What do Kickstart devices do?
Kickstart hard start devices utilize a capacitor/relay combination to allow your air conditioning and heat pump compressors to start with maximum efficiency thus reaching normal rated speed at up to ten times faster than compressors with no hard start device installed. During start-up, a typical compressor motor with no hard start device installed has an electrical efficiency rating (also known as “power factor”) of less than 50%. That means only 50% of the available power is being utilized to start the unit. Under those conditions, the compressor has to work much harder and is exposed to a lot of excess heat that is generated with each and every start. With a Kickstart device installed, the electrical efficiency is boosted to over 98% enabling all of the available power to reach the compressor for smooth, fast starts.
