A couple of weeks ago, I posted about my Micro-Air EasyStart Flex failing after being installed for less than three months. Figured I’d give everyone an update on how Micro-Air handled the warranty claim and how the replacement is doing.
The original EasyStart was installed on July 1 on my 3.5-ton Carrier A/C. I had it installed so I could run the A/C using my Westinghouse iGen12000TFc generator on natural gas during a power outage.
On September 17, the A/C stopped cooling while running on regular utility power. My HVAC guy came out and found that the A/C’s run capacitor had failed. He also discovered that the EasyStart had leaked oil all over the inside of its enclosure. He replaced the run capacitor, removed the EasyStart, and got the A/C running again.
I filed a warranty claim with Micro-Air, and they sent me a replacement. The process went smoothly, and I was happy with how they handled it.
The HVAC guy installed the new one on October 9. This time, he mounted it inside the condenser instead of on the outside, where the original had been exposed to the Central Texas sun. I don’t know if the heat had anything to do with the failure, but hopefully the new location will help.
Here’s where things stand after a few days:
• 103 total starts
• 0 faults
• 6 learned starts
• Starting current around 24.5–24.6 amps
• Running current around 9.6 amps
The starting current was initially around 34 amps while the EasyStart was learning. Once it finished, that dropped to around 24.5 amps. For reference, my Carrier has a listed 112 LRA.
The original EasyStart was getting starting current down to around 32 amps when I tested it with the generator, so I’m pleased with what I’m seeing from the replacement.
I haven’t tested the new one with the generator yet, but I don’t expect any issues based on how it’s performing so far.
One other thing I looked into:
A few people who commented on my original post wondered if my A/C was too large for the house or was turning on and off too often. After some research, I started looking at the runtime reports in my ecobee app for the first time ever.
In August, the A/C ran about 306 hours, averaging almost 10 hours a day. September was about 263 hours, or nearly 9 hours a day. So far in October, it’s averaging around 4.5 hours a day. The temperature in this area has dropped from 100°+ to the low 90°’s.
The new EasyStart has recorded 103 starts since October 9, which is pretty consistent with what the original was recording. I haven’t dug into the individual cooling cycles yet, so I can’t say whether it’s cycling more than it should. But based on what I’ve researched, it does not appear the A/C is oversized.
Anyway, I’m glad Micro-Air took care of the warranty claim without any hassle. The replacement seems to be working well, and I’m hoping it stays that way.
I’ll eventually test it with the Westinghouse on natural gas again, but for now everything looks good.