Parameters and technical characteristics of household wall-mounted air conditioners

To choose the right split system, you need to know what technical characteristics of the air conditioner take into account, how they affect energy consumption and comfort.

The most common type is wall-mounted, so most of the technical parameters will apply to household models. Office, industrial air cooling systems have approximately the same characteristics, so this list can be guided by when choosing an installation for large rooms.

What are the air conditioners

Each model has its own peculiarities of work. They are taken into account so that during operation there is no dissatisfaction with the device. The market offers new developments, but without knowing what and how it works, it will not be possible to choose the right climate technology.

Inverter climate systems

The inverter type of air conditioner allows you to maintain the same temperature, but the device does not turn off completely, but goes into a reduced power mode:

• the rotation speed of the fan blades decreases;
• the performance of the compressor and heat exchanger decreases.

The advantage of this type:

• electricity is saved up to 30%;
• service life is increased by 50%;
• makes less noise;
• parts of the device do not wear out.

When starting a conventional air conditioner, a large load falls on the network and compressor. Inverting allows the mechanism to run continuously, independently simulating the indoor climate.

Heated

Such split systems are more expensive, but at temperatures outside from 0 to +10, they can heat an apartment. The advantages of such equipment are many:

• dries the air, preventing mold from forming on the walls;
• saves energy thanks to automatic temperature settings;
• emits 3-4 times more heat than it spends.

Minus "warm" air conditioner in high cost. In the cold season at subzero temperatures, the equipment cannot be turned on without a winter kit - this leads to equipment breakdown.

Availability of a winter kit

There are many myths about heating a room with air conditioning. Here are the main ones:

• With a winter kit, you can fully heat the apartment: no air conditioner will even heat the air to 19 - 20 degrees, if it is minus 20 outside the window.
• At any temperature, the split systems work as always: the efficiency in winter at low temperatures decreases by 3-4 times, so you cannot expect a full-fledged heating operation.
• The winter kit is needed for heating in winter: the device protects the air conditioner, which is switched on in winter to cool the rooms in which it is always hot and requires heat dissipation.
• With a built-in winter device, the split system can always be turned on: it serves to protect against night frosts in the off-season.

It is better to use convectors or other systems for heating. They are much cheaper than an air conditioner, so you shouldn't risk it.

Description of technical characteristics

The main parameters of the air conditioner are related to the cooling and power consumption.These are two different indicators, so you need to distinguish what is written in the device passport.

Air conditioner power consumption

This parameter means how much electricity will be required over a certain period of time. In good air conditioners, this figure is three times less than the cooling capacity.

There are two different systems by which the manufacturer denotes the energy efficiency of a device - the ERR and the COP. The numbers indicate the ratio of the cooling or heating power to the input power. Cooling quality is defined in 7 categories - from A to G, where energy efficiency class A is the highest, G is the lowest.

In 2013, SEER and SCOP seasonal energy efficiency indicators were introduced. They are used for climate systems with a cooling capacity of up to 12 kW. Quality classes are designated: A +++, A ++, A +, B, C, D.

Cooling capacity

The main indicator of work, which determines how comfortable the stay in the room will be. Calculated based on the area to be cooled. Usually, a specialist from the company visits the facility in advance and takes all measurements.

Ventilation capability

Household split systems do not ventilate the air, but only cool the one inside. This property is possessed only by ducted air conditioners built into the ventilation system. Such devices are being laid under construction, so it will be problematic to organize ventilation in a room with metal-plastic windows.

Air cleaning

The devices are equipped with fine filters. They filter the air and fine dust, odors, pollen settle inside and are retained. The service life of a thin filter is up to 2 years, then replacement is required. In fact, this feature does not always work well. There has been no research into the extent to which air conditioners purify the air. Therefore, for cleaning, you need to use other devices, in the passport of which you can find out how effectively this procedure is performed.

Auto mode

Designed for self-regulation of the internal temperature of the air conditioner using sensors. The unit can switch to heating or cooling mode without human intervention by following the settings on the remote control.

Air flow direction

In some models, the curtains move up and down, evenly distributing the flows. To prevent cold air from getting on people in the room, they are usually automatically directed upward. In the heating mode, on the contrary, it goes down, since the warm air tends upward and while it rises, it manages to heat the space.

Timer

The function is intended to be turned on at a designated time, for example, in the summer, when it is necessary to cool the room before the arrival of the owners.

Fan speed

Models are equipped with a 3 or 5 stage fan. This means that the speed will vary depending on the degree of cooling. The price of three-stage models is lower.

Night mode operation

Night mode is set automatically if you make the necessary settings via the control panel. At night, the speed of the fan blades is reduced and the noise level is reduced.

Freon type

The classic version of freon - R22 can be used in air conditioners. It is cheaper, so it is used in inexpensive models. R410 is safer from an environmental point of view, since it does not destroy the ozone layer, but its use requires a more tight connection of parts, since the pressure in the system is 30 - 40% higher. In general, there is not much difference between these two brands, but in the model with R22 refrigerant you cannot fill in R410, so you need to determine in advance.

Noise level

The quietest indoor and outdoor units are Japanese fan coil units. In the instructions for a three-speed fan, three levels of noise are usually written or one is the smallest indicator.The noise level of the indoor unit in operation is important to the occupants where it is installed. External - for residents whose windows face where the external unit is installed.

When the windows are open, neighbors may be disturbed by the sound of a working device and they have the right to file a complaint.

Climate protection system

The main characteristics of air conditioners include protective functions:

• restart - turns on the equipment after power surges;
• protection of filters from contamination prevents dirt from adhering to the internal parts of the air conditioner, while the corresponding indicator lights up;
• refrigerant gas leakage indicator - freon - protects the compressor from overheating;
• a current fault makes it possible to determine in what state freon is supplied - in liquid or gaseous. This is protection against misuse in winter;
• in winter, the compressor may not turn on if the temperature outside the window is below the permissible value;
• defrosting - occurs automatically if the outdoor unit is covered with ice, while the indoor unit does not turn on, only the external one works.

Cheap air conditioners do not have a protection system. In devices of the middle price category, there are several levels of all possible. The complete system is available only in expensive air conditioners.

The price for a complete protection system increases by 30%, but at the same time the device lasts longer, since the electronic systems do not allow it to work in unacceptable conditions.