Patent ID: 7755318

Claim:
A controller for controlling the application of electric power from an AC power source to a sump pump comprising an alternistor controlling power to said sump pump, and a microprocessor controlling said alternistor, said microprocessor including a clock, said microprocessor monitoring said source of AC power to find a zero voltage indicator of a cross over in an AC sine wave, said microprocessor using said voltage cross over to determine a timing of a current cross over, said microprocessor sending a trigger pulse to said alternistor to switch said alternistor to a conducting state, said microprocessor delaying said trigger pulse after said current cross over until a time near a peak voltage of said sine wave to apply reduced power to said sump pump, said microprocessor sending said trigger pulse to said alternistor immediately after said current cross over to apply full power to said sump pump, and said reduced power applied to said sump pump for an interval of time at a startup of said sump pump to provide a soft start.