Supco Hard Start failure...

[Jake]

Regulars here may remember me discussing one of my 'good will' calls last year (or maybe 2 years ago) where a Rheem condenser had a start cap failure, and refused to start with a OEM replacement.

I put a SPP-6E on the thing.

The folks called the office this afternoon (it's warm in Indiana right now... 95) with a no-cool complaint. After I do these calls, I always let the people know how to reach me... I'm willing to help however I can.

Anyhow, the whole top of the SPP was blown off. The compressor checked electrically OK (it's a recip) so I went out late this afternoon and replaced it with another.. I think it's a SPP-8.

Still no condenser start... the contactor refused to pull in. I replaced it, too.

The unit is running fine now... the current draw was way below the RLA (maybe 10 percent less), the pressures all looked great.

I'm just wondering what failed the original SPP? Do you suppose a chattering contactor would have done it?

You all know me by now... always curious.

Jake

[Bubba]

Gosh Jake, I hate when I have to explain "electricals" to you. :-) The top of the Supco has what looks like Neco Wafers in it. They are wired into the circuit and create resistance. As soon as power is applied to the Supco, the voltage "boost" is produced and sent to the compressor. Within just a second or two or three, those wafers become extremely hot. This heat causes high resistance and immediately takes the capacitor of the Supco out of the circuit. They blow their tops a lot. Sometimes it makes quite a mess. Like anything else, if they made it out of very durable materials it would be too expensive, last too long, never fail and the manufacturer of the Supco would go out of business. Tomorrow I will explain how electricity is made. :-) sorry Bubba

[Tony]

Short cycling

[Jake]

Hah... It was a mess and I really didn't look at it very well.

Geeze... one or two years and it fails? Yikes!

Jake

[Noon-Air]

THe Supco SPP "softstart" kit is not much more than an circuit board and a capacitor. My preference is the Kickstart TO-5. It is a true hard start kit with potential relay and start cap. I have had to replace several SPPs but never had to replace a Kickstart. My 2 cents

[Tekkie®]

I like the chocolate ones, very hard to find any more...

[Tekkie®]

It sounds like you gave Jake a jump start on the kick start!

[Geoman]

A agree, but I still like to use the correct start relay and capacitor over all of these start kits. My 2 cents.

[lp13-30]

I really prefer the real start kits from the olden days also. Totally argee about Supco and other "start boosters" or whatever they want to call the POS's. We have been using Kickstarts for quite a while although we do keep Trane start kits in stock at the shop. Overall, I guess the Kickstarts have been OK. I have seen a few fail, but considering the number we use, really not that bad. Noon and others using them, do you use the TO5 on all units, or do you also use the KS1 on 3.5-5 ton? AFAIK, the only difference is the start cap is a little bigger on the KS1. FWIW, I have an old air compressor with a 230 volt belt drive motor (called 5 hp but probably actually 1.5 max) It has a run cap and a centrifugal start swich. The centrifugal switch would act up about every other start. Dunno if the points are bad or the mechanism binding, but I put a TO5 acoss the run cap years ago and it hasn't missed a lick since. Larry

[lp13-30]

Jake, did that unit have a solid state time delay relay on it? I have seen them go bad and cause a contactor to chatter. Saw one on a Rheen or Ruud a few years ago that completely fried a brand new contactor in a day. When in doubt, replace it-- they cost next to nothing. Larry