Air conditioners are become essential nowadays, because of the rising temperature year by year, especially in India where Summer starts in March and ends in July. The average temperature of India is between 32 to 45-degree Celcius, however, the indoor temperature can be between 30 to 37-degree Celcius which is still unbearable for the human body.
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}
The best air conditioner can make you comfortable on hot days, therefore it is essential to choose the right air conditioner that can perfectly fit your room and budget. We hope our detailed Buying Guide will surely help you in choosing the best air conditioners in India.
Before going through the Buying Guide for Air conditioner, let us know some basics about the Air conditioner.
What is an Air Conditioner
An air conditioner is a system or a machine that removes heat and moisture from the interior from an occupied area to make it cool and comfortable.
How does Air Conditioner work?
An air conditioner consists of Refrigerant (Gas), Compressor, Condenser, and evaporator coils. The Compressor turns the gas into a high-pressure liquid, this liquid flow through the condenser coil to make it cool which is again flows through the evaporator coils of Air conditioner. While flowing through the evaporator coil liquid absorbs the heat of the room and turned it into low-pressure gas and we experience cooling. This gas again compressed by the compressor and repeat the cycles.
Types of Air conditioners.
Depending on requirements and fit, Air conditioners can be of two types, Windows ACs and Split ACs. Both variants have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Window Air conditioners.
They are installed in the window only hence need to modify one of the windows of the room. They are a single unit that contains the compressor, condenser coil, and evaporator coil, therefore, the noise of the compressor can be heard while working. They cheaper in price compared to the split ACs, because of the lesser material and technology involved in manufacturing them. They are easier to install when compared to split ACs since there is no need to drill through the wall. They don't occupy internal wall space, however, they are installed at a lower height on a wall.
{getButton} $text={Shop Window Air Conditioners on Amazon} $icon={cart} $color={Hex Color}
Split Air conditioners.
Like its name, they split into two units - indoor and outdoor. Both the units install separately and a small hole requires within the wall for passing the pipes that carry the gas. They are noise-free because an outdoor unit that contains a compressor and condenser are kept outside only. They are efficient in cooling faster as they contain a wider blower and also they are installed at higher height on a wall. They are energy-efficient and even inverter ACs are much more energy-efficient than their non-invertor cousins. They are somewhat costly compared to the type of windows. Read more about split AC.
{getButton} $text={Shop Split Air Conditioners on Amazon} $icon={cart} $color={Hex Color}
Inverter Technology in Air conditioners.
An inverter is a technology used in the manufacturing of modern air conditioners and other home appliances that makes them more energy efficient. Inverter air conditioners can vary the cooling capacity by adjusting the power supply frequency of the compressors, hence they can adjust the speed of the compressor to control the gas flow, and use the only power that requires maintaining the set temperature. An inverter AC compressor experiences a lesser load hence its lifespan is more.
On the other side, non-inverter air conditioners have fixed cooling capacity and they start and stop periodically. When they start they use maximum power and when they stop they use minimum power. In fact, they remain to start for more time and stops for less time, so the average power consumption is more compared to the inverter air conditioners.
The capacity of Air conditioners.
The capacity of an Air conditioner is measured in Ton. It is an amount of heat required to melt one ton of ice in 24 hours. You have to calculate the required capacity of AC to cool the room by measuring the dimensions of the area in square feet. The following table will help you in calculating the required capacity of the air conditioner.
| Area (Sq. Ft.) | Tonnage | Wattage | BTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 0.5 | 1752 | 6000 |
| 110 | 1.0 | 3504 | 12000 |
| 160 | 1.5 | 5256 | 18000 |
| 210 | 2.0 | 7008 | 24000 |
| 315 | 3.0 | 10512 | 36000 |
The above table shows the ideal condition for choosing the AC tonnage, however, there are some worst conditions and factors that might affect the cooling and forced you to choose higher ACs of higher capacity. Higher the floor of an apartment higher the cooling tonnage you need, with the topmost floor you will need even higher tonnage. It is also affected by the temperature of the city you are living in, some cities in India exceed the temperature 42-degree Celcius in summer. The number of windows and orientation of the room also affects cooling. For better decisions always refer to the tonnage calculator or contact the brand technician.
Power consumption of AC.
Power consumption of 1 ton AC is about 3504 Watts, which is for ACs running in optimum efficiency, however, the actual consumption can differ depending on tonnage, star rating, and usage.
Higher the tonnage, the more power consumption by the air conditioner.
New star rating methodology Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) is introduced by the Beuro of Indian Energy Efficiency (BEE) for air conditioners. According to that, a higher star rating will consume less electricity.
2017 or 2018 rating?
According to the BEE, there is a drop of two-point in rating in 2018 compared to 2017 for air conditioners. A 5-star air conditioner in 2017 is rated as a 3-star air conditioner in 2018.
There are so many types of modes of operation in air conditioners that affect power consumption like, cool mode, dry mode, Himalaya mode, fan mode, energy-saving mode, etc. They all have their own setting or programs that consume the power for which they are designed. Always run AC in standard or normal mode, do not use quick cool or Himalaya cool mode as they consume more power to cool the room quickly.
How to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner?
AC is meant to cool the room but if it is not carefully operated it may cost you more money on electricity. Here are a few tips that may help you in reducing the power consumption of the air conditioners.
Set thermostat at a higher temperature.
The thermostat regulates the temperature in the air conditioner that you can set. When the thermostat reaches the set temperature it stops the compressor. If the thermostat is brought to a lower degree it consumes more electricity because the compressor takes a longer time to reach the desired temperature hence consumes more electricity. Therefore, setting the thermostat between 24 and 26 degrees is the best way to run air conditioners efficiently for electricity bill saving.
Clean the filters.
The filters used in AC need to be clean periodically, at least twice a month. If not then it can accumulate dust and it can decrease the airflow that reduces the efficiency of the indoor unit. Dirty filters cause air to take time to flow from them and put more pressure on the compressor and consume more electricity. By keeping the filters cleaned electricity consumption can be reduced by 10 percent.
Circulate the air.
The air should keep flowing inside the room without any obstacles and for that, you can use the fan. The fan helps in circulating the air all around the room and the body feels more conditioning. It is necessary to close the door and windows that stop the cool air from escaping out. Putting curtains on closed doors and windows will be more beneficial in the cooling room faster especially when windows are of transparent glasses. The flow of air in the room can be smooth by rearranging the furniture too.
Remove heat source.
Always keep the heat-producing appliances either switch off or away from the indoor unit. Some appliances like Lamps, Invertors, PCs, TVs, etc. can produce heat while on. By replacing the old lamp with an LED can help in reducing the heat emissions. Sun is a major source of heat in summers, therefore as discussed before, keep the curtain closed when AC is on. All the heat sources force the thermostat to work harder and result in more power consumption.
Maintenance of AC.
Periodically servicing of air conditioning units keep them running with optimum efficiency. Cleaning and replacing the old filters timely is also important for reducing power consumption. Keeping the outdoor unit away from direct sunlight by installing it on the shady side of the house. It is because the direct sunlight can force the compressor to work harder.
If you are using the outdated air conditioner then it is advised to replace it with a modern high-efficiency energy star. Nowadays air conditioner comes with inverter technology and a 5-star rating and they consume much lesser electricity compared to the old ones.
So, keeping in mind the above steps you will certainly reduce electricity consumption and save money.
Basic modes and functions of AC.
Here are some basic features and modes might you need to know before buying the best air conditioner in India.
Cooling and heating.
Air conditioners are made for cooling however there are some air conditioners that can be used for warming the room in winters with their built-in heater. They keep you warm and cozy during winter, not all the ACs are equipped with heating features, look at the specifications before choose.
Dehumidifier.
This helps you in getting rid of excess moisture in the monsoon season.
Auto clean.
This feature helps in preventing the growth of harmful micro-organisms. This will clean the unit by removing the moisture and you get better cooling, cleaned air.
Sleep mode.
When the outside temperature drops considerably at midnight these features will keep your AC in sleep mode. This will saves money on electricity bills.
Anti-Bacterial filter.
This feature actively filters the small harmful substances like pollen, dust mites, and bacteria.
Cool mode.
This is the common mode in any air conditioner, generally, the temperature is set at 25-degree Celcius. 25 degrees is the most comfortable temperature for optimum efficiency.
Fan mode.
Putting AC in fan mode will off the compressor, this saves electricity but can not cool the room.
Quick cool.
By setting this mode compressor will run at maximum efficiency that results in more power consumption. In some models, it is also denoted as the Himalaya mode. Instead of quick mode, it is advised to keep the thermostat at a lower point with high fan speed.
Which is the best Copper coil vs Aluminium coil.
Condenser coils used to cool gas are of two types depending on the material used. Copper is good in heat transfer than aluminum however, aluminum is cheaper than copper, therefore Ac units of copper are costly compared to aluminum. Aluminum is more malleable than copper hence, molding and bending of aluminum are easier than copper. Copper is stronger, corrosion, and maintenance-free. The condenser coils are placed in the outdoor unit, they are subject to corrosion and weather. Compared to aluminum, copper has a longer life span.
The air conditioner works in an odd environment, so by keeping the above tips you can avoid or reduce the maintenance of units.
You have seen the various aspects of air conditioners. By going through the AC Buying Guide now you are able to choose the best air conditioner in India.