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How far should home A/C be from the setpoint?

Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:39 pm
Posted by Modern
Fiddy Men
Member since May 2011
16877 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:39 pm
A/C currently set to 68deg, showing 72 room temp.

I know the temp isn’t gonna be directly on the set point (68deg), but how far off should it be? Before looking into it.
This post was edited on 8/10/20 at 5:40 pm
Posted by LoneStar23
USA
Member since Aug 2019
5155 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:40 pm to
Depends how long it’s been sitting on, can’t really answer your question
Posted by Modern
Fiddy Men
Member since May 2011
16877 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:42 pm to
Sitting on, as in running? Or sitting on, as in how long it’s been on the temp?

If temp, 68deg since 2pm
Posted by tigerj22
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2013
179 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:44 pm to
When it's this hot I would say that is pretty good. Normally it should get to the setpoint.
Posted by Tiguar
Montana
Member since Mar 2012
33131 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:45 pm to
AC should be at setpoint or 1deg off if its been running awhile.

anything else means something is wrong imo
Posted by Miketheseventh
Member since Dec 2017
5721 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:47 pm to
It shouldn’t be that big of a difference. The set point for when the unit kicks on and turns off is usually not the sam but a four degree difference means something is not right. If your unit is constantly running and not bringing the temp down to set point then you either have a problem or your unit just can’t keep up
Posted by hombreman9
USA
Member since Feb 2009
3781 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:48 pm to
Should only cool to about 20-25 degrees less than the outside temp. Anything more than this means your unit is oversized and will short cycle most of the year.
Posted by Mudminnow
Houston, TX
Member since Aug 2004
34146 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:49 pm to
Leaky evaporator coil or leak in line
Posted by BAMBAM
Biloxi, MS
Member since Mar 2008
2364 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:49 pm to
What type of home and insulation?

How old is unit?

What type of windows are they insulated ? Tjnted?

If it’s an older home with sagging insulation and old aluminum windows and a 10 yo ac unit it is probably doing pretty good

If it’s 2 yo home with insulated windows it’s probably struggling
Posted by Modern
Fiddy Men
Member since May 2011
16877 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 5:50 pm to
I never had a problem with the A/C unit, but it seem like when I changed my old thermostat to a new Sensi smart thermostat, I’ve had temp offsets.

Also, the unit has been running more since I installed the sensi
This post was edited on 8/10/20 at 5:53 pm
Posted by Lakehog
Member since Mar 2019
17 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:00 pm to
The difference between set point and actual temperature is really irrelevant. The industry norm is going to be 25 degrees less than outside temperature as someone already stated. But there are many variables in homes. If the house feels comfortable your thermostat could just need to be recalibrated.
Posted by Hamma1122
Member since Sep 2016
19816 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:00 pm to
You need Freon
Posted by GB1017LSU
Member since Nov 2015
948 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:05 pm to
Sounds like the unit isn’t keeping up. Could be a leak or it just needs a good cleaning.
I experienced this a few years ago in the middle of summer, and both of my units just needed to be cleaned.
Posted by GoT1de
Alabama
Member since Aug 2009
5041 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:06 pm to
Do you live in a newer home? Or do you live in an older one with lapped siding, single pane windows and insulation older than the last 3 roofs combined?
This post was edited on 8/10/20 at 6:08 pm
Posted by J Murdah
Member since Jun 2008
39782 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:07 pm to
Is it blowing cold air or is the fan just blowing. Check if the compressor outside is running.
Posted by tiger2180
Member since Nov 2015
420 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:08 pm to
What kind of thermostat? How often does the unit cycle, or does it run constantly?
Posted by TigerstuckinMS
Member since Nov 2005
33687 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:18 pm to
quote:

I never had a problem with the A/C unit, but it seem like when I changed my old thermostat to a new Sensi smart thermostat, I’ve had temp offsets.

Is there a noticeable change in comfort and do you have a verifiable second way to check temperature?

Typical home AC units may have a tough time reaching 68 at this time of year in the South, ESPECIALLY if the house is older, poorly insulated, etc. It's possible that your AC was never capable of actually reaching 68, but the old thermostat read a little low, so it thought it was 68 when it was really a little warmer in the house and would send the stop signal to the system. If the new one is reading the temperature accurately and the system was never really capable of reaching 68 in the first place, it will run non-stop with the newer thermostat installed and set to 68.

That's why I asked if there was a noticeable difference in comfort. If it's still working like it was before to cool the space, but just is not getting the stop signal, it should feel about the same, but run all the time. Just bumping the thermostat up until it stops running periodically will be all you need to do. After all, the number on the thermostat is completely arbitrary. What's important is whether you're comfortable or not. If the system really is physically degrading, then you'd expect to progressively feel a reduction in comfort as the system gets worse and it'll run all the time.

A second RELIABLE way to check the temperature will verify whether or not the thermostat is correctly measuring the temperature, though it most probably is. Whether you're comfortable or not when you set the thermostat to a temperature that makes the system cycle normally is the real test.
This post was edited on 8/10/20 at 6:24 pm
Posted by Dudley Humptyfrats
'Murica
Member since Oct 2010
2135 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:23 pm to
Goddamn that’s cold
Posted by BHM
Member since Jun 2012
3146 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:33 pm to
In the five or so homes I have lived in, getting below 70 in the summer has always been a challenge. My current new system will drop the temp from 78 to 71 in less than 30 minutes but from 71 to 68 would take hours during the day.

I also have a sensi and it works great. I think your old thermostat may have been a couple of degrees off compared to the sensi and you are just trying to get the temp down too low.
Posted by USMEagles
Member since Jan 2018
11811 posts
Posted on 8/10/20 at 6:44 pm to
You don't summer in Gstaad?
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