How much electricity does the air conditioner consume

Do you suffer from heat in summer and from cold in winter? Then you need to create your own microclimate in the house. Split systems are installed to ensure a comfortable temperature in the room, both at home and at work. If the productivity of a person’s work is too cold or too hot, he feels bad and becomes lethargic. To avoid this, you can install air conditioning. It can work both in heating mode and for cooling. In this case, not TENs are used, but physical processes that occur with the coolant when the pressure changes. Thanks to this, it can warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The main question that arises before purchasing split systems is: “How much electricity does the air conditioner consume for heating and cooling?” We will talk about this further.

Content:

Operating modes
Power
Calculation of energy consumption per month, per day

Operating modes

The power consumption of the air conditioner is related to how it works, so first consider this issue. Temperature conversion occurs due to the heat pump, and it, in turn, works by pumping the coolant with the compressor and changing the pressure in the mains. The coolant (freon) passes from a liquid to a gaseous state in the indoor or outdoor unit, depending on how it works: in cooling mode or for heating.

After reaching the set temperature (it is set by the user from the control panel), the system goes into standby mode. When the ambient temperature goes beyond the set limits, it again enters the operating mode. This reduces power consumption.

This implies: split-system does not work constantly, but periodically. In standby mode, it practically does not consume electricity. The current consumption in this state is necessary for the functioning of the control system. The compressor consumes the most current, in second place are the fans.

Power

The first question that is asked when buying a split system arises when a person hears a phrase from the seller like: “Do you need air conditioning twelfth” or “nine”. So in jargon, thermal power is indicated in BTU (British thermal units). If you translate it into kilowatts, you get:

7 - 2.0 kW;
9 – 2,5;
12 – 3,5;
18 – 5,0.

To determine what you need, divide the area that you plan to cool by 10 and get the result. For example, nine square meters is enough for 25 square meters.

That is a little less than 300 watts per 1 unit. A common mistake is to calculate electricity consumption for these units. The costs are actually less. But this is the thermal power or cooling power of the split system. These numbers have little in common with electric power. You should divide them by 3 and you will get electricity consumption per hour.

The most common in apartments and houses are the "nine" and "twelve" models. Their thermal power is 2.5 and 3.5 kW, respectively, and the power of electricity is 0.7-0.8 and 0.9-1 kW, respectively.

Calculation of energy consumption per month, per day

The energy consumption of an air conditioner per hour depends on its electrical power, which in turn depends on the type of compressor. How much do classic models spend, we said above. Modern split systems use an inverter compressor, such consume 40-60% less, which means the "nine" will consume about 0.5 kW per hour, etc.

If the split system works for 8 hours without stopping, and at night it is off, for example during a hot day, then the "nine" will not consume much. Actual consumption is related to the “start-stop” operating mode. Air conditioning is idle longer than it works. Then the real daily consumption will be about 6.4 kW (at 8 hours of operation). Costs per day, with Moscow electricity tariffs for February 2018, will be:

5.38r * 6.4 kW = 34.432 rubles for eight hours.

Per month, if you use air conditioning every day, the expense will be:

6.4 * 30 * 5.38r = 1032 rubles per month for 192 kW

As we can see from the calculations, the actual consumption of air conditioners does not cause such big expenses, inverter models consume even less:

5.38r * 3.8 = 21 rubles, daily consumption.

Per month:

21*30=620 .

Please note that this calculation is focused on 8-hour work. In extreme heat, the split system can work 24 hours a day, then the costs will be 3 times more.

For example, per day the consumption of a more powerful “twelfth” air conditioner will be almost 24 kW and the consumption will be 130. Then his work per month will cost you more than 3000.

Do not forget that this is a rough calculation, it does not take into account the mode of operation when the temperature in the room is set to the set one. The compressor is in standby mode, and only the fan is running (it consumes little). However, it gives an idea of upcoming expenses and simplifies budget planning.

To reduce the cost of operation, you need insulation of the apartment and high-quality windows. Then less heat will be given to the apartment by the environment, and it will be cooler in the summer, and in winter the heat will not go beyond. So the energy consumption of the air conditioning will be less, like electricity bills.

In conclusion, I would like to note that air conditioning is not such a “gluttonous” consumer. The same iron eats about 2 kW, and the electric kettle is 1.5-2. The maximum energy consumption occurs in the first hours of operation of the split system, when the room is very hot, and significant cooling is needed. Less power is needed to maintain the temperature. Also, consumption depends on the temperature difference in the rooms, with the heat of the beyond, electricity will take more.

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