gregmcc:

 

Simple answer is no.

 

I'm assuming you want it to reduce/eliminate water hammer? this is a soft start only and not a soft stop, looks like it also requires a heat sink.

 

 

 

I 100% agree with this — especially when it comes to pumps. A soft starter is not the best choice. They have strict duty cycle limits, and if you exceed them, you risk letting out the "magic smoke."

For example, if there's a leak somewhere in the pipework and the pump starts short-cycling throughout the day, that soft starter could easily fail — possibly within hours.

Also, not all soft starters play nicely with the waveform generated by some inverters. Incompatible waveforms can damage or destroy the soft starter, and in some cases, the soft starter just won’t work at all with the inverter.

The smarter move is to choose a pump designed for the job — ideally one with a built-in VFD (Variable Frequency Drive). These are made specifically for ramping motors up and down continuously throughout the day. That’s exactly what they’re built to do, unlike soft starters.

A quick search brings up this option: CEG MXI 506 VSD Water Pump. It’s a three-phase motor with a single-phase VFD built in, which handles ramp-up and ramp-down automatically. It even uses a 4-20mA transducer as its pressure reference.

The best part? Homeowners can install it themselves — it comes pre-wired with a standard cord-set. No need to hire an electrician. Here’s the spec sheet and manual:
Installation Manual (PDF)

All you’ll likely need is some thread tape, a few threaded nipples or reducers to match your current pipework, and you're good to go.

I say all this from experience — I’m a sparky by trade, with years in the field. I’ve worked on everything from pivot irrigators, bore pumps, and surface booster pumps to conveyors and industrial VFD systems. Been there, done that, tested it all.

Pro tip: With a new pump, you’ll usually get a warranty. But it’s still worth talking to a pump specialist. Tell them exactly what you're trying to achieve — they’ll help you pick the right setup for your application.