Converter In-Rush Thermistors etc, UPDATE -4
UPDATE on 17 Nov, Update 2 on 22 Nov, Update 3 on 16 Jan 14, Update 4 on 19 Oct 14. --------------- In a recent thread there was mention of how you can wreck your gizmo (in my case a converter) ...
Forum Discussion
I cannot remember a failure from a cold start with any of the different size thermistors, only with a hot restart.
However, since the converter runs ok after the thermistor has blown, which I have seen with a hot restart and the lid off so I can watch the thermistor go up in smoke; then with the cold starts and the lid on so I can't see the thermistor, I cannot state for sure that the thermistor did not blow after a cold start and just keep running so nothing seemed wrong.
The converter with the big fat thermistor did not start in Nov after not being used since Sep. It worked ok in Sep, but taking the lid off in Nov, there was the thermistor as shown in the photo. I have no idea when that happened or how many times the converter worked ok while the thermistor fell apart to the point the converter would not start at all.
I have seen smoke after hot restarts that came from the thermistor. Sometimes after the smoke event the converter has died with the thermistor burning right up. Other times there is just a little smoke and a brief red spot and the converter keeps running at full amps. I have never seen smoke after a cold restart.
The general advice which I am taking, is to just not do any hot restarts, and also to clamp on first, since clamping on second is similar to a hot restart.
My suspicion now is that if I do that, it doesn't matter much which size thermistor I put in there, so I might as well use these ones I have on hand and not buy any more of a different size. Unfortunately I have 5Rs and 2Rs so if I do need to cover for 3R, then I would have to put two of the 2Rs in series to make a 4R if I want to use them or else it is wasted money ($3.00 each !!! :) )
EDIT--there is also the problem of the hit and miss just what part of the a/c cycle you happen to start up in, so it may not be possible to draw any conclusions from observations of smoke/no smoke based on whether it was a cold or hot start.
However, since the converter runs ok after the thermistor has blown, which I have seen with a hot restart and the lid off so I can watch the thermistor go up in smoke; then with the cold starts and the lid on so I can't see the thermistor, I cannot state for sure that the thermistor did not blow after a cold start and just keep running so nothing seemed wrong.
The converter with the big fat thermistor did not start in Nov after not being used since Sep. It worked ok in Sep, but taking the lid off in Nov, there was the thermistor as shown in the photo. I have no idea when that happened or how many times the converter worked ok while the thermistor fell apart to the point the converter would not start at all.
I have seen smoke after hot restarts that came from the thermistor. Sometimes after the smoke event the converter has died with the thermistor burning right up. Other times there is just a little smoke and a brief red spot and the converter keeps running at full amps. I have never seen smoke after a cold restart.
The general advice which I am taking, is to just not do any hot restarts, and also to clamp on first, since clamping on second is similar to a hot restart.
My suspicion now is that if I do that, it doesn't matter much which size thermistor I put in there, so I might as well use these ones I have on hand and not buy any more of a different size. Unfortunately I have 5Rs and 2Rs so if I do need to cover for 3R, then I would have to put two of the 2Rs in series to make a 4R if I want to use them or else it is wasted money ($3.00 each !!! :) )
EDIT--there is also the problem of the hit and miss just what part of the a/c cycle you happen to start up in, so it may not be possible to draw any conclusions from observations of smoke/no smoke based on whether it was a cold or hot start.
