Zero Knievel Posted March 6 Posted March 6 I need to install a soft start unit on my heat pump. The placard indicates I have a single phase compressor with an LRA value of 190. It's a Trane. I e-mailed a company on what they would recommend, but they didn't specify models. Supposedly the Micro-Air EasyStart Flex Residential Soft Starter will work for pretty much any application. https://invertersrus.com/product/micro-air-easystart-flex-soft-starter/ However, the Hyper Engineering Soft Starters are highly recommended, but you need to select the correct model for your application. They provided a link but no information on which model to select. https://invertersrus.com/product/hyper-engineering-soft-starters/ Any advice on which one to choose? I'd attach a photo of the placard, but.... Quote
Zero Knievel Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 1 hour ago, DaveK said: There is a post in the PUB about this right now. I know what it does...I'm looking for recommendations on which one is right for my unit. Quote
SwampNut Posted March 6 Posted March 6 I've used one on a small unit to be able to start from an inverter and generator. Why do you want one on a house? You have infinite starting power no? In any case I think the Micro-Air seems to make the most sense unless you needed to truly, highly optimize the starting. Meaning that I'm certain it's going to reduce the load by a huge amount, and spending more to get the last bit of perfection would be low value. I don't understand the statement that Hyper doesn't specify a model. Right in your link, they have a pull-down to select model by unit size. Quote
DaveK Posted March 6 Posted March 6 Just now, Zero Knievel said: I know what it does...I'm looking for recommendations on which one is right for my unit. There's a post in the PUB about this very subject. Quote
CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted March 6 Posted March 6 Customer service is a wonderful thing if you can't figure it out by the flow chart they provided. Quote
SwampNut Posted March 6 Posted March 6 Just now, DaveK said: There's a post in the PUB about this very subject. Are you fucking with him? Quote
Zero Knievel Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 (edited) Just now, SwampNut said: I've used one on a small unit to be able to start from an inverter and generator. Why do you want one on a house? You have infinite starting power no? In any case I think the Micro-Air seems to make the most sense unless you needed to truly, highly optimize the starting. Meaning that I'm certain it's going to reduce the load by a huge amount, and spending more to get the last bit of perfection would be low value. I don't understand the statement that Hyper doesn't specify a model. Right in your link, they have a pull-down to select model by unit size. When the AC/Heat Pump kicks in on the whole house generator, it creates quite the load. I had the AC people check our unit and the generator people check our transfer box. Both are working as they should. There is a "load shed" module in the transfer box (which had burned out previously and was replaced last year) to deal with when the compressor needs to kick in, but the house lights dim every time because the load hits before the generator spins up to match demand. I should also add that we had the inverter on the generator replaced under warranty BECAUSE of this issue. I don't know the exact way to describe this, but my dad wouldn't let them wire everything as they should have (thanks, Dad). The signal to start the compressor is supposed to go to the transfer box first. Then, the generator does whatever it does, and then the signal goes to the compressor to turn on. Bypassing this puts a strain on the inverter and can burn it out. I had them rewire the system as it should have been done in the first place. The only other option is to get an even larger capacity generator, but NO OTHER 240v item in the house causes an issue with the generator...just the AC/Heat Pump. The soft start would reduce the load to what the compressor actually needs and not the massive jolt the system tries to pull. This also extends the life of the compressor. The AC people admitted this is why many units burn out in 15 years when older units are going strong after 30...the hard starting burns out the motor faster. As far as the pull down menu goes, I'd like confirmation from someone more edumacated on the topic to confirm which is right for me. I know the Micro-Air should work with any system. The other one requires you get the correct model. Both are considered good, but the latter is considered the best manufacturer of these things. Just now, DaveK said: There's a post in the PUB about this very subject. It's easier to just ask here in the correct forum. Just now, CBR-RR-XX-CESS said: Customer service is a wonderful thing if you can't figure it out by the flow chart they provided. I'm just seeking confirmation of which one I should choose from someone who knows more about these things or has installed one themselves. Edited March 6 by Zero Knievel Quote
SwampNut Posted March 6 Posted March 6 Just now, Zero Knievel said: When the AC/Heat Pump kicks in on the whole house generator, it creates quite the load. Oh right, sorry, I forgot you have a generator. So yeah, I think the Micro should do all you need. For me, it was absolutely the difference between starting 10% of the time, or starting 98% of the time on the generator. I don't recall the brand, it looked just like that, and sold as "universal up to X tons." Quote
Zero Knievel Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 Just now, SwampNut said: Oh right, sorry, I forgot you have a generator. So yeah, I think the Micro should do all you need. For me, it was absolutely the difference between starting 10% of the time, or starting 98% of the time on the generator. I don't recall the brand, it looked just like that, and sold as "universal up to X tons." True. People like how it's mostly a "one size fits all" application...even if it costs more. Quote
02XXCA Posted March 6 Posted March 6 4 hours ago, Zero Knievel said: I need to install a soft start unit on my heat pump. The placard indicates I have a single phase compressor with an LRA value of 190. It's a Trane. I e-mailed a company on what they would recommend, but they didn't specify models. Supposedly the Micro-Air EasyStart Flex Residential Soft Starter will work for pretty much any application. https://invertersrus.com/product/micro-air-easystart-flex-soft-starter/ However, the Hyper Engineering Soft Starters are highly recommended, but you need to select the correct model for your application. They provided a link but no information on which model to select. https://invertersrus.com/product/hyper-engineering-soft-starters/ Any advice on which one to choose? I'd attach a photo of the placard, but.... Seems pretty simple as they have two sizes, what size is your heat pump? Quote
02XXCA Posted March 6 Posted March 6 (edited) 4 hours ago, Zero Knievel said: I need to install a soft start unit on my heat pump. The placard indicates I have a single phase compressor with an LRA value of 190. It's a Trane. I e-mailed a company on what they would recommend, but they didn't specify models. Supposedly the Micro-Air EasyStart Flex Residential Soft Starter will work for pretty much any application. https://invertersrus.com/product/micro-air-easystart-flex-soft-starter/ However, the Hyper Engineering Soft Starters are highly recommended, but you need to select the correct model for your application. They provided a link but no information on which model to select. https://invertersrus.com/product/hyper-engineering-soft-starters/ Any advice on which one to choose? I'd attach a photo of the placard, but.... The top link is for Residential of all sizes up to 6 tonnes or 72000 BTU units, which should cover you. Ask yourself how big is our home unit for your answer. The bottom link is for commercial units. Edited March 6 by 02XXCA Quote
02XXCA Posted March 6 Posted March 6 Details: The Trane 4TWX5042A1000BA is a 3.5-ton (42,000 BTU) XL15i Heat Pump, designed for residential split-system applications. It is a 15 SEER, R-410A system that provides both heating and cooling, typically featuring a two-stage Climatuff™ compressor for increased comfort and efficiency. Key Details for Trane 4TWX5042A1000BA: Model Type: Heat Pump (Outdoor Unit) Series: XL15i Capacity: 3.5 Tons (Nominal 42,000 BTU) Refrigerant: R-410A Efficiency: Up to 15 SEER (based on older ratings, often denoted as XL15i) Voltage: 208-230V, Single Phase The one at this link will work with that unit, https://invertersrus.com/product/micro-air-easystart-flex-soft-starter/ Quote
xrated Posted March 7 Posted March 7 17 hours ago, Zero Knievel said: Here's the placard on the unit. That data tag shows me that the unit is a "42", which equates to 42,000 BTU of cooling/heating capacity.....which in turn equates to a 3 1/2 Ton unut (12,000 BTU = 1 Ton). The MicroAir Flex can safely be installed on units up to 6 Ton or 72,000 BTU capacity. Quote
02XXCA Posted March 7 Posted March 7 6 hours ago, xrated said: That data tag shows me that the unit is a "42", which equates to 42,000 BTU of cooling/heating capacity.....which in turn equates to a 3 1/2 Ton unut (12,000 BTU = 1 Ton). The MicroAir Flex can safely be installed on units up to 6 Ton or 72,000 BTU capacity. If he would only learn to paste model number into Google. He could answer his own questions. Maybe he needs a smartphone. 1 Quote
superhawk996 Posted March 10 Posted March 10 Over/under: I say 3 pages as long as people keep entertaining him. 1 Quote
superhawk996 Posted March 10 Posted March 10 "How do I extinguish an electrical fire" will probably become its own thread. 1 1 Quote
XXitanium Posted March 10 Posted March 10 On 3/6/2026 at 2:27 PM, 02XXCA said: The one at this link will work with that unit, https://invertersrus.com/product/micro-air-easystart-flex-soft-starter/ https://invertersrus.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/EasyStart_364_368_Installation_Manual.pdf Quote
02XXCA Posted March 10 Posted March 10 23 minutes ago, XXitanium said: https://invertersrus.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/EasyStart_364_368_Installation_Manual.pdf You going to go over and install it for him, you printed out the manual already. 1 Quote
Zero Knievel Posted March 10 Author Posted March 10 Bought the Easy Start. I’ll post up on the install when I get around to it. 1 Quote
Zero Knievel Posted March 24 Author Posted March 24 Finally got it installed. No pictures...sorry. It wasn't horrible to install, but.... It sucks when people in the household think planting shrubs next to the outside unit is a good idea. 10+ year old wire schematics on the inside panels of the unit are freaking hard to read...even with my old fart reading glasses. A device which has an end that is always supposed to point down should be labeled as such on the casing. Otherwise, my first hiccup was installing the module upside down (wire harness comes out the bottom). I didn't see an instruction on this until I went to do the wiring. The device comes with a double-sided glue patch and self-tapping screws. I had to re-route the wires back out, remove the screws and pry the module off the inside wall it was mounted to. To do the wiring, I had to go to their website. The Trane-specific diagram wasn't that helpful. The general "all purpose" diagrams were. They showed the different types of setups, and once you found the one that matched yours, the instructions made a lot more sense. It takes about 6-8 starts for it to fully "learn" your system, but when I tested it, the first start was practically silent by comparison. I heard the fan start and then the compressor...which was quieter than the fan. Interestingly, I'm pretty sure we got the current unit after the whole house generator, but our whole house has a 200A service. The current some of these suckers draw explains why the lights dim when it kicks on. Quote
SwampNut Posted March 24 Posted March 24 26 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said: It sucks when people in the household think planting shrubs next to the outside unit is a good idea. This helps protect the coils and compressor from having too much ventilation. You make me kind of want to get this for our older system (we have one per floor). It's VERY hard starting now. 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.