# Turn Off Air Conditioner Power



## Mtowner (Oct 18, 2010)

I've been told it is a good idea to turn off the electric power to my AC during the winter months.  Is this an acceptable idea?  It is suppose to save electricity, but I don't want to cause a bigger problem if I shut it off?


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## kok328 (Oct 18, 2010)

I shut mine off at the breaker.  My logic is that is a lighting storm or power surge should occur, then the A/C won't get hit.


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## DrHicks (Oct 19, 2010)

I normally don't cut the power to my AC unit during the winter months.  No particular reason, other than that I just never have.

A lot of central air units will have a breaker/fuse panel outside the house, right by the unit.  You can either flip the switch, or just pull the fuses.


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## woodchuck (Oct 19, 2010)

Some units have a dryer in them to get rid of any moisture that forms in the system. The instructions it says to follow after a power outage during which moisture could have built up is to restore the power but not to run the system until it's been on an hour for every hour it's been without power.


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## paul52446m (Oct 19, 2010)

Mtowner said:


> I've been told it is a good idea to turn off the electric power to my AC during the winter months.  Is this an acceptable idea?  It is suppose to save electricity, but I don't want to cause a bigger problem if I shut it off?



Turning off your ac power does not save on power unless you have a crankcase heater to keep your compressor warm. The main reason to 
turn off the ac power is, if a child or anyone makes a mistake and and turns the air on in the real cold weather it will slug the oil out out of the compressor 
 and then it will be running with no oil for a while until the oil works it way around and back to the compressor. It like taking all the oil out of you car engine and then running it for ten min.. So i tell all my customers to turn off power in the winter.  Later Paul


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## Mtowner (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks for the takes.  I'm shutting off the power until Spring and warmer temps


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