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What to look for when buying an air conditioner

What to look for when buying an air conditioner
What to look for when buying an air conditioner


We use air conditioning in summer and winter. As a layman, for the purchase of air conditioning, some professional terms many people do not understand. What is the main purpose of buying an air conditioner? 

What to look for when buying an air conditioner? What should I pay attention to? Have some air conditioning purchase common sense, and let you become a smart consumer. 



What to look for when buying an air conditioner

Usually, we buy air conditioners mainly based on the parameters of the air conditioner.

For example, look at the energy efficiency ratio

The energy efficiency ratio (EER) of air conditioning reflects the cooling (heating) capacity converted from unit input power in the process of air conditioning operation. 

The greater the EER of air conditioning is, the more electrical energy can be saved when the cooling capacity is equal, and the higher the energy efficiency ratio of air conditioning, the more power saved. 

At present, the air conditioners sold in the market adopt the new national energy efficiency standard, among which the air conditioner with grade 1 energy efficiency is the most energy-saving, the air conditioner with grade 2 energy efficiency grade is next, and the air conditioner with grade 3 energy efficiency grade is relatively low in energy conservation.

Look at the brand

The most important thing to buying an air conditioner is to look at the brand. Choosing the right brand will reduce any worries. The air conditioner quality of famous brands is guaranteed, and the after-sales system is relatively perfect. 

At present, the world-famous brands are the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry of Japan and LG of South Korea; domestic brands Midea, Gree, and Haier also have a place in the market.

Look at the cooling capacity

Cooling capacity is one of the parameters that must be considered when purchasing an air conditioner. If the refrigeration capacity is too large, the effect is good, but if the price of the machine is high, the cooling capacity is too small, and the cost of purchasing the machine is low, the effect may be much worse. 

In general, the cooling capacity per square meter of the ordinary family room is 115-145w, and that of the living room and dining room is 145-175w. 

Therefore, the living room or master bedroom with an area of about 20 square meters can choose an air conditioner with a cooling capacity of about 3500W, while other bedrooms with an area of about 10 square meters can choose an air conditioner with a cooling capacity of about 2000W. 

Users can calculate according to the area of their own house and choose the most suitable air conditioner for them.

Frequency conversion or fixed frequency

Frequency conversion air conditioning has advantages in the use of comfort, energy saving, operation noise, and other aspects. From the current market situation, frequency conversion air conditioning is the mainstream air conditioning product. 

For the specific difference between frequency conversion air conditioning and fixed frequency air conditioning, please refer to the article "comprehensive comparison of frequency conversion air conditioning and fixed frequency air conditioning".

Single cooler or heater

General air conditioners are both cold and warm, and the model labels are KFR and kfrd. If there is special heating equipment in winter and you don't need to use air conditioning for heating, you can buy a single chiller. There is no r in the model label, so the price is much cheaper.

Remember to buy air conditioning grades

Take the split type constant speed air conditioner with rated cooling capacity less than or equal to 4500W as an example, the energy efficiency limit value has been increased from the original energy efficiency ratio of 2.60 to the current 3.20, and the index of other types of air conditioners has also been increased by 0.60. 

The energy efficiency limit value is actually the minimum energy-saving standard for air conditioning on the market, and air conditioners lower than this energy efficiency ratio cannot be sold on the market.

In the old five energy efficiency grades, only air conditioners with energy efficiency grades 1 and 2 can be regarded as energy-saving products and can enjoy national energy-saving subsidies. 

So, after the implementation of the new national energy efficiency level 3, how many levels of air conditioning can be considered energy-saving products? Experts say that in terms of level, it is still level 1 and level 2, but the energy efficiency standards of the two "level 1 and level 2" are completely different. 

Take the split a constant-speed air conditioner with a rated cooling capacity less than or equal to 4500W as an example. The energy efficiency ratio requirement of the old level 2 is 3.20, which is equivalent to the requirement of the new level 3. 

The energy efficiency ratio requirement of the old level 1 is 3.40, which is only equivalent to the new level 2, which is the energy-saving evaluation value of the new national standard, while the energy efficiency ratio requirement of the new level 1 is increased from the old 3.40 to 3.60.

Experts remind consumers when purchasing air conditioners, they should first look at the energy efficiency level. At present, the fixed-speed air conditioners sold in the market must adopt the new national energy efficiency standard, that is, the energy efficiency grade is divided into three levels, of which grade 1 and level 2 are energy-saving products, and they can also enjoy energy-saving subsidies. 

The energy-saving effect of grade 1 products is the best. Experts also pointed out that due to the implementation of the new national standard soon, it is not ruled out that there are bad manufacturers or sellers who continue to sell the inventory marked with the old energy efficiency level, especially in small home appliance stores or rural markets. 

Consumers should pay more attention to it. If they see grade 5 constant speed air conditioners with grade 3, 4, and 5, they are not recommended to buy, because The energy-saving effect of these products does not meet the requirements of the new national standard and are eliminated High energy consumption products.

Remember three principles before purchasing. 

1. Because of the difference in room state and regional climate, as well as the plan for extreme weather, you should buy a large air conditioner instead of a small one.

2. Because the heating effect of air conditioning is lower than that of refrigeration, and the applicable area in winter is less than that in summer. When you buy an air conditioner, you should take the heating index as the criterion, so you should choose the air conditioner according to the applicable area in winter. 

Of course, if the purchase of single cooling air conditioning, it should be based on the applicable area in summer.

3. When you buy an air conditioner, you should know the energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioner, and the energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioner = the cooling capacity × the cooling power. 

Therefore, the air conditioner with the same number of units should choose the one with high EER and the one with low specific energy efficiency.

Precautions for purchasing air conditioner:

1. Air conditioning is the most power-consuming household appliance. It is necessary to avoid the misunderstanding of buying cheap with less money. 

However, many cheap air conditioners will make their actual expenses much more after they are used. However, if they spend more money on electricity-saving, they may save much more electricity in the future than when they buy.

2. In the USA, there are many well-known brands of household appliances, and the quality is very good. If you query a lot of knowledge on the Internet or netizens, you will get many different answers. On the contrary, you have no idea what to buy.

What to pay attention to when buying an air conditioner

  1. When you buy an air conditioner, you should choose according to the location of your own floor. It depends on whether you are on the top floor. If you are on the top floor, it is easy to absorb sunlight in summer. If you choose the air conditioner on the top floor, you should choose a larger one based on the original one.
  2. When you buy an air conditioner, you should also look at the layout of the room. You should see whether the windows are directly exposed to solar energy in the afternoon and whether there are many indoor corners. If it is very sunny in the West and there are too many corners, you should also choose a larger one.
  3. When choosing an air conditioner, we should also consider the number of people in the family, whether there are more children or more elderly people. This is mainly based on the flow of people in the family. The large flow of people needs to be taken into account in the refrigeration and heating of large air conditioners.


What-to-look-for-when-buying-an-air-conditioner

What should I pay attention to when I buy an air conditioner?


1. Quality

To know The quality of an air conditioner depends mainly on the material it uses. In general, the appearance of many air conditioners is very beautiful. In addition to a good finish and easy cleaning, the panel of the air conditioner also needs to be scratch-resistant, friction resistant, and nonyellowing. 

In the interior of the air conditioner, the fins between the evaporator and condenser need to be arranged in order. 

The quality of the air-conditioning compressors directly determines the use efficiency of air-conditioning. If the quality of the air-conditioning compressor is good, the noise of air-conditioning will be smaller, and the speed of fan operation will be more distinct. 

It can improve the efficiency of air-conditioning refrigeration and heating, but also save more electricity and energy.

2. Type selection

There are many kinds of air conditioners. Before buying air conditioners, we need to find out which kind of air conditioners we want to buy and which type of air conditioning products are more suitable for family use. Split air conditioning is a kind of air conditioning product that many consumers will buy now. 

The wall-mounted air conditioner in split air conditioning has a beautiful appearance, low noise, and a much lower price than the cabinet air conditioner or central air conditioner. Therefore, it is an important choice for many families to choose from, but the split air conditioner is relatively complicated in the installation process. 

In addition, to split air conditioning, there is window air conditioning. Window air conditioning is relatively simple to install. At the same time, its volume is small and its price is lower. 

However, in the process of operation, the noise is relatively large. At the same time, it is installed in windows and other places, which affects the light and is not beautiful.

3. Cooling capacity

The choice of air conditioning cooling capacity is the choice of air conditioning units. In general, when purchasing air conditioners, we should choose the number of air conditioning units according to the size of the room, the sealing condition, the number of floors of family members, the length of time of receiving sunlight, and so on. 

These factors will affect our purchase of air conditioning units. When calculating the cooling capacity of air conditioning, it should be calculated as 150-200w per square meter. 

The basic knowledge of air conditioning, and then locating their own needs


How many air conditioners do you need?

The "number of units" of air conditioning refers to the power of the air conditioner (horsepower). However, manufacturers usually link the number of units with cooling power. 

1p corresponds to 2500W. Among them, 25 is XX in KFR xxgw. This is why one small (usually 23) and one larger (26) appear. How much cooling capacity is needed? Usually, the number of square meters * 2 in a room can be compared with the cooling power. 

For example, 10 square meters * 2 = 20, one piece or even one small piece can meet the demand, while 15 square meters * 2 = 30, it needs about 1.5 pieces (3500). If it is a penthouse or a room facing north, it needs to be larger than the calculation. Of course, in principle, it must be bought larger than small.

Is the energy efficiency ratio pursued to save electricity?

First of all, if we only look at energy efficiency, under normal circumstances, the electricity saved by high energy efficiency cannot match the extra cost of purchase (we will not give you the data calculation here). 

However, the energy efficiency is higher than the model positioning, and the use of materials in all aspects will be better, which will bring about a better user experience in addition to power saving. 

Therefore, the energy efficiency ratio is not only about products, It's just about saving electricity.

Fixed frequency or variable frequency

Although there is no big difference in power consumption between different grades of energy efficiency, the impact of constant frequency and frequency conversion on power consumption is smaller. 

In other words, frequency conversion or constant frequency has little impact on power consumption except for large-scale commercial use. Why do we recommend frequency conversion? 

In fact, the principle is very simple. A frequency conversion compressor can control the cooling capacity and reduce the power when the indoor temperature drops, when the temperature rises, increase the power to make the indoor temperature more stable, while the fixed frequency compressor only has two states of refrigeration and non-refrigeration and the indoor temperature fluctuates greatly. 

Therefore, the influence of frequency conversion is more on comfort than on the power saving that is often advertised in the stores. Of course, there is a saying that frequency conversion is more likely to be damaged than fixed frequency. The more parts indeed are, the easier it will be damaged. However, the impact is not so obvious.

Is an electronic expansion valve so important?

For the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, the expansion valve is divided into the thermal expansion valve (capillary) and the electronic expansion valve. The traditional thermal expansion valve can only be opened and closed passively according to whether the evaporation pressure reaches the preset value, while the electronic expansion valve can be actively controlled by the system. 

Besides controlling the evaporator, the electronic expansion valve also has more control functions. Therefore, compared with the traditional thermal expansion valve, the electronic expansion valve can be actively controlled and can control more, so the efficiency is naturally better, which is why the electronic expansion valve is an important part of the intelligent refrigeration system.

Which air conditioners are worth buying?

After the introduction of the purchase is the need to pay attention to a few issues, we have a simple positioning for what kind of air conditioning you need. 

Next, we will recommend some air conditioning products that are worth starting with the order from low to high.

What do you mean by 1hp, 1.5hp, and 2hp air conditioning power standards?

"Pi" is the unit of power and refers to the input power. 1 HP = 0.735kw (kw) = 735w.

The original definition of "1p (P)" of an air conditioner is to estimate the cooling capacity of an air conditioner according to the 735w electric power consumed by the air conditioner. 

The cooling capacity of an air conditioner with an input power of 1p is about 2000 kcal, which should be multiplied by 1.162 when converted into SI units. Therefore, the refrigerating capacity of 1p should be 2324w, where w (W) is the refrigerating capacity. 

In general, it is customary to use cooling the capacity of 2500 w with a power consumption of 700-800 W; for a 1.5 HP, it should be 2000 kcal × 1.5 × 1.162 = 3486w; generally, 1.5pp is equivalent to 3500W of cooling capacity and the power consumption is 1000-1100w, and so on.

According to this situation, we can roughly judge the number and cooling capacity of the air conditioner. 

The cooling capacity of the air conditioner of one machine is about 2500 W. generally speaking, the cooling capacity of 2000 w-2700 w can be collectively referred to as 1 piece, that of 2000-2300w can be called a small one, that of 2300-2500w is called a piece of the larger one, that of 3200w-3600w can be called 1.5 pieces; that of 4500w-5100w can be called two pieces.

Main considerations for purchasing air conditioner:

1. The number in the air conditioner model generally represents one percent of the output power of the air conditioner. That is, the number multiplied by 100 is the output power (W).

2. From the interests of the country and the people, try to buy variable frequency air conditioning.

3. In general, the refrigeration/heating capacity of variable frequency air conditioning can be 20% - 30% smaller than that of fixed frequency air conditioning. 

Because it does not work in the maximum cooling state for a long time, it cannot be calculated by the maximum cooling capacity. Generally, the frequency conversion air conditioner can be selected with a cooling capacity of 145w-175w per square meter.

4. The air conditioner with appropriate capacity should be selected according to the factors such as room size, orientation, floor height, room thermal insulation, and the number of residents. 

The power of the air conditioner should be increased appropriately in rooms with a bad thermal environment such as those with shady and poor ventilation, rooms facing north, and rooms on the top floor.

5. The heating load of air conditioning is different from that of heating. Therefore, if the air conditioner with a small capacity can meet the cooling requirements in summer, the heating effect in winter may not be ideal, especially in freezing weather, the heating effect will be greatly reduced. 

Pay attention to choosing an air conditioner with a heating capacity greater than the cooling capacity to ensure the heating effect. Especially for consumers who have a higher comfort requirement for winter heating, they should enlarge a little margin properly or choose the air conditioning products with an auxiliary electric heater.

6. Generally speaking, power should be large rather than small.

7. If the room has good thermal insulation performance, the applicable area can be raised by 1-3 m2. If it is equipped with an auxiliary electric heating function, the applicable area can be raised by 2-5 m2.

8. In addition to special environmental occasions, generally speaking, the room with an area of about 10 square meters can meet the demand by purchasing a wall-mounted air conditioner with a power of 1 horse. 

For a room with an area of about 15 square meters, you can choose a wall-mounted air conditioner with a power of 1.5 or 2 horsepower or a floor-type air conditioner with a power of 2 horsepower for a room with an area of about 20 square meters. 

A floor-type air conditioner with corresponding power can be purchased according to the actual room size of more than 20 square meters.

Air conditioning purchase guide

Guide 1: avoid conceptual confusion and pursue fashion blindly

Air conditioning market new products emerge repeatedly, photocatalysts, cold catalysts, oxygen bars, anions, and nano concepts of healthy air conditioning. It is understood that, except for lightwave air conditioning, all "healthy air conditioning" has not passed the inspection of national authority, and there is no lack of moisture in various concepts and functions publicized by manufacturers. 

Consumers should consider the performance-price ratio of the products comprehensively when choosing and purchasing. They should not blindly pursue fashion and spend money to buy back a lot of "fancy" functions.

Guide 2: avoid peak buying

Air conditioning consumption peaks mainly concentrated in July and August, during which businesses are often in a negative working state. Compared with the vigorous sales volume, the transportation vehicles, and installation personnel are far from satisfied, which easily leads to untimely installation and after-sales service. It is suggested that consumers try to avoid the peak period of purchase and prepare early.

Guide 3: look at three key performance indicators

Cooling capacity: 

It is an important basis for consumers to choose air conditioner products. If the cooling capacity is too small, it can not achieve the expected cooling effect; if the cooling capacity is too large, it will cause a waste of resources. According to the national standard, the measured value of refrigerating capacity should not be less than 95% of the rated value.

Energy efficiency ratio: 

This refers to the ratio of cooling capacity and effective input power of the air conditioner during refrigeration operation. The value reflects the energy-saving situation of air conditioner products. 

The larger the energy efficiency ratio, the smaller the power consumption and the less power consumption.

Noise: 

The noise generated by air conditioning operation. If the noise is too high, it will seriously affect the lives of consumers.

Guide 4: verification of certification marks

At present, there are two mandatory certification marks for air-conditioning products: one is the "3C mark", which is issued by the national certification and accreditation supervision and Administration Commission; the other is the "energy efficiency mark", which contains five levels of energy the efficiency ratio, the highest level is the first level, and the fifth level is the lowest. 

When choosing an air conditioner, consumers should pay attention to these two signs, and not be dominated by other certifications.

Guide 5: installation according to specifications

The installation of air conditioning has corresponding technical specifications. Consumers must not choose the installation position or replace the attached accessories for the pursuit of environmental beautification. 

Before installation, check whether the power supply, voltage, and leakage protector of your home can meet the requirements, and try to avoid the places where flammable gas leakage, artificial strong current, and the magnetic field directly act. 

After installation, check carefully. Finally, the test run is carried out according to the requirements of the operation manual.

With the above purchase notes and instructions, I believe that you can also have A good idea and choose the best. It's too early to think that you can easily and happily complete a good shopping experience. 

For large appliances like air conditioning, to have a perfect shopping experience, it is necessary to buy air conditioning after the golden rule.

Golden rule after buying an air conditioner

Take a look

When delivering the goods to the door, we first check that the outer packing is intact. After that, the installation workers will open the carton, take out the air conditioner, and install the copper pipe. 

At this time, we should pay attention to whether the surface of the air conditioning panel is smooth as new, without scratches, and whether the air guide page of the air conditioner outlet is complete. 

If there are obvious scratches or other problems, please inform the installation personnel in time Specific coordination should be carried out to prevent the denial of the manufacturer after the event.

Second pick

See which piece of the wall of your home is suitable for hanging the air conditioners. If it's not a load-bearing wall, after some time after installing the air conditioner, users will find that there are small fine lines on the wall, which may not affect the use of anything. 

However, there is a crack in the house, which makes it uncomfortable to see in the heart. Of course, the most important thing is to consider safety.

Three senses

After the air conditioner is installed, the biggest problem is debugging to see whether the air conditioner operates normally. In winter, it is generally to check to heat, and in summer it is refrigeration. Some friends will ask, is it not possible for me to heat up in summer? 

The answer is: Yes. But the specific air conditioning or to determine the actual situation, which needs to ask the installation personnel of each brand. After the installation is completed, turn on the air conditioner, stretch your hand to the air outlet or stand under the air conditioner to feel the air outlet of the air conditioner. 

After opening for some time, obvious cool wind or hot air is blowing out all the time, which indicates that the overall operation of the air conditioner is relatively normal. 

At this time, check whether the noise value of the air conditioner is within the normal range of use and whether there is no excessive noise or abnormal sound when opening.

Air conditioning usable area

Within 12 square meters = small 1 horse (23 machines), 16 square meters = 1 horse (25, 26 machines), 20-23 square meters = 1.5 horses (35 machines), 25-33 square meters = 2 horses (0 machines), 35-40 square meters = 2.5 horses (60 machines), 40-50 square meters = 3 horses (72 machines).



Air Conditioner Buying Guide (Interactive Video) | Consumer Reports




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Hello, I am Muhiuddin Alam founder of TheBestNTop.com. The main mission of 'TheBestNTop.com' is to empower all people on the planet to learn to do anything. We want to help people learn, first and foremost about Best Product Reviews, and Buying Advice. We review the best tech, appliances, gear, and more, and other values guide how we pursue that mission. We also talk about the Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. Thanks for being here. Follow Me: Linkedin & Google Knowledge Panel