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Soft Start for A/C

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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 01:31 PM
  #61  
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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.
...
 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 01:49 PM
  #62  
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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.
 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 02:54 PM
  #63  
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Is the Coleman one around $79? I did see that on Amazon.... Looks like it fits many applications.
 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 03:15 PM
  #64  
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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

 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 03:18 PM
  #65  
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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.
 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 07:41 PM
  #66  
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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).
 
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Old Jul 23, 2024 | 10:32 PM
  #67  
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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?
 
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Old Jul 24, 2024 | 09:16 AM
  #68  
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Yes, each was $183. I don’t have a link right now, my owner does all of the online shopping.
 
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Old Jun 17, 2025 | 04:53 AM
  #69  
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Looks like the Coleman version is $202 right now, anyone use the generic one for $93?
 
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Old Jun 17, 2025 | 09:26 AM
  #70  
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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.
 
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Old Jun 17, 2025 | 10:21 AM
  #71  
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Having replaced a rooftop air conditioner, I'm not going to put my current unit at risk with a questionable soft start device.
 
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Old Jun 17, 2025 | 12:06 PM
  #72  
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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.
 
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Old Jun 17, 2025 | 12:46 PM
  #73  
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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.
 
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Old Jun 18, 2025 | 09:33 AM
  #74  
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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.
 
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Old Jun 22, 2025 | 04:47 PM
  #75  
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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.
 
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