It can be too hot for AC to cool especially if the outside temp is over 100 F.
Air conditioners can have a hard time cooling down a home or room when the outside temperature is 100 F or more even when the AC is properly sized.
It's not bad for an AC to run all day if it's really hot out and it needs to run all day to keep the house cool.
Air conditioners are designed to run non stop and it won't harm the AC to run all day.
It is cheaper to just leave the window air conditioner on all day as shutting the window AC off and then back on will allow the house to heat up and then it takes more effort for the window AC to cool the house back down.
It's much better to leave the window AC on and let it cycle on and off and keep the house cool than it is to shut it off and let the house get hot and then have the window AC to work hard to cool the house down again.
A window AC should run all the time if it needs to on really hot days although if the window AC is sized properly it should run for about 30 minutes to an hour and then shut off for 5 to 10 minutes before turning back on again.
On really hot days my window AC will run all the time without shutting off and then when it cools down it will start cycling like it should even though my window AC is sized properly.
When your window Air Conditioner turns on and off right away it could be caused by a bad thermostat, dirty air filter, dirty coils, bad compressor, loose wires, bad cord or bad plug, or the temperature sensor could be going out.
Using a window AC instead of a central AC does save money as window AC units use less electricity than central AC units.
Central AC units can run your electric bill up to $300.00 to $400.00 per month and a Window AC uses around $20.00 to $50.00 a month in electricity.
Central AC units wattage ranges from 3,000 watts to 4,000 watts and sometimes more while a window AC unit uses between 550 watts to 1,000 watts depending on the size of the window AC.
A window air conditioner should cycle on and off every 20 to 30 minutes or so or at least a once or twice per hour depending on the temperature.
If it's really hot out the window AC may not shut off or it may only shut off every hour or so.
A window AC should run between 12 to 16 hours per day although the window AC can run longer if needed.
A window AC that is properly sized should run and then shut off a couple of times an hour although on really hot days the window AC may run longer before cycling on and off to keep the room cool.
It is not bad to leave a window AC on 24/7 as the window AC will be just fine and is designed to be ran 24/7 if need be.
The compressor on the window AC and the fan motor are thermally protected so they would shut off on their own before they got too hot.
It is okay to run a window air conditioner 24/7.
A window air conditioner is designed to be ran 24/7 or as often as you need it too to cool the room or home down.
There's no need to let the window AC rest as the AC compressor and fan motor are thermally protected so that if they did get too hot they would shut off on there own until they cooled down.
In the summer months my window air conditioners stay on 24/7 to keep my home cool although if I'm away from my home longer than a few days then I shut it off.
You can leave an AC unit in the window all year but you should use a window air conditioner cover over the inside and outside of the window AC to prevent cold air from coming into the house and make sure the window AC is sealed around the window also.
Some people prefer to remove the window AC after summer is over but some people prefer to leave the window AC in the window all year which is also okay.
A window AC should run between 12 hours to 16 hours per day although it's okay if you need to run your window AC all day to keep the home or room cool.
Shutting the window AC off completely when you're gone away from home means the house will heat back up and then when you return the window AC will need to work harder to remove that heat.
So it's better to just leave the window AC on but turn the temperature up a bit so that it keeps the house just cool enough so that it does not get too hot.
Outside temperature does affect a window air conditioner because the hotter it is outside the hotter it also gets inside your home which means the air conditioner has to do more work to remove all that extra heat.
On really hot days the window AC will need to work harder and longer to cool your home or room down than it would on a cooler day.
For example if it's only 80 F to 85 F out then the window AC will cool down the house or room faster and not have to work as hard but if the outside temperature is hotter such as between 90 F to 100 F or hotter then the window AC will need to work longer and harder to remove that heat and keep the space cool.
On really hot days you may need more BTU power for the air conditioners to cool the house down.
The window AC will run longer on really hot days than it would on cooler and less hot days.
Window AC units do have thermostats which are either located in the control panel or in the thermostat knob where you turn it to high cool, low cool or medium cool.
Some window AC units have a cold, colder and coldest setting.
The window AC units with control boards have a temperature sensor that is connected to the control board which sends a signal to the control board to tell the window AC when to shut off or turn on depending on the temperature.
You can set the temperature of the digital window AC by using the buttons.
The lower you go with the numbers the cooler the cooler the room will get before shutting off and when you raise the numbers the warmer it will be in the room when the window AC shuts off.
The best setting for a window air conditioner is a temperature of between 60 F to 65 F.
On really hot days it's best to set the window AC thermostat on 60 to keep the house or room more cool as when it's 100 F or hotter it takes more energy to cool the room and remove the heat.
On less hot days a temperature of 65 F to 70 F may be good enough.
I usually keep my window AC on 60 F when at home and then when I'm away for awhile I turn it up to around 70 F so that the window AC keeps the room cool enough to not get too hot when I return and then when I return home I turn the window AC thermostat down to 60 F again.
Window AC units do need maintenance just like Central AC units need maintenance to keep them working properly and cooling properly and to extend the life of the window AC.
You need to maintain the window AC unit by cleaning the filter regularly at least once a month or sooner if it gets dirty sooner.
You also need to at least once a season remove the cover off the back of the window AC and wash the AC out and wash the coils with some soap and water with a brush to clean the AC coils so they can have free flow of the air that needs to pass through them.
A window AC unit can last for 5 years to 10 years and in some cases longer if you maintain it properly.
The average lifespan of a window AC is 10 years although some have lasted as long as 15 to 20 years.
The usage of the window AC also affects how long the window AC will last as well.
The more you use your window AC the less time it will last and the less you use the window AC the longer it will typically last.
If you get 5 years to 10 years out of a Window AC that sees a lot of use to keep you and your home cool then you're doing good.