). It will bee to run longer to make up for the missing BTU's. It converts that huge bu brief current spike to a lower but longer current draw. At the end of the day, it'll end up being the same total current draw. I don't think any soft start manufacturers advertise energy savings as a benefit.
Also thanks to the poster that determined that the Flex is an all-capacity, but 25% smaller unit, than the original Breeze, which you had to buy in 3T, 4T, or 5T capacities. I only need a 3T unit for my house, so a ~$299 3T Breeze might be fine. Deciding if it's worth getting the Flex, figuring the smaller unit might (and latest and greatest version) might be worth the higher cost.
Great job 👍
So glad I bought this before you uploaded this great video, demand will probably shoot up for this smaller company. July in Florida though so I don’t want to go outside to install it! Need to man up
Excellent video. Thanks for providing. Helped me to install quickly. I completed the install this past weekend on both my 3 ton and 2 ton units. I received 65% reduction on inrush, and minimal amps reduction on running. Given the cost of these units and cost for electricity, in Houston, I will never receive a payback. But, I installed these units so I could run my generator and start both AC units, which I couldn't beforehand. Maybe I could extend the life of my units by 1 year, but, that is an unknown.
@@RadioRich100 I measured current both from my meter and as-noted on the Bluetooth app supplied by Micro-Air. Although not exactly the same amp reading, it was close. Soft starters for AC units provide a "ramp-up in voltage" that enables lower amperage and less heat, and wear and tear, on the fan and compressor motor. I am a registered Mechanical Engineer in the state of Texas.
@@RadioRich100 Well geez ... I couldn't start my 3 Ton unit with the generator powering my house, before installing the soft starters, now I power both my AC units with spare amps to run microwave and other smaller appliances. This was confirmed when Beryl came through. But, have it your way ... I will keep my soft starters.
@@RadioRich100 I have a Generac 24kw unit. Measured load, without AC + normal household operation is (refrig, etc.) measured at 22 amps (measured by the gen installer). The 24kw has a max load amperage of about 90. LRA for the 3 ton is 91 amps, and 2 ton is 67 amp. Obviously, I can start the 2 ton without the soft starter but 3 ton just trips on in-rush overload - this was proven at commissioning. Now, with the soft starters, I am at ~ 70 amps for normal household PLUS both units starting at same time ... which is not real world scenario. This has been proved. If I bought a larger size generator, it would be so expensive, and too large for my neighborhood to accept the sound level, plus, running load is on a larger generator would be about 30% and that is NOT a good operation for long-term engine running ... increase of deposits on cylinder walls and heads. Not everyone is wealthy to overbuy a generator and not everyone lives in the country where they can install generator 100 feet from their home to reduce noise level.
@@RadioRich100 People reading this reply should ignore what this guy is saying. I am an engineer and I have done my homework, and determined these soft starters - not hard starters - will NOT void your warranty and does NOT degrade your system, anyless than normal wear and tear.
@@RadioRich100 LOL, I am a retired engineer from Chevron and have the pleasure of managing, designing, installing and operating $1B plus offshore platforms and mid-stream gas plants around the world. I have extensive experience in petroleum, process, mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering. Most important, I am a thorough and sensible engineer and dont do anything unless I have done my homework. On top of all this, my Dad was a AC certified installer of Carrier HVAC systems and I helped him in the summer crawling around hot attics, in the Houston area - i.e. I know my way around HVAC units. Salesman - nope; manufacturer - nope. Just a retired engineer in the Houston area, trying to keep cool.
You can also upgrade the fan blades from the simple paddle style fan to a more advanced style fan. It will get rid of the helicopter sound. This is an example, yours may differ.
FAN05905 - OEM Upgraded Condenser Fan Blade Replaces Trane.
To add to the discussion. I bought a MicroAir soft starter. Had the company confirm that is was sized correctly and they even verified the connections - run wire, etc. Worked great for 2 months. Then no cold air. House in Florida, in the summer, heating up to 85+. I was out of town, so called my local AC tech and he discovered the run wire connection from the soft start was burned. For a distance of over 6 inches. He rewired the AC and Voila cold air again. I contacted MicroAir and told them what happened. Me being a trusting consumer, I thought they would stand by their product. NOPE! They told me the failure was caused by the heat. You think? Florida, in the summer, DUH! The original run wire worked for 9 years and after reconnecting the AC works fine. There is something wrong with the soft started and they won't admit it or support their unit. BUYER BEWARE!!
Great video Dmitry!
Very good explanation of soft start unit.
I just got one but haven't installed yet. My ac unit is new and pretty quiet but has a high LRA and I'm specifically doing this to run my AC with my generator.
It's kind of pricy but a must have for my situation.
LRA has nothing to do with it running!
@@michaelgraham8504 of course not. He is planning to use the soft starter to drop the LRA so it can start on a reasonably-sized generator
wow this should be standard
I just ordered mine. I’m from Houston, Tx. Need I say more 😢
im north of you in conroe, just put mine on and it makes a hell of a difference on generator. my 4ton isnt beating the stator on my genset up any more. 20kW genset was dragging down hard after beryl.
@@Dillinger128 what size generator are you running??
@@dewaltgrainger2923 20kW
@@dewaltgrainger2923 20kW. is it enough? yeah, but my 4ton American standard silver did drag it down with the inrush current and cause all my lights and battery backups to blink and beep. it also smoked my fuel down by 10% a day with those hard starts. I have a 250 gallon propane tank on my generator. NG is not available where I am in the woods.
I think having compressor soft starting compared to the hard starts will increase the life expectancy of it. Not sure if I read that somewhere? 🤔
Correct. Imagine pressing your cars gas pedal to the floor and then going from park directly to Drive vs slowly accelerating to the appropriate speed.
A lot of wear and tear in the long run.
It saves some electricity as well
FYI...LRA is when the motor is fully locked, not spinning at all...when we test motors at work we only perform the test for less than a second in order to not burn the motor windings. Sure the motor does pull a lot of amps when starting up but will never be at LRA spec since it is not truly locked up. Great video, btw. I am really surprised that they don't include the installation hardware, especially for the price.
Great work! Much gratitude! What are the energy savings?
Thank you for sharing
it would be great to get a close up of the wiring where you put the white hire...thanks!
Had the Micro-Air Easy Start Flex installed by my HVAC company last week on my 5 ton Carrier unit that is 14yrs old. LRA is 117a on the label of the unit. It is now 24.5/34a on start up. A couple of things I learned from tech support. Bluetooth signal is low power so you have to be within 2ft or closer to connect to the app. Also any solid stream of water like sprinklers or water coming off the roof in direct contact with the Flex , water will intrude and void the warranty. I asked about applying a bead of clear silicone around the window and where screws were. They said that would void the warranty. They suggested a water proof box to put the Flex in like other customers have done.
Hmm interesting, thanks for that note. I guess by making the unit smaller, they expect more users to be able to install it inside the panel itself. But I do recall reading that it's supposed to be IP65 rated, which I suppose is for general "weather" resistance, but it sounds like they're being sticklers about specific types of water presence around it.
Will not void your warranty with MicroAir. It is IP65 rated, they even say you can mount it outside the compartment if there isn't room for it inside. Just make sure you install with the wire exiting downward to be on the safe side (in case of pooling on the waterproof grommet). If your HVAC company told you that, maybe they were referring to their own installation warranty or something.. but MicroAir themselves are extremely supportive and state on their own videos these can be installed externally/in contact with elements.
@@michaeladams4592
I agree with the wire exiting downward and so far I have been very pleased how the starter has been working. Everyone will have a different situation to their application but be mindful where it is installed. Mine is installed on the exterior above the liquid and suction lines since there was no room inside the panel as you did and never any pooling. I asked tech support if I could just add a small bead of clear silicone on the seam where the box and clear top meet and where screws go in for extra added water protection since we get a lot of high winds and heavy rain here in Houston, Tx.
This is a copy and paste from tech support response. They do not want direct water hitting them.
" The starters are IP65 rated meaning they're water resistant but can't be installed where they'll direct roof runoff or main sprinkler water hitting them."
You'd do better to make or purchase a box to mount it in like I've seen several other customers do.
Do not add any kind of sealant or this will void your warranty.
Very nice step by step instructions do you think you will see and energy savings by lowering the inrush current that much?
Thanks! As far as energy savings, it's probably not that much -- we're only talking about ~1 second worth of inrush current, versus many minutes worth of regular operation which won't be affected. It might be enough to pay for itself over the lifetime of the AC system, but I wouldn't say the energy savings should be a deciding factor for getting it.
Can? And how? this be installed on a 115v lawn sprinkler pump to achieve low in rush amps? I’m running on battery back up and want to reduce startup amps on my battery system. I’ve only seen this used on hvac but been told it works on electric motors as well??
Got a question, if my home is all electric, do I need a soft start of some kind for the air handler? It's a 20 year old American Standard paired with a 4 ton. Thank you.
Thanks for a great instruction. Where do you buy the Easystart unit? Thanks again
Hello Dmitry! Your video was so well done, I when on Amazon to purchase. Which Kit or Kit number did you used in this video?
Great video. Thank you for sharing. May I ask ? Please. Could you share link website , where to buy it in description ?
Just google micro-air easystart flex. You’re welcome!
With more efficient delivery of amps, it's supposed to prolong the compressor's lifespan.
Would have been informative to show the before andcafter start currents
Go ahead and make your own video to show everyone that information.
Peak of 30Amp and Live at 13 Amp with flex installed. Look at his schematics early in video I think it used to be Peak of 134amp and ran live at 28-30Amp. The man took the time to record this in great detail show a little appreciation
Impressive.
Takes money but adding a compressor sound deadening cover will decrease even more sound. God Bless America
So is it basically converting a one- or two-phase condenser to a multi-stage/variable/inverter type condenser? The EasyStart does NOT work with inverter / variable condensers.
Put a amp meter on your hot wire out n see max amps before n after
I hooked mine up and now it doesn't cool. cool air out the compressor fan. - disappointing! followed your instructions exactly - then i shut off the system because you said it has to start 5 times - but it never stopped because it wasn't cooling. i shut the system down and now the thermostat says waiting for equipment. also, i noted - the blue wire on the left side was buzzing when i unconnected it - and reconnected - the contactor clicked in...when the power was off! is this normal? the EASY START has a green light and a red blinking light 7 times...then repeats as soon as i bypassed the easystart - the AC started cooling again! I looked up the 7 red lights and it says "Start Winding not Detected/Mis-wiring"
I want one of these and especially the Micro Air but I know of at least 3 people that installed these and they ran less than 2-4 weeks before burning up. One guy, who is a friend of mine, is an AC technician so I know it was installed correctly. He called me after he installed his telling me how great it was, about a week later he called back saying it just burned up most of the capacitors. It sounds like Micro Air's customer service isn't that great either. Does anyone have any long term experience with these?
My experience has been quite the opposite. I have the older larger model on mine. It's been running for right at 2 years and it has 9619 starts since installation.
I did have an issue when the actual app updated on my phone, it "bricked" the unit and my ac wouldn't come on. I disconnected the easy start and the ac ran fine.
I contacted them and they had me on the phone with their electrical engineer/app developer the same day. Ended up being a bug in the update. He remotely pushed an update to my unit over the air and I was back up and running with it connected that afternoon.
I installed mine 2 years ago and it’s been flawless. About 23,000 starts to date. Never an issue, not 1. Ran my 3 ton unit and house for days after hurricane. LRA went from 77 to 26 and runs at 9 amps. My unit was 10 years old when I installed it.
Do you have links on all the connectors you used? I do not want to make multiple trips to the hardware store. Thanks!
I've been looking for one for my house but the ones on Amazon seem to be for RV use. Where did you get yours?
just remember DIY community, soft star is for single stage only
Will this also help lower your electric bill?
My Lennox AC here in Florida is 16 years old. No soft start.
Basically what you're getting is a start capacitor and then they're probably bring it on the condenser fan a little different time maybe before the compressor but unless you have a adjustable speed compressor you need to get that thing a shot and get it going and that's what they're doing and that's a can of a scam they've had that for years
Did you void the manufacturer's warranty by installing this yourself?
Do you also have a surge protector before the soft-starter in the circuit?
I don't see anything in the warranty regarding who performs the installation, but I haven't asked the manufacturer directly. As it happens, I do have a whole-house surge protector on my main panel. But then, wouldn't this be another benefit of having this kind of kit, where it could become a "sacrificial" device, and protect your AC unit in case of a surge?
My ac unit doesn’t have a disconnect lever like yours does. Will shutting off the breaker be good enough to shut power from the unit? Thanks!
breaker box should be same, outside is just a convenient way
As an electrician, I don’t believe in one fits all. In rush draw is different on each size compressor. They need to make the appropriate item for each unit.
I am interested to get it for my 2.5 and 4 ton Trane. What model and where did you get it? I have inquire and some air conditioner company ask for an arm and a leg to instal it.
Just installed mine yesterday...was working great, now when the AC turns on from the thermostat the contactor buzzes the whole time unit is running. I can manually start it from the switch at the contactor and no buzzing happens....anyone have ideas?
wanting to order one
Can you please share where you purchased it? Website link . Tfs!!
So, what did you do with that wire that was originally connected to the herm terminal on the capacitor? Did you terminate it with something?
That wire stayed on the Herm terminal; The new wire was in addition to that one. (The capacitor terminals have multiple connectors that you can plug onto, exactly for these kinds of purposes)
Does the wiring harness come with the product in the box?
Yes, the unit comes with the wires already coming out of it.
Would have been nice if you had recorded the actual starting current (peak in-rush current) as well as what is the actual running current while the compressor is running.
Min went from 150 down to 37 and running at 10.9
He mentioned in another comment peak Amp is 30 and live now is 13A
Will this save you money on the electric bill??
What easy start do I need for a 5 ton 150Lra
my flex did 7 learn starts. did yours?
I hate that I cannot monitor error codes and I have to send the data to the company to get results back. That's the only thing stopping me from recommending it.
Micro air wiil make a ton of money when they figure out how to eliminate the cap by installing their tech
how much better is this that a hard start cap? i mean it is almost 100 times the cost.
A hard start provides more power to start a compressor. Soft start is opposite, it reduces power to start the compressor and fan motor.
How does an air conditioner cool down a house?? 0:40 In Rush Current
Lol i get it bro
Its Bluetooth functionality probably won't work well with it behind the metal cover. Otherwise great video!
Another comment said it is low energy Bluetooth, so it would have limited range anyway.
Haha yes, I realized it has a bluetooth function after I already installed it, and you're right that it's basically inside a faraday cage, but I was able to communicate with it within a couple of feet.
@@DmitryBrant I bought some magnetic, rubber covered feet for mine on Amazon. They arrived today. I'm going to just slap mine on the outside of my unit with them. It'll also let me hide it under the panel if necessary.
Not a relay contactor
Are you aware there is an app to monitor your micro-air?
haha yes, I realized it has a bluetooth function after I already installed it. The app says the peak current is now 30A, and live current is 13A (and no faults).
@@DmitryBrant Great!
@@DmitryBrant That's a significant reduction in current. Looking at your label shown at ruclips.net/video/XONo1LU2Y4E/видео.htmlsi=1EkMGSERWBoTFPup&t=116 it indicates a RLA of up to 26.8 amps and an LRA of 134 amps. That's huge. Thanks for sharing.
@@DmitryBranthave you noticed lower electric bill by any chance? Judging by current usage being dropped by half, I wanna be optimistic and say you have ? 😀. Thanks so much for a great video
This really isn't a review. His goal was to reduce the noise it made. After statup should it not sound the same? Would have been nice to have seen a meter to capture start up Amps, then running amps. I'd like to do that on my 4 ton, but don't think my 5500 watt gen would work.
Dont put one of these in, they destroy compressors. My Hvac guy said never put them in. Hes always disconnecting them. The hype thats going around about them is incorrect. They donot reduce current to the motor, you cannot measure correctly with a clamp meter.
L r a doesn't work like that dodo
I'm happy to be corrected about anything I say. I'm not a professional HVAC person, which is why this is a DIY video. Can you be more specific about LRA, for everyone's benefit?
My A/C goes on once and never shuts off all day until I turn it off so useless for me
Nah, not a good idea. If it cycles on while the head pressure is high, you will stall the compressor. There is a reason they make "hard start" kits, the compressor needs that initial inertia to overcome the head pressure of high pressure line on first piston strokes. Either upgrade your electrical system, put your lights on another phase, or get an inverter unit.
It's running very well so far, but thanks for the notes!
Just curious how do you put a 2 phase ac system(240volts) on a different 2 phases then the two phases (240volts)that feed a normal home?
@@maxwellmelon69 Sorry, forgot this is the US with only two phases instead of 3 @400V. That doesn't apply then, but upgrading the wiring is still valid. It's really not normal to have your light dim from AC compressor starting up.
The hard start is for a bad compressor to get more life out of it, kinda like a life spport system or a heart defribulator
@@aholmes6612 You missed my point, that system is not designed one bit for a compressor to ramp up slowly, you risk stalling the rotor, that's the issue hard start kits solve on older systems, where the momentum the rotor needs at the beginning becomes even higher.
A homeowner should not be doing this.. the LRA is not the amps the unit shoukd or will draw.. LRA Is tge amps if the compressor is locked or seized.. perhaps your start capacitor is going bad and thats the reason for the noise.. yes a hard start woukd he better..
Respectfully disagree -- I think homeowners should be able to repair and service anything they own, and are comfortable doing. I appreciate your suggestion about the capacitor going bad, and I might revisit and replace it in the future if the problem continues or worsens.
@DmitryBrant I agree with they should be allowed too but there is an inherent risk to anyone without proper training or experience working inside a condenser..
Why didnt u at least tell us that prior to connecting the 4 micro air wites you have to disconnect wires? Im my case Carrier 5 wires need disconnected. Much more missing info👎🏻
Your going to get someone killed
Don’t do it . Complete waste of time and money . This will kill your capacitor.
Well I already did it, but you don't have to. And if it kills my capacitor, I can replace it for $15. In the meantime, we're enjoying a much quieter condenser.
I'm curious what evidence you have that shows this device will kill your capacitor? Capacitors don't last forever and are considered consumable. The most common cause is damage by current surges and heat. Do you have empirical evidence or just experience/gut feelings?
It does work, and will not mess the capacitor up.
You probably made a short circuit when you used the screw driver on the capacitor. That happened to me when long ago I replaced the fan on the condenser. I did the same as he did on the video, discharged the capacitor with the screwdriver but I ended up blowing up the fuse on the furnace board and replacing the capacitor.
@@carlosgraphicso what is the correct procedure to discharge the cap?
🎯👏🏼👏🏼