A/C "Soft Start" ...
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A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). -- 73, ... Joe, W4TV ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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Something like this, maybe?
https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters <https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters> > On Jul 18, 2018, at 2:29 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV <[hidden email]> wrote: > > > A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby > generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft > start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. > > Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - > we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now > the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability > to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without > A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma > last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up > and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. > > Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know > our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) > whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C > is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). > > -- > > 73, > > ... Joe, W4TV > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Joe Subich, W4TV-4
I have a Generac 20 KW here at the house and a 22KW Generac at the farm. I
have Central Heat/Air in my garage and house and you never see a blink when the compressors kick on. There are times when both are running like at the present time with all of the high temperatures. Last week we had a three or so hour outage and the 20 KW never missed a beat. At the farm, which is all electric we had a 5 hour outage and the 22KW never missed a beat. They do make devices that the water heater and air will not work at the same time or at least partially from what I understand. I also have a well at the farm and we see no problems at all. We had an Ice Storm here in W. Kentucky in 2009 and was out of power for six or seven days. We won't go through with that again. HI.. Ed.. AB4IQ -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, W4TV Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 1:30 PM To: Elecraft <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). -- 73, ... Joe, W4TV ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Grant Youngman-2
Similar, although the microair seems to be targeted at RV A/C units. The one I saw mentioned had specific instructions for most of the main domestic A/C brands. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 2018-07-18 2:32 PM, Grant Youngman wrote: > Something like this, maybe? > > https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters <https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters> > > >> On Jul 18, 2018, at 2:29 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV <[hidden email]> wrote: >> >> >> A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby >> generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft >> start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. >> >> Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - >> we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now >> the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability >> to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without >> A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma >> last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up >> and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. >> >> Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know >> our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) >> whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C >> is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). >> >> -- >> >> 73, >> >> ... Joe, W4TV >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[hidden email] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> Message delivered to [hidden email] > > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Ed Pflueger
Not "soft-start", but....
We have a Generac 20kW air-cooled generator at our house, that works wonderfully! IIRC, anything larger is water-cooled. Our house has two, 200amp breaker panels. We have three A/C units, an induction cooktop, ovens, dryer, and other goodies. When I started looking for a whole-house generator, almost every electrical contractor/company told me that I needed a 37kW, water-cooled generator, which has a small car engine for a motor. Generac even told them to tell me that's what needed for the loading and wiring in my house. I had done some research, and found that Generac sold a system that works with their ATS, called Nexus (or Nexys, or similar spelling). It includes "smart switches" that go in series with each heavy load device, such that the ATS can control those switches to turn on/of various loads, depending on what's running at any given time. There was only one electrical company here in Charleston, SC, that even knew about this system, they had just taken a course on it. Needless to say, they got my business. We've been through both summer and winter storm outages, up to about 24 hours, and the whole system works great! It does "stage" the air conditioners, depending on the load. The cost is higher, but I did NOT want a water-cooled car engine running on the side of my house. I've also switched to Rennai water heaters to get rid of constantly heating water for occasional use. We do have natural gas at the house, so the generator runs on that. We were going to get a gas cooktop, but during the kitchen remodel, we found the induction cooktop is as fast or faster than gas, and keeps the cooktop very clean. We can cook stuff with a layer of butcher paper between the cooktop and the pan. Highly recommended. 73, Terry, N4TLF -----Original Message----- From: AB4IQ Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 5:20 PM To: 'Joe Subich, W4TV' ; 'Elecraft' Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... I have a Generac 20 KW here at the house and a 22KW Generac at the farm. I have Central Heat/Air in my garage and house and you never see a blink when the compressors kick on. There are times when both are running like at the present time with all of the high temperatures. Last week we had a three or so hour outage and the 20 KW never missed a beat. At the farm, which is all electric we had a 5 hour outage and the 22KW never missed a beat. They do make devices that the water heater and air will not work at the same time or at least partially from what I understand. I also have a well at the farm and we see no problems at all. We had an Ice Storm here in W. Kentucky in 2009 and was out of power for six or seven days. We won't go through with that again. HI.. Ed.. AB4IQ -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, W4TV Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 1:30 PM To: Elecraft <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). -- 73, ... Joe, W4TV ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
Re: A/C "Soft Start" ...
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One of the things that the standby generators have over inverters etc, is a rotating mass. My water cooled 30 KW diesel Generac runs the whole farm and house on power outages and behaves like the others mentioned, it never misses a beat or hicups with the deep well pimp or 5KW electric dryer kicks in. Mine has been in service for over 25 years, and keeps on ticking...... No soft starts, staging or such anywhere.
Mel, K6KBE From: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]> To: AB4IQ <[hidden email]>; "'Joe Subich, W4TV'" <[hidden email]>; 'Elecraft' <[hidden email]> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 2:52 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... Not "soft-start", but.... We have a Generac 20kW air-cooled generator at our house, that works wonderfully! IIRC, anything larger is water-cooled. Our house has two, 200amp breaker panels. We have three A/C units, an induction cooktop, ovens, dryer, and other goodies. When I started looking for a whole-house generator, almost every electrical contractor/company told me that I needed a 37kW, water-cooled generator, which has a small car engine for a motor. Generac even told them to tell me that's what needed for the loading and wiring in my house. I had done some research, and found that Generac sold a system that works with their ATS, called Nexus (or Nexys, or similar spelling). It includes "smart switches" that go in series with each heavy load device, such that the ATS can control those switches to turn on/of various loads, depending on what's running at any given time. There was only one electrical company here in Charleston, SC, that even knew about this system, they had just taken a course on it. Needless to say, they got my business. We've been through both summer and winter storm outages, up to about 24 hours, and the whole system works great! It does "stage" the air conditioners, depending on the load. The cost is higher, but I did NOT want a water-cooled car engine running on the side of my house. I've also switched to Rennai water heaters to get rid of constantly heating water for occasional use. We do have natural gas at the house, so the generator runs on that. We were going to get a gas cooktop, but during the kitchen remodel, we found the induction cooktop is as fast or faster than gas, and keeps the cooktop very clean. We can cook stuff with a layer of butcher paper between the cooktop and the pan. Highly recommended. 73, Terry, N4TLF -----Original Message----- From: AB4IQ Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 5:20 PM To: 'Joe Subich, W4TV' ; 'Elecraft' Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... I have a Generac 20 KW here at the house and a 22KW Generac at the farm. I have Central Heat/Air in my garage and house and you never see a blink when the compressors kick on. There are times when both are running like at the present time with all of the high temperatures. Last week we had a three or so hour outage and the 20 KW never missed a beat. At the farm, which is all electric we had a 5 hour outage and the 22KW never missed a beat. They do make devices that the water heater and air will not work at the same time or at least partially from what I understand. I also have a well at the farm and we see no problems at all. We had an Ice Storm here in W. Kentucky in 2009 and was out of power for six or seven days. We won't go through with that again. HI.. Ed.. AB4IQ -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, W4TV Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 1:30 PM To: Elecraft <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] A/C "Soft Start" ... A year (two?) ago there was a discussion of whole house standby generators on this list. One of the things mentioned was "soft start" modules for A/C and other heavy current motor devices. Of course, the discussion was not pertinent to me at the time - we've been using a 6 KW portable for 10 years or more. But now the wife has decided it is time to get auto-start and capability to handle the A/C. She doesn't want to spend another weak without A/C like we've faced following both Matthew two years ago and Irma last year and doesn't want to risk that my back/neck won't act up and prevent me from rolling out/starting the old portable. Does anyone have a pointer to the A/C soft start controllers? I know our A/C (168 LRA) will certainly bog down even the biggest (22 KW) whole house unit (and going to a 30 or 50 KW just to start the A/C is not economically effective at 3 to 5 X the cost <G>). -- 73, ... Joe, W4TV ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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