Soft start for air handler?

irrespective of 'expensive' or 'cheap' VFD...you want to have a spare handy (and programmed) and ready to install on a few minutes' notice or you will be without heat.

remember...once you put a 3 phase motor in place, you cannot go back to single phase without swapping the motor back (not good on a cold night).

It is absolutely true that not all motors are designed to be run from VFDs...but for the purposes of +/- 20% rated speed and soft start..you can use most any 3 phase motor you can find that will fit. In general, if you are spending much more than $100 for a motor..you need to keep looking.

just swapping over to 'soft start' has saved me about $75 / month on the various motors around my house (water pump / sand mound pump / coal heater blower, 3 lathes, 2 mills..and a partridge in a pear tree.)

Granted, I did not swap them all out at once and..guess what...I use the same size / model VFD for everything so that if one goes...a single ready-spare on the shelf takes care of all that i need. Sure...the 3 HP lathe VFD is a bit over-kill for the coal furnace that only needs 1/2 HP but the VFD does not care as long as properly programmed.

Forgive the tangent but related question.

What about a soft start for this 120v pump? I've used them in campers for Air conditioning but not sure if the same strategy would be okay for a pump?

I have 120v water pump that when starting always grants a momentary dimming to lights in the house.

Replaced it about 3 years ago, previous had the same effect. New electrical box just installed a few weeks ago, 200 amp service.

I've looked online and not seen anything marketed for this purpose. Maybe my google-fu needs honed?

Any tips?

Thanks.

Video of 1 phase 120v motor start up for the record. I hope to post an improved start up with a 240v 3 phase motor/ vfd soon if all goes well. Never tried to post a video here before so crossing fingers.

Thanks to McGiever for the suggestion of a 3 phase motor using a vfd. Installation went smoothly. No more hard starts. Very pleased with the results. Sorry the video did not work out.

The previous video worked for me. It just opened a window asking which app i wanted to use to see it and then it played.

I would like to see the difference in the start up if you have it video'ed.

STOP!!!!!! try the simplest thing first! Run a bar of soap (ivory, dove,) on the belt and loosen the belt so it can slip a little and thus soften the startup

Good VFDs are expensive, cheap VFDs are nearly impossible to "program" and have horrible support.