Highboy
$100 Site Donor 2025
I believe the hard start kit was standard equipment back in the day, but was dropped as a cost savings move.
New HVAC and dimming lights
- Thread starter whizbyu
- Start date
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
How does the soft start unit affect your system? Can you even tell the difference? I am wondering why they all do not use such things...
I should not jinx myself be we have a bullet proof (it seems) 4 ton Rheem that was installed around 2008 and it is still kicking like when brand new. I spent a few dollars on minor things to keep it going in the past but its a work horse... Mine has a 10 minute delay on the compressor that I find works great especially during power surges etc...
In a perfect world, you shouldn't need one.
When I first started, you had to go to a supply house with the compressor model number.
They would look it up and give you a specific relay and start capacitor for that application.
Now they have kits that have electronic sensors/relays attached to a capacitor.
They are sized by tonnage of the unit.
I would imagine most service guys carry a few on their truck.
I always had a couple.
The Trane probably had the factory start assist capacitor on it. Most of the older Trane /American Standard condensers had a start assist capacitor from the factory.
I don't think I have ever seen a Goodman with one from the factory. You could get a 5-2-1 start kit and put in on there.
I don't think I have ever seen a Goodman with one from the factory. You could get a 5-2-1 start kit and put in on there.
Maybe check with the tech who installed the Goodman?
Possibly a bad or weak capacitor?
We are now in a new home, AC runs all year, never a flutter in the lights. Lennox
You went from one of best brands (Trane) to one of the cheapest (Goodman). Did you go from an A/C to a heat pump? Is there an electric booster coil for the heat pump?
The big developments being built use Goodman A/C as builder grade and people get 6 to 8 years out of them.
The big developments being built use Goodman A/C as builder grade and people get 6 to 8 years out of them.
I got 22 years out of my Goodman............
Here is one for ya..about 35 years ago I had gotten a call from another small family heating business. The fella told me that he had installed a new oil furnace and the customer was upset that the lights dimmed whenever the furnace started. She wrote the AG a letter stating her displeasure. Keep in mind her old furnace had a 1/4hp shaded pole motor...direct drive.... that drew a lot less current when starting than the new split phase 1/2hp motor. The fella who installed the unit asked me to look at job and write the AG back as was asked. I did so gladly and got him outa hot water. The installer moved the feed line to a new breaker and feed. Well..still dimmed the lights. So he paid an electrician to fix the issue. The electrician was at a loss..he didnt understand electric motors.
So the fella who installed the unit asked me to see what I could do. Well..my dad told me when I was young and went on jobs with him that sometimes this can be an issue with the old 100amp services. The fix...loosen the belt so when it started it slipped enough so the motor would get off the start windings much sooner and didnt draw 15 amps at startup. Problem solved.
35 years later we are both still in business and see him often at the counter.
Oh...my Goodman of 1995 is still goin strong! I do pull the fan out and oil it every 5 years.
So the fella who installed the unit asked me to see what I could do. Well..my dad told me when I was young and went on jobs with him that sometimes this can be an issue with the old 100amp services. The fix...loosen the belt so when it started it slipped enough so the motor would get off the start windings much sooner and didnt draw 15 amps at startup. Problem solved.
35 years later we are both still in business and see him often at the counter.
Oh...my Goodman of 1995 is still goin strong! I do pull the fan out and oil it every 5 years.
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Our our last home had two HVAC units. One for the second floor and one for the first.
I’ll be grabbing at straws, but let’s say the total between the two is 5 1/2 tons.
These were builder installed basic Heil units. Drop dead reliable in conditions that many do not understand what hot is, Talking months of 90+ degree summers peaking near or just over 100 degrees for two or three of those months.
What I’m saying is I don’t buy into marketing of the consumer brands. All these brands are made by one company or another just a handful of companies.
Anyway, these two units ran for 16 years, still going strong when we sold our house, in fact, the buyers hired a firm to check the units out and test them.
In those 16 years, I replaced one of the condenser fans, contactor in one unit and capacitor in the other unit.
I also replaced the capacitor in the unit I replaced the contactor in just because.
That’s it, 16 years, second floor was a heat pump and ran all year long first floor had gas heat and summertime Cooling of course.
Personally, I think basic is better and that’s what this company is known for. It’s not rocket science to have a compressor cooling coils, fans, and expansion valve.
It’s when you get into more complex systems where things could fail and frankly no thank you for those systems.
And our new home has what I would consider a basic Lennox system, same deal, clean, basic Copeland scroll compressor it looks like looking down into the unit and not complicated. I’m sure will heat and cool the home for many years.
https://airconditionerlab.com/heil-ac-reviews/
I’ll be grabbing at straws, but let’s say the total between the two is 5 1/2 tons.
These were builder installed basic Heil units. Drop dead reliable in conditions that many do not understand what hot is, Talking months of 90+ degree summers peaking near or just over 100 degrees for two or three of those months.
What I’m saying is I don’t buy into marketing of the consumer brands. All these brands are made by one company or another just a handful of companies.
Anyway, these two units ran for 16 years, still going strong when we sold our house, in fact, the buyers hired a firm to check the units out and test them.
In those 16 years, I replaced one of the condenser fans, contactor in one unit and capacitor in the other unit.
I also replaced the capacitor in the unit I replaced the contactor in just because.
That’s it, 16 years, second floor was a heat pump and ran all year long first floor had gas heat and summertime Cooling of course.
Personally, I think basic is better and that’s what this company is known for. It’s not rocket science to have a compressor cooling coils, fans, and expansion valve.
It’s when you get into more complex systems where things could fail and frankly no thank you for those systems.
And our new home has what I would consider a basic Lennox system, same deal, clean, basic Copeland scroll compressor it looks like looking down into the unit and not complicated. I’m sure will heat and cool the home for many years.
https://airconditionerlab.com/heil-ac-reviews/
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Well things change over time. The HVAC guys tell me the currently manufactured Goodman are low end builder grade. They said they are repairing major parts or replacing after 6 to 8 years.
Unlike the Trane or Carrier or Lenox.
Heat pumps and inverter heat pumps add a lot of complexity.
Unlike the Trane or Carrier or Lenox.
Heat pumps and inverter heat pumps add a lot of complexity.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
+1 for a hard start kit. should be on every AC from the factory. not having the dip in voltage causing current to spike will make everything last longer.
