Anyone tried the plug and play SoftStartUp ?

[mangomike]

A couple of Q about it
If you using one, how do you like it?
So, it plugs in between*the campground pedestal*and my shore power cable ? I think I got*that,, But to use my generator, can I plug the Softatart*into the household plug in my upper*cabinet*? Where the air is currently plugged in?*The info from the Company says it can be used on household power . So it seems like I could* do the above safely? Also as long as I'm asking Q's ,,,,,is there a fan in my Generator(onan_)to help cool it or is it strictly*air cooled?Thanks for any helpMichael

[mkguitar]

My onan has a fan inside the case


this product looks interesting, a nice package


a "whole house" softstart may be better placed after the transfer switch so as to work on everything, genny or shore power...maybe

[mangomike]

Can you do that with the plug and play model?
Thanks for the reply
m

[mkguitar]

possibly, but it would be likely less expensive to use their regular softstart rather than buy this and hack the plugs off the ends



it's a question for the manufacturer


softstart seems to be a generic name now like kleenex or bandaid- there are others which appear to be similar which cost much less.


I have no personal experience with them.

[RTRanger]

That sounds like snake oil to me. I see no way you could have a “whole house soft start”. I’ve installed lots of soft starts on commercial equipment from small ones and all the way up to a 200hp motor. A soft stat ramps volts and/or frequency up from zero to full running speed via the parameters that you program into the unit based on the motor application.

Whatever they’re selling is not a soft start.

[mangomike]

SO,if your interested the product is called
"SoftStartUp"
website
https://softstartup.com/summer-googl...4aAvW2EALw_wcB

I'd be interested to see what you think after reading there info ,,, still snake oil ,, or .. maybe not?
Thanks

[booster]

They show a graph that basically is showing it as an amperage choke of some sort if you assume the voltage stays constant.


https://softstartup.com/wp-content/u...70-percent.png


I would also be interested in seeing the output amperage to the coach as it is doing this limiting. If it is doing a capacitive type limiting of input, the output would be high amps and might trip breakers, so the limit may be some kind of electronic limiting or pulsing. Some motors don't like to start on low voltage and will try to run very slowly and heat up, especially in cycling operation so if the AC is dragging down the voltage on the output side the compressor and fan motors may not like it. It is also possible the a drop in line voltage would trip you power protector or inverter charger if it checks for bad power like our Magnum does.


A softstart on the compressor itself doesn't have those kind of issues to the same degree because it is right at the motor, and it's purpose is to increase the amps to the motor and thus also help hold up the line voltage. I think the capacitance also does some kind of phase shifting also, but not certain what it does for starting other than changing the capacitor size can ease starting or vary the running speed in some motor types.



It would be interesting if there are any power side electrical engineers or master electricians that could dig a bit more deeply into it as I don't have that training. Right off the top, it doesn't look like it could do all they say, especially when the talk about two AC units off you inverter type things.

[mangomike]

I think I might have asked my Q so it could be misunderstood . I just don't write well! They kept telling me in school to pay attention. Much more interested in Rock N Roll, never did get that "big Break"
My air conditioner on my Roadtrek 210 pop has a regular household (3 prong w/ground) plug on it. It is plugged into a run of the mill receptacle. So I'm asking if I can safely pull the SoftStartUp in between the AC plug and the receptacle. The SoftStartUp has male and female plugs. So, no hacking involved,if I can do It as above.
If I put after the gen will it work if on shore power?
I prefer the plug and play because we can use it in more than one RV ,I hope.
Thanks
m

[tgregg]

Originally Posted by booster

They show a graph that basically is showing it as an amperage choke of some sort if you assume the voltage stays constant.


https://softstartup.com/wp-content/u...70-percent.png

Curious that they label the 'after' amp peak as 24 amps but according to the scale it's clearly over 30 amps

[tgregg]

Originally Posted by mangomike

My air conditioner on my Roadtrek 210 pop has a regular household (3 prong w/ground) plug on it. It is plugged into a run of the mill receptacle. So I'm asking if I can safely pull the SoftStartUp in between the AC plug and the receptacle. The SoftStartUp has male and female plugs. So, no hacking involved,if I can do It as above.
If I put after the gen will it work if on shore power?
I prefer the plug and play because we can use it in more than one RV ,I hope.
Thanks
m

In their picture it appears the male and female plugs are 30 amp plugs, not 'regular household 3 prong w/ ground plugs'.

So I think it will only go on a campground pedestal or a generator with a 30 amp receptacle. Might work with adapters though.

[mangomike]

I think they ship it with a dog bone .so I'd need just one adpter,which I have.
Tannks fot yhe reply
m

[booster]

Originally Posted by tgregg

Curious that they label the 'after' amp peak as 24 amps but according to the scale it's clearly over 30 amps

They also seem to show that the 15K Penquin is running at 28 amps, which seems way high. Only the the 52 amp stock AC looks to be right per the scale.

[mloganusda]

Here is my soft start installation inside my roof A/C. Easy to install. Works off my 20-amp circuit at home with no problems. Just be sure not to run the A/C and microwave at the same time using the generator. You will trip the breaker mounted on the generator, which calls for getting under the MH to flip.

[mangomike]

Is that on a Rosdtrek? I had read that you remove the AC to install on the 2008 RT 210 pouplar?
Thanks for the reply
m

[mloganusda]

On a WGO 2017 Trend. Located on top of the MH. On the Roadtrek you may have to remove the A/C unit to install inside the unit.