Energy Star Is It Good Or Is Not????

helpless handyman · 06-10-2008, 04:35 PM

I have a question for you Electricians out there. I am hearing different sides of stories about airconditioners and the energy star option. Running the unit on Energy Star, instead of just in the cool option. I am hearing that on energy star option, the airconditioner runs to the set temperture, and then its constantly shutting on and off all night. Wouldn't this pull more electricity, the shutting on and off? I am just curious, I know that the higher the ER the better. I beleive 12 is the max, thanks guys.

perpetual98 · 06-10-2008, 05:16 PM

I just got a new air conditioner last week and was wondering the same thing. I figured it would be incredibly annoying if you were trying to sleep and it just kept cycling on and off. What we've done a couple of the warmer nights has been to just run the fan (the wife likes the noise) and if it gets warm, pop it over to cool and go back to sleep

pcampbell · 06-10-2008, 06:57 PM

Isn't this what a normal A/C does... goes until it reaches some temperature, then shuts off, and turns back on when it falls below it?

perpetual98 · 06-10-2008, 07:57 PM

I think a "normal" cycle for an A/C unit is to run the fan the entire time it's on, but only kick the compressor in and actually "cool" when needed. The instructions made mine sound like even the fan was kicked off and it would kick on every 3 minutes and "check" the air temp to see if it needed to kick the compressor on.

helpless handyman · 06-10-2008, 08:33 PM

I'm waiting for thoses electricians to get home, eat dinner and get on the forum, lol! Yes, I would think that a normal a/c cycle would be that the a/c runs and when it reaches the set temperature, the compressor would kick off and leave the fan running for circulation. As for these new energy saving mode, the darn a/c keeps cutting on and off all night. So the room cools, but when the entire unit shuts off, there is no air circulation in the room until it kicks back on. I would think that this would not save energy but waste more since the compressor and fan are both pulling excessive power with the kicking on and off all the time. I know I can just put in cool, but whats up with this energy crap they are doing. I think its just a selling gimick, waiting on you electricians inputs.

Thanks, EnergyStar

pcampbell · 06-11-2008, 07:13 AM

Ahhh OK. Thanks for the clarification. I would want the fan on all night also.

helpless handyman · 06-11-2008, 04:33 PM

I guess we won't get comments on this?????

cjett · 06-11-2008, 08:54 PM

I don't really get the question. If you want the indoor blower to run all the time, set the thermostats fan setting to on, instead of auto, then the fan will circulate the air all the time instead of cycling with the compressor. The AC has to turn off and on to keep the set point. Am I missing the question entirely?

handyman78 · 06-11-2008, 10:31 PM

Energy star for an AC may also have to do with a more efficient coil and compressor and having the unit fall into the parameters of amount of BTUs for watts consumed. As long as I can remember AC's had the option to either have the fan pulse with the compressor (much like the blower on a hot air heater) or FAN ON. I don't think an electrician will give you much different of an answer- Pose this question to an appliance or HVAC tech.