Having your air conditioner turn on and off is both worrisome and annoying. If it does so, it probably means that your AC system is short-cycling. This could be happening due to a dirty, inefficient, broken parts, and other mechanical or electronic reasons. Short-cycling refers to the instance on which your AC system turns of voluntarily and then turns on again after a short time.
This can negatively affect both the owner and the air conditioner unit itself. It takes a lot of power to turn your AC on, and imagine how much power would it cost if it turns on repeatedly in a short time. Also, all the mechanisms that work to turn your air conditioner on would be paying more wear and tear than it should have if your AC turned on just once for a long cycle.
Here are the most probable reasons why your AC turns on and off right away:
Dirty Air Filter
Having a dirty air filter is one of the main causes of having a list of AC malfunctions. What makes it the cause of almost every AC malfunction is that when it gets dirty, the airflow gets restricted which will then result in more complicated problems. With that said, it can cause your air conditioner to turn on and off repeatedly.
The best way to resolve this is by cleaning your air filter regularly to avoid getting it dirty or replacing your air filter regularly, especially when it’s already dirty. By doing one of these, you can avoid paying more expenses due to the results of having a dirty air filter.
Refrigerant Leak
Having a refrigerant leak might mean that your AC is too low in the refrigerant. The refrigerant is the one to cycle throughout the system to absorb heat and cool down the air inside your home.
If this happens, the compressor will shut down due to low pressure. By shutting down its pressure will rise to cause it to turn on again. This makes the short-cycling occur that will cause huge wear and tear in your system, making more problems to your air conditioner unit.
The best way to resolve this is to call the HVAC professionals since refrigerant leaks can be dangerous.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
If your AC’s airflow has issues or has refrigerant leaks, there’s a high chance that your evaporator coils are freezing. If this happens, your outside AC unit or the entire AC system will shut down until the ice melts and turn on again.
The best way to resolve this is to check if you have the first two probable reasons mentioned above and resolve them to avoid having frozen evaporator coils.
Thermostat Placement
The thermostat is the one to measure the temperature of the air around it and determine whether to turn your AC on or off. If you placed it near a window, a room that’s hotter than anywhere else, or near an air vent, then It wouldn’t have an accurate measurement of the temperature of your room. This can then cause your AC to turn on and off repeatedly.
The best way to resolve this is to reposition your thermostat to a more centralized area.
Electrical Problems
Short-cycling may also occur due to electrical problems. This can be because of an issue with the supply line or broken capacitor. It can also be caused by the thermostat, electrical connections in the system, or on the circuit boards.
The best way to resolve this is to call a professional electrician because resolving it on your own is dangerous even if you know about it.
These are the most common reasons that may be causing your air condition system to turn on and off right away. Remember, if you solve these all by yourself, you may cause harm to yourself and to your AC which may cause you to pay more expenses than if you just consult it to a professional. In case this happens, make sure to call a professional HVAC technician right away.
