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Bricklayer
03-17-2024, 10:15 AM
I run one of my vacuum pumps off a 4000 watt inverter generator.
Lasts 10 hours running the 1hp electric motor on the vacuum pump.
But the kicker is I have to have my big 8000 watt generator done there as well to be able to start the generator on cold mornings. I let the pump run off the big generator for 10 minutes. Then stop it. Then plug it into the small generator. Only draws 1100 watts when it’s running under full load of the vacuum pump
I can even plug my 1hp transfer pump in while the vacuum pump is running and it runs just fine.
Sometimes I’m able to start the electric motor off the small generator but only if it didn’t drop down too much below freezing the night before.
Was wondering if there was any type of soft starter out there that would work on a single phase 120v electric motor.
I know that shop power tools like lathes and table saws have them. But not sure if something like that would work on my motor.
It has never blown the breaker on the generator when trying to start. Just stalls it’s out when trying to start. I have it on the 30 amp RV plug. So it’s not drawing more then 30 amps on start up.

BAP
03-18-2024, 06:45 AM
There seems to be quite a few choices out there just doing a Google search. I found a bunch on Granger’s website that have a range of voltage from 110-408 and single or three phase. Price isn’t too bad either. I have no experience using them, just know they exist and did a search online for them.