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hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
I had a hvac company come out and diagnose that the capacitor went bad. He didn't have one on the truck so for him to come back it is pretty expensive and I was able to get the capacitor on line. So I want to replace it myself. When I called to get the part, one of the guys suggested adding a hard start kit to it. Can someone tell me if this is a good idea or if this can cause more trouble than it is worth. The machine is a luxaire heat pump. Also any advice on replacing the capacitor. I was just going to shut off the electric and swap it out with the same exact part number.
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2002 F-250, PSD 6-speed, CC, short bed, 4X4, Toreador Red w/ Silver accent, A.R.E mx cap, Weld Super Single II and 33s in the summer, x-springs, F-350 blocks and badges, AIC, proflaps, ITP intank mod, AirDog with 3 micron filter, isspro guages and TTM, scangauge, husky liners, alarm, xm stereo,stull 5399-p grille, centramatics, ccv mod, AIS Air Filter, Southbend CON O, Detroit Truetrac LSD, coolant filter, 203 stat with billet housing, blackcloud intake heater plug/boost fitting, reese titan hitch, fabcraft PTO cover/temp sender port, prodigy brake controller, ITP Boost Annihalator, oilguard bypass filter, Mag-Hytec rear dif, bilsteins, hellwig rear stabilizer bar, ATS housing, non-ebpv pedistal and exhaust flange, magnaflow 3.5dp exhaust, ITP reg return, turbomaster wastegate controller, and ceramic coated bellowed up pipes, PHP 50t and 80p, currently 96,100 miles. truck Pictures
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
How did it work before the capacitor burned out? Was it hard to start, or running just fine?
A hard-start kit is a band-aid which can cover up some other problem for a while - worn-out compressor, a few shorted windings, low line voltage, et al. It's often little more than a larger capacitor which runs more current through the start windings.
It could be a solution to a problem which you don't have. If it doesn't need overstressing the start windings to get it started, why do so?
Are you an engineer? It's common among engineers to try to re-engineer a system when it only needs repair.
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Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
a system with a txv on the evaporator coil will come with a start capacitor in addition to the run capacitor. a hard start kit commonly sold in refrigeration stores is an easy add on vs a start cap with separate relay.
this is if unit has standard recip compressors, i havent seen a scroll compressor using a start kit yet, only a run cap.
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Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
both replys are good answers.. just remember that the cap can store a charge.. so dont grab both term.. an dont short them out on a metal object.. like screwdriver or sheet metal.. can short out.. an exploed.. ( i know you said it was bad..but its not worth the chance..) at work i just turn off the machine an install new cap.. sometimes theres a dot on the side for in an out.. but really doesnt matter..look at teh old one an try to match up.. as far as teh hard start kit only if your having problems starting..
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Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
I am not an engineer. It has never had a hard time starting, that I am aware of. It was working fine and one day I came home to find that my house was way too hot. I got the hard start kit idea from an hvac parts company. I had the original problem diagnosed by an hvac mechanic but he did not have a cap on the the truck, so I am trying to save the 100 bucks for him to come back out to my house. Thanks
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2002 F-250, PSD 6-speed, CC, short bed, 4X4, Toreador Red w/ Silver accent, A.R.E mx cap, Weld Super Single II and 33s in the summer, x-springs, F-350 blocks and badges, AIC, proflaps, ITP intank mod, AirDog with 3 micron filter, isspro guages and TTM, scangauge, husky liners, alarm, xm stereo,stull 5399-p grille, centramatics, ccv mod, AIS Air Filter, Southbend CON O, Detroit Truetrac LSD, coolant filter, 203 stat with billet housing, blackcloud intake heater plug/boost fitting, reese titan hitch, fabcraft PTO cover/temp sender port, prodigy brake controller, ITP Boost Annihalator, oilguard bypass filter, Mag-Hytec rear dif, bilsteins, hellwig rear stabilizer bar, ATS housing, non-ebpv pedistal and exhaust flange, magnaflow 3.5dp exhaust, ITP reg return, turbomaster wastegate controller, and ceramic coated bellowed up pipes, PHP 50t and 80p, currently 96,100 miles. truck Pictures
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
Well, I replaced the capacitor with the exact model number and my heat pump still does not turn on. So looks like I did not get a very good diagnosis for 160 bucks.
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2002 F-250, PSD 6-speed, CC, short bed, 4X4, Toreador Red w/ Silver accent, A.R.E mx cap, Weld Super Single II and 33s in the summer, x-springs, F-350 blocks and badges, AIC, proflaps, ITP intank mod, AirDog with 3 micron filter, isspro guages and TTM, scangauge, husky liners, alarm, xm stereo,stull 5399-p grille, centramatics, ccv mod, AIS Air Filter, Southbend CON O, Detroit Truetrac LSD, coolant filter, 203 stat with billet housing, blackcloud intake heater plug/boost fitting, reese titan hitch, fabcraft PTO cover/temp sender port, prodigy brake controller, ITP Boost Annihalator, oilguard bypass filter, Mag-Hytec rear dif, bilsteins, hellwig rear stabilizer bar, ATS housing, non-ebpv pedistal and exhaust flange, magnaflow 3.5dp exhaust, ITP reg return, turbomaster wastegate controller, and ceramic coated bellowed up pipes, PHP 50t and 80p, currently 96,100 miles. truck Pictures
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
Thanks Dragrag, I got it working. I think I had to let the capacitor charge up. I left the power hooked up for 1/2 hr and then tried to turn it on an now it has been working fine for 3 days. When you replace a capacitor, do you have to charge it up. I can only guess that replacing it and then immediately firing it up does not work. It works fine now. Thanks
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2002 F-250, PSD 6-speed, CC, short bed, 4X4, Toreador Red w/ Silver accent, A.R.E mx cap, Weld Super Single II and 33s in the summer, x-springs, F-350 blocks and badges, AIC, proflaps, ITP intank mod, AirDog with 3 micron filter, isspro guages and TTM, scangauge, husky liners, alarm, xm stereo,stull 5399-p grille, centramatics, ccv mod, AIS Air Filter, Southbend CON O, Detroit Truetrac LSD, coolant filter, 203 stat with billet housing, blackcloud intake heater plug/boost fitting, reese titan hitch, fabcraft PTO cover/temp sender port, prodigy brake controller, ITP Boost Annihalator, oilguard bypass filter, Mag-Hytec rear dif, bilsteins, hellwig rear stabilizer bar, ATS housing, non-ebpv pedistal and exhaust flange, magnaflow 3.5dp exhaust, ITP reg return, turbomaster wastegate controller, and ceramic coated bellowed up pipes, PHP 50t and 80p, currently 96,100 miles. truck Pictures
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: clydesdale</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> When you replace a capacitor, do you have to charge it up.
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Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: clydesdale</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Dragrag, I got it working. I think I had to let the capacitor charge up. I left the power hooked up for 1/2 hr and then tried to turn it on an now it has been working fine for 3 days. When you replace a capacitor, do you have to charge it up. I can only guess that replacing it and then immediately firing it up does not work. It works fine now. Thanks
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Not to be rude but if you are asking this type of question you should not be fooling with capacitors. There is quite an amount of stored energy even when the unit is off, unplugged and sitting for a long time. Not knowing what you are doing could give you a large shock.
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Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
A capacitor only takes a fraction of a second to charge. Anyway its doesnt use that charge to start a motor. It creates the phase shift to enable the motor to start in the direction you want it to run. You need to have a phase shift on a single phase motor to get it spinning.
As far as getting a shock that really isnt an issue on a motor capacitor.
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
shock from a run cap, probally no....
shock from a start cap without a bleed resister....probally yes..
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'12 gmc sierra slt cc, lb, duramax, carbon blk outside, blk leather inside.
'11 e350 super cargo,ingot silver, v10.
'09 mazda6i grand touring, black cherry,blk leather.
'77 450SL benz in the family since new.
'91 350sdl turbo diesel benz
'10 MAZDA 6i, DAUGHTERS RIDE
'90 560sel benz. what a pos.
Re: hvac help with a heat pump that needs a capacitor and maybe a "hard start kit"
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hapaschold</div><div class="ubbcode-body">shock from a run cap, probally no....
shock from a start cap without a bleed resister....probally yes.. </div></div>
ditto a start cap can give a heck of a shock.
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Too much junk/toys to mention, ever changing due to too getting bored too quickly. I need a 10 step program!
Want to call? I'm in the book. Want to argue....First explain the square root of negative one....lol
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