Patent ID: 7804270

Claim:
Motor start circuit for an AC induction motor, said motor including at least one run winding coupled between a pair of AC power conductors and a start winding; and said motor start circuit comprising: a start capacitor and a normally closed relay switch connected in series with said second start winding and said first and second AC power conductors, with said start capacitor and said relay switch defining a junction therebetween; and a DC actuator circuit which includes a DC actuator coil magnetically coupled to said relay switch; a rectifier arrangement supplying DC power to said DC actuator coil and having AC inputs coupled to said power conductors; and a half full-wave rectifier circuit having an AC input connected to the junction of said start capacitor and said relay switch and DC outputs applied across said actuator coil such that in the event of intermittent application of power to said power conductors, any residual charge on said start capacitor will supply current to said actuator coil to hold the relay switch open until said residual charge has decayed.