Hard Start Test! Not all Hard Start Kits are the same!

[gummydmilo]

Great vid.

I have a 6 year old Goodman Heat pump with scroll compressor.

The lights dim when it kick on.

Should I add a 521 or Kick start (ks1) - Or is anything new since this vid?

[hackfreehvac]

@gummydmilo

It may help with the light dimming but generally people don't use hard starts on scroll compressors unless they have a need for one.

I'd check your main electrical panel and make sure the lugs are all tight on the main feed and where the A/C is connected. Then add the start kit.

[gummydmilo]

@hackfreehvac

Thanks for the tip. I had a guy change my motor run cap and he did mention the quick connect box needs to be replaced (it is about 12 years old). Since he charged me over $300 to replace $50 part in a few minutes, I really didn't feel like paying him to swap the box. I will change it soon - before I had a hard start (Is 5-2-1 the best option?).

[hackfreehvac]

@gummydmilo

Yeah 5-2-1's are good. They are a 3 wire.

They are of course, like any of them, a "universal" where if you had a "Start Kit" ordered specificly for your unit (if one was listed) it may have a more specific potential relay and start capacitor.

But it only is in use on the start up and the GOOD universals are almost as good as long as they are a TRUE start cap and potential relay.

Stay away form Super Boost!

[gummydmilo]

@hackfreehvac

I contacted Goodman for a hard start but they don't deal with homeowners. I looked at my disconnect, it needs replacing. If my lights still dim after replacing, I will look at 5-2-1. I have a 5 ton CPJL60-1b so I need the U3 - hope I can find a spot to mount it - assume it is the biggest one.

[hackfreehvac]

@gummydmilo

Yeah you may have to move something in the panel to make it all fit.

Especially if a heat pump.

[markgarcia777]

Holy cow Feildpeice or fluke works pretty good. You got half your entertainment center hooked up to that poor peice of crap RRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHEEEEEEEEEM!

[skystormfarms]

how can you make on of those home made current sensors

[hackfreehvac]

HA HA! Wow. i did have a cuss mouth back in the day!

I don't work "in the field" anymore. So I refrain from the "extra vocabulary" most of the time these days.

Maybe I'll make a edit of this to re upload. But I'd hate to lose the 15,000 views. :-/

one thing to relaize. The "extended vocabulary" I use in this video are not actually "curse" words. They are just words people consider foul language.

Bastard, Piss, Whore, etc are in my King James Bible. People consider those cuss words. :-/

[acmmech]

@hackfreehvac Great Video! Thanks for sharing

[tommybebout25]

WHAT makes transformers hum?

[kengine7]

The test is good stuff.

I have used the supco many times and have had good luck. Never really seen a ptc without a cap included.

That looks like an electrolytic cap with the diode. Be careful with that arrangement.

[acsjoe1224]

fix the short cycling problem and let that PTC cool down.

[acsjoe1224]

The 521 does not have a cool down period so it will restart without a problem. The PTC does so it will need to cool down for 10 min. If your a/c system cycles every 5 min then your problem is not your starting device maybe you should contract a technician to fix your short cycling problem.

[jimt765]

Very informative video Thank you.

[you701]

This is one of my favorite videos. I love the hands on science. Please make more videos, but curse less lol, it makes you sound bad.

[jasonrtilden]

I would love an edited more customer friendly version of this test to show customers on my iphone, would be a great sales tool!

[clntravis]

You should do a regular series.You rock,and Im a dumbass trying to get into the hvac trade.

[Bonnieorren]

not the best video but thanks. getting started making money is hard! guys u should try 'heavy dollars', they are really imformative, they got me started ;)

[eggman9713]

I know that Lennox offers a factory hard start kit for their units (and they recommend them when using on mains voltage less than 230V, ie 208V, typical commercial use). Any idea what type of kits these are?

[DCAIRCONEXPRT]

You Da Man BABY!!!!!!!!!! LIVE IT LOVE IT BROTHER

[wallace7777]

I have a Coleman Mach 3 Plus RV a/c and it came with some manufacturer soft start and was wondering what I could do to put a good one in that would give me better performance. It is just a 115v single phase a/c.

[acthetech]

hey how did you hook up the termostat?

[294103]

P.O.S. NICE!

[hackfreehvac]

Yup. They are a POS! :-)

[classifiedinfo]

What SEER is this heat pump?

[hackfreehvac]

Standard 10 SEER that came with my house.

[DrZarkloff]

This is a great video. I don't know why I didn't see this before now.

[hackfreehvac]

Thanks man. And just think. My compressor is still working after all that abuse making this video!

I may attack it for an experiment soon as soon as we start using the cooling. Which will be in a month.

[Achilles1240bc]

I loved the video!!

I just today had a a/c repair tech install a new hard start since mine was leaking from the top. I don't know what kit he used but after watching your video i am going to go check it out. What hard start brand and model do you recommend for a 5 ton Amana?

[hackfreehvac]

Well it's good to check with manufacture. If it's a scroll they are said to NOT need them. Most new units are Scroll compressors.

[fyescas777]

Im kinda curious, what is the average price for intalling a 5-2-1 start cap?, and the average price for replacing a regular 50 mfd cap for a copressor?

[hackfreehvac]

Well it's apples to oranges. The 50MF would be a typical run cap. They go for $100 to $150 depending on the company. A 5-2-1 has a relay and a start cap with some wires. They go for $150 to $300 depending in the company. It's not something I should even really put a price on. It depends on how companies do their overhead. The orices I mention usually included labor.

[numa28612]

Great video - 5 stars for you. Time to put a 521 in my 22 year old Carrier unit and ditch the PTC that's in there.

[hackfreehvac]

Thanks! For shits n giggles, run that unit for 10 minutes then go feel how HOT that PTC is after you turn it off! They get HOT! The problem is they have to be COOL to pass enough current. :p Let us now how it goes. :)

[REWYRED]

Have you ever used a "kickstart" hard start assist? if so what do ya think of them?

[hackfreehvac]

Yeah. I mentioned KickStart in my video info. I just couldn't find one at the time of this video. I think KickStarts have the MOST starting torque when using the KS-1 because they have a HUGE start cap. The only BAD thing is the relay's seem to be a weak point and fail stuck closed every now and then! But if ANY hard start can bust a seized compressor loose, it's a Kick Start KS-1

[REWYRED]

Ahh shit sorry man I didnt hear ya mention the Kickstart.. Ya I was curious on what you thought, I put the KS-1 in my parents newer Keeprite just for the hell of it, found out it got rid of that annoying "light flicker" in the house when the compressor started and actually allowed the compressor to start while running on a backup generator... Kickstarts kick ass...

[hackfreehvac]

Yeah the Kick Starts DO work. Unlike SuperBoost/Supco/Mars that use either inline PTC or solid state (compressor killing) relays! :p

[25HNA6]

There's a video that's just been added that has what looks like a very new Rheem heat pump that sounds like it is having a switching problem. I already commented on the video. But I think that you may know what the problem is. Type in "air conditioner noise" and the third vid down is the one. Even though you are not in residential anymore I still think you could answer the video.

[hackfreehvac]

I posted my $.02 over there for ya. Hope it helps.

[killtheglory]

5-2-1 can she run... i use to use the 521 in houston but since i moved to san antonio they use some cheap ones similiar to the super boost. how i miss our 521.

[hackfreehvac]

No doubt! When I've found an employer who wanted to sell the cheap SuperBoost's, I'd try to explain why I didn't want to intall those on customer's compressors!

[mepq7]

Well that's one way to kill a compressor quickly.

Dummy.

[hackfreehvac]

That was a pointless comment! You don't think that I know I abused the compressor to make that video? I "took one for the team" to make this video for other HVAC techs. BTW. So what if it dies. When it does, I'm putting in a Copeland UltraTech 2 stage scroll. But since it's a Rheem, it will probably keep on running as it is.

[sircoarz3]

your pretty funny! Good show :)

[hackfreehvac]

Thanks!

[mechanicwarrior20]

LOL piece of shit PTC and Piece of shit Super Boost your a funny guy

[hackfreehvac]

Yeah. I don't hide my feelings about those POS devices. :)