Air conditioners have become essential equipment within most households as well as workplaces. Due to global warming sharp changes in temperature have started to occur. It has become practically impossible to survive under a cooling fan in summers hence; air conditioners have become unpremeditatedly a survival kit in hot weather.
The question that lingers in every man’s mind before the installation of an air conditioner is how much it will add to his cost of living. Knowing its answer can ease you in several ways. You can get a general idea of how much power the product will consume concerning your needs and cost per unit in your region. It will help you to decide whether it is an affordable investment or not.
The numbers vary depending on what type of AC, where it would be installed, and how much it will run per hour or day. In this article, we are going to explain how much energy an air-con consumes and what factors affect its consumption. Let’s get started!
How much power a central air conditioner can use?
During the warm month, a central air conditioner uses 3000-3500 watts per hour. If we are using it only on fan mode then the energy consumption would drop up to 750 watts.
How much energy a portable AC consumes?
Sometimes a large portable air-con can exceed the central air conditioner using electricity of about 410 0 watts. But an average, middle-sized portable air-con uses energy up to 2900 watts per hour.
Usage of energy of window air conditioners
An average-sized window AC costs 500-900 watts per hour but the larger units can use up to almost 1440 watts per hour.
Calculating energy consumption from the data:
The annual power consumption is written on the label of the product itself. It is calculated in test conditions but it may vary with the actual values of the bill because of the inefficiency and temperature changes.
If your AC doesn’t have the test values written then you can easily calculate the power consumption manually with the following simple method.
The calculation of power includes:
- the wattage of your AC
- operational hours and
- electricity tariff.
The electricity tariff is the currency of the region which charges you the amount with the units of energy consumed.
Air conditioners do not continuously run for long periods. Instead, they turn on and off as necessary.
Whatever the answer you get simply multiply it by two because the compressor works 50% of the time. The value is irrespective of the type of AC, whether it is a conventional one or an inverter AC.
So, if the answer is 6kWh then the actual consumption will be 3kWh.
Power consumption calculator:
Now the next question comes what is a kilowatt and what are the criteria for its calculation. With this, you can get a rough idea of how much an AC would take out of your pocket.
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the unit of energy consumption of devices. It is calculated by multiplying the energy with the time.
For example, if you have a 100W bulb running for 20 hours then the energy consumed by it would be:
100 watts * 20 hours = 2000 watts energy = 2.0 kilowatts energy which is 2.0 units of electricity.
And if the price of 1 unit is two dollars then the monthly cost would be= 2 * 30 * 2= 120 dollars.
Generally for AC power consumption following units are taken for calculations:
- 1 ton of cooling = 1,000 watts
- 5 ton of cooling = 1,500 watts
- 2 ton of cooling = 2,00 watts
- 3 tons of cooling = 3000 watts and so on.
Factors affecting consumption of power:
Many environmental and equipment factors affect the efficiency of your air-con.
Following are some major considerations regarding the energy usage of the product:
Temperature:
The temperature has a direct relation to the consumption of energy. The higher the temperature, the harder the compressor has to work to cool down the room. It would take more power to cool a room when the outside temperature is 40 degrees Celsius than a room at 18 degrees Celsius.
Air conditioners capacity and efficiency:
It is the biggest determinant of power consumption. The seasonal energy efficient ratio ( SEER) is the ratio of the cooling output divided by the number of watts per hour. The higher the SEER rating is, the more efficient your AC will be.
Room size:
The tonnage of the AC installed should be proportional to the capacity of the room. The larger the room, the larger electricity is required to cool the air. Similarly, if the room is small, the powerful compressor would run at maximum uselessly and thus increasing the energy usage. The cupboards should be kept close to minimize the volume of air to be cooled.
The number of people:
Human bodies produce a lot of heat, thus a room with 20 people will require a larger air conditioner or several air conditioners to keep the air cold, whereas the same room with 3 people will be adequately cooled by a smaller air conditioner or a single air conditioner. Therefore, since there are more people, there is also more power, which increases the electricity bill.
Appliances and objects in the room:
The unnecessary things present in the room get cooled by the AC needlessly. Likewise any electrical appliance present in the room generating heat burden up your AC to do the additional work
Conclusion:
Although some individuals might think that running an AC costs a lot of money, there are many energy-efficient models available on the market today that use less energy than earlier AC units. It’s a wise purchase, particularly for those who reside in hot climates where air conditioning makes the weather more tolerable.
It makes good sense to consult a professional before making an AC purchase. To assist you in selecting an appropriate unit, they will evaluate your cooling demands. To guarantee that the AC operates at its full potential, it is preferable to leave the installation task to an expert.
