Summers are approaching, therefore its the time to rush to the nearest dealer to get the best deal in airconditioners.but the question arises, which a/c would best suit the budget and the requirement?
my review consists of a few guide lines which may help prospective buyers looking for an airconditioner.i have categorised splits and windows as seperate entities with pros and cons of each.
WINDOW AIRCONDITIONERS-
window airconditioners are the simplest airconditioning machinery having all the part assembled in a compact unit.window airconditioners are best suited for places with an exposed wall or if you have a balcony attached to the room you want to aircondition.window acs are easy to install and are the most common in the indian market, though splits are catching up.
REMEMBER-acs are not only about aesthetics, cooling is the first priority.
points to be noted before buying a window ac-
1.EER(ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO)- always look for this prior to all ur requirements.acs with eer higher than 10 are the best.
2.CFM(AIRFLOW IN CUBIC FT MTR.)- this is the most important aspect of a windor ac.acs with more airflow would be the best in energy efficiency too.you would definitely not want to sweat with the ac on.the higher the cfm, the better the cooling too.cfm should be between 500 to 550.
3.POWER INPUT(WATTS)-window acs generally consume more power than splits, but then again, selecting a unit with the least power consumption is useful.windows generally consume between 1800-1900 watts.leave out any ac which consumes more power, it will burn ur pocket and would turn out to be more expensive than the machine itself.
4.DURABLE CONDENSER FINS(BACKSIDE)- remember to check it out yourself at the shop by pressing the fins urself.it might seem awkward to the people around u, but its ur money, they wont pay for it! those acs where the fins twist easily are the worst, the harder the fins, the more durable the machine.dont be fooled by gold fins and blue fins. they all turn black within a years time.
5.COMPRESSOR- rotory compressors are the best suited for indian climate.dont go for reciprocating ones, they are noisier.
6.BTU(COOLING)-leave the ac with less btu.18000 and above is favorable in 1.5 tr category.(19789 for ogeneral)
performance coupled with looks would be invited for sure.features are secondry, but timers and dry mode are important.
PROS-
cost effective, easy to install, easy to maintain, fresh air intake.
CONS-
wear and tear increases with time, become noisier after a few years, start consuming more power if not maintained, dont last long(brand dependant).
good window ac brands are- OGENERAL(25990), HITACHI(25990-26990), CARRIER(19000-22000), WHIRLPOOL(16000-21000).rest are all the same.(1.5 tr prices)
SPLIT AIRCONDITIONERS-
split airconditioners have the evaporator inside and the rest of the machinery outside.they are best suited for the place where aesthetics are the prime concern or there is no exposed wall.splits are a bit expensive, but they tend to save a lot in the long run.they dont produce noise(though its brand dependant)at all.in splits, inverter models are good which save 40%of power by decreasing the rate of compression of gas, and hence requiring less power than to switch the compressor on and off, as in coventional splits.
points before buying splits are-
1.LAMBDA COIL-this being the latest in design, saves upto 30% of indoor shape and increase the cooling too.
2.LENGTH OF CONNECTING PIPE-should sopport upto 25mts.if the length is less than that, its not worth buying.
3.SIZE OF THE OUTDOOR UNIT-though u may not find outdoor units on display anywhere in the market, its the main factor to consider.the lager the unit, the bigger the condender coil, the better the cooling.
4.CFM(AIRFLOW)- VERY IMPORTANT INCASE OF SPLITS, BECAUSE AS SUCH SPLITS HAVE LESS AIRFLOW.cfm more than 450 is desirable.
- GAS COLLECTION SWITCH-thoug very few might be having it, but its very useful feature as it doesnt require the ac to be charged with gas, when u shift ur residence.
6.POWER INPUT-ranges between as low as 1600 to 1900 watts.if more than this, look out for the other model.
7.BTU(COOLING)-FOR 1.5 TR, anything between 18000 to 20400 is good.20400 is for hitachi star.
ANTI CORROSION TREATEMENT ON THE OUTDORR UNIT-should be preferable, as the life of the ac is dependant on the outdoor unit.
NOISE LEVEL-since its a split, it should be taken into consideration.22db -39 db is good.
splits also mean looks.go for the flat panels(dont make it the only guiding point!).they are easy to clean and maintain.
good brands of split ac are- DAIKIN, OGENERAL, HITACHI, PANASONIC, MITSUBISHI, CARRIER, TOSHIBA and VOLTAS to some extent.rest are the same.
pros-
good looking, low noise level, last long(brand dependant), better cooling, lower power consumption
cons-cant be shifted to new locations easily, inappropriate piping can ruin the ac, inapt drainage can give you nightmares, not installing the outdoor unit on a firm platform can disbalance the compressor and the fan motor.require professional maintenance., no fresh air intake.
also its to be noted that the airconditioner, be it a split or a window, should be of the appropriate tonnage, higher tonnage would result in frequent compressor on offs, increased wear and tear and reduced level of humidity.on the contrary, lower tonnage wouldnt cool the room properly and would increase the load on the unit.
to conclude, atlast its the brand that matters .i have 2 ogeneral and 2 hitachi acs, they havent given me a chance of complaint.u dont buy an ac every year, so make a sensible purchase.
happy buying!
