Low Refrigerant Another common cause of short cycling is low levels of refrigerant. Like a clogged air filter, low refrigerant can produce excess stress on your AC system and make it work harder. And it also causes overheating, which could lead to the frequent turning on and off.

Since the mid-1990s, most cars equipped with air conditioning have also been outfitted with electronic modules that tell your car’s AC compressor to cycle on and off. Although it may be alarming the first time it happens at a stoplight or when you are idling at the store, it is very normal.

As long as it isn’t rapidly cycling on and of it is working properly, however if it is rapidly cycling the compressor, chances are, your system is either low on refrigerant and the low pressure cutout is preventing damage to the compressor, or the condenser is extremely dirty and the refrigerant isn’t cooling properly …

If your car’s air conditioner compressor is working fine, it should cycle 15 to 20 minutes, at most two to three times within an hour. However, you should expect a higher running time when the temperature is much higher.

How long should your AC stay off between the cycles? Well, your air conditioner should run for 15 to 20 minutes (2-3 times per hour) in a cycle & stop for at least 7 to 10 minutes between the cycles.

If there’s something wrong with your AC that makes it shut off after just 15 minutes, it’s usually one of these issues: Unit is overheating. This often means there is simply a buildup of grime inside the compressor unit, but it could also mean there’s a refrigerant leak or have other causes. Faulty thermostat.

Over Heating Your air conditioner may be short cycling because it is repeatedly starting up then overheating (and shutting down) due to a bad compressor, dirty filters, dirty coils, low refrigerant, or frozen coils. An overcharged system will cause liquid Freon to get into your compressor and cause it to malfunction.

Often, the compressor is a sealed component preventing dust and debris from damaging its moving parts. If the compressor is overheating or is worn out, this will often result in the system shutting off frequently.

Got a central air conditioner that turns on and off every few seconds or minutes? This is called “short cycling” (because normally the AC has a regular on and off “cycle” that varies with the outside temperature.) Short cycling wears out the outside unit’s compressor.

Short cycling is an HVAC term used to define a situation where a furnace or air conditioner turns on and off too frequently. The term “short-cycle” describes the period of time that your HVAC equipment is actually running, and the shorter this cycle, the harder your system needs to work.

You can’t just turn it on and off. Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. Air conditioners are massive machines that take a lot of energy to get going. It also adds extra strain on your unit, which can age it prematurely, resulting in you needing an emergency AC replacement.

If you leave your air conditioner off during the day, indoor temperatures will continually rise while you’re gone. By the time you get back, temperatures will be so high that your air conditioner will consume more energy cooling down your home than it would if you left your system on all day.