Need suggestions for buying AC

[oncestudentalwaysstudent]

I am looking to buy a Split AC for a room size of 11 x 12 with direct sunlight on the roof, the temp here goes close to 40~44C so we can imagine its hot. The AC will run most of the day also during the night, What I've heard that 5 star doesn't saves the amount of electric as compared to the money we spend upfront so I am open to suggestions for 3 or 5 star ratings.

AC will be purchased locally but the dealer asked me to give him specific model no. so he can get me the quote locally (possibly lower than online price, Though I can opt for online purchase too). I've used Voltas AC Windows for few years and later purchased General 2T windows AC but as we know General AC's are expensive so looking for good reliable brand but not too expensive. I see AC's range from 30k to 40k so would like to have a budget somewhere around 35k.

Any recommendations? Things to keep in mind?

hi . sharing some inputs i collected from some real leg work [ phyical and digital space ] for a 1.5 T ac .this i did 2 years ago

Factors considered :
Price . Real cooling and able to hold cooling in 50degree plus temperature . After sales service . Sound level in db [ though in split ac not much of concern ] . Durability [ atleast it should be useful for 7 year or so ]. Electricity consuption hence looked for inverter ac .

1.brands i found should be good in very high temerature regions [ like rajasthan or arid areas of haryana , gujarat , mp, hyderabad telangana regaion , few areas of maharastra ]
for 1.5 T hitachi [34k] , fujitshu general [55k] , mitshubishi [52k+] , trane [ not able to recollect but price was less as compared to fujitshu general and mitshubishi.
finally choose hitachi mirai series. rest were very costly .


mitshubishi : is costly and should be used in commercial spaces where real good flow of ac is needed
fujitsu general : same as above
trane : v good flow but after sales may be issue and no unit available in interver mode then

2.go for inverter ac [ ac will run at varried capacity adjusting itself unlike non inverter one ]

3.see how is service in your town


untill now the ac is working smoothly [ call the customer care through hitachi app once a year ]
there are some dedicated forums for saving electricity and they do the testing of equipments as well .please take a look on them as well.

brands Voltas , LG , Carrier , Blue star , Daikin are also good but somehow during the search i was convinced not to go for them .

do share which one you choose and why as things change quickly even with one product launch [ like poco f1 ]
atb

 

[LaatSahab]

Been looking for a decent non-inverter Split AC of 1.5 ton capacity for quite some time now. First choice has always been General, but current price of such unit is rather too much when one looks at other brands such as LG, Samsung etc. Earlier Carrier and BlueStar could hold candle to General but don't know how are their products faring now in market. So, in short, if not General then what good be a good 2nd choice. Room size is 16x13, and its roof gets hit by direct Sunlight. Not looking for power saving, so not interested in Star rating or Inverter models.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

Get a Diakin non inv brand. I think you will need to go for 2 ton since your room size ready crosses 200 sq feet. Plus passive heating from the roof. 3 * should suffice. Also, what is the avg temps at your place?
Hitachi is also a good brand. But you need to check if they are offering any non-inv models.

 

[LaatSahab]

In last 2 days the average temperature read was 42 degree with "real feel" going as high as 46 degrees (N-E Haryana).
Got back from Recon; all quotes are for Non-Inverter models.
Hitachi has 2 models, 1.8 ton for 47K and 1.5 ton for 45K. Blue Star 1.5 ton for 36K, Lloyd 1.5 ton for 34K. In case someone is wondering, General has 2 1.5 ton models, Residential one for 50K, Commercial one for 54K and a 2 ton Commercial one for 66K.
Price wise, Lloyd fits my bill nicely as I have to buy a 300 to 340 ltr fridge too and want to keep it all under 50-60K, but I'm not sure about how it would perform in my usage scenario.

 

[skoka123]

Another option you could consider for solid build quality are ACs from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Not Mitsubishi Electric).

 

[LaatSahab]

Saw them earlier, they too cost similar to General ones.
A question; Many dealers quote "10 feet Copper Pipe" connecting the indoor and outdoor unit as an extra. Is it really so? Is it not part of the standard package delivered by the company? If one buys Split AC online, then won't it be part of box contents?

 

[gopal_agrawal]

Saw them earlier, they too cost similar to General ones.
A question; Many dealers quote "10 feet Copper Pipe" connecting the indoor and outdoor unit as an extra. Is it really so? Is it not part of the standard package delivered by the company? If one buys Split AC online, then won't it be part of box contents?

Most companies now a days are not giving the copper pipe in standard package. It needs to buy during installation.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

Do consider the compressor capabilities to cool under extreme stress. Many well known brands including Voltas find it difficult to cool under load. Also consider the servicing feedback if you are going for Lloyd.
I would rather get a brand known for their compressor capabilities.

 

[blackhorn]

Just my two cents on this topic. Inverter Acs generally run at higher pressures, and at least in my particular case. More prone to failure(the coil). Inverter acs also do not translate into lesser electricity bills, especially if it’s undersized for the room. In terms of ownership, windows ac’s are less efficient but last longer, due to their better serviceability. If you consider all the factors, it’s a close run horse race. It’s much more imperative to choose the right tonnage for your application. Use a good calculator(I think carrier or blue star have one on third site for Indian conditions), enter all the relavant parameters. As for brands, I think it’s all a bit pointless. Get the cheapest one. I’ve recently installed a split unit from Napoleon, they use the reciprocatory based kit from general, happy so far. Doesn’t have the louver orientation options. But, effective.

 

[technofast]

I am looking to buy 3 airconditioners of various tonnage. I would like to replace decade old Voltas airconditioners (13 years to be precise). I don't have any problem with these airconditioners as of now and the cooling is also good as it is being serviced regularly. Only problem it is gobbling up electricity charges like sometime to an extent of buying a new airconditioner. I would like to buy inverter airconditioners if it would really bring down the electricity charges but I have also been advised not buy inverter airconditioners as the PCB in it will fail quickly. Do I have a choice here if there are any airconditioners with an extended warranty for the PCB maybe for 3 to 5 years?

 

[blackhorn]

buying a new airconditioner

well you will still have to run it no. Ac's buying is a fraction of a cost need to run in the long term.

not buy inverter airconditioners as the PCB in it will fail quickly

well that a possibility with BLDC motor based controlling circuits. Also some companies are offering coils coated with ocean black, they are not a guarantee of the coils never failing, but a safe guard, can be a nice to have.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

I would like to buy inverter airconditioners if it would really bring down the electricity charges

If your usage is more(6-7 hours on an average) only then will getting an inv ac help you with power savings.

have also been advised not buy inverter airconditioners as the PCB in it will fail quickly.

Not necessarily. There are many factors for failures so no one can predict the time when it will fail. Also if you can provide proper care for ODU(shade, regular cleaning, protect from rain)then you could increase the life of the ac in general and PCB in particular.
Also the cost of the replaced PCB might be same or ightly more than the amount spent for extended warranty. Hence, I did not opt for the same. While LG has me covered for most of the issues, I cannot comment about other brands.

 

[sauravghosh]

My room has 1.2 ton (1190W) window AC (some 5 star Hitachi from 2011 with EER 3.28). If I run it for 6 hours (at auto mode) it consumes like 7 units. If I opt for some inverter AC of present how much savings will I be looking at? Also, whether there are any non inverter ACs which can save power as well? I don't use my unit due to high power usage, if it were low I would use it for like 12 hours every day.

This is a unit which was serviced only once in its lifetime. I presume with inverter ACs servicing is needed on yearly basis?

 

[technofast]

If your usage is more(6-7 hours on an average) only then will getting an inv ac help you with power savings.

Not necessarily. There are many factors for failures so no one can predict the time when it will fail. Also if you can provide proper care for ODU(shade, regular cleaning, protect from rain)then you could increase the life of the ac in general and PCB in particular.
Also the cost of the replaced PCB might be same or ightly more than the amount spent for extended warranty. Hence, I did not opt for the same. While LG has me covered for most of the issues, I cannot comment about other brands.

If your usage is more(6-7 hours on an average) only then will getting an inv ac help you with power savings.

Not necessarily. There are many factors for failures so no one can predict the time when it will fail. Also if you can provide proper care for ODU(shade, regular cleaning, protect from rain)then you could increase the life of the ac in general and PCB in particular.
Also the cost of the replaced PCB might be same or ightly more than the amount spent for extended warranty. Hence, I did not opt for the same. While LG has me covered for most of the issues, I cannot comment about other brands.

Definitely it will be more than 6 to 7 hrs of useage infact it will be around 10 to 12 hrs daily useage. Also are there any reputed brands that give atleast three years warranty on PCB? Mostly I would like to go with LG A/C's. I do service the existing A/C's regularly by completely dismantling the inside unit and washing it thoroughly.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

Also are there any reputed brands that give atleast three years warranty on PCB?

LG already gives 5 yrs PCB warranty, hence I got an AC from LG. I am a lil doubtful if any of the brands would give beyond 5 yrs for PCB.

If I opt for some inverter AC of present how much savings will I be looking at?

There are many factors which go into power savings such as heat source within the room(members, pc and other heat producing elements) and outside the room(mostly the sun). So difficult to tell. But rest assured there will be savings especially if you run for long hours as the compressor slows down to minimise consumption after the set temps are reached.
In a very restricted environment with no factors influencing the AC, I had a power usage near to 210Watts at 28C and no power savings. This is my case.. point is you will see savings and cooling when run within the 24-26C window.

I presume with inverter ACs servicing is needed on yearly basis?

Again it depends on your usage. Longer use will attract dirt, gunk which will need regular cleaning for optimum performance. However, cleaning on a yearly basis is a good practice.

 

[LaatSahab]

What are real world "reviews" of AC from Reliance (REConnect) and Amazon Basics ? Who's the OEM for Amazon ones ? Are they any good?
Please do tell what is the difference between Carrier and Midea products? Latter seem to be priced lower than Carrier even though the company is the same.

 

[sauravghosh]

LG already gives 5 yrs PCB warranty, hence I got an AC from LG. I am a lil doubtful if any of the brands would give beyond 5 yrs for PCB.

There are many factors which go into power savings such as heat source within the room(members, pc and other heat producing elements) and outside the room(mostly the sun). So difficult to tell. But rest assured there will be savings especially if you run for long hours as the compressor slows down to minimise consumption after the set temps are reached.
In a very restricted environment with no factors influencing the AC, I had a power usage near to 210Watts at 28C and no power savings. This is my case.. point is you will see savings and cooling when run within the 24-26C window.

Again it depends on your usage. Longer use will attract dirt, gunk which will need regular cleaning for optimum performance. However, cleaning on a yearly basis is a good practice.

That's where I use my ACs at. 27 is my preferred temp but in peak summer afternoon I just set it at auto and that means 25.

So this is where the power savings come from in inverter ACs then, hmm. After reaching the set temp (which takes about 90 mins in my room, from 32 to 25 and also I think 1.2 ton maybe is on the lower side considering size of the room) the compressor goes to a low power mode (instead of shutting down completely in case of old ones like mine), wherein it consumes only 210 watts/ h when AC temp is set at 28 degrees. Wow, I mean this is a huge savings. Imagine sleeping at night and listening to the compressor turning on and all you think is oh there starts the 1200W burn... Lmao

Please mention the model no. of the LG you have if you don't mind. Also, among General, Mitsubishi, Daikin, Hitachi and Blue Star is there any consensus on which inverter ACs' PCB work most reliably, assuming they all provide warranty of 5 years? I know LG makes good products but I just would like to stick with the brands I know and have used in past decades.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

wherein it consumes only 210 watts/ h when AC temp is set at 28 degrees.

Do note that I have no or very little external heat source. The west side facing the window gets heat from the sun between 3-5pm. Apart from that I have no other major heat source(laptop,if you may call it). If you have sources of heat then the power consumption would vary. It would also vary from brand to brand. LG is very aggressive with power saving so it starts to reduce power 2-3C before reaching the set temps(can't confirm personally, read this view on YT). So If you are on of those who require very high cooling(around 20C), then skip inv acs. Inv ac are designed with power saving in mind. Ofcourse, how companies tune their PCB also contribute to how well it cools.
Also day time the consumption is on the higher side. Yesterday afternoon, running at 26C consumed around 400-500W/h. At night switched on AC at 11:30pm at 27C at 40% capacity, by today morning at 5:20am it was pulling in only 181W/h. So it proves savings are more at night time which makes sense as there are no major heat source.

Please mention the model no. of the LG you have

MS-Q18KNYA1. It is a 4 star rated 1.5 ton.
If your average ambient temps in summer hover in excess of 42C, then go with the Japanese brands. They have reliable compressor and PCB's capable of cooling even at 52C(both ambient and compressor heat load). Most of my friends in Delhi have opted for either Diakin or Voltas. All among the mentioned above are good and reliable brands and hence their justified higher cost. Can't comment on BlueStar. I had a Hitachi non-inv prior to this and it turned out to be a lemon. But it gave one of the best cooling till it was functional. Then it was plagued with leakages and this cancer just kept growing and growing. Regarding warranty period, you would be better of enquiring on own. Diakin does give 5y on PCB, 10Y on compressor.

Long story short..
1. if max cooling, go for any of the Japanese brands.
2. best of both worlds and ambient temps not very high like in coastal areas, LG, Panasonic, Carrier, Voltas etc.
3. if comfortable with slightly lower performance, other local brands do exist.. electrolux, GREE etc.

 

[sauravghosh]

Do note that I have no or very little external heat source.
Long story short..
1. if max cooling, go for any of the Japanese brands.
2. best of both worlds and ambient temps not very high like in coastal areas, LG, Panasonic, Carrier, Voltas etc.
3. if comfortable with slightly lower performance, other local brands do exist.. electrolux, GREE etc.

Thanks once again. Well for me heat source is much bigger. The entire roof is exposed to sunlight from sunrise to sunset and one side of the wall is exposed directly as well. At night, I use my desktop so there's that. But I don't think at night heat source will be a problem because other than my PC no additional heat is being generated in the room to counter the cooling. So once a temp within the room is reached, i don't suppose the compressor needs to work hard from that point. Daytime is a different story altogether and I don't care much about it as I've come to know that power usage will be at the highest during daytime due to constant heat generation.

I live in Calcutta, so in peak summer high 30s and maybe low 40s for a week or so but raw temp isn't the problem here, humidity is.

I'll just stick with the Japanese brands anyway. I don't need super duper cooling (as I said I'm okay with 27 degrees and never went below 25 anyway) but cooling efficiency definitely matters. The one time cost of the AC isn't a problem (as long as it doesn't cross 50k), so I'll just check the warranty thing on PCB and pick the highest ISEER rated unit next year. I just have doubts whether these companies are keeping up with QC of the models made in 2021 and I fear the same for next year's models as well, for the most obvious reasons.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

Do note that if as per room size suggests 1 ton, go for 1.5 ton. You have two sides on room exposed to sunlight so cooling will be an issue during daytime with 1 ton. Also you can reduce tonnage if you feel too cold, but I don't know if adjustable compressor is available on Japanese brands.