The thermostat has a built-in 5 minute delay to protect your equipment. If “wait” is in the screen or “cool on” is flashing – wait 5 minutes for the system to safely respond. Show
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As we get into the hottest part of the year, you definitely don’t want to experience any issues with your air conditioner, of course. However, if you do that doesn’t automatically mean it will be a major problem that will cost you thousands of dollars. One common issue we see is when a customer’s thermostat keeps blinking. Today’s programmable thermostats are great, because not only do they help cooling systems run more efficiently, they can also warn you if there’s a problem. Let’s take a closer look at why this blinking problem occurs and what you can do about it. Why it HappensIf your thermostat keeps blinking during the normal operation of your AC, that usually means there’s an issue with the outdoor portion of the system. It’s basically been locked out, meaning that it has shut itself down and sent a signal to the thermostat letting it know there’s an issue. In many instances, the indoor unit will continue to run because it is not aware that a problem has occurred. Most programmable thermostats will flash a code when a problem takes place. Here’s what to do if this happens:
The problem could simply be a fluke-type of weather-related issue and resetting should take care of it. However, if your thermostat keeps blinking after the reset, you may have an issue like excessive defrosting or a switch in the outside unit that is stuck open. Get in touch with the pros at Metro Express Service and we’ll diagnose and fix your problem quickly. Contact us online or call 972-263-2500 to schedule an appointment. Skip to main content
Showing 1-2 of 2 answers Two blinking snowflakes in a middle of right side of thermostat display means that T-stat is in Delay Mode for about 5 min. This Mode protects compressor against failure related to sudden not intentional switching of Mode switch from Heat to Cool. It is normal operation. If Cool Mode will not start after about 5 min, i… see more Two blinking snowflakes in a middle of right side of thermostat display means that T-stat is in Delay Mode for about 5 min. This Mode protects compressor against failure related to sudden not intentional switching of Mode switch from Heat to Cool. It is normal operation. If Cool Mode will not start after about 5 min, it means that something is wrong: either with T-stat or compressor. In order to eliminate compressor failure, you can do this: 1- turn off A/C power breaker, 2- unplug T-stat from wall plate, 3- take a piece of wire and connect H, Y and G terminals together. Turn A/C breaker back On. A/C should start working. If it is not happen, you have problem with A/C. If A/C will start work, you have problem with T-stat. If you are not familiar with described above procedure, the best way to call for A/C service. see less Two blinking snowflakes in a middle of right side of thermostat display means that T-stat is in Delay Mode for about 5 min. This Mode protects compressor against failure related to sudden not intentional switching of Mode switch from Heat to Cool. It is normal operation. If Cool Mode will not start after about 5 min, it means that something is wrong: either with T-stat or compressor. In order to eliminate compressor failure, you can do this: 1- turn off A/C power breaker, 2- unplug T-stat from wall plate, 3- take a piece of wire and connect H, Y and G terminals together. Turn A/C breaker back On. A/C should start working. If it is not happen, you have problem with A/C. If A/C will start work, you have problem with T-stat. If you are not familiar with described above procedure, the best way to call for A/C service.
Isaak Zaritskiy 13 of 13 found this helpful. Do you? | Report abuse Many thermostats do that for approximately three to four minutes before the air conditioner starts
Unexpected Adventure Seller · May 31, 20186 of 6 found this helpful. Do you? | Report abuse
Is your thermostat behaving like a snowflake? Or should I say, do you have a flashing snowflake on your thermostat? If your thermostat is set to cooling and it’s not doing its job, how ironic is it that you’re presented with a blinking snowflake? If you’re AC isn’t working, shouldn’t they be flashing a flame at you? Irony aside, don’t panic. There’s probably a very good—and short-term—reason for the snowflake. I’ll try to cover several major brands and explain what’s going on, so read on. Thermostats typically show a flashing snowflake to indicate that it’s in Delay Mode. This occurs when the system is short cycling – turning on and off too quickly. This can be harmful to the equipment, so the flashing snowflake typically signals that your system is delaying turning back on for a while. But first, let me give you some technical info so you can understand what each manufacturer is telling you. What is Short Cycling?You’ve probably noticed that your furnace or central air conditioning cycles on and off. At least it should. Depending on how extreme your outdoor temperatures are, cycling can be up to about 20 minutes. Damage can be caused if your system is working too hard.If it’s an exceptionally hot summer and your air conditioner has to work extra hard to keep your home cool, that 20 minutes could drop down to 10 or 12 minutes. The same is true for a brutally cold winter. In order to keep your home at the set temperature of the thermostat, your furnace needs to work harder. As soon as it stops blowing warm air, the house cools faster because it’s so cold outside. So again, that 20-minute cycle could be 10 or 12 minutes. Please note those times are just averages. Don’t be standing there monitoring your HVAC equipment and panicking because the cycle wasn’t 10, 12, or 20 minutes. Short cycling is when that cycle happens faster than it should. Your furnace or air conditioner is turning on and off at a faster rate than is acceptable. This isn’t good for your system because it’s continuously working hard. If your system works too hard for too long, it can cause damage. Expensive damage. What Causes Short Cycling?There are a few reasons. Some of them are simple to address—and some of them are not so simple.
What is Delay Mode?Note that Delay Mode is also referred to as Cycle Delay. Delay Mode is trying to protect your system from the potentially expensive damage mentioned above. Damage caused by your system is short cycling. So don’t panic. It doesn’t mean that your system won’t heat or cool your home, it just means it’s taking a break and will do it eventually. Probably in under five minutes. And it will keep doing this until you fix whatever is causing your system to short cycle. Remember, this feature is to protect your system and ultimately save you money. Yes, it’s probably annoying, but necessary. So if your thermostat is giving you a message that says something like delay mode—or it’s flashing a snowflake at you—it could be one of the general issues mentioned above. Or, depending on the manufacturer of your thermostat, it could be something more specific.
Below, I’ll list many popular thermostat manufactures and the causes they list for a flashing snowflake on your thermostat. Honeywell ThermostatsIf you have a blinking or flashing snowflake on your Honeywell thermostat, it means your thermostat is in delay mode. Your system should cycle on in five minutes but check the possible causes above for delay mode. Check for possible causes if your thermostat is in delay mode.Until you address the underlying cause, your thermostat will continue to switch to delay mode. Emerson ThermostatsEmerson provides a thorough, 8-page manual on their thermostat. According to it, if your thermostat has a blinking/flashing snowflake or flame, your furnace or air conditioner has been put in lockout mode to stop your compressor from cycling too quickly. It will stay in lockout mode for 5 minutes. Carrier ThermostatsAs with other thermostats, your issue with a blinking or flashing snowflake on a Carrier thermostat is a delay of 5 minutes. As you can see, it’s pretty common across thermostat manufactures to have this failsafe built-in. ConclusionSo now that you know what a flashing snowflake on your HVAC thermostat means, you can take the proper steps. And the steps aren’t just waiting 5 minutes until the system starts working again. Remember, you are getting that warning flash because there is a problem somewhere in your system that needs to be addressed. If your current system was oversized, there isn’t much you can do about that, other than start again with a new system. However, you can address the other three causes of the flashing snowflake.
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