Ac Stops Working Then Starts Again

Why does my air conditioner plow off by itself?

If your air conditioner keeps turning on and off your Air-conditioning system is most probable brusk cycling. An AC organization may plow on and off repeatedly due to dirty, broken, or failing parts or for various other mechanical or electrical reasons.

The term curt cycling refers to when an Ac system's cooling cycle terminates prematurely only to turn on again after a short fourth dimension. Depending on indoor and outdoor conditions, this could mean that your system turns on and off every 5 to 10 minutes.

An air conditioner that is switching on and off repeatedly is bad for both homeowners and your AC system. It takes more ability to start your AC over and over as opposed to when it's running smoothly as it does in longer cycles. Information technology likewise causes extra article of clothing and tear on the mechanisms that work to plough on your AC. This can dramatically increase your electric pecker and effect in more than repairs needed for your AC, so this is an consequence you want to fix equally soon as possible.

11 Reasons Your Ac Keeps Turning On and Off & How to Set It

Luckily, short cycling is usually an easy set up! Learn some of the most common reasons why your air conditioner keeps turning on and off and how you can cease your air conditioner from brusk cycling.

one. Thermostat Issues

Your trouble may be as uncomplicated as your thermostat causing the short cycling, and then when your Air-conditioning system is short cycling, cheque the thermostat. While the thermostat may seem like one small component of your entire organization, this device controls the temperature of your entire home, and then it's important that it functions properly.

If the thermostat is non sensing the temperature accurately and communicates misinformation, information technology will signal the air conditioning organization to start and finish frequently.

If yous notice your thermostat screen is blank or fading it may be low on batteries and losing power intermittently. This will crusade your AC organisation to turn on and off when your thermostat loses battery power.

Solution: Attempt replacing the batteries and restarting the thermostat. If neither solution fixes your trouble, call an HVAC professional to diagnose the thermostat.

2. Bad Thermostat Placement

Your thermostat measures the temperature of the air effectually it to determine when to turn your Air-conditioning system on and off. Your thermostat may have inaccurate readings if it's located:

Near a window and receiving direct sunlight
Close to a room that's always hotter than the rest of the firm, such as the kitchen or bathroom
Beneath supply air vents, receiving straight airflow

Any of these situations could cause your thermostat to receive inaccurate, poor readings and think your house is hotter or colder than it actually is.

Solution: Move your thermostat to a better, more than centralized location.

three. Dirty Air Filter

Clogged air filters are one of the most mutual causes of AC problems. A dingy air filter restricts airflow to your AC system and tin cause multiple problems, including brusque cycling.

Solution: Check and supercede your air filters if they're dingy.

Related article: How Often Should I Change My AC's Air Filter?

4. Dirty Condenser Coils

If your exterior AC unit is turning on and off and you haven't performed AC maintenance in a few years, information technology's possible your Air conditioning's condenser coils are caked in dirt and debris. Condenser coils are located inside the outdoor AC unit and release the heat from inside your home. If they're clogged with too much clay and grime, your Air conditioning system could overheat and plough off oftentimes.

Solution:Clean your condenser coils or take a local HVAC company perform routine AC maintenance.

5. Oversized Air Conditioner

Have y'all ever had this trouble? Or did it only start recently when y'all installed a new Air-conditioning system?

A system that is too large won't have an appropriate refrigerant bike and will confront numerous issues, similar cooling your dwelling house too chop-chop and then turning off soon after it turns on. This might sound like a good affair, just in reality, your home is cooling unevenly and your AC volition turn back on again sooner than it should need to.

If your AC cycles on and off every 10 minutes, so an oversized air conditioner may be the cause.

Not only are these problems inconvenient, but they can cause bigger problems for your home, such as:

College energy bills: Turning your Air-conditioning on and off repeatedly uses more energy
More repairs:Not only does short cycling utilise more energy, only it as well puts more than wearable and tear on the parts in your Air-conditioning
Shorter lifespan: More wear and tear ways the boilerplate life expectancy of your air conditioner will exist shorter.

Solution: Use an AC sizing reckoner to approximate your system size requirements or contact a local HVAC company for a second opinion on the installation.

vi. Refrigerant Leak

If your Air-conditioning organization has a refrigerant leak, your air conditioner could be too low on refrigerant. Refrigerant is a coolant that cycles through your Air conditioning system, absorbing heat and cooling down the air within your home.

It'southward a mutual misconception that refrigerant is used up every bit part of an AC arrangement's cooling procedure. But the truth is depression refrigerant levels are caused past pocket-size holes that allow the refrigerant to escape.

When your Air-conditioning system is low on refrigerant, the compressor will malfunction and close off your compressor because the pressure level is too depression. Then, when your compressor is off, the pressure will ascension again and it will turn back on. This creates a brusque cycle that causes massive amounts of wear and tear on your AC system, potentially resulting in parts going bad or system failure.

Solution: Refrigerant leaks tin be unsafe, call a local HVAC company to observe and fix the leak.

7. Compressor Failure

Simply like when there's a refrigerant leak, if your AC compressor is overheating, malfunctioning, or starting to fail, it volition result in your Ac organization shutting off frequently and starting back upwardly shortly.

If you notice your Ac compressor shut off afterward 2-3 minutes of functioning, and so your Air-conditioning compressor is almost likely overheating or starting to fail.

Solution:Contact a local AC repair company to diagnose and replace your Ac compressor, if this office is not working properly it can cause other parts to chop-chop degrade from increased wear and tear.

eight. Frozen Evaporator Coils

If your AC system has airflow bug or a refrigerant leak, it'south possible your evaporator coils are freezing upward. When this happens, your AC system or sometimes but your outside Air-conditioning unit will turn off until the water ice thaws and then turn on again.

Solution:Check your outdoor AC unit for ice buildup, if you've already checked your air filters, and so you lot likely take a refrigerant leak and will want to call a local HVAC company to find and set the leak.

Air Conditioner Turns On and Off Right Away

Is your air workout system turning on and off right abroad, later only a few seconds or minutes of running? If your air workout unit of measurement turns on and so off immediately and so y'all most likely have problems with the electric components or the run capacitor.

9. Electric Problems

Electrical problems are a common cause of short cycling. Oft, there may be an result with the electric supply line or the capacitor could exist broken or failing, merely your Air-conditioning organization could also have an electrical upshot due to the thermostat, electrical connections anywhere in the system, or the circuit boards.

Solution: Call a local professional person electrician. Electric issues are not only difficult to diagnose but diagnosing an electrical problem tin be dangerous for even the most knowledgeable homeowners.

10. Bad Run Capacitor

Your AC'due south run capacitor gives your AC system the initial boost of energy it needs to turn on and too provides continuous power and so your system tin keep running. When this office starts to go bad it tin can result in intermittent power being supplied to your AC, causing information technology to plough off unexpectedly then back on.

If your air conditioner starts and so stops later on merely a few seconds or your air conditioner turns off after thirty seconds, then chances are there's a trouble with your run capacitor and you will need to replace the function.

Solution:Contact a local HVAC company to diagnose and replace your Ac capacitor, if this part is not working properly it tin can cause other parts to quickly degrade from increased clothing and tear.

xi. Clogged Drain Line

Near Air conditioning systems have a safety featured called a float switch that will turn off your organisation when h2o in the bleed line is not flowing properly and backs up. If you lot notice that even when yous turn your thermostat to AUTO the air does not circulate, and you have already ruled out thermostat and electrical problems, then this is most probable your event.

Solution:Check out our guide: How to Unclog Your AC Drain Line