This one caught my eye... because I had my Trane XL14i w/heat pump kit installed in 2004 after a lightning strike. Then about 8 years ago it was having trouble starting in the heat of Summer, popping the circuit breaker. The HVAC tech said the compressor was bad, time for a new aircon! Having had some DIY HVAC experience years before, and thus being familiar with soft-starter on large compressors (Variable Frequency Drives), I found the Hyper Engineering Sure-Start series, and bought one and installed it. Here we are in 2024 and it's still going strong! Before I installed it, it was hitting 70+ Amps at startup (analog meter)... which was reduced down to around 20 Amps... amazing. In fact, I could run my whole house air conditioning with my emergency 7kw genset without any problems. I've yet to find a single HVAC technician who understands what a soft-starter does... all they ever want to put on is A HARD starter... throw MORE Amps at it, and burn it up!
A hard start does not make it pull more amps. The extra capacitance means the compressor doesn’t have to try as hard to start which decreases the amp draw on start up. Thats why you can add a hard start to a compressor that pulls so many amps it pops the breaker and suddenly they don’t pop the breaker anymore.
I bought one a couple of months ago and installed it yesterday. It reduced starting amperage from 72 A to 24 A. Verified through the Bluetooth app and also via our Sense app. It did what it said it was going to do. Worth every penny.
I have a 4-ton (46,000 BTU) A/C unit. Two years ago I installed a Micro-Air EasyStart 368 (4-ton) Soft Starter ASY-368-X48-BLUE. It now has 26,400 starts. My AC unit now uses 12.8 to 13.8 Amps and a Start Peak of 33 to 36 Amps. I bought it at Global Yacht Supply. It was shipped from Micro-Air. It now costs $332. I have a Firman T07571 Tri-fuel and run it on NG.
Wow! 26,400 starts! This is great to hear, thanks for sharing! I’m around 100 starts right now and I’m just below 30A to start and between 10-11 running with my 3.5 ton. It’s slightly quieter and no more lights dimming in the house at startup. I’ve been super happy with the purchase so far, but your comment and experience is great to look forward to! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Nice job. A couple of things: If you notice the terminals for the compressor that are bolted down to the contactor don’t have insulation on them. That’s because they’re high temperature rated terminals. The insulated terminals will melt. You should check the capacitor if it hasn’t already failed. It looks like it’s bulging a bit. Generally if it’s +/- 10% or worse from its rated capacitance then it needs to be replaced. The +/- listed on the side of the capacitor is the out of box tolerance level. If it’s outside of the listed tolerance straight out of the box do not use it and get another one.
Nice job, Sir! I installed the same device on my AC unit a few days ago. The sole purpose for me was to lower the inrush current so I could run the AC on my backup generator. I also have been getting weird numbers with my amp clamp meter.... and I specifically purchased a new $200 Klein meter with the "inrush" feature to accurately measure the before and after amp draw when installing devices like this. My meter is showing lower numbers than the Bluetooth app. Weird. Either way, I am still very impressed with the end result of the Micro-Air installation. My 9000 watt (peak) inverter generator will now start my AC with no trouble at all. (my AC unit is only a 1.5 ton - small house) I watched your snow melting videos and I was also very impressed with that system, too. In fact, I am a little bit jealous of your snow melting driveway. I installed a new brick paver driveway about 15 years ago and I could've added anything under the driveway at that time. Either electric wires, liquid glycol lines, something, anything.... but the thought never crossed my mind. After watching your video I am really disappointed that I didn't add something for melting snow when I had the chance. Nice video. Keep 'em coming...
Just installed an X72 in my 5 ton, it's working great! Initial inrush was about 78 amps. The unit took that down to 34 amps. Running amps are about the same, 11 amps. Time for a generator backup panel!
I've just gotten my 72 operating after nearly a year of sitting dormant on my unit because the electrician couldn't get the connections right so the compressor wouldn't start. I'm having almost identical results do what you reported. I need to have my soft start relearn though because the weather conditions weren't right for that process when we got it going.
@@dboundscpa Yes, not too hot or cold outside when learning. It was about 80 degrees when I installed mine. Note that the compressor will draw more running amps when the setpoint of your AC in the house is more than 15 degrees below outside ambient temp. At 25 degree difference, AC efficiency drops fast, meaning longer run times to meet the demand.
From a former Buffalonian living in Arizona I say “nice job”. This would be a nice addition to our A/C unit which about to get another good workout here this summer. Also enjoyed your winter video some months back. I remember those days all too well.
Nice video -- I installed the exact same Micro-Air soft start kit on our 3 ton Bryant unit a couple years ago so that it would start on our generator. runs great and i've also been able to use the phone app to update the firmware on the unit via bluetooth.
Thanks Ryan! That is another reason I installed it, I just forgot to mention it in the video! Glad you hear you haven't had any issues with it. It was a little pricey, but I think it was worth it. I also found the Bluetooth functionality quite impressive. I haven't needed to update the firmware yet, but that's a great point and advantage when the time comes! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I appreciate it!
Very nice video. I ordered the same unit for my 3 ton AC. This will help. My goal is to help the AC to run better and on a generator when we have a hurricane here in Florida.
Great video. My HVAC guy says "Soft starts tend to overhead motor windings, leading to an early death of the compressor. While they may save you energy, when they destroy the compressor."
*Lots of ignorance and mis-information is rampant. You might wish to politely direct him to Matteo Giovanetti's tutorials. Pity that so few HVAC/R guys understand the EasyStart's functioning.*
How did I miss this?? It appears you were taking your amp draw on red (run) and you should have been taking it on black (common). Orange (start) and red (run) are in parallel with the start having the capacitor.
Before shoving in sheet metal screws, check inside to be sure you won't hit a refrigerant line or condenser tubing elbow with sheet metal screw sticking out backside. The Red wire to compressor is only the compressor Run winding current. To get total compressor current you should measure Black common wire to compressor. Run capacitor/start winding will add about 20% more current to total compressor current during run period. There is a 90 deg phase difference in Run and Start winding current so compressor common wire current will be sqrt ( (run winding current)^2 + (start winding current)^2 ) Easystart BT also only reports the Run winding current so it is lower than actual compressor total current draw by about 20%.
Useful video. Your clamp meter appears to be malfunctioning. Using the “Peak” function isn’t really an accurate way to measure Inrush current. Clamp meters with a specific InRush feature are more accurate for this purpose. Also, on the video on TH-cam by MicroAir, he measures InRush current by clamping around the wire that goes to the Common terminal on the compressor, not the Run terminal.
Thanks for the video. I'm about to do the same install on my Trane 3.5XR. I would have edited out the fussing with the clamp meter, but I have a Klein and it's super confusing to me too.
Looks good and seems to work. Trust the control, not your handheld meter. Meter can't accurately read it no matter what it says. Typically induction motors use 6 -7 times full or run load amps. Waiting for solar!
That was interesting, we Have almost the exact unit also installed in 2007, i replaced the old Gravity ( octopus) furnace added ducts and added A/C to my 1920s house. The compressor is pretty loud on start-ups but it's at the back of the house where the kitchen and bathroom are, so I'll leave mine alone. I can see why you would want to quiet down the almost violent start up though. Take care!
That’s funny that we both installed the same XR13 unit in our 1920’s houses in 2007. We added a/c to ours back then as well. I’ve done some re-ducting over the years as we’ve added on, but the unit has been flawless. I service the XV95 furnace every year myself, removing the burners and cleaning them, etc, but I haven’t touched the AC or even put a gauge on it. Still blows ice cold. I also think it’s funny you know exactly how loud the unit can be at startup! 😂. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
I came across your video on installing the MicroAir Soft Start when looking for specific information about installing that device. Mine is slightly different in that it is for the larger AC, so it is the 72 instead of the 48. My problem is that my compressor is not kicking on after installation. The vendor who sold me the device has confirmed that my electrician has connected all the wires properly and has sent a replacement device, then confirmed again that wired connections are correct, but the compressor still does not start. All this is strictly on city power. I have given up on the process for a long time, but would REALLY like to get the soft start installed AND FUNCTIONAL. Any recommendations? Your video really didn't seem to address the wiring very much.
Thanks Ryan! I’ll give it a shot next time I have the cover off and see if there is a difference. Thanks for your compliments on the house! I think you’ll like some of my upcoming solar videos! Thanks for watching!
Nice video Chris, very neat and tidy install. Just one comment though. A soft starter isn't really considered to be an energy saving device. While it's true that during starting, there is a little less energy loss in the wiring from the panel to the compressor due to the reduced starting current, the running load of the compressor is still the same and that energy use far exceeds the small amount of energy used during a start. The actual starting energy used by the compressor at its terminals is essentially unchanged. What the soft starter is doing is gradually ramping up the voltage to the compressor which reduces the magnatizing inrush current. This makes it easier to start and reduces equipment wear but since inrush current is nearly all inductive, it has little effect on energy usage other than increased resistive losses in the wiring for a very short time. I've really enjoyed your snow melt system design and construction videos. Keep up the great work. Thanks
Thanks for your comments Phil, and I couldn’t agree with you more! I definitely mis-spoke by describing it as an energy saving device the way I did. What I meant was that it used much less “energy” in current exactly as you described. I haven’t tested it yet, but I have no doubt it would start now even running off my 7,500 watt generator! Something I wouldn’t even think about trying before. Anyways, thanks for the clarification and for your kind words on my projects. I appreciate having people like yourself as viewers! 😊
@@stevekline5608 I don't actually have one myself but I have used much larger three phase versions in my professional life. Generally a soft starter won't have a significant effect on start up noise unless there are other factors at play such as a loose motor mount I my experience.
Last I checked after 30+ starts now that we’ve had the A/C on for a few days and it was down to 29.5. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Exactly, replace capacitor if it is more than a few years old and I also replaced the contactor since it was 12 years old. Now I can run the whole house a/c on my portable generator. This was tested during hurricane Ian, and worked flawlessly! 3 ton unit: starting amps were 26 instead of 77 and running amps were 9.5. One of the best purchases I made.
Works great on my 2.5 ton heat pump. It dropped the LRA from 56 to 20 amps. I can heat or cool my 800 ft² home on a 9,600 Wp inverter generator or off the 13.2 kW UPS off the critical loads panel in a pinch. The overload protection feature in the unit is top-notch and has saved my compressor a couple of times due to the beginnings of a faulty run capacitor. The bluetooth interface is great feature to allow you to check on the overall health of the outdoor unit and diagnose any faults it might encounter. I had to my mine on the outside cover using stainless machine screw stand offs, so I have to unmount my EasyStart unit before I can remove the electrical service cover. Having a defrost control board took away the free space needed to mount inside the cover, but I gained a little bit more bluetooth range for the minor inconvenience. Looking forward on your solar journey, currently I have 7.2 kW of grid-tied solar and the critical loads UPS long before I had my solar system installed. The challenge is gettng both of them to play nice with each other when the grid goes down to have the ability to charge the batteries.
Great info! Thanks for sharing! Another viewer commented that my capacitor looked a bit puffy, so it’s good to know that the unit will provide protection if it starts failing! The Solar videos are coming soon, I’m editing them now! Thanks for watching and commenting, I appreciate it!
@@RadioRich100 easiest way to find out your outside unit's compressor LRA is on the specification label. However, most of the time it is quite sun faded and barely readable on older units. I use a Fluke 336 True RMS clamp meter and I find it pretty much spot on with the nameplate rating. The budget model clamp meters might put you in the ballpark. The variables that can throw things off is if the run capacitor is partially bad and drifting out of spec or there's a hard start kit added on that was not accounted for on the nameplate specs.
I was excited to get mine setup, and was disappointed to see that it didn’t reduce the output running power, just the initial startup. Guess I didn’t understand what the device actually did before I bought it.
Where is the little white temp sensor located or don't you have one? Also before you started your install was there a start capacitor and relay in the lower left side area that you removed?
Those clamp on Amp meters are not designed to capture an accurate start up current because they take samples on intervals and average. They are only good for running amps. Measuring peak running amps over time is very different from measuring peak startup amps that only exist for a fraction of second.
Great job 👍 The lower inrush current should allow you to run on a decent sized portable generator should the need arise (eg power out rainstorm skies overcast and solar not keeping up)
Thanks for the kind comment and the suggestion! I didn’t notice the puffiness, but I will take your advice and order one to have on hand just in case! Thank you! 😊
Had nothing but issues after a year with this micro air. Almost fried my compressor, had an AC tech come out and he removed the easy start and no more issues with my AC unit. If it would’ve damaged my compressor would’ve been out a lot of money. My issue was the AC unit would kick on and blow hot air, verified currents and Freon was good. Removed the micro air and everything went back to normal.
I was just wondering the same thing about the starting amps on your unit.....164 did seem really high. I have a 2020 home 3.5 ton and my starting amps were 71.9 amps. Did you ever try again with another meter?
Hey Mike. I haven’t tried it again yet, but others have mentioned I may have been clamping onto the wrong wire. Next time I have the cover off, I’ll give it a shot. We haven’t used the AC much this summer as the weather has been mild here in Buffalo, but we do have it on today and I just checked the stats via Bluetooth. With 94 starts under its belt, it pulled 32.8 amps at last startup. It has been working great! Thanks for your comment and for watching!
I understand the advantage of slow start if you want to run a generator, but is there really any advantage outside of that? And if so, why won’t manufacturers install at the factory???
I've been researching soft starts, specifically the microair easystart 368 and have a question. Does this "investment" (because it's almost $400) save money on the monthly electric bill or is it saving money by extending the life of the capacitor or the condenser fan motor? Other than lowering the max amps, what is the benefit of installing this on a regular house condenser where there isn't a generator involved? Or should someone only install this if they're going to run the a/c on a generator? Is that the point?
They help tremendously if you are running your a/c with a generator. My 3-ton a/c went from 62 amps starting to 30 amps. I wish I had checked the running amps, the app shows 11.2 running amps when running though. I live in SE Louisiana and we have outages regularly due to storms, I can run my whole home on a 12kw generator with this installed. You will probably not save any money on your electric bill though.
Dude, great video but did you see all that rust on your capacitor. It is about to fail. if you replace it also you will get even better economy on your electric bill.
lot of times , its best get bigger power generator for your home that does not need this at all...lot of big box generac have higher cranking amperage for your ac and more devices in your home
I installed this product this morning. Once started, up the fan came on but it only pulsed the compressor for 5 sec then off 50nsec. This loop continues and it doesn't allow the unit to cool. Now I'm trying to figure out what's wrong? Anyone else had this issue?
ASY-368-X72-BLUE is the model you are looking for according to the micro air website. It will work with both 4ton or 4.5ton. The ASY-368-X48-BLUE looks like it will handle a 4ton as well but for the 4.5 ton the first one I mentioned will work.
Micro-Air does make an install Kit, ($10) that includes a Large Piece of Self-Adhesive Tape, that will work great and not chance Drilling into a component on the A/C.
usually inverters don't need it when every split system all controlled by computer to softstart ...bad con to the idea is computers tend to fail easily than manual start that known always hard start by capacitor way give torque to push scroll compressor gear when its like your car starting a engine ...due to components in sealed compressor has oil in bottom and drive shaft to move gear on top to compression begins for freon do its magic . Another thing, condenser and evaporator has to be clean all the time or else your softstart gonna fail to start in lower amperage when dirty coils do need to hard start in higher amperage to push harder the compressor
Came across your video. Your numbers are weird. I agree with others, the soft start will not save you much in energy cost, but maybe with solar it is a positive. If you were going to run a generator then the soft start like is a good investment. If not you maybe should have gone with a “hard start” kit. It will also drop the starting current draw to help the compressor. Each of the units are basically helping in saving the compressor. As far as noise, try a good quality compressor blanket. Again your numbers bother me. I would like to know what your panel sheet says for the start up amps ?? I bet when new the compressor was spec’ed out to draw maybe 25 - 30 amps at most even for a 3.5 ton unit. 3.5 tons and 16 yrs old …. Your reading of 100 amps is very possible. If that number is correct then your compressor is short time, and I would expect that a soft start or hard start kit would drop the start up amps to maybe 35 - 40 amps. If not using a generator I would have used a hard start kit. But the way you did the installation and how you used the meter tells me your the expert. If I were you I would have a good HVAC tech come out and check that system out with the soft start kit disconnected and then with the unit re-connected. Here’s a hint. Each season or whenever the unit is checked out, record the startup amps, voltages, pressures etc on the inside of the removable cover in perm marker with the dat checked. By the way start check your evaporator coiler signs of corrosion if you haven’t been doing that.
An Easy Start doesn’t save any power, so there really isn’t a ROI calculation to be made, unless you can quantify how much longer the equipment will last, along with the lessening of stress on the rest of your house’s loads. That is a difficult number to figure. The real value of the soft starter is its ability to allow the compressor to run on a smaller backup power source. What is the ROI when the power is out for a week after a hurricane, and you’re still able to reside in your A/C cooled house during those 105° Houston days? In those conditions, the soft start would be priceless.
Another point. By installing a soft starter, you can lessen the size requirements of a whole-house generator installation. Whereas you may need a 25Kva unit to start your A/C without a soft start, you will do just fine with a 15 or even 12 Kva backup with a soft start. The savings from purchasing a smaller backup unit, along with the increased efficiency of running a smaller generator at a higher load vs an oversized generator at minimal load, will more than offset the cost of the soft starter. Most homes only use 1-2 Kva continuously, so a huge generator just to start the A/C isn’t an efficient way to go since it uses more fuel to simply spin the larger unit and run the larger engine.
@@sigcrazy7 in addition, it does save a tiny amount of power. For example, if the before start up is 100a and you have 26400 startups like the gentlemen stated above, then you install an easy start, and your startup is now 30a, then that 70a x 26400 startups can save you some $$$ because some power companies charge for peak. The best ROI is the the generator use and easier on the surge. For example, your car when it starts REVS at startup, then as the engine goes into idle you are saving engine wear and some gasoline.
With a 20kv whole house system with buried Gas being over $20k 9/2023 in Florida, my 5ton central air would be able to start and run on a $900 12kw portable gen for the 3-5 days we too often have out with down lines post hurricane beachside. After 25 years of dealing with hurricane aftermath I finally see a wiser path than the $20k generac that's used 4 days a year on avg.
Ugh. I’m sorry to hear that. I noticed that it went out of stock a few times over the summer too, but seemed to come back relatively quickly. After a full summer of use, I’ve been very happy with the results and would install it again! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Is the ac as cold as it was before you installed the soft start kit or does it not get as cold with the lower current draw? And how can you be pulling 163 amps through a 40 amp breaker in your breaker panel lol?
It took me about an hour, but that included the extra time to setup cameras and explain what I was doing for the TH-cam video. You could probably get it done quicker. Hope that helps, thanks for watching!
This one caught my eye... because I had my Trane XL14i w/heat pump kit installed in 2004 after a lightning strike.
Then about 8 years ago it was having trouble starting in the heat of Summer, popping the circuit breaker. The HVAC tech said the compressor was bad, time for a new aircon!
Having had some DIY HVAC experience years before, and thus being familiar with soft-starter on large compressors (Variable Frequency Drives), I found the Hyper Engineering Sure-Start series, and bought one and installed it.
Here we are in 2024 and it's still going strong! Before I installed it, it was hitting 70+ Amps at startup (analog meter)... which was reduced down to around 20 Amps... amazing. In fact, I could run my whole house air conditioning with my emergency 7kw genset without any problems.
I've yet to find a single HVAC technician who understands what a soft-starter does... all they ever want to put on is A HARD starter... throw MORE Amps at it, and burn it up!
A hard start does not make it pull more amps. The extra capacitance means the compressor doesn’t have to try as hard to start which decreases the amp draw on start up. Thats why you can add a hard start to a compressor that pulls so many amps it pops the breaker and suddenly they don’t pop the breaker anymore.
I bought one a couple of months ago and installed it yesterday. It reduced starting amperage from 72 A to 24 A. Verified through the Bluetooth app and also via our Sense app. It did what it said it was going to do. Worth every penny.
I have a 4-ton (46,000 BTU) A/C unit. Two years ago I installed a Micro-Air EasyStart 368 (4-ton) Soft Starter ASY-368-X48-BLUE. It now has 26,400 starts. My AC unit now uses 12.8 to 13.8 Amps and a Start Peak of 33 to 36 Amps. I bought it at Global Yacht Supply. It was shipped from Micro-Air. It now costs $332. I have a Firman T07571 Tri-fuel and run it on NG.
Wow! 26,400 starts! This is great to hear, thanks for sharing! I’m around 100 starts right now and I’m just below 30A to start and between 10-11 running with my 3.5 ton. It’s slightly quieter and no more lights dimming in the house at startup. I’ve been super happy with the purchase so far, but your comment and experience is great to look forward to! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Nice job. A couple of things:
If you notice the terminals for the compressor that are bolted down to the contactor don’t have insulation on them. That’s because they’re high temperature rated terminals. The insulated terminals will melt.
You should check the capacitor if it hasn’t already failed. It looks like it’s bulging a bit. Generally if it’s +/- 10% or worse from its rated capacitance then it needs to be replaced. The +/- listed on the side of the capacitor is the out of box tolerance level. If it’s outside of the listed tolerance straight out of the box do not use it and get another one.
Uh-oh. The older brand, ICM Controls, sends insulated crimp-on connectors and a butt splice. Should they know better, or is it still safe??
If you buy Micro-Air's installation kit, all the crimp terminals included are insulated.
Well done sir, great attention to detail
Nice job, Sir! I installed the same device on my AC unit a few days ago. The sole purpose for me was to lower the inrush current so I could run the AC on my backup generator. I also have been getting weird numbers with my amp clamp meter.... and I specifically purchased a new $200 Klein meter with the "inrush" feature to accurately measure the before and after amp draw when installing devices like this. My meter is showing lower numbers than the Bluetooth app. Weird. Either way, I am still very impressed with the end result of the Micro-Air installation. My 9000 watt (peak) inverter generator will now start my AC with no trouble at all. (my AC unit is only a 1.5 ton - small house) I watched your snow melting videos and I was also very impressed with that system, too. In fact, I am a little bit jealous of your snow melting driveway. I installed a new brick paver driveway about 15 years ago and I could've added anything under the driveway at that time. Either electric wires, liquid glycol lines, something, anything.... but the thought never crossed my mind. After watching your video I am really disappointed that I didn't add something for melting snow when I had the chance. Nice video. Keep 'em coming...
Good video. Thanks. Mine is arriving tomorrow and am excited to install it.
Just installed an X72 in my 5 ton, it's working great! Initial inrush was about 78 amps. The unit took that down to 34 amps. Running amps are about the same, 11 amps. Time for a generator backup panel!
I've just gotten my 72 operating after nearly a year of sitting dormant on my unit because the electrician couldn't get the connections right so the compressor wouldn't start. I'm having almost identical results do what you reported. I need to have my soft start relearn though because the weather conditions weren't right for that process when we got it going.
@@dboundscpa Yes, not too hot or cold outside when learning. It was about 80 degrees when I installed mine. Note that the compressor will draw more running amps when the setpoint of your AC in the house is more than 15 degrees below outside ambient temp. At 25 degree difference, AC efficiency drops fast, meaning longer run times to meet the demand.
From a former Buffalonian living in Arizona I say “nice job”. This would be a nice addition to our A/C unit which about to get another good workout here this summer. Also enjoyed your winter video some months back. I remember those days all too well.
Thanks! 😊
Nice video -- I installed the exact same Micro-Air soft start kit on our 3 ton Bryant unit a couple years ago so that it would start on our generator. runs great and i've also been able to use the phone app to update the firmware on the unit via bluetooth.
Thanks Ryan! That is another reason I installed it, I just forgot to mention it in the video! Glad you hear you haven't had any issues with it. It was a little pricey, but I think it was worth it. I also found the Bluetooth functionality quite impressive. I haven't needed to update the firmware yet, but that's a great point and advantage when the time comes! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I appreciate it!
Very nice video. I ordered the same unit for my 3 ton AC. This will help. My goal is to help the AC to run better and on a generator when we have a hurricane here in Florida.
Great video. My HVAC guy says "Soft starts tend to overhead motor windings, leading to an early death of the compressor. While they may save you energy, when they destroy the compressor."
Mine said the same thing. I have a hard starter but I'm looking into using a generator for my 3.5 ton.
Motor windings getting hot cannot happen from reduced power draw. It defies the Law of Power P=IE.
@@imowgrass *Ah, finally! A Commenter that understands Ohm's Law. Thank you.*
*Lots of ignorance and mis-information is rampant. You might wish to politely direct him to Matteo Giovanetti's tutorials. Pity that so few HVAC/R guys understand the EasyStart's functioning.*
@@blackrifle6736 I'm with you, if the amps go down, how does that translate into over heating?
How did I miss this?? It appears you were taking your amp draw on red (run) and you should have been taking it on black (common). Orange (start) and red (run) are in parallel with the start having the capacitor.
That explains a lot! Thanks! Next time I have the cover off I’ll give it a shot and see if I get more reasonable numbers. 👍
Red wire is common but not a common ground it is power to the compressor. That's where you should be measuring.
Before shoving in sheet metal screws, check inside to be sure you won't hit a refrigerant line or condenser tubing elbow with sheet metal screw sticking out backside.
The Red wire to compressor is only the compressor Run winding current. To get total compressor current you should measure Black common wire to compressor. Run capacitor/start winding will add about 20% more current to total compressor current during run period. There is a 90 deg phase difference in Run and Start winding current so compressor common wire current will be sqrt ( (run winding current)^2 + (start winding current)^2 )
Easystart BT also only reports the Run winding current so it is lower than actual compressor total current draw by about 20%.
Useful video. Your clamp meter appears to be malfunctioning. Using the “Peak” function isn’t really an accurate way to measure Inrush current. Clamp meters with a specific InRush feature are more accurate for this purpose. Also, on the video on TH-cam by MicroAir, he measures InRush current by clamping around the wire that goes to the Common terminal on the compressor, not the Run terminal.
Do you think it had a manual voltage that needed to be changed to 230~240V?
@@ElCarroSupremo no
Thanks for the video. I'm about to do the same install on my Trane 3.5XR. I would have edited out the fussing with the clamp meter, but I have a Klein and it's super confusing to me too.
Looks like you have found you have found a great solution.
I’ve been very happy with it so far! Thanks for watching!
Looks like a real clean install
Thanks!! I really appreciate that coming from a professional like yourself! Thanks for watching my videos! 😊
Looks good and seems to work. Trust the control, not your handheld meter. Meter can't accurately read it no matter what it says. Typically induction motors use 6 -7 times full or run load amps. Waiting for solar!
A meter with the capability to read *_inrush_* current *_can_* perform an accurate measurement.
That was interesting, we Have almost the exact unit also installed in 2007, i replaced the old Gravity ( octopus) furnace added ducts and added A/C to my 1920s house. The compressor is pretty loud on start-ups but it's at the back of the house where the kitchen and bathroom are, so I'll leave mine alone. I can see why you would want to quiet down the almost violent start up though.
Take care!
That’s funny that we both installed the same XR13 unit in our 1920’s houses in 2007. We added a/c to ours back then as well. I’ve done some re-ducting over the years as we’ve added on, but the unit has been flawless. I service the XV95 furnace every year myself, removing the burners and cleaning them, etc, but I haven’t touched the AC or even put a gauge on it. Still blows ice cold. I also think it’s funny you know exactly how loud the unit can be at startup! 😂. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
This is great! ….and I’m really looking forward to the solar install!
Thanks Gil!! LOTS of videos coming on the Solar! You’re going to LOVE the videos on the production and monitoring!! Trust me! 😉😉
I came across your video on installing the MicroAir Soft Start when looking for specific information about installing that device. Mine is slightly different in that it is for the larger AC, so it is the 72 instead of the 48. My problem is that my compressor is not kicking on after installation. The vendor who sold me the device has confirmed that my electrician has connected all the wires properly and has sent a replacement device, then confirmed again that wired connections are correct, but the compressor still does not start. All this is strictly on city power. I have given up on the process for a long time, but would REALLY like to get the soft start installed AND FUNCTIONAL. Any recommendations? Your video really didn't seem to address the wiring very much.
Read the manual
Great video. Nice house! Id suggest measuring in rush current from the compressor common wire.
Thanks Ryan! I’ll give it a shot next time I have the cover off and see if there is a difference. Thanks for your compliments on the house! I think you’ll like some of my upcoming solar videos! Thanks for watching!
Agreed. The common wire is where MicroAir development team engineer took his measurement from.
Ref: th-cam.com/video/bp4U-husy1o/w-d-xo.html
Nice video Chris, very neat and tidy install. Just one comment though. A soft starter isn't really considered to be an energy saving device. While it's true that during starting, there is a little less energy loss in the wiring from the panel to the compressor due to the reduced starting current, the running load of the compressor is still the same and that energy use far exceeds the small amount of energy used during a start. The actual starting energy used by the compressor at its terminals is essentially unchanged. What the soft starter is doing is gradually ramping up the voltage to the compressor which reduces the magnatizing inrush current. This makes it easier to start and reduces equipment wear but since inrush current is nearly all inductive, it has little effect on energy usage other than increased resistive losses in the wiring for a very short time.
I've really enjoyed your snow melt system design and construction videos. Keep up the great work. Thanks
Thanks for your comments Phil, and I couldn’t agree with you more! I definitely mis-spoke by describing it as an energy saving device the way I did. What I meant was that it used much less “energy” in current exactly as you described. I haven’t tested it yet, but I have no doubt it would start now even running off my 7,500 watt generator! Something I wouldn’t even think about trying before. Anyways, thanks for the clarification and for your kind words on my projects. I appreciate having people like yourself as viewers! 😊
Phil, does it reduce noise at start up and shut down?
@@stevekline5608 I don't actually have one myself but I have used much larger three phase versions in my professional life. Generally a soft starter won't have a significant effect on start up noise unless there are other factors at play such as a loose motor mount I my experience.
thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the video. Can you tell us what the inrush current is now, after it's had a few dozen starts to learn the motor?
Last I checked after 30+ starts now that we’ve had the A/C on for a few days and it was down to 29.5. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@DeckerChristopherJ Thanks for the update. Yes, it helps. (And I fixed "Indian" to "inrush"... stupid autocorrect)
Do you happen to how much electricity it will save? Or how long will it make your compressor last? Hopefully in years?
At same time, you should replace the old capacitor .
Why?
That cap looks puffy... and old... should have changed it
Yeah, at least test it. But it was rusty and they are cheap and are a wear item.
Exactly, replace capacitor if it is more than a few years old and I also replaced the contactor since it was 12 years old. Now I can run the whole house a/c on my portable generator. This was tested during hurricane Ian, and worked flawlessly! 3 ton unit: starting amps were 26 instead of 77 and running amps were 9.5. One of the best purchases I made.
Because it’s old, they’re cheap and easy to replace
How are you turning it on and off? By reming and replacing the fuse in the box, or something in the app?
Nice sounding startup compared to mine. Looking forward to your solar videos.
Is that an R22 system? Seems that those compressors pull a little more amps than the newer models
Works great on my 2.5 ton heat pump. It dropped the LRA from 56 to 20 amps. I can heat or cool my 800 ft² home on a 9,600 Wp inverter generator or off the 13.2 kW UPS off the critical loads panel in a pinch. The overload protection feature in the unit is top-notch and has saved my compressor a couple of times due to the beginnings of a faulty run capacitor. The bluetooth interface is great feature to allow you to check on the overall health of the outdoor unit and diagnose any faults it might encounter.
I had to my mine on the outside cover using stainless machine screw stand offs, so I have to unmount my EasyStart unit before I can remove the electrical service cover. Having a defrost control board took away the free space needed to mount inside the cover, but I gained a little bit more bluetooth range for the minor inconvenience.
Looking forward on your solar journey, currently I have 7.2 kW of grid-tied solar and the critical loads UPS long before I had my solar system installed. The challenge is gettng both of them to play nice with each other when the grid goes down to have the ability to charge the batteries.
Great info! Thanks for sharing! Another viewer commented that my capacitor looked a bit puffy, so it’s good to know that the unit will provide protection if it starts failing! The Solar videos are coming soon, I’m editing them now! Thanks for watching and commenting, I appreciate it!
How can you possibly know what your LRA is? If your using a clamp meter they are far from accurate.
@@RadioRich100 easiest way to find out your outside unit's compressor LRA is on the specification label. However, most of the time it is quite sun faded and barely readable on older units.
I use a Fluke 336 True RMS clamp meter and I find it pretty much spot on with the nameplate rating. The budget model clamp meters might put you in the ballpark. The variables that can throw things off is if the run capacitor is partially bad and drifting out of spec or there's a hard start kit added on that was not accounted for on the nameplate specs.
How will installing this on a new condenser affect its warranty?
I was excited to get mine setup, and was disappointed to see that it didn’t reduce the output running power, just the initial startup. Guess I didn’t understand what the device actually did before I bought it.
Much gratitude!
Where is the little white temp sensor located or don't you have one? Also before you started your install was there a start capacitor and relay in the lower left side area that you removed?
Those clamp on Amp meters are not designed to capture an accurate start up current because they take samples on intervals and average. They are only good for running amps. Measuring peak running amps over time is very different from measuring peak startup amps that only exist for a fraction of second.
very good bro. Will be installing mine shortly and this helps. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Great job 👍
The lower inrush current should allow you to run on a decent sized portable generator should the need arise (eg power out rainstorm skies overcast and solar not keeping up)
you might try to zero it out by putting the clamp tip next to the wire on the out side of the circle at the tip.
Nice job. Please provide an update. I would also order a spare capacitor yours looks a little puffy on top.
Thanks for the kind comment and the suggestion! I didn’t notice the puffiness, but I will take your advice and order one to have on hand just in case! Thank you! 😊
Had nothing but issues after a year with this micro air. Almost fried my compressor, had an AC tech come out and he removed the easy start and no more issues with my AC unit. If it would’ve damaged my compressor would’ve been out a lot of money. My issue was the AC unit would kick on and blow hot air, verified currents and Freon was good. Removed the micro air and everything went back to normal.
What brand is your AC?
I was just wondering the same thing about the starting amps on your unit.....164 did seem really high. I have a 2020 home 3.5 ton and my starting amps were 71.9 amps. Did you ever try again with another meter?
Hey Mike. I haven’t tried it again yet, but others have mentioned I may have been clamping onto the wrong wire. Next time I have the cover off, I’ll give it a shot. We haven’t used the AC much this summer as the weather has been mild here in Buffalo, but we do have it on today and I just checked the stats via Bluetooth. With 94 starts under its belt, it pulled 32.8 amps at last startup. It has been working great! Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Great video 👍thanks
Should have put the clamp meter around the black/blue wire. That's the compressor common wire. Reading would be more accurate.
Do these work on heat pumps?
The X48 is for up to 3.5 tons, 4 to 6 tons requires the ASY-368-X72-Blue
I understand the advantage of slow start if you want to run a generator, but is there really any advantage outside of that? And if so, why won’t manufacturers install at the factory???
It's optional for generator. Don't think makers will do it for free.
Will it save me money on my energy bill?
I've been researching soft starts, specifically the microair easystart 368 and have a question. Does this "investment" (because it's almost $400) save money on the monthly electric bill or is it saving money by extending the life of the capacitor or the condenser fan motor? Other than lowering the max amps, what is the benefit of installing this on a regular house condenser where there isn't a generator involved? Or should someone only install this if they're going to run the a/c on a generator? Is that the point?
They help tremendously if you are running your a/c with a generator. My 3-ton a/c went from 62 amps starting to 30 amps. I wish I had checked the running amps, the app shows 11.2 running amps when running though. I live in SE Louisiana and we have outages regularly due to storms, I can run my whole home on a 12kw generator with this installed. You will probably not save any money on your electric bill though.
Good video... thanks
Glad you enjoyed it and hopefully found it helpful! Thanks for watching!
@@DeckerChristopherJ It was helpful and thanks again for taking the time to do this.
Dude, great video but did you see all that rust on your capacitor. It is about to fail. if you replace it also you will get even better economy on your electric bill.
Thanks for the kind comment and suggestion John! I have ordered a replacement! 👍
lot of times , its best get bigger power generator for your home that does not need this at all...lot of big box generac have higher cranking amperage for your ac and more devices in your home
I installed this product this morning. Once started, up the fan came on but it only pulsed the compressor for 5 sec then off 50nsec. This loop continues and it doesn't allow the unit to cool. Now I'm trying to figure out what's wrong? Anyone else had this issue?
That run capacitor is looking a little rough
Do I need a 368-48 or a 368-72 for a 4 ton?
the website will help you figure that out
Is that 30.5 amps at 240volts?
Yup, that is correct.
Will that work with a carrier 4 ton. Or 4.5. Anyone know. Thank you in advance
ASY-368-X72-BLUE is the model you are looking for according to the micro air website. It will work with both 4ton or 4.5ton. The ASY-368-X48-BLUE looks like it will handle a 4ton as well but for the 4.5 ton the first one I mentioned will work.
Micro-Air does make an install Kit, ($10) that includes a Large Piece of Self-Adhesive Tape, that will work great and not chance Drilling into a component on the A/C.
usually inverters don't need it when every split system all controlled by computer to softstart ...bad con to the idea is computers tend to fail easily than manual start that known always hard start by capacitor way give torque to push scroll compressor gear when its like your car starting a engine ...due to components in sealed compressor has oil in bottom and drive shaft to move gear on top to compression begins for freon do its magic . Another thing, condenser and evaporator has to be clean all the time or else your softstart gonna fail to start in lower amperage when dirty coils do need to hard start in higher amperage to push harder the compressor
Came across your video. Your numbers are weird. I agree with others, the soft start will not save you much in energy cost, but maybe with solar it is a positive. If you were going to run a generator then the soft start like is a good investment. If not you maybe should have gone with a “hard start” kit. It will also drop the starting current draw to help the compressor. Each of the units are basically helping in saving the compressor. As far as noise, try a good quality compressor blanket. Again your numbers bother me. I would like to know what your panel sheet says for the start up amps ?? I bet when new the compressor was spec’ed out to draw maybe 25 - 30 amps at most even for a 3.5 ton unit. 3.5 tons and 16 yrs old …. Your reading of 100 amps is very possible. If that number is correct then your compressor is short time, and I would expect that a soft start or hard start kit would drop the start up amps to maybe 35 - 40 amps. If not using a generator I would have used a hard start kit. But the way you did the installation and how you used the meter tells me your the expert. If I were you I would have a good HVAC tech come out and check that system out with the soft start kit disconnected and then with the unit re-connected. Here’s a hint. Each season or whenever the unit is checked out, record the startup amps, voltages, pressures etc on the inside of the removable cover in perm marker with the dat checked. By the way start check your evaporator coiler signs of corrosion if you haven’t been doing that.
5:48
Thats not actual 163 amps or peak amps, there is NO way the breaker would allow 163 amps to pass without breaking open
What's your calculated ROI?
An Easy Start doesn’t save any power, so there really isn’t a ROI calculation to be made, unless you can quantify how much longer the equipment will last, along with the lessening of stress on the rest of your house’s loads. That is a difficult number to figure. The real value of the soft starter is its ability to allow the compressor to run on a smaller backup power source. What is the ROI when the power is out for a week after a hurricane, and you’re still able to reside in your A/C cooled house during those 105° Houston days? In those conditions, the soft start would be priceless.
Another point. By installing a soft starter, you can lessen the size requirements of a whole-house generator installation. Whereas you may need a 25Kva unit to start your A/C without a soft start, you will do just fine with a 15 or even 12 Kva backup with a soft start. The savings from purchasing a smaller backup unit, along with the increased efficiency of running a smaller generator at a higher load vs an oversized generator at minimal load, will more than offset the cost of the soft starter. Most homes only use 1-2 Kva continuously, so a huge generator just to start the A/C isn’t an efficient way to go since it uses more fuel to simply spin the larger unit and run the larger engine.
@@sigcrazy7 in addition, it does save a tiny amount of power. For example, if the before start up is 100a and you have 26400 startups like the gentlemen stated above, then you install an easy start, and your startup is now 30a, then that 70a x 26400 startups can save you some $$$ because some power companies charge for peak. The best ROI is the the generator use and easier on the surge. For example, your car when it starts REVS at startup, then as the engine goes into idle you are saving engine wear and some gasoline.
With a 20kv whole house system with buried Gas being over $20k 9/2023 in Florida, my 5ton central air would be able to start and run on a $900 12kw portable gen for the 3-5 days we too often have out with down lines post hurricane beachside. After 25 years of dealing with hurricane aftermath I finally see a wiser path than the $20k generac that's used 4 days a year on avg.
Wow, 163 amps.
Very likely your batteries were getting low in that meter, and that caused the false readings.
My 3.5 ton unit is drawing only 117 amps during start, 24 amps running. Your meter is inaccurate or the A/C is very inefficient!
meter reading definitely off. No one have a 200amp breaker for the AC.
*People. Be careful around that cap. It'll sting you. And if your ticker has issues, it might stop you.*
Those clamp meters are not accurate at measuring inrush current.
Out of stock and back ordered everywhere I look 🤦🏼♂️
Ugh. I’m sorry to hear that. I noticed that it went out of stock a few times over the summer too, but seemed to come back relatively quickly. After a full summer of use, I’ve been very happy with the results and would install it again! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Use 26lb gorilla tape to mount the unit
Is the ac as cold as it was before you installed the soft start kit or does it not get as cold with the lower current draw? And how can you be pulling 163 amps through a 40 amp breaker in your breaker panel lol?
Though 163 seems high, lots of these are pulling momentary high amps on 40/50 amp breakers
How long does it take to instal?
It took me about an hour, but that included the extra time to setup cameras and explain what I was doing for the TH-cam video. You could probably get it done quicker. Hope that helps, thanks for watching!
@@DeckerChristopherJ excellent vid!