Hi everyone,
I wonder if anyone has any experience with evaporative cooler controllers out there?
This is for my own house. Dial makes a neat programmable thermostat (line voltage) to run an evaporative cooler. Problem is they seem to go belly up after about 30 days. I just bought my 3rd controller in as many years. But before I put it in I'm trying to take precautionary measures.
I wondered if this failure might be caused due to either voltage spikes, inrush current (3/4 hp motor) or heat inside the controller (mounts into a single gang cut in box).
I talked with a HVAC guy who said he has one going in his house for the past 5 years, without a glitch. But he has replaced several in one year in a customers house. He mentioned that these seemed to fail when there were power outages.
Makes sense to me, so I installed a Surge Arrester Circuit Breaker in my Panel, thinking this might take the spike out of a utility start up and maybe saving my controller.
I also am installing a wiremold extension box over the single gang cut in box with the hope that this might give a little breathing room for the electronics.
My question to sagacious sparkies:
What da ya think? Should this do it?
I've also considered putting a contactor on downstream, but what a pain in the a**!
I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks,
Brian
