Soft Starter for Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps – Reduces Startup Surge, Reverse Motor Protection, Easy DIY Install, Generator/Stored Energy/Solar Compatible (16–32A)

This soft start device is a game changer. We have a Goodman 5-ton condenser that starts each time with a loud, but normal, "thump" as the compressor gets hit with 130A start-up current. Residential condensers work this way by design since it requires the least amount of parts (simple contactor and run capacitor) and is therefore cheaper to manufacture. All of this is fine if your AC unit is located far enough away from your living space that the start up noise is not bothersome. Unfortunately, like most homes, our AC unit is installed on the side of our 3,000 sq. ft. house and you can hear the condenser start from most rooms. A good amount of the start up noise is amplified by the refrigerant lines that enter the house, go up the wall, and then over the attic space to the furnace/AC unit in the middle of the house. I have tried condenser mounting pads on the slab and an additional support bracket for the large refrigerant line but nothing has reduced the reverberating "thump" noise at start up. My research into this issue showed that people generally try to solve one of two problems with their AC units: "not enough" start problems and "too much" start problems. The "not enough" start camp winds up installing hard start capacitors to give the compressor an extra jolt so that it starts up reliably. This can be useful for older compressors or for units where the owner hasn't diagnosed other faults such as a worn out start/run capacitor. The other camp searches for ways to reduce the "too much" start problem that causes high current draw (a problem for generator/solar power sources), noise, and wear-and-tear on the compressor that I mentioned earlier. Which brings us to the electronic soft starter. This device is specifically designed to control the compressor in-rush current at start up and thereby reduce high power inrush, unnecessary noise, and wear on the compressor motor. It gradually accelerates the motor up to speed instead of hitting it with full current all at once. It's like accelerating in your car by gradually pressing the accelerator as opposed to slamming down the pedal and going full throttle from every stop. Both get you where you want to go but only one method does so without unnecessary power consumption, noise, and wear-and-tear. Installation of the AIRGO device is very straightforward for the technically-inclined and for those familiar with AC condenser components. The kit includes all the additional wires you need with pre-crimped terminations that makes installation in a standard AC unit easy. It turns out that the AIRGO unit is identical to the Eltwin soft starter (also sold here) but has different branding and, frankly, a much easier to understand connection diagram. I did create my own connection diagram (see photos) so that I could fully understand the connections as they related to my system (I also replaced the contactor and run capacitor at the same time). NOTE REGARDING WIRING: It doesn't matter if you have a single pole or double pole contactor. You can use either type per AIRGO with no wiring differences whatsoever. I did find (on Eltwin's soft starter website, btw) a schematic showing the soft starter "ACTIVE (T)" wire connected to the switching pole of the single pole contactor and the "COMMON" wire connected to the pass-through pole. Again, it makes no difference which pole is used but I wired it per the Eltwin schematic anyway. This is shown in the photo attached. Once connected, everything worked perfectly and exceeded my modest expectations. The AIRGO soft starter has COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THE START-UP "THUMP" NOISE from the compressor. It's totally gone. When standing next to the condenser, the ONLY start up sounds are the simple click of the contactor and then a slow whooshing sound as the compressor and fan come up to speed in less than 2 seconds. Inside the house, the only way we know that the condenser has turned on is when the interior HVAC fan powers up. No more jolt, no more “thump” —completely gone. In summary, the AIRGO soft starter delivers everything it promises and is worth every penny to restore peace and quiet to your AC condenser start-up. The AIRGO (aka Eltwin) soft starter device appears to have been around for at least 10 years which speaks well of its ongoing value and overall reliability. I expect the device has been refined to the point that it will deliver years of service when properly sized for your system and installed correctly. I only wish I had discovered this device years ago! Oh well, if you install one, you'll quickly forget the few extra dollars you spent on this quality device. For me, it paid for itself on the first start up. Thank you, AIRGO!

I bought a month ago, bought the warranty, so far so good! Had it professionally installed and no more dimming lights at start up, main reason was to run a 30 amp generator which now I can run my whole house including the a/c and furnace. Highly recommend this product. Also the price is nice considering you get everything you need.. don’t buy the more expensive one just this one is all you need the kit and wiring is already in the box. It’s durable so far, it functions perfectly and you don’t even see it once you tie it into your condenser,

I purchased this AirGo unit to reduce the strain on the compressor on my elderly mother's 25 year-old Goodman AC system. I am very handy, and am not afraid of electrical wiring or electrical circuits. The Compressor used to make a loud groan and noise at start-up. With the AirGo soft start unit in place, it starts-up much more quietly and smoothly, and I expect this will preserve the life of the AC compressor for many more years...saving my mother from having to purchase a new AC compressor, evaporator and related items/services during her lifetime. The instructions were very clear and precise. I found the AC compressor unit had been wired in a non-traditional fashion (can I say, by a redneck?), and to avoid causing an issue, I call the support number and talked with Bob at AirGo (Bob's business card was in the package with the AirGo soft-start unit). The AC label was so faded on mom's compressor; I could not easily identify the model number of the AC unit. Bob wanted to see photos of the wiring, and I took them and sent them to his text line. Bob quickly identified the Goodman AC unit from the remaining numbers and letters that were barely visible on the faded label. Bob was SUPER PATIENT and UNBELIEVABLY HELPFUL! I am/was very thankful to have Bob as a reference and fallback, but I never imagined I would need help, but I had properly noticed the wiring was not done well (maybe not correctly) and the support I received was top-notch. The system looks and operates properly now. While I was installing the AirGo unit, I also installed a new Capacitor and a Contactor... (but put the old ones in a cabinet at mom's house as a back-up) since I live over a thousand miles from my mother's house. Thank You to AirGo and especially Bob for taking my call and providing the feedback and assurance that I was not going to short-circuit anything. Bob waited for me to turn the system on and we assured the system was cooling before we said goodbye and I promised to leave good review(s) for him and AirGo.

I want to share my experience so others don’t make the same mistake I did. I started with what I thought was a good deal, a soft start that looked just like the AirGo but cost less. The wiring, the box, even the instructions were nearly identical. But it wasn’t the real thing. It was a knockoff. Within a day, it failed catastrophically. The compressor wouldn’t run, and when I opened it up, I found vaporized PCB traces; a total meltdown. What a disappointment; not to mention the frustration and wasted time in the heat! At that point, I was turned off on all soft starts that looked like the AirGo. I assumed they were all the same. But then I spoke with Bob Cramer, the owner of AirGo, and also consulted Microsoft Copilot, which helped me trace the real origin of the design. That changed everything. Bob explained the difference between the genuine AirGo and the clones. The real AirGo is fully potted, built to last, and backed by someone who actually cares. That gave me the confidence to try again; with the real deal this time. I ordered the authentic AirGo Soft Start late on the 6th. It arrived overnight by 6 a.m., and by 7 a.m. it was installed and running. No more light flicker. No more bone-jarring THUMP when the AC kicks on. Just smooth, quiet starts; every time. What Makes the Real AirGo Different: o Waterproofed with epoxy potting and professionally built o Reverse motor protection that actually works o Eliminates light dimming and startup surges o Backed by real support; Bob goes the extra mile o Matches the 5-star reviews because it earns them My Advice as an Electronic Engineer myself... Don’t fall for the lookalikes. If it doesn’t say AirGo and it’s not from a trusted seller like MES Group, it’s not the real thing. I should have just bought the AirGo first. It would’ve saved me time, money, and a lot of frustration. On a 5-star scale, the AirGo deserves 6 - as Bob goes the extra mile.

I purchased the 16-32A model. When I ordered from Amazon I didn't see the sizing chart. It is shown as an image in the listing. As I was installing it, I discovered that my HVAC unit was labeled as having a RLA of 13.4 which according to the chart would require the smaller model. I sent and email to Bob Cramer who's business card was in the box. He replied promptly and asked me to send him a photo of the equipment name plate so that he could check the sizing. In a follow up message he sated that since my HVAC lists a LRA of 83.3 amps, which is close to 85 amps that is the break point between the model sizes. He asked if I had or could capture actual measured starting amperage from my HVAC. I did not have an amp meter that could capture the staring amperage, so I ordered one from Amazon (I purchased a UNI-T UT210B mini clamp, I already had a UT201E that I like because it's small and does DC as well as AC but it does not do HI/LOW capture). Measurement showed a starting amperage of 92 amps and running amps of 10 to 11. Bob told me that the 16-32A model that I purchased would be fine. Thanks Bob. With the device installed my starting my starting amperage is now only 27 amps, that's more than 70% less load at startup. Impressive. Less wear and tear on the contacts of the contactor and everything else. Some lights in the house would occasionally flicker on compressor startup, but not anymore! 5/5/2026 Update. Although my HVAC unit is only a year old, the compressor locked up. Apparently it was on it's way out when I installed the AIRGO. That is why I was getting higher than expected inrush amp readings. A new compressor was installed along with a new double pole contactor. This brought the inrush current down to within specifications. I contacted Bob Cramer who sent an appropriately sized ARGO-G3-0816. Thanks again Mr. Cramer.

There is a reason to buy the AIRGO Soft Starter and that is customer support! My A/C wiring was slightly confusing but a call to the support 800 number connected me directly to Bob. Bob eliminated my confusion and walked me step-by-step to the finished product connections. A/C fired right up and was much quieter on startup (which was my reason for the AIRGO purchase). Thank you so much for a quality product and customer service support. Worth every dollar!

I bought this Airgo 16-32 soft starter almost a year ago. Yesterday the AC capacitor died and while replacing it I decided it would be a good time to install the Airgo. I called Bob at his number listed in the instructions that come with the unit. Two rings later I’m talking with Bob! I shared some pictures of my unit setup and he walked me through the install. Wiring made Easy peasy. In less than an hour my unit was installed and our AC is working perfectly. Thanks Bob!

While the AIRGO 16-32A soft starter performed well initially, the product’s longevity is questionable and unacceptable. It did work initially as intended by reducing startup surges while functional. However, this unit died completely after just 21 months (about 1.5 summer seasons of use), which failed just outside the standard 1-year manufacturer warranty period. After opening the case to inspect for a basic fix, the internal fuse was intact and there were no visible PCB burns. This indicates a deeper, hidden component failure that would be cost prohibitive to fix it. For a premium-priced soft starter, the overall quality and reliability are severely lacking. I cannot recommend a $250 device that fails in less than two years. Buyers should beware of the short lifespan and lack of manufacturer support after the first year. I'd look elsewhere for a quality AC Soft Starter to avoid the headache later.