I am visiting my daughter’s new condo and noticed the air conditioner cycling on for one and a half minutes and then turn off for two and a half minutes during the night where we are sleeping near the outside unit. They have also complained of larger than normal electric bills and have slowed down their use of the AC.
The condo is not in Houston, it is in San Diego where the AC does not have to work that hard but the house is likely not insulated well either. it just seems that the outside unit should not have to start and stop as often as every two minutes and that would increase wear on unit and power costs. It soulds to me like the problem is definitely in the thermostat and it needs to be re programmed or repaced. Their thermotat is a wi-fi integrated with secuity etc and I am not sure of the brand yet. Should this be where to troubleshoot?
Richard
Tom: First thing, do you have your yearly checkup? Maybe you have a capacitor issue, maybe you have a contactor issue, maybe you have a low refrigerant level. I don’t know. Always start with a checkup. Turning it down and not using it as much is not going to really help you on your electric rates that much.
Secondly is, the new air conditioning systems cycle on and off quite regularly because the thermostats don’t let you go more than a half degree difference before it kicks back on. The old ones would go three or four degrees. If you’re used to an old one, you’ll realize that there was a lot more time lag between ’em cycling. That could be it too.
I think they should have it checked.
Charlie: Got it.
Tom: I bet you they did not being a condo and his daughter probably doesn’t have a regular service person.
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