Best Inverter AC in India? Edit: Bought Sharp AH-XP18MV (AC discontinued)

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RishiGuru

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Hi guys, need expert advice from people down here. I have decided to buy two split ACs for my two room flat in Kolkata (Calcutta). These ACs need to be installed in the two rooms.

Room Dimension

1st Room: 15 X 12 sq ft
2nd Room: 15 X 11 sqft

Room Height : 10 ft

My flat is situated on the 2nd floor of a six storied building facing north-west, so both the rooms in summer remains non sunny and cool from the morning till mid noon, after which sun begins to set in the west. So from 2 p.m. to 6 pm in a hot humid summer both the rooms receive sunlight from the west facing windows and become hot. Both the rooms have glass windows but are heavily curtained.

Daytime summer temperatures of Kolkata:

Avg Temp (°C): 37, Max Temp (°C): 43

Surfing I found out inverter ACs are the way to go, saves a lot of electricity bill. Also it is said that inverter AC on 1.1 ton capacity can easily cool like a 1.5 ton non-inverter AC.

I have come down to two options from my limited search:

1) Panasonic econ Inverter - Silver AC CS-PS12NKY (1 Ton)

Link: Panasonoc econ Inverter - Silver AC CS-PS12NKY

Link: Reliance Digital: Panasonoc econ Inverter - Silver AC CS-PS12NKY

2) Sharp AH-XP13NRV Inverter AC (1.1 Ton)

Link: Sharp AH-XP13NRV Inverter AC

Link: eZone: Sharp AH-XP13NRV Inverter AC

I am in desperate need of suggestion from you guys and need to finalize which one to buy.

Thanks in advance!!!
 
Please clarify the duration for which you plan to run the AC's. An inverter AC will provide substantial savings over a 5* rated one only if the duration of running is long and continuous. I guess the minimum running that should be targeted if you go for an inverter AC is around 7-8 hrs a day.

If you take a close look at the specifications of an inverter AC, you'll see that the starting cooling capacity (hence, power draw) for a 1.1T inverter machine is a little less than or almost equal to a 5* rated 1.5T machine. It is only in prolonged continuous usage that the power savings start when the inverter compressor reduces its speed vis-a-vis a non-inverter split that operates at full load whenever the compressor kicks in.

Other advantages of an inverter machine include: 1. Less temperature fluctuations and hence better comfort; 2. No undue voltage fluctuations as compressor does not siwtch on/off.

Reliable brands include: Daikin, Sharp, Panasonic, General. Do check out the service availability and response, parts availability before you freeze on any brand.
 
Please clarify the duration for which you plan to run the AC's. An inverter AC will provide substantial savings over a 5* rated one only if the duration of running is long and continuous. I guess the minimum running that should be targeted if you go for an inverter AC is around 7-8 hrs a day.

Thanks Chiranjib for the reply. The targeted time is at around 8 hours a day max.

If you take a close look at the specifications of an inverter AC, you'll see that the starting cooling capacity (hence, power draw) for a 1.1T inverter machine is a little less than or almost equal to a 5* rated 1.5T machine. It is only in prolonged continuous usage that the power savings start when the inverter compressor reduces its speed vis-a-vis a non-inverter split that operates at full load whenever the compressor kicks in.

Other advantages of an inverter machine include: 1. Less temperature fluctuations and hence better comfort; 2. No undue voltage fluctuations as compressor does not siwtch on/off.

Chiranjib will 1, 1.1 ton inverter ACs suffice my room dimensions? THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. Or do i need to go for 1.5 ton ones?

1.5 Tons are really costly, the sharp inverter one may cost 42K while the 1.1 ton costs 31.5K and comes with 3 meter copper tubing.

Reliable brands include: Daikin, Sharp, Panasonic, General. Do check out the service availability and response, parts availability before you freeze on any brand.

Kolkata being a metro city, sharp and pana have excellent service. Sharp goes quite well in Kolkata due to their excellent pricing but I am a little inclined towards Pana due to their R&D capability and being a leading innovator in this field.

Would love some more comments from you.
 
Hi RishiGuru,

Technically speaking, a 1.1T is just sufficient for the room dimensions given for you. However, for an inverter machine, it is suggested to go a step above the required capacity- the logic being a higher capacity (tonnage) machine would reach the desired temperature faster and hence, the compressor will attain the lower speed faster, translating into better savings. Hence, for your case, a 1.5T machine will do a better job in saving electricity as well, apart from cooling faster. For non-inverter machines, it is advisable to go for just the size required.

Had I been in your position, I would have gone ahead with a Panasonic machine. Panasonic is well invested in consumer electronics, apart from AC's and it is safe to assume that their service network will be good. I still suggest you find out for yourself the service response in your area.

You can check out the noise levels during operation of the various models across brands, if it is a concern for you.
About Panasonic being a leading innovator, I am not very sure!
 
Technically speaking, a 1.1T is just sufficient for the room dimensions given for you. However, for an inverter machine, it is suggested to go a step above the required capacity- the logic being a higher capacity (tonnage) machine would reach the desired temperature faster and hence, the compressor will attain the lower speed faster, translating into better savings. Hence, for your case, a 1.5T machine will do a better job in saving electricity as well, apart from cooling faster. For non-inverter machines, it is advisable to go for just the size required.

Thanks again for your valuable input. My room will generally be occupied with three persons max. Though I understand that 1.5T is the way to go for my room dimensions a 10k price jump between 1 ton to 1.5 ton is really limiting my decisions. But at the same time I do admit ACs are something on which you invest once and reap the benefits for years to come!!!

Got hold of this Panasonic AC Sizing Wizard App: Sizing Wizard

Providing a 4 X 4 meter dimension with no room insulation and having west facing windows, is app is telling to buy a 3.5 kw Pana inverter ac. Panasonic 1 ton inverter provides 3.37kW where as a 1.5 ton is capable of 5 kw. So right now I am in big confusion as to which way to go and whether buying two 1.5 tons and shelling out an additional 20k bucks over 1 tons will be the right way or not.

Had I been in your position, I would have gone ahead with a Panasonic machine. Panasonic is well invested in consumer electronics, apart from AC's and it is safe to assume that their service network will be good. I still suggest you find out for yourself the service response in your area.

Have already made up my mind not to go with the Sharp’s. Sharp is selling their AC division to Daiken most probably. So after few years their will be no after sales service of there Acs.

News: Sharp mulls sale of copier, air conditioner businesses - Nikkei | Reuters

About Panasonic being a leading innovator, I am not very sure!

Chiranjib if you were in my position which split ac, company and tonnage would you have gone for? I have zero knowledge regards Acs, so your comments will be very very helpful.

Thanks bro.
 
Chiranjib if you were in my position which split ac, company and tonnage would you have gone for? I have zero knowledge regards Acs, so your comments will be very very helpful.

Thanks bro.


Around 2 years ago, we went for 3 nos 5* rated Samsung split AC's. The general consensus is that Samsung AC's are not quality product. Inspite of this, I went for them because:
1. Trust in the brand, instilled through use of multiple products from the brand
2. Good relation with the service center in-charge. Hence, the possibility of free inspections and tid-bit services
3. Samsung 1 tonne AC's provide an impressive 3800+ W of cooling capacity- few brands offer this.
4. I ruled out going for an inverter AC because of limited usage of the AC's (combined running of the 3 AC's average around 5-6 hours daily).
5. Installation by factory-trained personnel (not out-sourced personnel)- hence superior installation.
6. Dad needed an AC which displays the set temperature.(This requirement narrowed the choice to Samsung & LG, among the many other available brands which also display temperature).

Contrary to popular experience, the AC's have given trouble-free performance till date (Touch Wood!).

At present, for Inverter AC's I would prefer Panasonic and Daikin (provided service response is good). For non-inverter, my choice lies in the General splits. Have seen a couple of them in operation and they failed not to impress me!
 
Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-I]

Introduction

Surviving Calcutta's super hot and humid summer last year, I finally made up my mind to go for Air Conditioners which are day by day becoming an essential equipment rather than luxury to middle class family like ours. With an ever increasing demand fueled with widely available EMI schemes, it has mooted variety of brands and products availability in the market. Some of the renowned brands that can be found in the market are Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Daikin, Panasonic, Sharp, LG, Carrier, O-General, Toshiba along with several indigenous brands like Voltas and BlueStar. Each of these brand offers non-Inverter air conditioners with variety of added features like inclusion of antibacterial air purifiers, anti-odour, etc where as the best of them having proper R&D facilities offers newer and much advanced technology like Inverter air conditioners.

In India room air conditioners are generally available from 0.8 to 2.5 Ton range denoting their cooling capacity class. Internationally the air conditioners are rated as 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3 HP (Horse Power).

Below is a chart of the cooling capacity class:

0.5 HP = 6,000 BTU/Hr = 0.5 Ton
1.0 HP = 9,000 BTU/Hr = 0.8 Ton
1.5 HP = 12,000 BTU/Hr = 1.0 Ton
2.0 HP = 17,100 BTU/Hr = 1.5 Ton
2.5 HP = 24,000 BTU/Hr = 2.0 Ton
...........................

As a consumer it became very difficult for me to determine which type air conditioners to vouch for, I mean Inverters or non-Inverters, the one that provides the best bang for the buck and is also extremely energy efficient to counter the rise of per unit cost of electricity?

One way was to go relatively cheaper non-Inverter route where air conditioners are rated from 1 ~ 5 stars in terms of efficiency by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Indian Union Ministry of Power. Affixing BEE star label has been made mandatory by BEE to all the manufactures for the benefit of general public, showing the level of energy consumption by non-Inverter air conditioner both in terms of absolute values as well as equivalent number of stars varying from one to five, in accordance with BEE stipulation. The greater the number of stars on the label, higher the appliance energy efficiency and lower its electricity consumption. While selecting non-Inverter air conditioners refer to the BEE Star Rated Label affixed is must.

Energy Efficiency of Air Conditioner

Efficiency of an air conditioner is normally measured as Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), which is the ratio of the cooling output, measured in British thermal units (BTU) per hour, to the power input (in Watts, and includes all inputs to compressor, fan motors and controls) to operate AC at standard rating conditions. This means a higher the EER, the more efficient the air conditioner is.

At times, EER is defined a little differently. The cooling capacity instead of being denoted in Btu/Hr is also denoted in Watts (1 BTU/Hr = 0.293 Watts). Thus EER is represented as Watts/ Watts or as a number without any units and will be assumed from now on.

EER Calculation of non-Inverter Air Conditioner

Non-Inverter Model: Hitachi i-Clean (RAU518ITDA)
Tonnage: 1.5 Ton
Star Rating: 5
Rated Cooling Capacity: 5274 watts
Total Power Drawn: 1524 watts
Rated EER: 5274/1524 = 3.46

So, the higher the EER number better is its efficiency and more costly it's going to be, due to the use of more advanced materials and technology.

BEE Chart of star ratings applicable to air conditioners for 2012 ~ 2013

1 Star -> 2.5 to 2.69 EER
2 Star -> 2.7 to 2.89 EER
3 Star -> 2.9 to 3.09 EER
4 Star -> 3.1 to 3.29 EER
5 Star -> 3.3 and upwards EER

And for 2014 ~ 2015

1 Star -> 2.7 to 2.89 EER
2 Star -> 2.9 to 3.09 EER
3 Star -> 3.1 to 3.29 EER
4 Star -> 3.3 to 3.49 EER
5 Star -> 3.5 and upwards EER

Let us assume someone buys a 5-star rated non-Inverter air conditioner in 2011 with EER of 3.1. By 2012 the same AC becomes a 4-star since 5-star requirement is 3.3, by 2014 a 3-star since 5-star now requires 3.5 and by 2016 a 2-star since 5-star now requires 3.7. By 2018 the same AC becomes a pesky 1-star AC since 5-star now requires 3.9. For non-Inverters it generally takes seven years for the epic climb down form 5-star to 1-star.
So, we find EER star rating of non-Inverter air conditioners as an ever moving target and its star rating is respective to the year a particular model was released. This is very important to keep in mind while going for non-Inverter air conditioners.

The other and more expensive way was to go for Inverter Air Conditioners which are sophisticated piece of equipment. At the very start of an air conditioners operation, powerful cooling is required to reach the set temperature. After the set temperature is reached, less cooling is required to maintain it. A conventional non-Inverter air conditioner can only operate at a rated capacity which is below the maximum capacity but still too powerful to maintain the set temperature. Thus, in attempting to maintain set temperature non-Inverter air conditioners switches the compressor ON and OFF repeatedly. This results in wider temperature fluctuations leading to wasteful consumption of electrical energy.

The Inverter air conditioners on the other hand have a full-output operation mode to operate at maximum capacity as soon as they start thus reaching the targeted temperature faster than non-Inverter and when the set temperature is achieved drastically reduce energy consumption by going into energy-saving operation mode by varying the rotational speed of the compressor along with the indoor and outdoor fan motors for optimum performance at all times. This provides a highly precise method of maintaining the set temperature and drastically reduces wasteful cooling operation and energy consumption.

Advantages of Inverter Air Conditioners

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To achieve this technical feat, in-built sensors from both indoor and outdoor units measuring temperature and humidity are processed at over 4000 times per second by Inverter air conditioners brain i.e. Digital Micro-computer Module which then maintains targeted room temperature and humidity by constantly controlling the voltage, current and frequency send to its highly energy efficient DC motor compressor and also sending commands to its highly sophisticated electronic pulse linear expansion valve to precisely control coolant pressure for more efficient heat exchange. In conjunction to the above activities the electronic module also controls speed of the indoor and outdoor fan units which contain high quality DC motors. DC motors are more efficient and save energy over conventional AC motors used in non-Inverters since they use magnetic force to operate.

'The Brain' of an Inverter Air Conditioner (Digital Micro-computer Module)

electronocdigitalcontro.jpg


One has to understand that technology comes at a price. The hard earned money one pays for Inverter air conditioners are put in using much better components which never came with non-Inverters, reaping their benefits in terms performance and efficiency with significant reduction in power consumption, not the mentioned the prolonged life-span with use of high quality materials. Also Inverter air conditioners produce no humidity when adjusting room temperature. This is very important since it is the moisture removed from the room which actually produces the feeling of cooling. If the air conditioners can effectively remove enough moisture from the room it will produce a feeling of comfort.

'The Brain' of Inverter Air Conditioners are generally located on the Outdoor Units and their heatsinks are cooled by the ODU fan

edcsq.jpg


Since I plan for extended use on a daily basis, I decided for Inverter ones over cheaper non-Inverters. I was astounded to learn in Japan almost all air conditioners are Inverter's where as in India the same Japanese air conditioner companies sell low cost non-Inverter, 5 star rated air conditioners at same price of Inverter air conditioners. The reason I believe is people awareness, very few people know about the real benefits Inverter's offer in terms of cooling performance, efficiency and low power consumption under part load conditions. This companies takes advantage of the situation and garner fat profit margins by selling 2~5 star rated age old technology.

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It have been over four months since I installed two 1.5 Ton Sharp Eco-Inverter (Model no: AH-XP18MV) air conditioners. These includes in-built Plusmacluster air purifier technology.

Sharp AH-XP18MV

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Personally, I am not the kind of person who buys a consumer product because Mr. 'X' had recommended buying product 'Y' from manufacturer 'Z'. After haplessly wandering in the forums for a month or so I understood people in India being unaware are still happily using stone age star rated non-Inverter technology filled with R22 refrigerant gas where as the rest of the developed countries have moved on to a whole new level with Inverters, filled with energy efficient and environmentally friendly R410A refrigerant gas.

In my vision, Inverters are the way to go, no matter if they cost more or less. In Japan, people do not think about how many hours they are going to use them, they just buy Inverter air conditioners. Thus all room air conditioners in Japan are Inverters. They not only look at the money aspect, they also save precious energy and environment.

Contd ...

Link: Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner
[Part-II]
 
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Congratulations on your purchase! It would be great if you can post a few snaps of the Indoor and Outdoor units.
 
Has anyone considered multi split inverters ? One out door unit, multiple indoors, Downside is, if it blows, both /all rooms no Ac, else Very economical

- - - Updated - - -

It has been over three months since I installed two 1.5 Ton Sharp Eco-Inverter air conditioners with built in Plusmacluster ion air purifiers. Model no: AH-XP18MV. I have done a lot of analysis and market study and to tell you the truth nothing can come close to inverter air conditioners in terms of efficiency and low electricity bills.

.........

Excellent post, thank you. Afew questions if you could answer them.

Why the decision for 1.5 Tons ? for the room size 1.0 ton inverter is more than enough.

Did you consider multisplit.

We are just passing winter, what was the usage pattern? was it used as a heater?
 
Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-II]

After some six months of market study, personal experiences while visiting various dealers/ showrooms I reached to the conclusion there are NO 'number one' or 'number two' among air conditioner manufacturers. Some companies like Hitachi & Daikin are revered in India and sale self advertised 'premium quality ' air conditioners due to their face value where as general consumer appliance manufacturers like LG & Samsung have their range from the very bottom to the top. Hitachi have an unprecedented reputation in India which they built through the last two decades when there was simply no competition at their level by providing excellent products at sky high prices. Amazingly even today with their extra-high quoted price people go by hype and buy them blindly because it's a 'Hitachi'.

But buyers like me who have done a through market study and want the most out of the rupee find the current landscape to have dramatically changed with multiple previously unknown international air conditioner companies jumping in the lucrative and nascent Indian air conditioner market raising the performance bar higher every year with cut throat competition. This is a boon for us buyers. In the Inverter air conditioner market I find Hitachi and Daikin as just two players along with Sharp, Panasonic, LG, Mitsubishi and Carrier.

After personally experiencing the Sharp, LG and Hitachi Inverter air conditioners, I found Sharp and LG's to be much superior than the similar Hitachi/Daikin ones in terms of performance, reliability and product quality. LG uses the most advanced technology of all Inverter air conditioners currently available in India and one will be a lucky to get their 1.5 Ton version at less than INR 54K. Also the product qualities of LG Inverter air conditioners are in altogether different premium level w.r.t. their non-Inverter air conditioners models.

But the real deal is how much you get at a certain price point (cost versus efficiency) and from that perspective Sharp Inverter's are truly hard to beat.

Sharp AH-XP18MV

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Specification

Indoor Unit [IDU]: Sharp AH-XP18MV
Outdoor Unit [ODU]: Sharp AU-X18MV

Cooling Capacity Range [kW]: (1.6 - 5.27 - 6)
Cooling Capacity Range [BTU/Hr]: (5,460 - 18,000 - 20,500)
Power Consumption [Min-Rated-Max]: (320 - 1,440 - 1900) watts
EER through Operating Range [Min-Rated-Max] (W/W): (5 - 3.66 - 3.16)
Rated Cooling Capacity: 5.27 kW/ 18,000 BTU/Hr
Rated Power Consumption: 1,440 watts
Rated EER (W/W): 3.66
Indoor Airflow Rate (CMM): 16.8
Indoor Noise Level (High): 44 dB
Outdoor Noise Level (High): 53 dB
Plasmacluster Air Purifier: Available
Refrigerant Gas: R410A
IDU Weight: 12 kg
ODU Weight: 35 kg

My 1.5 Ton Sharp AH-XP18MV Inverter air conditioner come fully imported from Thailand with an MRP of INR 50K. The indoor unit looks gorgeous, has amazing cooling performance capability and just oozes quality. Being the premium 1.5 Ton model, Sharp also have their patented Plasmacluster air purifier built inside it. If one can really bargain well he will get them for 43K. And if one can really really bargain like me, he will get them at 41K, below which the dealer will simply refuse to sale since their profit margin falls below 1K. In comparison the best price I got for the Hitachi i-Clean non-Inverter 1.5 Ton, 5 star air conditioner was a sky high 42K where as their i-Tec Inverter 1.5 Ton costs an earth shattering 56K!!!

I immediately dumped the Hitachi for their un-justified pricing and went for Sharp Inverters, other reasons being their excellent customer support and after sales service provided in Calcutta.

Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier Mechanism

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I was thus able to get two Sharp AH-XP18MV, 1.5 tonners at 82K along with complete free installation kits. After adding two pairs of best after market ODU brackets and installation charge, total damage to my wallet rested at INR 87K.

One of the key reasons opting for Sharp's other than performance and being a true VFM product was that they provide the best and safest installation kits out here, the liquid and gas side copper tubing are of 4 meters in length having class leading 0.8mm thickness which is super thick along with superior 4 meters of XPE insulation(white), 4 meters of 4-core electric wire, 4 meters of drain pipe et-al. Our installer (he is a very experienced professional being in this air conditioner installation business for over 30 years) said the pipes will last a lifetime and no company even Daikin & Hitachi provides the copper pipes of similar quality to connect the indoor unit to the outdoor unit as provided by Sharp.

Nature inspired NatureWing Cross-flow Indoor Fan

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Indoor Unit (IDU)

I found Sharp AH-XP18MV is using a new concept on their cross-flow fan design which they say is inspired by nature, called NatureWing. To me its just a new marketing name.:D The fan feature blades modeled on the shape of dragonfly's wings which have ridged surfaces that generate minuscule air eddies during flight. These eddies function like ball bearings to make their flight smoother with less effort. These new dragonfly wing shaped fan blades are said to harnesses the flow of air a bit better than previous designs to boost air circulation efficiency. I find the indoor units are super quite in Auto Mode and only when I select Super Jet function do I hear jet stream of air gushing out!!! In the end AH-XP18MV indoor unit's NatureWing concept is worth the salt as it is capable of achieving a max airflow rate of 16.8 CMM (cubic meter per minute) resulting in strong chilling windblasts. In contrast Carrier can do a max of 14.3, Daikin a 14.7, Mitsubishi a 15.1 and Hitachi a 16.7 with their respective 1.5 Ton Inverter models.

Outdoor Unit (ODU)

While comparing similar 1.5 Ton Inverter outdoor units, I found Sharp is using a bigger and higher cooling capacity Rotary Compressor for its class. With the compressor having quite advanced Torque Control Technology controlling load torque generated by the compressor rotation by combing it with the torque generated by the compressor's DC motor, substantially reducing noise and vibration of the compressor contributing to higher efficiency, and thus higher energy savings. The compressor drive technology is also quite advanced which adopts a 180° conductance sine wave instead of the conventional 120° conductance waveform used by its competitors resulting in smoothing of compressor motor rotation at high RPM (revolutions per minute). Lastly, the compressor unit of this Sharp Inverter comes enclosed inside an acoustic jacket to eliminate noise and makes the outdoor unit very quiet. It is so quite that it becomes hard for me to guess from a distance whether it is running or not until the ODU fan starts rotating.

Unlike the cheaper capillary used in non-Inverter air conditioners which allows free flow of the refrigerant gas, the Sharp Inverter's controls the flow according to the load needed by using technically superior and much more performance oriented Electronic Pulse Linear Expansion Valve. It has numerous settings to precisely control refrigerant flow which helps in drastically improving the efficiency of the desired cooling. It also helps in maintaining room temperature within a near accurate 0.5 degree centigrade variation of the set temperature unlike typical temperature change that occurs with non-Inverter air conditioners, thus reducing energy consumption.

Electronic Pulse Linear Expansion Valve

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While Mitsubishi, Daikin, Carrier & Panasonic Inverter air conditioners have a rated 17,100 BTU/Hr cooling capacity for their 1.5 Ton class, Sharp uses a compressor which being rated at 18,000 BTU/Hr equates to a 1.6 Ton Inverter. So +1 to Sharp.

On the other hand while comparing with 1.5 Ton non-Inverter models with fixed rated 17,100 BTU/Hr cooling capacity, I find this 1.5 Ton Sharp Inverter have a maximum cooling capacity of 20,500 BTU/Hr equating to a 1.8 Ton non-Inverter!!! This implies the Sharp Inverter will have a full-output operation mode of a 1.8 Ton non-Inverter to operate at maximum capacity as soon as it starts thus reaching the targeted temperature faster than a 1.5 Ton non-Inverter and then gradually reduce its energy consumption by coming down to its rated cooling capacity of 1.6 Ton. When the set temperature is achieved it will drastically reduce energy consumption by going to energy-saving operation mode and rolling down to a minimum cooling capacity of just 5,460 BTU/Hr which equates to an amazingly tiny 0.4 Ton non-Inverter. This is the reason why dealers say a 1.5 Ton Inverter will suffice for a 2 Ton non-Inverter. So +10 to Inverter technology.


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Contd ...

Link: Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-III]
 
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Thank you for the pics. A clean installation I must say!

You can consider getting a cover for your ODU, to be used when there would be prolonged duration of unuse (if at all).
 
Looks nice, but what about this? :p How long is the warranty period anyway? :
Have already made up my mind not to go with the Sharp’s. Sharp is selling their AC division to Daiken most probably. So after few years their will be no after sales service of there Acs.


LG uses the most advanced technology of all inverter air conditioners currently available in India

Secondly, LG & Sharp uses complete all-aluminum, lighter, much more efficient & durable condensers
What is the advanced tech LG is using?

I think pretty much all companies are shifting to aluminium condensers only because its cheaper, less corrosive, easy to recycle, etc. Copper actually has better heat exchange properties than aluminium.
 
Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-III]

Outdoor Unit (ODU)

One of the key reason to opt for Sharp Inverters were the use of complete all-aluminum, galvanic corrosion resistant, more efficient & durable condensers having canalicular tubing resulting in superior refrigerant flow velocity, improved heat exchange efficiency and decreased heat transfer loss from tube to fin in their outdoor units. This modern condensers are costlier as well as lighter to age old, bulky, less efficient copper-aluminum condensers with circular tubing that other manufacturers like Hitachi, Daikin and Panasonic uses to save cost.

All-Aluminium Canalicular Tubed Condenser VS Copper-Aluminium Circular Tubed Condenser

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All-aluminium canalicular tubed condensers are definitely the next step towards advanced technology and improved efficiency where the refrigerant enters multiple tubes at the same time, therefore enhancing the air conditioners performance and reduce the power consumption. Such efficient condensers with high heat capacity have long been used in cars and are designed with increased surface area and less resistance to airflow enabling improved thermal efficiency and much better performance compared to copper-aluminium circular tubed condensers. They also call for special carefully designed outdoor condenser fans for proper heat expulsion. Sharp says AH-XP18MV employs a newly shaped fan blade which is based on the aeronautical theories of NASA and is run by a highly efficient DC fan motor. The redesigned fan blade cross-section with an ideal streamline is said to increase "lift" (the principle by which airplanes fly), thereby achieving a high rotation efficiency of 120-170% compared to their previous outdoor fans having superior blowing performance. A more detailed analysis can be found on below post in this thread:

Link: All-aluminum Micro-channel (Canalicular tubed) VS Copper-coil with aluminum plate-fin condenser

Being all-aluminum the outdoor units of Sharp 1.5 Ton Inverter's weighs just 35 kilos having a much smaller footprint with reduced weight. In contrast the similar 1.5 Ton Inverter outdoor units from Daikin are much bigger and weigh 47 kilos!!! Due to use of all-aluminum canalicular tubing, Sharp 1.5 Ton Inverter requires just 700 grams of R410A refrigerant gas to cool while the same 1.5 Ton Inverter air conditioners from Hitachi, Daikin & Panasonic using circular tubed copper-aluminum condensers requires 1.5 kg of R410A gas to cool the same area!!!

Amazingly with even less than half the refrigerant gas available this Sharp 1.5 Ton Inverter air conditioner still comes out on top with class leading cooling performance scientifically measured as EER of 3.66 (W/W) and at the same time be more environmentally conscious by using less gas. Performance & efficiency speaks. In contrast the Daikin could manage an EER of just 3.23 while Hitachi does a little better of EER of 3.51. Mind you both of them cost a minimum of 15K over this Sharp!!!

Rated EER of some 1.5 Ton Inverter air conditioners available in India (Higher value means more energy efficient):

Sharp (AH-XP18MV): 3.66
Hitachi (RAU018EQE): 3.51
LG (BS-Q186C7M1): 3.34
Carrier (42CVSR018-703): 3.31
Panasonic (CS-S18NKYP): 3.27
Daikin (FTKS50): 3.23
Mitsubishi Electric (MSY-GE18VA): 3.12

Sharp Inverters not only have the best cooling performance in 1.5 Ton category, it has one of the widest cooling capacity range. As Inverter air conditioners are constantly varying its cooling capacity according to needs, when set temperature is achieved the Hitachi will climb down from its rated cooling capacity 5.33 kW to minimum of 2.37 kW to save power consumption, Daikin will climb even lower from their rated 5 kW to 1.7 kW to save a little more than Hitachi while Sharp will climb down from rated 5.27 kW to even lower 1.6 kW and consume even less power under part load.

Comparison of cooling capacity range (Min - Rated - Max):

LG (BS-Q186C7M1): (0.9 - 5.2 - 6) kW. Range: 6 - 0.9 = 5.10 kW
Sharp (AH-XP18MV): (1.6 - 5.27 - 6) kW. Range: 6 - 1.6 = 4.40 kW
Daikin (FTKS50): (1.7 - 5 - 6) kW. Range: 6 - 1.7 = 4.30 kW
Mitsubishi (MSY-GE18VA): (1.4 - 5 - 5.4) kW. Range: 5.4 - 1.4 = 4 kW
Hitachi (RAU018EQE): (2.37 - 5.33 - 6.04) kW. Range: 6.04 - 2.37 = 3.67 kW

LG Inverters are simply unbeatable with their widest cooling capacity range of 5.10 kW and under part load conditions can come down from their rated 5.2 kW to an amazing 0.9 kW consuming very very less power. Hats off to LG to perform such a technically daunting task for controlling a 6 kW compressor to run smoothly at just 0.9 kW!!!

An important aspect to note is Inverter air conditioners are not star rated in India due to their variable cooling capacity and power consumption which results to variable energy efficiency. They are more or less super star rated!!!

EER Calculation of Inverter Air Conditioner

Inverter Model: Sharp AH-XP18MV
Rated Tonnage: 1.5 Ton
Star Rating: Not Applicable
Cooling Capacity (Min/ Rated/ Max): 1600/ 5270/ 6000 watts
Total Power Drawn (Min/ Rated/ Max): 320/ 1440/ 1900 watts
EER through the Operating Range: 1600/ 320, 5270/1440, 6000/1900 = 5/ 3.66/ 3.16

From the above calculation we find my Sharp AH-XP18MV Inverter model having an EER which is constantly varying between 3.16 to 5, while the Hitachi non-Inverter model discussed above always having a constant EER of 3.46. In other words the Inverters have varying efficiency and as much the air conditioners can reduce its cooling capacity greater will be their overall efficiency. But it is tough to do from a technical point of view.

Inverter air conditioner for every three hours of operation are said to reduce power consumption w.r.t. a non-Inverter air conditioner of same capacity by roughly:

30% in comparison to a 5 star rated
35% in comparison to a 4 star rated
40% in comparison to a 3 star rated
45% in comparison to a 2 star rated
50% in comparison to a 1 star rated

According to Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for non Inverter air conditioners to qualify for a 5 star rating a minimum EER as below is required:

2012-2013 -> 3.3 (W/W), 2014-2015 -> 3.5 (W/W), 2016-2017 -> 3.7 (W/W)

My Sharp AH-XP18MV -> 3.66 (W/W) = ~ 3.7 (W/W)

Standing in 2012, my Sharp AH-XP18MV Inverter air conditioners not only surpasses the 5 star requirement of 2015 with flying colors, it also matches 5 star requirement of 2017!!! And that too it is an Inverter which means it will provide better cooling performance than a 5 star rated non Inverter air conditioner of 2017 while consuming even less power.

Long live Inverter air conditioners. I advice everyone to go for Inverter air conditioners eyes closed, it is the future.

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Contd ...

Link: Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-IV]
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Have already made up my mind not to go with the Sharp’s. Sharp is selling their AC division to Daiken most probably. So after few years their will be no after sales service of there Acs.
Looks nice, but what about this?

Those were my early findings and I forgot to update these thread. Those comments made by the publishing agency regarding Sharp AC now seem rumors; three months have already passed nothing happened. Sharp Malaysia and Sharp Thailand from where these ACs are manufactured and imported seems unaffected with Sharp Malaysia specifically publishing a letter in their website implying all these media generated comments are baseless. I have personally mailed to Sharp executive in India and have been assured nothing from the customer end is going to suffer. All in all I am very happy with the performance of these ACs.

What is the advanced tech LG is using?

Have you seen the LG inverter ACs in action? I have for many long hours. One of my colleagues bought a LG 1.5 Ton inverter (BS-Q186C7M1) last summer and installed it in the room facing the sun. His bedroom is a little smaller having a Hitachi 1.5 Ton inverter (RAU018EQE). Even leaving the numbers aside we found the LG to be far superior to the Hitachi in terms of performance and built quality.

I think pretty much all companies are shifting to aluminium condensers only because its cheaper, less corrosive, easy to recycle, etc. Copper actually has better heat exchange properties than aluminium.

Copper has better heat exchange properties than aluminum. YES
Aluminum is the most prominently used heat sink material because of its lower cost. YES

But it is not the use of aluminum in condensers but how the are made. I found Sharp's all aluminum condensers uses canalicular tubing for superior refrigerant flow which results in better heat exchange efficiency and in having metallically joined tube to fin. After all the same condensers are used in all cars from 2 lakh to 1 crore to cool their engines and are better known a water radiators!!! An all aluminum condenser with canalicular tubing is far superior than copper aluminum condensers with circular tubing. And yes they are more costly than copper aluminum ones due to their manufacturing complexity.
 
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with Sharp Malaysia specifically publishing a letter in their website implying all these media generated comments are baseless.
Tried looking around but couldn't find it. Any chance you have the link bookmarked?


Have you seen the LG inverter ACs in action?
Even leaving the numbers aside we found the LG to be far superior to the Hitachi in terms of performance and built quality.
So is it that the LG can drop its compressor to lower operation levels or its just a lot more efficient? Haven't seen any inverters in action :ashamed:, but I have seen regular LG models and they always felt mass market/plasticky. Was wondering why their inverters were so expensive in comparison and thought it was probably because of the 'new to the market' price gouging.


But it is not the use of aluminum in condensers but how the are made.
And yes they are more costly than copper aluminum ones due to their manufacturing complexity.
Yeah precisely :). Was just a little surprised when reading their brochure which seemed to point at aluminium being better than copper when really it was the flat tube design and more closely packed fins that seemed better.
 
Review of Sharp AH-XP18MV 1.5Ton Eco-Inverter Air Conditioner [Part-IV]

One of my Sharp AH-XP18MV, 1.5 Ton Eco Inverter Air Conditioner with In-Built Plasmacluster Air Purifier

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My other Sharp AH-XP18MV

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Front View (IDU)

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Side View (IDU)

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Display shows power consumption instead of indoor air temparature. 0.1kw means equal or less than 100 watts consumed (Running in Auto mode)

ahxp18mv3.jpg


Full blast with Super Jet function + Plasmacluster air purifier in Auto mode. Varying power consumption now showing 0.8 kW = 800 watts

ahxp18mv14.jpg


Some other shots of the Indoor Unit

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Remote Control Unit

ahxp18mv8.jpg


Sharp AU-X18MV [Outdoor Unit]

ahxp18mv4.jpg


ahxp18mv9.jpg


ahxp18mv13.jpg


Sharp AU-X18MV outdoor unit implementing much advanced all-aluminum condenser with canalicular tubing

ahxp18mv11.jpg


ahxp18mv10.jpg


------------------------------------------------------

Since finished installing the Sharp Inverter air conditioners during last winter months I refrain to provide a conclusive personal review as of now. Even though the air conditioners are chilling the rooms in no time, let the summer heat of May and June arrive and then only I believe a conclusive personal review can be written. Follow this thread for future updates.

Enjoy!!!

---END---
 
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with Sharp Malaysia specifically publishing a letter in their website implying all these media generated comments are baseless.

Tried looking around but couldn't find it. Any chance you have the link bookmarked?

Link: http://web.sharp.com.my/news/Memo_News Related To Sharp Corp Japan.pdf

sharpmalayasiastatement.jpg


Thank you for the pics. A clean installation I must say!

From the very onset it was clear to me no matter how energy efficient air conditioner I buy, if they are not installed properly their performance & efficiency is going to climb down to the pit hole.

So along with my continuing study regarding air conditioners a parallel effort went on in finding professionally certified air conditioner installers. Truly speaking they are hard to come by in Kolkata and they generally do not do home installations. After a lot of hit and miss I was able to come in contact with a professionally certified air conditioner installer who after multiple requests said “OK”.

The main installer being very busy during weekdays finally arrived on a fine Sunday morning with three other people completely armed with an amount of tool kit and drill sets one generally needs to overhaul a car. I thought it is going to take them at least four to five hours to do two completely new installations but they amazingly did them in two hours flat!!!

I watched them very carefully and their installation exercise can be best described as a careful execution of well coordinated step by step procedures with zero cross-talk. I was just astounded by the fact that no body was talking while just performing their intended work in silence with my wife usually breaking in with her comments as of where the AC needs to be fitted in respect to the window curtains!!!

In the end when I handed over the service charge, I asked him about the Sharp air conditioners and his comments was in India Sharp does not enjoy the equal brand recognition of Hitachi, but their air conditioners are among the best out there. At INR 41K a real steal. Also the installation kits are the best he has seen for home purpose.

According to him inverters are the way to go. He said India is in a nascent stage of air conditioner business and this inverter technology was available in Dubai some five years back when he used to work there.

You can consider getting a cover for your ODU, to be used when there would be prolonged duration of unuse (if at all).

From where can I get this covers?
 
So is it that the LG can drop its compressor to lower operation levels or its just a lot more efficient?

I think there are some misconceptions here. As we all know the efficiency of air conditioners are generally measured in Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) so to illustrate let us consider an Inverter and a non-Inverter air conditioner from a renowned company, say Hitachi of 1.5 Ton capacity.

Non-Inverter Model: Hitachi i-Clean (RAU518ITDA)

Star Rating: 5
Rated Cooling Capacity: 5274 watts
Total Power Drawn: 1524 watts
EER: 5274/ 1524 = 3.46

Since non-Inverter air conditioners run at a constant speed their EER always remain a constant. Now let us consider their Inverter model.

Inverter Model: Hitachi i-TEC (RAU018EQE)

Star Rating: Not Applicable
Cooling Capacity (Min/ Rated/ Max): 2370/ 5330/ 6040 watts
Total Power Drawn (Min/ Rated/ Max): 530/ 1520/ 1850 watts

Varying EER: 2370/ 530, 5330/1520, 6040/1850 = 4.47/ 3.51/ 3.27

Here we find their Inverter model having a EER which is constantly varying between 3.27 to 4.47, while their non-Inverter model always having a constant EER of 3.46. In other words the Inverters have varying efficiency and as much the air conditioners can reduce its cooling capacity greater will be their overall efficiency. But it is tough to do from a technical point of view.
 
From where can I get this covers?
You can purchase water-proof cloth and get the cover made by a tailor. That is how we did. Take care not to make an absolutely tight- fitting cover as it will get torn easily on repeated use. Also equip the covers with straps which would prevent the cover from getting blown away by wind.
 
LG uses the most advanced technology of all Inverter air conditioners currently available in India
What is the advanced tech LG is using?

Below are some points in reference to LG 1.5 Ton Inverter air conditioner (BS-Q186C7M1) which I believe makes them the class leader in India:

1) Most powerful airflow of all Inverters out there with a maximum indoor airflow rate of 19.5 cubic meter/min which can extend upto 30 feet. In contrast Daikin can do a max of 14.7, Hitachi a 16.7 and Sharp a 16.8. Personal experiences with Hitachi, LG and Sharp affirm this to be true. LG pumps chilling cool windblasts!!!

2) Indoor Unit is super silent thanks to the use of unique skew fan which minimizes surface pressure of the fan blade when in contact with air thus reducing peak noise and is powered by the most powerful brush-less DC motor using Neodymium magnets ever used in indoor units in India. Use of Neodymium magnets inside the motor greatly enhances efficiency and torque, capable to revolve the fan at much higher revolutions per minute resulting in phenomenal windblasts. Being brush-less they produce very less noise. Personal experiences with Hitachi, LG and Sharp affirm this to be true. LG currently hold the record of India's lowest noise level of 19 dB.

3) As Inverter air conditioners are constantly varying its cooling capacity according to the needs, when set temperature is achieved the Hitachi will climb down from its rated cooling capacity 5.33 kW to minimum of 2.37 kW to save power consumption, Daikin will climb even lower from their rated 5 kW to 1.7 kW to save more power, Sharp will climb down from rated 5.27 kW to even lower 1.6 kW and consume even less power under part load. LG Inverters are simply unbeatable with their widest cooling capacity range of 5.10 kW and under part load conditions can come down from their rated 5.2 kW to an amazing 0.9 kW consuming very very less power. Hats of to LG to perform such a technically daunting task for controlling a 6 kW compressor to run smoothly at just 0.9 kW!!!

4) Like Sharp uses of all-aluminium condensers with canalicular tubing on there outdoor units which are the next step towards advanced technology and improved efficiency where the refrigerant enters multiple tubes at the same time, therefore enhancing the air conditioners performance and reduce the power consumption.

5) While LG uses the same type of ionizer air purifier as Sharp Plasmacluster, it adds a air filter to remove harmful substances floating in the air which is an added bonus.

6) Just awesome built quality. Triple thumbs up here. Please do not mix it with other LG non-Inverters here. They do not even come close.

Some shots taken in the LG exclusive showroom while buying my friends LG 1.5 Ton Inverter air conditioner. Both 1.5 and 2 Ton(in display) uses the same indoor unit below:

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Photo1089.jpg

Photo1091.jpg

Just look at the size of that thing!!! Comes at INR 54K which is 2K cheaper than Hitachi Inverter(no air filter or ionizer).

If I had the budget of over INR 1 lakh, would have definitely gone for these LGs all the way for my two rooms.:)

EDIT [12-May-2013]

I am quite sad at LG's current build quality. It seems LG have dropped their Inverter AC's product quality from BEST to WORST in no time with a hefty reduction on price. It has been just about a year and a half that my friend got the LG 1.5 Ton (BS-Q186C7M1).

The older 1.5 Ton LG Inverter (Model No: BS-Q186C7M1) unit over which my previous assessments were based used to be 10 grand costlier than this new model and had much better build quality with no issues. My friend is super happy with this old unit. The indoor unit also used to be much more advanced than the current one in having double horizontal louvers to precisely control airflow and many more types of advanced air filters were provided. It also used to come with free installation kit.

The current models IDU is more of a knocked down version of the former model in having a single top hinged horizontal louver and Plasmaster. It seems a copycat of the unique top hinged louver topology of Sharp along with its Plasmacluster. Also it does not come with installation kit any more.

In other words LG have cut corners to be in the competitive Inverter market. Though LG have slightly better performance than Sharp in the 1.5 Ton category, no more can I say they come with equal built quality. We have seen issues with broken louvers of IDU’s. Almost every forum member here or in other forums are facing some kind of manufacturing or design issue where the ODU fan grill is touching the fan which amazingly persists in almost all their current Inverter models and in extreme cases busted new ODU's !!!

Take a look: http://www.techenclave.com/community/threads/split-ac-installation-question.147499/
 
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