"Robert Gammon" wrote in message
. com...
Geoman wrote:
"Robert Gammon" wrote in message
. com...

wrote:

I have an American Standard Allegiance 12 5 ton Air Conditioner. The
model number is 2A7A2060A1000AA and the date of manufacture is 01/2003.

I am trying to determine if it has a hardstart kit on it or not. Some
people have told me that all ACs newer than 5 years come pre-installed
with a hard start device.


Hard start kits are NEVER installed on a new AC. The purpose of such a
kit is to give extra energy to a compressor that is aging, has more
internal friction.


Incorrect. The reason they arent normaly installed is stricly cost. The
factory trys to design a system which will allow equalization of
pressures so they don't require a hard start kit to overcome starting
against a high head. A cap tube, FCCV valve, a bleed txv will all allow
equalization of pressures between the low and high side, that coupled
with a time delay thermostat will allow the factory to save money in
material and labor.


A service call by a reputable HVAC contractor will install such a
capacitor ONLY when it is needed, ie. an old unit that fails to start
sometimes, particularly when the unit is hot and you attempt a restart
within an hour after it shuts down.


Incorrect again. Its once again cost or when needed.

On my home I have them installed, but I can't justify putting $150 on a
customers unit that isn't having problems and they have the required
criteria mentioned above .

I was surprised that Noons systems come with them. I was under the
impression that a scroll unit equalizes when its turned off.

Rich


Then we are talking about two VERY different things.

I had a 1982 vintage unit on this house that was having some problems with
Hot starts. We spent a night in a motel as a result. When the contractor
came, he installed a second larger capacitor to give the motor additional
inrush current when it started up.
This worked for a while, but when 4 adults were present in the summertime,
the unit could not dissipate the heat in the house, so we HAD to escape to
a mall to be comfy if son and family visited. that triggered, eventually,
a complete replacement for a 12 SEER unit at $7K for AC and furnace.

We are not talking about two different things. You said they are NEVER
installed unless there are problems, everyone here responded saying that you
are mistaken. I went further to explain why they are not traditionally
installed at the factory, which is cost. The factories will put them on some
models, but not all.

Make no mistake about this, every, and I mean EVERY compressor that is
single phase WILL work better and possibly last longer with a properly sized
start capacitor and start relay. But to say they are only put on when there
are problems is totally incorrect.

Also, your statement about the unit not cooling with four adults is possibly
a different subject. If the unit started and ran and the unit would not
keep up then it wasn't a hard start problem, it was most likely due to a
failing compressor or the charge was off and your compressor was cooking due
to no refrigerant cooling.

Rich