A capacitor-start/run motor is a single-phase AC induction motor that uses two capacitors — a start capacitor for high initial torque and a separate run capacitor that stays in the circuit continuously during operation — to improve both starting torque and running efficiency compared to a plain capacitor-start motor, which disconnects its capacitor once the motor reaches speed. This dual-capacitor design gives smoother, quieter running with better power factor and torque characteristics under sustained load.
Facilities technicians, pump and compressor installers, and OEM equipment builders rely on Dayton capacitor-start/run motors wherever equipment needs both strong starting torque and efficient continuous running torque — pumps, compressors, blowers, conveyors, and other loads that mount directly to a NEMA C-face or connect via a rigid base. Their combination of high starting torque (for hard-to-start loads) and steady running performance (for continuous-duty equipment) makes this motor design a preferred general-purpose replacement wherever a plain split-phase or capacitor-start-only motor falls short.
Common configuration: 1/3 HP to 2 HP, single-phase 115/208-230V dual voltage (usable at 208V), 48/56/56C/56H NEMA frame sizes, 1,725 or 3,450 nameplate RPM, open drip proof (ODP) or totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) enclosure, rigid base or C-face/rigid base mounting, Class B insulation, and continuous duty rating with service factor typically 1.00 to 1.35.
Quick-Reference Spec Glossary
- HP rating
- Motor horsepower, commonly 1/3 to 2 HP in this class
- Voltage
- 115/208-230V dual voltage, usable at 208V
- Motor design
- Capacitor-start/run — separate start and run capacitors
- NEMA frame
- 48, 56, 56C, or 56H — defines mounting dimensions and face-mount capability
- Nameplate RPM
- Rated speed at full load, commonly 1,725 or 3,450 RPM
- Full load amps (FLA)
- Current draw at rated voltage and load, given per voltage tap
- Enclosure
- Open Drip Proof (ODP) or Totally Enclosed Fan-Cooled (TEFC)
- Mounting type
- Rigid base, C-face, or combined C-face/rigid base