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All brands · Refrigeration troubleshooting

Short cycling

What is going on

Possible causes and checks for: short cycling.

Likely causes

  • Thermostat on a vibrating mount
  • Loose starting-relay connections
  • Contacts fused by capacitor discharge
  • Differential set too small
  • (also oversizing — see range/differential A29)

Check in this order

  1. Solid mount
  2. Tighten relay wiring
  3. Caps with bleed resistors
  4. Widen differential

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Source: General HVAC service practice — verify per model. Written in our own words; check the manual for your exact model.

For licensed technicians. Gas, electrical and refrigerant work must be done by a qualified, licensed person. Shut off power and gas before servicing, never bypass a safety control, and follow the manufacturer’s manual for the exact model; it and local codes always take priority. HVACopedia is not affiliated with any manufacturer; brand and model names only identify the equipment.