Choosing the power of an air conditioner is one of the most important points when buying climate equipment. Having purchased too powerful equipment, the user pays extra money, but at the same time the entire resource is not produced. Weak equipment will work for wear and tear, unable to cope with its function. How to choose the power of the air conditioner and what parameters should be considered?
What is the power of an air conditioner?
Since the main task of the air conditioner is the cooling of the air in the rooms, the power most often means the cooling power. Therefore, before choosing the power of the air conditioner, it is necessary to measure the area of the room in which it will be installed.
This indicator should not be confused with power consumption, which is a secondary indicator when selecting an air conditioner for power. Power consumption is usually several times lower than cooling power. For example, with a consumption of 0.8 kilowatts, the air conditioner has a cooling capacity of 2.5 kilowatts. This difference is explained by the principle of operation of the air conditioner: the heat carrier removes heat from the air in the room and transfers it through the heat exchanger (located in the outdoor unit) to the atmospheric air.
You can choose both the power of the air conditioner and its cooling ability based on energy efficiency. This parameter is the ratio of two quantities. Energy efficiency varies from 2.5 to 4, and the higher it is, the more cold air conditioning gives out with less energy consumption.
Power conditioner selection
To choose the air conditioner for power, it is necessary to calculate the optimal indicator for each specific room.
A very rough and rough calculation says that 1 kilowatt of power (cooled) is needed per 10 square meters of area. Thus, if you have a room of 25 sq. meters, suitable air conditioning 2.5 kilowatts. If the room area is up to 70 square meters. meters, then such a choice of air conditioning power is more or less adequate. But for rooms with panoramic windows, lots of appliances and windows to the south, this calculation is not suitable.
Heat inflows from each person permanently in the room, each unit of equipment, are taken into account. There is a special coefficient for the south side.
If the room is equipped with ventilation, it is necessary to take into account the volume of inflow / blowing. On how to choose the power of the air conditioner in such difficult cases, you should consult a specialist.
