Causes Of Short-Cycling With Central Air Conditioner Systems

If you have central air in your home, part of the system is located in your house and the other part is outside of your home. The part outside is called the condenser, and it contains a part called the compressor. The compressor is a necessary part of your system, yet there are times when you may discover that the compressor is short-cycling. If this happens, there are several likely causes of it.

What is short-cycling?

When a compressor short-cycles, it means that the system turns on and runs for a short period of time, maybe a minute or two, and then it shuts off. After about a minute or so, the system turns back on and runs again for a minute or so and then shuts off again. This process will keep happening over and over all day long, and it is not good for your system. When this occurs, there is a problem that is causing this to happen, and you should not ignore the problem. You might not realize it is even happening unless you are standing outside by the unit and notice it, or you might go outside to check this component if you start noticing that your home is not getting cool.

Why does this happen?

Short-cycling is a common problem with central AC systems, and it can occur for a number of reasons. There are three common causes of this problem, though, and your system might be doing this for one of these reasons.

Low coolant – Your AC system needs coolant, and it needs a certain amount of it. When short-cycling occurs, the HVAC technician you hire will usually begin troubleshooting by checking the coolant level. If it is low, this is the likely cause of the problem.

Your system is too big – Having a system that is too big might not seem like a problem, but it is, and an oversized system often leads to the process of short-cycling.

There is an airflow problem – If there is any type of obstruction that is leading to restriction of airflow, your system might short-cycle.

If you hire an HVAC company to check your system, these are the first three things they will check. Once they determine what is causing the problem, they will be able to fix it accordingly. To get repairs for your central air conditioning system, contact HVAC companies like ABCO Mechanical Corp. today.


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