This summer is surely taking a toll on you people with the rising Celsius and dripping sweat. However, amidst all these adversities there are few people having the best time.
Do you know who they are?
Yes, you guessed right. They are those AC or air conditioner makers having a party time on our cash.
As you know why you are here let us start without wasting any of your time and get into the discussion about Inverter AC. An inverter AC is the same as a traditional air conditioner, which works with the help of a compressor. The only difference is, the way the compressor works which makes both of them distinct from each other.
Reasons why you don’t always need an inverter AC
- They are not cheap
- Hours of usage
- You have a small room
In any cooling device be it a refrigerator or an air conditioner, a compressor plays a very important part. It is also the main culprit for your high electricity bill. The compressor requires electric energy to operate. The more the compressor run, the more energy is used and hence higher bills.
This was the main reason why people always thought twice before buying an air conditioner in past. Nevertheless, now gone are those days and today we have 5-Star rating AC and Inverter AC that can be very energy efficient and less heavy on your wallet.
Why is Inverter AC So Power Efficient
There a question might arise in your mind, how does the inverter AC be so energy efficient while it has the same parts as for any normal air conditioner?
Your doubt is very much justified as Ads say it saves energy, but how? They don’t answer that. Let me explain to you in very simple terms without getting too technical about the functioning of an air conditioner. If you want some detailed explanation there are many good articles you can read. So back to our discussion on how an inverter AC actually saves energy and in turn saves our money on electricity bills?
To make things clear let us take a practical example of a traditional air conditioner. How do the compressors of a traditional AC work? Well, they work in a cycle; as soon as you switch on your AC, the compressor gets to work. It goes on working until the temperature you have set on the AC is reached.
The compressor uses a lot of power to compress and maintain the flow of cool air inside the room. Let’s say the room temperature is 30 degrees Celsius and the temperature set on the AC is 25 degrees Celsius, the compressor will go on working and using power until the temperature inside the room has reached 25 degrees Celsius. As soon as the thermostats detect the room temperature to be 25 degrees Celsius, the compressor stops operating.
This cycle continues as long as the air conditioner runs, trying to keep the temperature close to 25 degrees Celsius. Mostly a compressor will start its operation all over again when the temperature of the room gets above 27-28 degrees Celsius, in this case where the set temperature is 25 degrees.
Each time the temperature rises by 2-3 degrees, the compressor will start over again. What the inverter AC does differently is, it never allows the compressor to actually stop. The compressor in an inverter AC keeps on running until the AC is switched off. So isn’t it consuming more power that way than the regular AC?
Absolutely No, here is why. In an inverter air conditioner, the compressor runs at variable speeds, so when you power on an AC it doesn’t start off its full force as any regular AC. Have you noticed, each time you switch on a regular AC you get a cool blast of air quite quickly and as the AC runs longer you start feeling warm?
This is because, in a regular AC, the compressor starts and stops. When the compressor works to full power you get chilly air. However, as soon as the set temperature reaches, it switches off and after some time you feel warm. However, in an inverter AC, you get constant cooling from the start until you switch off the AC.
The inverter technology drives the compressor at varying speeds based on the temperature. It cools accordingly to bring down the temperature. As the compressor runs at varies speeds and runs continuously it doesn’t use a lot of power at once. It rather allows the compressor to use less energy at a continuous pace to keep the AC running. Thus never allowing the temperature to reach high. So that it does not require cooling over again from the beginning.
This saves a lot of power consumption and money in the longer run. Then why shouldn’t you buy an inverter AC? Well! Below are the reasons:
These are the reasons why you don’t always need an inverter AC
I know you all might be thinking why I said you don’t need an inverter AC when it saves a lot of energy and in turn a lot of money. Hold on for a few moments, I will discuss all the 3 points in detail that will make it clear why you don’t always need an inverter AC in every situation. No matter how appealing the ads and saving money look based on the ads. You need to be smart while investing in something that’s going to be there for quite a long time.
They are not cheap
The initial cost of buying a decent inverter AC is quite higher than a normal AC. As the technology used in an inverter AC is advanced compared to the regular AC, the price tag is higher compared to normal AC. Whenever you are investing in something that costs you over $1000 (Rs. 65000).
You have to keep in mind that, will the cost cover-up in the coming years of using the device. You must decide whether it is worth spending such a large amount upfront if the usability will be very limited.
It is not justified to spend a lot when you know you will not be using the AC quite frequently. Let’s say you need an air conditioner while you are sleeping, you do not need an inverter AC for that. It is enough for you to get a decent star rated AC with a lesser upfront cost. This takes us to the next point of discussion based on usage.
Hours of usage
If you use your AC for only a few hours, you do not require an inverter AC. An inverter AC is beneficial when it runs for quite a long time and needs to provide constant cooling. If you are planning to use your AC for sleep, go for a good star rated AC.
This would cost you quite less upfront when you go to purchase your next AC. Why am suggesting you this? Because at night the temperatures are comparatively low outside. Thus you don’t require an AC to run for a very long time to cool the room.
A regular AC would be enough as the outside temperature generally falls at night and hence the AC won’t need to operate for long to cool the room temperature. If you use your AC for around 6-8 hrs every day, then going for an inverter AC will do no good to your savings.
This is mainly due to the fact that, by the time the actual efficiency of the inverter AC comes into the picture, your room can be cooled enough by a regular AC. For example, if the required temperature is 25 degrees, the inverter AC being slow at the start will take 1 hrs to bring down the temperature, whereas the regular AC using full power will do that in, let’s say 20 mins.
Surely, the regular AC as the compressor needs to do a lesser task in cooling. If the running of AC is over 8 hrs an inverter AC is best as the power consumption is less. Here the regular AC will fail, it would need to start and stop the compressor quite frequently.
Whereas, the inverter AC would run at an optimum pace throughout and never use full power to start the compressor every now and then. However, the cooling process might be a little slow but the steady process will make it worth reaching the optimum room temperature.
You have a small room
If the size of the room is less than 150-180sqft, an inverter AC will be, just another expensive investment you made that has no return. A small room doesn’t need a lot of cooling, as the air inside a small room can cool down quickly. Furthermore, it doesn’t require a constant flow of compressed air to maintain the temperature.
An inverter AC is generally slow to cool, as it never uses full power to save energy. However, this sometimes time be a cause of worry as a regular AC can cool down a room faster. Thus, save power consumption as the AC stops as soon as the room is cool.
For a room of this size, it is advised to go for a 1.5 Tons AC (Check for current 1.5 tons AC pricing) with a decent rating for the best value for your money and optimum cooling. As the inverter AC comes with quite a high price tag, it is advisable if the room is small prefer and does not really heat up a lot a regular AC is enough with appropriate capacity.
So, every time you plan to buy an AC it is best advised to get an expert opinion on the choice of the tonnage of the AC for best savings. A perfect tonnage AC will cool the room faster and make it more efficient for you in long run.
Taking into consideration, my verdict would be to go for a decent star rated AC. A 3 Star or 5 star AC if it’s India where 5 star is the highest energy efficient rating by BEE. It can be different for your country, check with your local energy department for the exact ratings. Whereas for larger rooms, an inverter AC would be the best investment. Keep in mind, don’t get to believe the fancy ads that influence you to go for an inverter AC.
Unless you need the same and have the requirement to cover up the extra cost. If you are a casual user and have a small room and if you chose an inverter AC being influenced by the Ads or the sales guy in the shop, you will end up paying quite a lot of money with not so great return on the investment.
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