You’ve probably heard it before. Your aircon turns on with a click, the fan whirs for a few minutes… and then click, it shuts off again, long before the room feels cool. A few minutes later, the cycle repeats. On, off, on, off.
This annoying problem has a name: short cycling. It happens when your air conditioner’s cooling cycle is much shorter than it should be, stopping before it can properly cool and dehumidify your home. A normal aircon on a hot day might run for at least 10-15 minutes at a time. If yours is shutting off after just 5 minutes, you likely have a short cycling issue.
Why Is Short Cycling a Big Deal?
You might be tempted to just live with it, but short cycling is one of the most damaging problems an aircon can have. Here’s why you must get it fixed:
- It Damages Your Aircon: The hardest thing a compressor (the ‘heart’ of your aircon) has to do is start up. It has to push against very high pressure. Short cycling forces this stressful startup process to happen over and over, causing major wear and tear on the compressor and other electrical parts. This can lead to an expensive, premature breakdown.
- It Wastes a Lot of Money: An aircon uses a big surge of electricity every time it starts. By constantly starting and stopping, your unit is running in its least efficient mode, which can cause your electricity bills to skyrocket.
- It Makes Your Room Feel Humid: Part of an aircon’s job is to remove moisture from the air. This process only works well when the unit runs for a longer cycle. With short cycling, your room might get a little cooler, but it will feel damp and sticky because the humidity was never properly removed.
Common Causes of Aircon Short Cycling
So, what causes this damaging problem? It’s usually a symptom of a deeper issue.
1. Your Aircon Is Too Big for Your Room
This is a very common cause in Singapore. Sometimes, homeowners or inexperienced installers think “bigger is better.” But an oversized aircon is actually very bad. It is so powerful that it cools the room extremely quickly, hits the thermostat temperature, and shuts off. Because the room heats up again quickly, the cycle repeats. The aircon never gets to run for a proper, long cycle. Unfortunately, the only real fix for this is to replace the unit with a correctly sized one.
2. Clogged and Dirty Air Filters
This is the first thing you should always check. A clogged filter suffocates your system, restricting the flow of air. This can cause the internal components to overheat or freeze, tripping a safety switch that shuts the unit down. It’s a simple fix that can prevent a lot of problems.
3. A Faulty Thermostat
The thermostat is your aircon’s brain. If it’s broken, miscalibrated, or in a bad location (like in direct sunlight or right under a vent), it will get a wrong reading of the room’s temperature. This can cause it to send incorrect signals to your aircon, telling it to turn off and on at the wrong times.
4. Low Refrigerant from a Leak
Your aircon uses refrigerant gas to cool the air. If there’s a leak, the refrigerant level will drop. When the level is too low, the pressure in the system changes, and a safety switch will turn the compressor off to protect it from damage. This constant tripping of the safety switch results in short cycling.
5. Frozen Evaporator Coils
Both poor airflow (from a dirty filter) and low refrigerant can cause the indoor evaporator coil to get too cold and freeze over. This block of ice completely obstructs airflow, and the system may shut down and restart repeatedly as it struggles to operate.
How Vedha Can Fix Your Short Cycling Problem
Short cycling is a serious issue that needs a professional diagnosis to protect your investment. At Vedha Aircon, our experienced technicians know how to trace the problem to its source.
- We check the easy stuff first: We’ll inspect your filters and thermostat to rule out any simple causes.
- We perform a complete system diagnosis: We check the airflow, inspect the coils for dirt or ice, and test the electrical components like capacitors and relays that can cause short cycling.
- We find and fix leaks: Using professional equipment, we can accurately detect refrigerant leaks, repair them, and recharge your system correctly.
- We give honest sizing advice: If we determine your unit is oversized for your room, we will explain the problem and provide honest recommendations.
Don’t let short cycling destroy your aircon and your budget. The sooner you get it fixed, the better.
If your aircon is turning on and off too frequently, call the experts at Vedha Construction at 96540044 or send us an email. We’ll get your system running smoothly and efficiently again.
Vedha Aircon: Reliable Service, Fair Prices, No Fuss.
We specialize in Aircon installation, repair, and service. We have all type & model of recon compressor, full set & fancoil. Our technicians are highly proficient in their respective field and repairs and fixes aircon of various brands.
