EasyStart™ 364 (3-ton) Soft Starter-any experience?

[rollerbearing]

Please provide more info on the $30 capacitor. How would that replace the capability of the easy start?

Reduced noise due to some sort of ramping of power to soften the step of the compressor is one thing, but claiming run-time noise would change at all is ridiculous. What exactly are you claiming - other than the placebo of feeling good about spending a bunch of time and money on something you could have done with a $30 capacitor?

Yes, NBB, Please let's see a parts list and schematic. No voodoo hack job either - I'd like to see it in your full engineeering glory (stamp it if ya got it). And, I'd like to see it generalized for multiple AC units and skill level of installers. Please.

 

[stormpeakco]

Hum, perhaps we (or some...others may just notice a significant difference-not identical to placebo medications) may need to obtain a small sample size of pre and post-install decibel meter measurements....for me as the O.P., it sounds (pun intended) like it may be worth it, should the soft start reduce short cycles, # of cycles and/or the intensity of start up cycles...wonder if is there may be data RE: extending compressor longevity.

 

[Gamma1966]

So what prep work did you do on the AC shroud before painting and what paint did you use?

I took the cover to a local auto paint shop and had them paint same white color as on the fenders of the 2014 Unity MB RV. No prep work on the underside of the cover.

 

[NBB]

Yes, NBB, Please let's see a parts list and schematic. No voodoo hack job either - I'd like to see it in your full engineeering glory (stamp it if ya got it). And, I'd like to see it generalized for multiple AC units and skill level of installers. Please.

lol.

Google "start capacitor rv air conditioner"

I was wrong - looks like kits starting at about $12, not $30.

I see Youtube videos, schematics, pages and pages of pictures and testimonials, etc.

EDIT - this seems like a reasonably well worded place to get started: http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/05/27/rv-air-conditioner-hard-start-capacitor

EDIT++ - as for the schematic for YOUR air conditioner, it's almost certainly a "DNS" or Do Not Stuff item on your own AC. A place to start is to look at your own replacement parts list and schematic. Caps cost money - so if they don't really need it, the OEM leaves it up to the installer. It's just a cap, the size is not critical. As long as it's rated for general use in the application, variation from unit-unit isn't critical - not at all.

 

[rollerbearing]

Awww - I wanted to see YOUR work. I have to say I'm disappointed I didn't.

Nevertheless, so much nicer to see this useful contribution vs what you fired off earlier.

 

[NBB]

Awww - I wanted to see YOUR work.

I have one of the highest rated and viewed build threads on this forum - posted long before you got here.

 

[rollerbearing]

I have one of the highest rated and viewed build threads on this forum - posted long before you got here.

Yes, nice work! - and helpful to many I am sure.

 

[DiverBob]

I can attest that the startup noise for the compressor is reduced significantly. Run time noise is the same but its the fan and air flow that makes most of the noise at that point. I have a 2K Victron inverter that handles the reduced starting current levels very well so for us the addition of the soft start is worth the extra we paid for it.

 

[hoosierrun]

Provided the Soft Start electronics never fail, your motor/compressor assembly should last longer. I can't tell you how many times I've burned up motors on the my home AC and pool pumps due to a failed start capacitor. I've learned to listen for slow starting or partially stalling motors and now I am savvy enough to just replace the start capacitor before the motor totally stalls out and overheats. In addition to what has already been mentioned about the benefits of the soft start system, you can add motor longevity to the list. Nowadays I am seeing many of the newer systems already built with this soft start technology. I don't know if the newer RV's have moved that direction or not with their AC systems.

 

[SSTraveler]

I was recently helping a 2020 Unity owner do the EasyStart installation and realized Dometic has changed some wire colors. So I revised my guide to reflect these newer model differences.

 

[GB roadtrip]

I want to install Micro air easy start on my 2019 TV 24 TVL (penguin 11A/C)
The air conditioner has a heat pump.
Two purple wires to the start capacitor?

 

[msmolow]

There are some great YouTube installation videos that I found helpful when I installed mine.
Have you Googled?

 

[GB roadtrip]

Yes
Nothing with a purple wire
It goes to a valve on the copper tubing

 

[SSTraveler]

Don't get hung up on wire colors, your wire is purple, mine is black and others are white, it's still the heat pump wire on the black Start Capacitor. I updated my guide to add this new color. If you follow the Start and Run Capacitor connection positions you will find it very easy to Install the EasyStart.

 

[hoosierrun]

Yes
Nothing with a purple wire
It goes to a valve on the copper tubing

Reversing valve for the heat pump operation.

 

[SSTraveler]

I revised my EasyStart Installation Guide to simplify and recognize differing wire colors among model years.

 

[billo]

My 2020 IB does not have a start capacitor. Easy Start seems to work fine.

 

[SSTraveler]

I'm helping Dany Grondin, the Leisure Facebook Group manager/moderator, do some big upgrades to his 2014 Unity MB, and as part of those he just installed the Bluetooth version of the Micro-Air EasyStart on his air conditioner. He provided me with great input and pictures so I incorporated them into my latest guide. I've also attached the EasyStart Bluetooth manual. The Micro-Air Bluetooth App has a great monitoring screen and control screens. These certainly make it much easier to perform the RELEARN reset process if you make a mistake on running the LEARN process. Which by the way can only be done from a strong 30a shore power connection.

 

[Klipstr]

I might replace mine with the Bluetooth model just so I can reprogram without going up on the roof! Wish I had waited a month or two. But isn't that always the way with technology?

 

[SSTraveler]

Evidently they are now making them standard with Bluetooth. So it isn't buy one or the other, and there is no price changes. I wondered why would you need Bluetooth but after seeing the screens I realized that would be nice information to have and certainly would make troubleshooting easier if you ever needed to do that. Having had to go through the Relearn process a few times, having the ability to do it using the controls on the App would certainly take the worry and headache out of it.