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Started By
Message
Weird AC problem
Posted on 6/10/24 at 8:17 pm
Posted on 6/10/24 at 8:17 pm
Finally tracked today after this started on Thursday evening…
Air runs for 17 minutes.
Shuts off.
Starts again after 26 minutes.
I’ve been tracking this since 6:10.
At 8:20 our air will kick on again.
Thermostat set at 70° this entire time.
Real temps have consistently held between 76° when it kicks on followed by 77° soon after it kicks on, and then ends at 75 or 76.
As it cools off tonight the 17 minute run cycle will eventually allow the house to cool down to 69 or 70 or whatever it’s set on within reason.
Here’s the kicker. AC guy came by today and replaced the thermostat. So it has nothing to do with the way it’s programmed. Freon levels were good. Outside unit looked fine. No water in pan.
Thoughts?
So far I’m thankful it’s never exceeded 77 since last Thursday, and we can keep it 72 or lower until about 2:00 PM. Location is Baton Rouge.
Air runs for 17 minutes.
Shuts off.
Starts again after 26 minutes.
I’ve been tracking this since 6:10.
At 8:20 our air will kick on again.
Thermostat set at 70° this entire time.
Real temps have consistently held between 76° when it kicks on followed by 77° soon after it kicks on, and then ends at 75 or 76.
As it cools off tonight the 17 minute run cycle will eventually allow the house to cool down to 69 or 70 or whatever it’s set on within reason.
Here’s the kicker. AC guy came by today and replaced the thermostat. So it has nothing to do with the way it’s programmed. Freon levels were good. Outside unit looked fine. No water in pan.
Thoughts?
So far I’m thankful it’s never exceeded 77 since last Thursday, and we can keep it 72 or lower until about 2:00 PM. Location is Baton Rouge.
This post was edited on 6/10/24 at 8:18 pm
10
Posted on 6/10/24 at 8:58 pm to bayoubengals88
sounds like you are short cycling. Check your filters first
Posted on 6/10/24 at 9:06 pm to cgrand
Ok, I’ve seen dirtier, but just changed it.
Worth a try!
Worth a try!
Posted on 6/10/24 at 9:45 pm to bayoubengals88
Is your outside coil clean? shrubs/bushes grown since last year blocking air flow to condenser?
Posted on 6/10/24 at 10:12 pm to bayoubengals88
quote:
. AC guy came by today and replaced the thermostat.
Need to tell him to come back and fix the damn problem.
Posted on 6/10/24 at 10:32 pm to bayoubengals88
Mine was doing crazy stuff just like this the past few days. It was one of my 2 capacitors. Someone added a 2nd one maybe because they didn't have a dual run. I bypassed the 2nd one and hooked it all to a dual run and it's fixed. Would run then cut off just like you're saying.
Posted on 6/11/24 at 3:24 am to bayoubengals88
Check your evaporator coil for cleaning. Sounds like your not getting enough air flow over your coils to prevent them from freezing !
Posted on 6/11/24 at 8:23 am to bayoubengals88
What you're describing is the AC is almost like its running off a timer so to say. 17 on , 26 off.
If so, the only thing I could see it being is a thermostat (defective, some sort of setting, wired wrong, etc.) or bad control board.
So the first question is did the problem exist prior to the new thermostat?
If so, then I would follow up with the AC tech, let him know the problem still persist, and maybe have them look into the control board next.
The only other thing I know of that would kill this AC entirely is a drain pan switch that you mentioned is dry and even still, certainly wouldn't cause it to run on a perfect on/off time interval.
Other than that, there are high and low trips but I think those only kill the outdoor condenser unit and again, wouldn't cause a perfect on/off run interval.
If so, the only thing I could see it being is a thermostat (defective, some sort of setting, wired wrong, etc.) or bad control board.
So the first question is did the problem exist prior to the new thermostat?
If so, then I would follow up with the AC tech, let him know the problem still persist, and maybe have them look into the control board next.
The only other thing I know of that would kill this AC entirely is a drain pan switch that you mentioned is dry and even still, certainly wouldn't cause it to run on a perfect on/off time interval.
Other than that, there are high and low trips but I think those only kill the outdoor condenser unit and again, wouldn't cause a perfect on/off run interval.
Posted on 6/11/24 at 9:33 am to bayoubengals88
Check to make sure the water pan on your air handler is not plugged up.
Posted on 6/11/24 at 11:08 am to bayoubengals88
What kind of thermostat are you running OP? Your AC worked normal before this issue?
If you have a smart thermostat and you can see that its literally running for 17 on 26 off then you need to show that to your AC tech and they need to fix something.
If that's just an average or something that's a different story.
It sounds like either you have a thermostat issue (either the new one is broken also or not programmed right) or you have an issue with your refrigerant likely not cooling properly. It could be a pressure issue where the AC controls are shutting off the condensor or something else due to the pressure being too high or too low, I've had that happen before. But its not timed like that.
If your fins are very dirty or I've had them damaged from the salt air on a beach condo then the AC can't cool down properly during the day because the fins are not able to properly work and cool the refrigerant. At night when its cooler outside the outside unit/ fins are able to work better as the heat load is lower.
Either way, the tech shouldn't have left and the issue repeat itself unless he wanted to test that out with plans to come back if it didn't solve the problem. Its not unusual to not want to sit around for 2 hours seeing if the cycles continue.
If you have a smart thermostat and you can see that its literally running for 17 on 26 off then you need to show that to your AC tech and they need to fix something.
If that's just an average or something that's a different story.
It sounds like either you have a thermostat issue (either the new one is broken also or not programmed right) or you have an issue with your refrigerant likely not cooling properly. It could be a pressure issue where the AC controls are shutting off the condensor or something else due to the pressure being too high or too low, I've had that happen before. But its not timed like that.
If your fins are very dirty or I've had them damaged from the salt air on a beach condo then the AC can't cool down properly during the day because the fins are not able to properly work and cool the refrigerant. At night when its cooler outside the outside unit/ fins are able to work better as the heat load is lower.
Either way, the tech shouldn't have left and the issue repeat itself unless he wanted to test that out with plans to come back if it didn't solve the problem. Its not unusual to not want to sit around for 2 hours seeing if the cycles continue.
Posted on 6/11/24 at 2:34 pm to baldona
quote:Had a Carrier programmable.
What kind of thermostat are you running OP? Your AC worked normal before this issue?
We started noticing a problem last Thursday afternoon when I came home and it was 75.
A/C guy changed it to a Honeywell pro series yesterday. Looks pretty basic. Programmable, but not "smart" to my knowledge. It didn't fix the problem.
He stopped by again this morning and said it could have been something to do with the wires that connect to the furnace in the attic.
We'll have to see how it does in a couple of hours.
quote:To his knowledge at the time, the new thermostat would be the fix that was needed.
Either way, the tech shouldn't have left and the issue repeat itself unless he wanted to test that out with plans to come back if it didn't solve the problem. Its not unusual to not want to sit around for 2 hours seeing if the cycles continue.
Posted on 6/11/24 at 2:51 pm to bayoubengals88
If you need a second opinion call Matty 504-913-3688.
Posted on 6/12/24 at 7:51 pm to TigerFan2929
This shite still isn’t fixed 
I know nothing about AC.
Washed the coils outside but they weren’t that dirty.
I’m in BR so I doubt a 504 number would come up here.
I know nothing about AC.
Washed the coils outside but they weren’t that dirty.
I’m in BR so I doubt a 504 number would come up here.
Posted on 6/12/24 at 7:59 pm to bayoubengals88
Did you change the capacitor like I Suggested?
Posted on 6/12/24 at 9:15 pm to bayoubengals88
If the issue continued with a 2nd thermostat you can likely rule that out, but weird. It sounds like maybe the system is trying to run normal and then something kicks it off. Your AC guy shouldn’t be leaving until it’s fixed, imo
Posted on 6/12/24 at 9:21 pm to bayoubengals88
Call Stephen, SEC Air, he'll fix it!
(225) 571-7774
(225) 571-7774
Posted on 6/13/24 at 8:16 pm to bayoubengals88
Finally called River City…
Apparently we have an unconventional setup in that the pipe is clogged, but no water is in the pan.
There’s some kind of float switch in the pipe? A secondary float switch?
Is this making any sense?
Apparently we have an unconventional setup in that the pipe is clogged, but no water is in the pan.
There’s some kind of float switch in the pipe? A secondary float switch?
Is this making any sense?
This post was edited on 6/13/24 at 8:17 pm
Posted on 6/13/24 at 8:30 pm to bayoubengals88
yeah sometimes a float switch can be in the primary drainline. A good system is one in the primary and one in the catch pan. Most just have one though.
This does make sense with what your problems were.
This does make sense with what your problems were.
Posted on 6/14/24 at 7:00 am to bayoubengals88
Your compressor is probably shutting down as a protective measure due to thermal overload. When triggered, the thermal overload switch interrupts the electrical current to the compressor, shutting off the air conditioner to prevent overheating damage.
This is supported by the predictability of it cooling again, as this is the period of time the compressor motor is taking to cool down enough for a restart.
ETA: I suppose the same could be true for your indoor fan motor if that’s the symptom (stops blowing).
This is supported by the predictability of it cooling again, as this is the period of time the compressor motor is taking to cool down enough for a restart.
ETA: I suppose the same could be true for your indoor fan motor if that’s the symptom (stops blowing).
This post was edited on 6/14/24 at 7:04 am
Posted on 6/14/24 at 7:26 am to bayoubengals88
quote:
Finally called River City… Apparently we have an unconventional setup in that the pipe is clogged, but no water is in the pan. There’s some kind of float switch in the pipe? A secondary float switch?
The first AC guy didn’t find that? Also, you had originally said a 17
Min cycle I guess that was just an estimation? We assumed it had repeated that multiple times.
The purpose of a float switch is to cut the unit off when your condensate drain line gets clogged, because the condensate will overflow from your drip pan inside the unit and ‘flood’ into your home. So its purpose is to prevent water damage to your home.
The condensate line is just a pvc drain and there’s usually a Ptrap, often times those P traps is where the water sits and sits and overtime algae forms and that algae will clog the line.
Routinely adding bleach or vinegar or any other algaecide to the line helps to prevent the algae build up allowing the line to flow.
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