Air Conditioner Soft Start Module, Easy DIY Install, Smallest Soft Start on The Market, Reverse Motor Protection for Generator Use. Proven Reliability. (16-32A)

I received the soft start kit promptly and went out to install it. When I bought my house, I had a buddy install a hard start capacitor. I had to remove that kit before installing the soft start kit. I was a little uncertain what wire was the compressor start wire. I took some pictures and emailed them to Bob to get clarification. This was at 8 PM on a Friday evening. I had a reply in three minutes. Wasn’t expecting that level of customer service! Several emails later and I had the kit installed. Brought my inrush current down from 77 to around 24 amps. I’ll update this review if anything changes, but thus far, I’m completely satisfied with this product.

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!

Truly A Game Changer! Dropped My 4ton Outdoor Heat Pump Start Up Amperage From 67-70Amps Down to 24-25Amps At Start Up. Sounds Like It's Helping The Life Of The Old Unit When Starting Up As Well! A Must Have If You Want To Run A Portable Generator For Emergencies Running The 50amp To The Main House & The 30Amp To My 1.5hp Well Pump 220volt System!!! I Can Run My Whole House Literally Everything On A Westinghouse 14500 Gas Or Propane Generator. Also Highly Recommended Generator From Westinghouse!!!! Excellent Soft Start Unit & Easy Install. I Installed A Waterproof Heavy Plastic Junction Box To The Brick Of My House Next To Disconnect & Just Put The Soft Start Unit Inside Of That & Screwed The Lid Off Also Highly Recommended To Keep Out Of Any Crazy Weather.

As another commenter has said with great detail (Lindguini} this device works great. My inrush went from 80amp to under 30. I have an inverter with batteries and solar panels - and I was counting on being able to power my heatpump with this new setup. It would - barely - but the Vout from the inverter would drop from 240V to 160V - which is well below what the specs say is acceptable for my heatpump (197V). On my Goodman HP the "contactor" in built into a control board - not a separate relay like all of the examples. But I emailed a picture of my wiring diagram to their support email - and within an hour "Bob" (I suspect that email address is a shared one but who knows) sends me a diagram of a very similar Goodman control board - with the connections I needed to make. Only 4 were needed in my case. I'm pretty good on these DIY projects but I admit I was very nervous when I applied power the first time - the Airgo I received seemed like a possible return - but no issues. It did also seemed noticeably quieter. Anyway - inrush went from 80 to mid to upper 20s amps - and the voltage drop from the inverter during that inrush interval improved from 160 to 220. Very happy with this product. If you have any questions about how to connect take a picture of your wiring diagram - it should be on the inside of the access cover on your HP - and send it to "Bob". Don't guess. If you are not comfortable around hi voltage than hire a HVAC tech to put it in. I ask my installer if he could assign a tech to assist - at his normal "time and material" rates - and he did not to get involved - that it was VERY unlikely Goodman would approve of this modification - which I agreed was very likely - and my sense was that he did not want to get involved if equipment went bad - either during or after this "modification". I probably would have done the same. Just be aware.