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Summer is at our doorstep & soft start air conditioners will once again be a hot topic of discussion everywhere.
If you have no idea what is a soft start air conditioner, keep reading. We will explain what a soft start AC is, how it works, its pros and cons, and everything else.
What exactly is a soft start air conditioner?
An air conditioner that has a soft starter device installed in it is called a soft start air conditioner.
A soft starter is a mini device that protects your air conditioner from a high influx of electric current at the time of start-up.
When you turn on the air conditioner, the compressor draws a huge amount of electric current. This sudden and massive jolt of current can instantly damage your air conditioner or reduce its life significantly.
A soft starter device lowers the massive influx of electric current by 70% and keeps your air conditioner safe from any damage.
Moreover, the soft starter device also removes the disturbing thumping noise that your air conditioner produces 24/7. It will ensure the AC works silently and smoothly so you can enjoy a peaceful sleep. No disturbance at all!
How does an AC soft start work?
To understand the working of a soft starter device, you need to know how an air conditioner starts.
When you turn on an air conditioner, its compressor draws a massive amount of electric current to start.
This sudden and huge influx of electric current can damage your air conditioner instantly or reduce its life significantly. It can also damage different components of your AC.
A soft starter device is connected to the compressor of your AC. This device modifies the way your AC compressor behaves at the time of start-up.
Instead of drawing a massive amount of electric current instantly, the soft starter device increases the current supply gradually until the AC compressor starts working completely.
This is how a soft starter device works to keep your air conditioner safe from a massive jolt of current at the time of start-up.
What are the benefits of a soft start air conditioner?
A soft start air conditioner offers you so many attractive benefits. Here’s a list of everything:
1. Energy savings
Normally, when an AC starts, the compressor draws a huge amount of electric current and it keeps doing so every time it starts.
A soft start air conditioner slowly builds up the voltage and hence less electric current is used.
This will save you energy and money.
2. Protection from sudden power surges
Without a soft starter device, your air conditioner will always be vulnerable to damage by a massive jolt of current at the time of start-up.
The massive and quick inrush of electricity can overload the circuits of your air conditioner and cause a power surge.
A soft start air conditioner saves you from this threat by gradually building up the voltage.
3. No overheating
When the AC starts, its compressor/motor draws a huge amount of current.
This sudden and massive jolt of current can overheat the air conditioner and damage its motor, compressor, and other components.
A soft starter air conditioner slowly builds up the voltage and saves the AC from a sudden big jolt of current. This prevents overheating and increases the life of your air conditioner.
4. Longer life of AC
A sudden and massive inrush of current will always be risky for your AC. It can cause a power surge, overheating, wear and tear, and decrease the lifespan of your AC unit.
A soft start air conditioner prevents overheating, power surges, and puts less stress on the components of your AC.
It reduces wear and tear and grants a longer life to your air conditioner.
5. Smooth operations
If your AC will start conventionally, it will be vulnerable to so many problems. You never know when you have to deal with overheating, power surges, or breakdown of different AC parts.
A soft start air conditioner protects your air conditioner from all these unexpected problems.
It ensures your air conditioner smoothly performs its functions without any interruption.
6. Multiple starts per hour
Normally, your AC motor has to spend a huge amount of energy just to start.
It causes overheating, power surges, and wear and tear. That’s why many air conditioners find it difficult to start multiple times per hour.
A soft starter device will reduce the stress on your air conditioner. It builds up the voltage gradually and prevents overheating, power surge, and wear and tear.
As a result, your air conditioner will be able to start multiple times per hour if needed.
It will help you get nonstop and effective cooling all the time.
7. No thumping noises
Some air conditioners make thumping noises which are quite disturbing especially if you are tired and want to sleep.
A soft starter removes all thumping noises of an air conditioner and ensures that it works smoothly and silently.
You can enjoy a peaceful sleep!
Is a soft start air conditioner worth it?
Yes, a soft start air conditioner is completely worth it. The reason is that it offers you plenty of benefits like:
- More energy savings
- Longer life of AC
- Smooth functioning
- More efficiency
- No overheating of AC
- No power surges
- The ability to start multiple times
- No thumping noises.
- Less risk of damage to the AC.
Is a soft start air conditioner more effective than VFDs?
No, a soft start air conditioner is not more effective than VFDs.
Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are more energy-effective than soft starters. It’s because they can control the motor speed of your AC even during the start/stop cycles and also during the whole run cycle.
VFDs allow your AC to use less electricity when there’s no need.
It helps you efficiently use the power and save money & that’s why VFDs are considered more effective than soft starter devices. If you want to learn what does vfd stand for in hvac, please read our previous guide.
Is a soft start air conditioner expensive?
No, it is not expensive.
To make your air conditioner soft start, you just need a soft starter device. Those devices are not expensive at all.
They are affordable and you can easily find one at your local stores for a few hundred dollars. You buy it from the internet as well.
