central air question

[greenformula92]

Ok so this is the first house I've had central air in and I like it but I have a question or two. How long should my unit run at a time? It runs about 12 to 15 minutes at a time this weekend and kicks off. But is only off maybe 5-10 before running another 15. Is this normal? I don't want my electric bill to be nuts if it doesn't have to be.

[r0nin89]

Whats it set at? With the temps at 80-90 this weekend you'll be in for a bill if your trying to get lower than 75.

Im in an apartment with central air/forced hot air. This weekend it was 15mins on 45mins off keeping the place at 74.

[WildBillyT]

A lot of variables. Depends on how lossy the house is.

[greenformula92]

Its a fairly small 2 bedroom ranch with a "office". I have thermo set on 70 partly because of the dogs. Even as we speak its 10 minutes on for every 5 off

[Tru2Chevy]

Every few degrees you can raise that will make a big difference in your electric bill. JMHO, but the dogs should be perfectly comfortable inside the house at 74-75.

- Justin

[S.J.SLEEPER]

I have found that maintaining 75-76 degrees has given me the best results on my electric bill. but every house is different. If your losing the cool due to poor windows and insulation, than the longer the unit is going to run and cycle on/off more frequently to maintain the temp you desire.

p.s. fans do help. fans produce a "wind chill" effect, and depending on your vent locations (ceiling or floor) can help move the cool air through the house.

[greenformula92]

Most vents are on the cieling with the exception of 1 which is in a wall. It just seems like if its off 5 minutes its on 10. I bumped it up to 72 to see if that makes it any different

[OG]

I have a boxer and if it goes above 85 outside she starts to huff and puff like she's having trouble breathing. I just turn the air on slightly to get the humidity out of the house and she does fine inside.

[greenformula92]

yeah but 80 in the house isn't all that comfortable for me either

[chrisfrom nj]

everyone i know puts the ac on between 72 and 76 i helped a friend install ac units when he needs help

[Stevoone]

I usually run mine around 74, anything above that and it gets stuffy in the house.

I had all kinds of issues after I first moved in. The house was built in 1953 and it had AC installed in 2004 and it's all stuffed in the attic. Someone did a lousy install and I had air leaks at all of the vents and even at the blower case, they were barley even bolted together. On really hot days the system struggled to keep the house at 76, it ran all day and did not shut off at all.

Still not the way I would like it but its fixed.

[greenformula92]

Ill leave it at 72 for now and after I get home from work tonight ill pay attention to it. If the thermo had a 1 or 2 degree degree swing it would probobly run less

[Featherburner]

Ill leave it at 72 for now and after I get home from work tonight ill pay attention to it. If the thermo had a 1 or 2 degree degree swing it would probobly run less
Is it a digital thermostat? It may be set on the wrong setting causing the a/c to run sooner than it should.

[greenformula92]

It is a digitall but it basically has no options. It doesn't have scedules or anything, it just has temp adjust and cool/heat on off selector

[WildBillyT]

I think it's called an anticipator circuit and you can only get to it via the rear of the stat.

Do you have an attic with an attic fan?

[greenformula92]

I think it's called an anticipator circuit and you can only get to it via the rear of the stat.

Do you have an attic with an attic fan?

Negative, but all my HVAC stuff is up there minus the a/c unit which is on the side of the house on a platform

[sweetbmxrider]

I think it's called an anticipator circuit and you can only get to it via the rear of the stat.

Do you have an attic with an attic fan?

I do, please tell me moar. First rodeo.

[WildBillyT]

I do, please tell me moar. First rodeo.

About the attic fan or the anticipator?

[sweetbmxrider]

Attic fan, feels like indiana jones.

[WildBillyT]

Attic fan, feels like indiana jones.

A good running attic fan that turns on at the proper temperature will extract heat out of your roof and help keep things cool. Over time the bearings go bad and they make noise/spin slower so they don't work as well. An added bonus is that it helps with roof life.

http://atticfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/structure2.png

[sweetbmxrider]

Ok I get the concept. The ac guy said to set it for around 80* (its thermostat controlled) so all that hot air isn't pushing against the bedroom ceilings. The fan works great, it will pull the doors open if they are cracked. Its an old belt driven unit so I think it was made back when America gave a **** and should outlast me.

[sweetbmxrider]

Turns out its a whole house fan for pulling air through the house on nice spring/fall days.

[LTb1ow]

Turns out its a whole house fan for pulling air through the house on nice spring/fall days.

Why was I aware of this but you were not? :bertstare:

[sweetbmxrider]

My parents use window units? I dono, just trying to be energy efficient. I like not paying electric bills doe :D

[LTb1ow]

My parents use window units? I dono, just trying to be energy efficient. I like not paying electric bills doe :D

Nah I mean like Kirk mentioned it to me at some point before.

I like not paying electric bills too

[greenformula92]

I like when my electric bill is as cheap as possible

[sweetbmxrider]

Nah I mean like Kirk mentioned it to me at some point before.

I like not paying electric bills too

I knew it was there, I didn't know there was a difference between an attic fan and a whole house fan. fuggin pals.

[BonzoHansen]

damn kids



:D

[townsend]

Most vents are on the cieling with the exception of 1 which is in a wall. It just seems like if its off 5 minutes its on 10. I bumped it up to 72 to see if that makes it any different

the one in the wall should be your return. first things first, check air filter cleanliness if you want to do it yourself. second, check out-door unit cleanliness. if its covered in crap (grass, leaves, mulch, newspaper, etc) you could be having the system pop off on high head so it never really makes temp, hence why it is kicking off and on constantly. to me it sounds like this could be part of the problem, due to the quick runs and stops. compressors have internal overloads, normal reset times are about 3-5 minutes, and if its not too clogged but just enough it could take 10 minutes to get the head pressure up high enough to cause issues. just double-check, take a garden hose with no nozzle and put it within an inch of the outdoor coil head-on, and turn the hose on. again, do not use a nozzle because you will bend the fins all up easier then you think and will be in a whole nother world of problems. see if you can look through the top (through the fan) and if you can see any kind of water running through the coil at the same level as where your holding the hose. if it goes through, that rules out the outdoor unit.

in any case since you just got the place you should have the system checked by someone who can check it properly and honestly.

any questions feel free to pm me, i work on everything from home systems to skyscraper ac systems for a living, and ill try to help the best i can through the net

[Camaro67_rcl]

Make & modle of thermostat ? ,,, most newer ones have a cycle rate setting instead of the anticapator

[greenformula92]

Its a honeywell wireless thermostat.

Townsend, I change my indoor filter every month. The outdoor unit is on a platform about a foot and a half off the ground and is totally free of any blockage. Btw all of my vents are in the cieling including the returns with the exception of one vent and one return. The thermo is on the biggest room which is the living room and the temp seems to be higher in there then in my bedroom which is in the rear of the house. My living room kitchen and dining room is an open floor plan so if your cooking the temp in the room goes up turning the air on. I bumped the temp up a couple degrees and it seems to be running less.

[WildBillyT]

Make & modle of thermostat ? ,,, most newer ones have a cycle rate setting instead of the anticapator

I was waiting to see if you'd show up to this. :mrgreen:

[Camaro67_rcl]

They have many wireless models ,,, there is a way to set up how many cycles per hour it runs,,, need model to help you get in to reset it

3 is ideal for a/c

[JSPERFORMANCE]

^^^ This man knows what he is talking about.. Best in the biz!! ^^^