Notices
All Things Towing Conventional, 5th Wheel, Toy Hauler, Flatbed, Gooseneck, Electrical/Brakes/etc.

Soft Start for A/C

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 01:31 PM
  #61  
Antonm23's Avatar
Antonm23
Fleet Mechanic
Community Builder
Community Influencer
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 927
Originally Posted by kshoop1958
I also installed an RV Airflow adapter, and it did make a huge difference. For the money though, I could almost buy two Coleman kits for the price of one Microair. Hard to imaging it won't work, coming from the same company.
They'll probably work just fine. But like a lot of stuff, it isn't really from the same company, it's more licensed/ endorsed by the same company.

Since this is mostly a Ford truck forum lets use Ford as an example. Ford doesn't make their own motor oil, but you can certainly buy oil in a Motorcraft bottle that has a Ford logo on it. Is that oil in the Motorcraft bottle the absolute best stuff you could possibly ever use in your Ford truck,,,probably not,,,, will it work,,,,yeap, it sure will.
...
 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 01:49 PM
  #62  
HRTKD's Avatar
HRTKD
Hotshot
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,693
Likes: 12,817
From: Wyoming
Club FTE Gold Member
Hopefully with more competition, the Microair prices will come down. That doesn't do me any good as I just bought a Microair Easystart 364 for my trailer that is on order.
 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 02:54 PM
  #63  
MKrenn's Avatar
MKrenn
Fleet Mechanic
5 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 565
From: Black Hills of SD
Is the Coleman one around $79? I did see that on Amazon.... Looks like it fits many applications.
 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 03:15 PM
  #64  
kshoop1958's Avatar
kshoop1958
Laughing Gas
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 971
Likes: 577
From: Middle TN
Originally Posted by MKrenn
Yeah that link would not open...
Try searching for this on Amazon:

Coleman-Mach 1497-3601 AC Capacitor Soft Start Control Kit

 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 03:18 PM
  #65  
kshoop1958's Avatar
kshoop1958
Laughing Gas
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 971
Likes: 577
From: Middle TN
Originally Posted by MKrenn
Is the Coleman one around $79? I did see that on Amazon.... Looks like it fits many applications.
No, it's $191.67 in my browser.
 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 07:41 PM
  #66  
WE3ZS's Avatar
WE3ZS
Moderator
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
Likes: 1,549
From: Media PA
Club FTE Gold Member
We just had two of the Coleman soft starts ($183) delivered today, I will be installing them on the kitchen and bedroom ACs soon, the living room AC unit doesn’t get used nearly as much as the other two. It will be nice to keep the kitchen unit on while cooling off the bedroom while on genny power (2 Honda 2000s).
 
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2024 | 10:32 PM
  #67  
kshoop1958's Avatar
kshoop1958
Laughing Gas
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 971
Likes: 577
From: Middle TN
Originally Posted by WE3ZS
We just had two of the Coleman soft starts ($183) delivered today, I will be installing them on the kitchen and bedroom ACs soon, the living room AC unit doesn’t get used nearly as much as the other two. It will be nice to keep the kitchen unit on while cooling off the bedroom while on genny power (2 Honda 2000s).
Tom, that’s $183 each, right?
 
Reply
Old Jul 24, 2024 | 09:16 AM
  #68  
WE3ZS's Avatar
WE3ZS
Moderator
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
Likes: 1,549
From: Media PA
Club FTE Gold Member
Yes, each was $183. I don’t have a link right now, my owner does all of the online shopping.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-2

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-4

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-5

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-8

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
Old Jun 17, 2025 | 04:53 AM
  #69  
dzdiggin'dude's Avatar
dzdiggin'dude
More Turbo
15 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 564
Likes: 60
From: Freedom,Wi.
Looks like the Coleman version is $202 right now, anyone use the generic one for $93?
 
Reply
Old Jun 17, 2025 | 09:26 AM
  #70  
1Butcher's Avatar
1Butcher
Cargo Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,807
Likes: 1,022
I have not, but at what point does the price get so low that the reliability issue crops up. $93 is too cheap for me to jump on that band wagon. Not unless there are some really good [non paid] reviews.
 
Reply
Old Jun 17, 2025 | 10:21 AM
  #71  
HRTKD's Avatar
HRTKD
Hotshot
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,693
Likes: 12,817
From: Wyoming
Club FTE Gold Member
Having replaced a rooftop air conditioner, I'm not going to put my current unit at risk with a questionable soft start device.
 
Reply
Old Jun 17, 2025 | 12:06 PM
  #72  
WE3ZS's Avatar
WE3ZS
Moderator
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
Likes: 1,549
From: Media PA
Club FTE Gold Member
LOL, both of my $183 Coleman branded soft starts quickly failed in the same way, fortunately they did no damage to the AC units and Coleman quickly replaced both under warranty with no hassles. Replaced them in Oct and they are still doing fine this time around, we were in the desert SW through late Nov and have been down to TX already this Spring, so they have seen a good bit of use so far.
 
Reply
Old Jun 17, 2025 | 12:46 PM
  #73  
1Butcher's Avatar
1Butcher
Cargo Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,807
Likes: 1,022
And Coleman was still there to back up the warranty......right?

I don't initially judge the company if their product fails. I judge them by how they react if there is a problem. I'm glad that Coleman did make it right and I'm sorry that you had an issue with both of them. Having two products fail at a similar time probably means they had some production issue. Sometimes, you just do not know until the product makes it to the consumer. Once that happens, a good company will take those defective part, figure out what happened, and make a fix ASAP. Many times it is a sublet vendor that made the small part that failed. Who knows.

We will never know what would have happened if you bought the $93 specials.

My experience is once the price gets too low, something is not right. Is it the lack of service after the sale? Quality of materials? How much they compensate their employees? IDK but I want to spend my money to help a good business stay in business. Even if it costs a bit more.

To be fair, I don't think Coleman is the same as it used to be.....just like Bosch.
 
Reply
Old Jun 18, 2025 | 09:33 AM
  #74  
kshoop1958's Avatar
kshoop1958
Laughing Gas
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 971
Likes: 577
From: Middle TN
Originally Posted by WE3ZS
LOL, both of my $183 Coleman branded soft starts quickly failed in the same way, fortunately they did no damage to the AC units and Coleman quickly replaced both under warranty with no hassles. Replaced them in Oct and they are still doing fine this time around, we were in the desert SW through late Nov and have been down to TX already this Spring, so they have seen a good bit of use so far.
Sorry to hear that, but glad they took care of you. I installed a Coleman soft start on my single AC last fall, and haven't had any issues with it. To each his own, but saving $100 for a generic piece of electronics wouldn't work for me.
 
Reply
Old Jun 22, 2025 | 04:47 PM
  #75  
ArcticGabe's Avatar
ArcticGabe
5th Wheeling
Liked
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 42
Likes: 17
From: SE Mich
All this discussion about MicroAir Easy start made me wonder if anyone has tried running their 13.5k BTU AC powered by a 2kw ProPower Onboard from the Super Duty? I just got a F-250 with PPO and have not tried it yet so I don't know it's capability in the real world. Just wondering if anyone else has tried this to help set my expectations. Thanks.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:47 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-1
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-3
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-7
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE