Identified a short cycling AC!

I’ve had sense for a week, and it (mostly) identified my AC after 2 days. I quickly noticed that my AC was starting and stopping a lot. For example, yesterday between 1 and 2 it cycled 6 times, running for as little as 5 minutes at a time and cycling back on with as little as a 4 minute break.

I did some research, and learned that short run times are inefficient and don’t let the system do a great job of dehumidifying the house (mine is very humid!). Also, short cycling is bad for certain components of the HVAC, causing them to break down more quickly.

After some investigation, I’ve determined that the short cycling is being caused by having many zones in my house, having a slightly oversized unit, and having thermostats with a 0.5 degree unadjustable swing differential. To fix this, I am buying new thermostats for each zone with adjustable swing differentials, which I plan to set to 1.5 degrees. This should make my AC run longer to reach the cooler temperature and take longer before needing to run again.

Reducing short cycling should make my house more comfortable by better controlling the humidity. It also should immediately save me a little bit of money by letting my unit run more efficiently and reducing the amount my dehumidifiers need to run. Finally, it should save me money in the long run by reducing the wear on my HVAC from too many startups.

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I wouldn't have even been aware that my AC was short cycling unless I saw it on my Sense app

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