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"Soft" Start for motors/AC?

R

Redmondite

Jan 1, 1970
0
A post today reminded me of something. My memory is weak on this but I seem
to remember a box being advertised several years ago that was supposed to
reduce your electric bill by reducing the peak draw for motors, particularly
AC units. Don't remember anything about how it was supposed to do it but
maybe one of you know.
 
S

SQLit

Jan 1, 1970
0
Redmondite said:
A post today reminded me of something. My memory is weak on this but I seem
to remember a box being advertised several years ago that was supposed to
reduce your electric bill by reducing the peak draw for motors, particularly
AC units. Don't remember anything about how it was supposed to do it but
maybe one of you know.

soft starts are used widely for lots of applications. I have installed them
on motors to 400 hp. My installations typically were pumping water and air
compressors mostly in water treatment plants.

Reducing your bill. Only if your on a demand meter. Running the motors
slowly in the beginning only deduces the demand for the start. Which can be
up to 6 times the running load. Some new air conditioners are using this
technology or they went to scroll compressors. Personally I would go with
the scroll.

Some folks I have seen are using VFD's on motors. Holding the motor at 80%
of speed and current will save you some bucks. Be careful of your
application with either, the costs involved are some what steep. You really
need a variable load for the VFD.
 
R

Redmondite

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yes but I was thinking in terms of a limited capacity PV system where
reducing the startup surge would be useful. I assume this wouldn't matter
(much) on a system with batteries, would it?
 
W

William P.N. Smith

Jan 1, 1970
0
Redmondite said:
Yes but I was thinking in terms of a limited capacity PV system where
reducing the startup surge would be useful. I assume this wouldn't matter
(much) on a system with batteries, would it?

You seem to be saying that your "limited capacity" system does not
have batteries, which is going to make it pretty impractical...
 
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