Average lifespan of Air Conditioning (A/C) unit in Phoenix? (homes, live)

[john3232]

Originally Posted by Hosic

... With my average summer bill 400-450 a month, last months was 310. I cannot preach how happy I am with my investment, super quiet units saving me money monthly

How big is the house?

Even $300 seems like a very high electric bill.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by john3232

How big is the house?

Even $300 seems like a very high electric bill.

Two units would suggest at least 2000 sq ft, likely larger.. and $300 in actual usage isn't bad for Phoenix in summertime. Probably at least $100 of that $300 is for using lights, dryers, etc, which you'll pay year round, even when you're not heating or cooling the house. Both of the major power companies in town have budget billing available, which will give you a lower payment in the summer and a higher payment in the winter to make it easier to budget.

[matyoka]

Originally Posted by john3232

How big is the house?

Even $300 seems like a very high electric bill.

John,

I wish I had $300 bills during the summer. That is May's bill in a 4000+ SQFT home which in the East Mesa new developments is the average home size...

With regards to the AC units, how do you keep them on at all times? Set the thermostat to 65F ? No matter how you look at it, even at 70F it will stop and run, stop and run... all day long. I'd be interested in seeing a good answer.

Lev

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by matyoka

John,

I wish I had $300 bills during the summer. That is May's bill in a 4000+ SQFT home which in the East Mesa new developments is the average home size...

With regards to the AC units, how do you keep them on at all times? Set the thermostat to 65F ? No matter how you look at it, even at 70F it will stop and run, stop and run... all day long. I'd be interested in seeing a good answer.

Lev

I doubt there is a home in the valley that can cool a house to 70 degrees when it is 115+ out and not run continuously. That is way past what a residential unit is designed to do. There comes a point, mine is around 78 degrees when the unit has to run non-stop to keep my home at that temperature when it gets really hot out like it was when I started this thread. I don't think mine could ever get my house to 75 let alone 70 when it is as hot as it was that weekend.

[MalteseJane]

Originally Posted by LBTRS

I doubt there is a home in the valley that can cool a house to 70 degrees when it is 115+ out and not run continuously. That is way past what a residential unit is designed to do. There comes a point, mine is around 78 degrees when the unit has to run non-stop to keep my home at that temperature when it gets really hot out like it was when I started this thread. I don't think mine could ever get my house to 75 let alone 70 when it is as hot as it was that weekend.

If you cannot get it down to 75 something is wrong with your a/c. I have it set to 76 and the unit does NOT run non-stop. From 10 pm to 7 am it is set to 74 and it does NOT run non-stop. I NEVER had an a/c run non-stop not even in the Houston humidity where I set my thermostat to 72 (2200 sq feet with very high ceilings in living/dining and family room). Since there is not much humidity here, I feel comfortable with the setting at 76.

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by MalteseJane

If you cannot get it down to 75 something is wrong with your a/c. I have it set to 76 and the unit does NOT run non-stop. From 10 pm to 7 am it is set to 74 and it does NOT run non-stop. I NEVER had an a/c run non-stop not even in the Houston humidity where I set my thermostat to 72 (2200 sq feet with very high ceilings in living/dining and family room). Since there is not much humidity here, I feel comfortable with the setting at 76.

Maybe you missed the timeline...this thread was started on the two days where it was 119 degrees out. It would take a lot of effort and energy for a residential unit to get a home to 75 degrees when it is 119 out. I don't think it is abnormal at all for a large 3000 sq ft two story home to only cool to 78 when it is that hot out.

Now if it performed like that when temps are in the normal range I'd be concerned.

[matyoka]

Someone was mentioning how the AC units will eventually get damaged if not running continuously. How can I achieve the task of running my units without the usual interruptions?

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by matyoka

Someone was mentioning how the AC units will eventually get damaged if not running continuously. How can I achieve the task of running my units without the usual interruptions?

That is a false assumption.

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by matyoka

Someone was mentioning how the AC units will eventually get damaged if not running continuously. How can I achieve the task of running my units without the usual interruptions?

I'm sure you actually don't want that as your power bill would overwhelm you. Turning down the temp in your house is how you cause the unit to run more. There is no reason to concern yourself with this as they are designed to cool your home and shut off. The point made was that on and off is harder on mechanical things then constant running, however, you'll go broke to the electric company if you strive for that.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by LBTRS

I'm sure you actually don't want that as your power bill would overwhelm you. Turning down the temp in your house is how you cause the unit to run more. There is no reason to concern yourself with this as they are designed to cool your home and shut off. The point made was that on and off is harder on mechanical things then constant running, however, you'll go broke to the electric company if you strive for that.

Not really - if the unit is sized properly, it will run constantly, but draw less power when it's running than an oversized unit. The difference in amp-draw between a given tonnage and the next larger size can be a couple of amps. If you're on a time of use plan, one amp, for one hour probably costs a quarter during the day. Also, any a/c, large or small takes about 10-15 minutes in operation to reach peak efficiency. If your a/c runs for five minutes, shuts off for ten, then starts again for five minutes, you're wasting a lot of juice.. better to have a smaller unit running at peak efficiency for the entire time. (Drawing less amps (quarters!) During that time..

Its also a lot more comfortable to have the unit running constantly.. you're less likely to get "hot rooms" if the unit runs more.

The new trend to make up for oversized units is "two speed" compressors - the unit runs for longer periods at "low", drawing less power, but kicks into "high" on extremely hot days, or if the unit cant keep up on low.

Running an oversized a/c unit is kinda like delivering pizzas in an 18-wheeler, because *one* day per year you (theoretically) need that much carrying capacity. Every other day, you're wasting fuel.