Blower delay for Home AC

[edi]

I recently had a new system installed in my home. The blower has a delay feature for the AC cycle. It can be set to ramp up over a 15 to 30 second period after the compressor starts and ramps down the same after the compressor stops. Does this save energy? How? Does this add humidity to the house?

 

[prodeng]

I'm sure you'll get many more responses to this one, but here's my understanding of it. The fan ramping up slowly does not really save energy, but it does reduce noise levels by eliminating sudden flow characteristics being transmitted through the ductwork. The delay is after the compressor starts or stops to more efficiently use the air being moved. Even when the compressor stops, the cooling coil has some energy it can give up for a limited amount of time. This method actually may do a better job of keeping humidity levels low.

 

[stevenw]

Fan ramping does not save $ of energy. It does reduce thermal shock to the equipment. You should not notice any differancy in the humidity levels.