heat an air operation

[dmccarty]

....

Short cycling hurts todays equipment more than helps.
...

Please define short cycling.

During the afternoon our AC can turn on for 15-20 minutes, turn off for 5-10 minutes and then turn back on so the cycle repeats. This happens on VERY hot days at the end of the day. We can get quite a bit of solar heat gain from the west side of the house and of course it is just HOT outside so the AC is needed.

Later,
Dan

 

[Sigarms]

Please define short cycling.

An example would be...

During the afternoon our AC can turn on for 15-20 minutes, turn off for 5-10 minutes and then turn back on so the cycle repeats. This happens on VERY hot days at the end of the day.

Interesting per the only time it happens.

 

[dmccarty]

An example would be...

...

Interesting per the only time it happens.

That was NOT the answer I wanted.

The solar heat gain on the west side of the house drives up the temperature in the house on hot days. One of the mistakes I made was to put the thermostat in the living room. It is right above the TV set. So the TV helps heat up the thermostat. Most of the time is does not really matter. But in the afternoon with the heat gain from the west and the TV running the AC will run for 20ish minutes and turn off. It does not take long for the temp to go back up to turning the AC back on again.

It only happens in the afternoon on hots days. I don't think the AC has been on since at least 9:00-10:00pm last night.

Later,
Dan

 

[Sigarms]

Dan, for what it's worth, I stayed awake in bed actually thinking about your situation and why it happens

 

[heehaw]

i have seen several thermostats recently that have a remote sensor: the actual thermostat can be mounted anywhere you want it: then the remote unit is portable an you can put it where you actually would like the thermostat to be: Sams club had them for about $50 about a year ago: years ago, knew some folks that would go outside and water down the west side of their house at dusk: if they didn't do that, the house would heat up from the heat gain of the brick an the ac would run constantly:
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

if it were me: i'd rather have 3 separate units than put in a 5ton to take the place of two: less complicated duct work, an almost everyone i have talked to recommends not going with a zoned system: they say they have way more trouble with them than its worth.
heehaw

 

[tulenutn2o]

I would go with separate units. Almost all 2 story homes in this area get the 2 unit treatment. I would definately do a load calculation and size the a/c's accordingly. 5ton is a big unit. I cool 2100ft ranch with 3ton and no shade. I would definately get with your HVAC guy and have him give you several options.

 

[heehaw]

they are having a separate unit for the upstairs: but the ground level is about double what it was: an the existing very old resistance heat system is a 3 ton: hence the talk of a 5 ton..but as i mentioned i would rather put in two 2.5 ton units an have 3 units instead of a 5 ton...
heehaw

 

[BobRip]

they are having a separate unit for the upstairs: but the ground level is about double what it was: an the existing very old resistance heat system is a 3 ton: hence the talk of a 5 ton..but as i mentioned i would rather put in two 2.5 ton units an have 3 units instead of a 5 ton...
heehaw

Can you insulate better and keep the size of the unit down?

 

[heehaw]

i think 5 tons is way overkill: but they are going by the heat/air folks recommendation:
heehaw