Air conditioning can be said to be one of the essential home appliances for every household. Especially on hot summer days, it would be unimaginable without air conditioning.
I have to admit that the current air conditioning market is not only a large number of brands, but also complex parameters, and a bunch of new functional terms, what fresh air function, self-cleaning function, antibacterial function, etc., it is indeed dazzling and difficult to choose.
In this issue, I will focus on the 6 aspects that need to be focused on when choosing air conditioners, give you a detailed combing, and teach you how to choose a good air conditioner. (This article is mainly aimed at split air conditioning, not involving central air conditioning and duct machines)
1, look at the number of horses
First of all, the first question to consider when we choose an air conditioner is how many air conditioners to buy. In general, this air conditioner number refers to the input power of the air conditioner. This number also directly affects the cooling or heating effect of the air conditioner in the room.
For example, if the room area is too large, choose a small number of air conditioners, there is a feeling of a small horse-drawn cart when working, whether it is cooling or heating effect is relatively poor. Of course, there is no need to choose a large number of air conditioners in a small room, after all, the larger the number of horses, the higher the price, and the use also increases a certain amount of power consumption.
General air conditioning is divided according to the rated cooling capacity, usually 2600w is defined as 1 air conditioner, 1.5 horses represent 3500w, 2 horses represent 5100w, 3 horses represent 7200w, common specifications.
Generally speaking, according to the room area, choose the air conditioner that corresponds to the number of horses. I don't know how big to choose can be calculated according to 150w per square meter, so it is recommended as follows:
- 2600w/150=17, room area of 17 square meters or less to choose 1 horse air conditioner;
- 3500w/150=23, room area of 23 square meters or less choose 1.5 horse air conditioner;
- 5100w/150=34, room area of 34 square meters or less to choose 2 air conditioners;
- 7200w/150=48, room area of 48 square meters or less choose 3 air conditioners.
2, look at the compressor
In fact, many people will enter a misunderstanding when choosing air conditioners, that is, they only look at the brand, not the product. Although the selection of brands has a certain degree of security, there will also be high gross profits and reduced models in the full range of products in the brand. Therefore, a single corresponding brand to choose air conditioning is likely to suffer losses.
In fact, for the performance of air conditioning, its most important core component is the compressor, which also directly affects the efficiency and service life of the air conditioner.
The main role of the compressor is to provide pressure for the refrigerant, to provide conditions for the refrigerant to achieve liquefaction and exothermic heat, and to ensure the circulating flow of the refrigerant in the system, which is the main power source of the refrigeration system.
The air conditioning compressors on the market are mainly divided into three types: reciprocating compressors, rotary compressors (representative manufacturers: Panasonic, Meizhi, Haili, etc.) scroll compressors (representative manufacturers: Lingda, Daikin, Hitachi, etc.), and the performance and quality are increasing in turn.
Of course, the main criterion for measuring the quality of the compressor depends on the COP value (refrigeration efficiency) = cooling capacity / input power. At the same power, the higher the COP value, which means that the air conditioner is more efficient and more energy-efficient. Therefore, it is recommended to give priority to compressors with good performance.
3, look at the fixed frequency / frequency conversion
In addition to the above two points, air conditioning is also divided into two types: fixed frequency type and variable frequency type;
Here and everyone in detail, first of all, the fixed frequency air conditioner production cost is low, so the price is naturally cheaper than the variable frequency air conditioner. In addition, the fixed-frequency air conditioner is relatively stable, which means that there are few failures.
However, the disadvantage that cannot be ignored is that the body sensation is poor, and there will be a situation of hot and cold. This is mainly because the fixed frequency air conditioner is in operation and stops working once it reaches the set room temperature. As the room temperature changes and will continue to start, there will be a situation of opening and stopping, so the room temperature is very unstable, and it is more power-consuming.
Speaking of inverter air conditioning, although the price is more expensive than the fixed frequency type, the advantage is that it can bring us a more comfortable body feeling. And the fixed frequency air conditioning working principle is different, the temperature fluctuation of the frequency conversion air conditioner is small, even if it reaches the indoor we set in the boot work, the machine will not stop, it will enter a low-power running state, so the room temperature is relatively stable, and it is more energy-saving and power-saving.
In my experience, the current inverter air conditioner is more suitable for home use, and it is also the mainstream product of the market sales model. On the other hand, the fixed frequency air conditioning technology is relatively backward, and major air conditioning manufacturers are also reducing production or stopping production, and there are not many models available in the market, which is more suitable for office use.
4, look at the noise value
Many people choose air conditioners will ignore the important parameter of noise value, in fact, air conditioning noise has a great impact on us in daily use, especially the split air conditioner installed in the bedroom, if the noise is too loud, it will also seriously affect our sleep quality.
So how loud is the noise of the air conditioner to be normal? According to the national standard rules, the noise of indoor units is less than 48 decibels, and the noise of outdoor units is less than 58 decibels. Let's take an air conditioner as an example, usually the maximum noise value of indoor units is mostly around 40 decibels, and some better products can reach 38/39 decibels. Other air conditioners vary depending on the number of horses, but the maximum must not exceed 68 decibels.
At present, the air conditioners on the market will basically label the noise value, and the smaller the noise value parameter, the better the mute effect of the air conditioner. It is recommended to prefer the quieter air conditioner.
5, look at energy saving
In addition to paying attention to the noise value, we also need to take into account the energy saving of the air conditioner when we buy the air conditioner, which involves another more important parameter, that is, the energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioner.
The energy efficiency ratio is also the energy efficiency level of the air conditioner that we usually say, and the energy efficiency level is the smallest and the energy efficiency ratio is the highest. Air conditioners of the same number of horses consume less electricity when running, while also providing a more comfortable experience. For example, in terms of silence, rapid cooling and warmth, temperature and temperature, etc., the performance will be better.
At present, the new national standard for air conditioning energy efficiency level has taken effect, and now the energy efficiency ratio of the new energy efficiency level is higher, and it is recommended to give priority to it. Here we should also remind everyone that the air conditioner with the old first-level energy efficiency will be reduced to the second-level energy efficiency in the new national standard, and so on. However, a large number of fixed frequency and old three-stage variable frequency air conditioners that are still active in the market will be eliminated, and such models should be avoided when purchasing.
6, see the new features
Of course, with the development of science and technology and the factors of market demand, the function of home air conditioners is also constantly innovating. In addition to the basic functions of conventional refrigeration, heating, and dehumidification, there are now some additional new features in air conditioning, including fresh air, APP super control, sterilization and mite removal, automatic cleaning, intelligent sleep and other modes.
My advice is not recommended because in my opinion, it's all gimmicks that outweigh practicality.
Take the fresh air conditioner that is now very popular, its main function is indoor ventilation. When we use air conditioning for a long time, we will feel that the air quality has dropped, resulting in poor breathing. If the air conditioner has a fresh air function, in principle, there is no need to open the window for ventilation.
However, the actual effect is really average, most of them are fresh air and do not pollute. Moreover, the filter area of the air conditioner fresh air is relatively small, and the air impurities that can be filtered are also very limited, and the filter element needs to be replaced frequently to have a certain effect.
Speaking of the automatic cleaning function, the air conditioner will accumulate ash and become dirty after a long time, and if it is not cleaned in time, it will not only reduce the efficiency of the air conditioner, but also have an impact on our health. Turn on the automatic cleaning mode to realize the automatic cleaning function.
But in fact, only the dirt on the surface of the evaporator can be removed, and the filter, wind wheel, and heat sink still need to be cleaned separately. Therefore, the desired cleaning effect is not achieved.
Therefore, the design of these new features is based on a good starting point, but the current technology is not perfect, so it is recommended that you choose carefully without necessity.
Summary at the end of the article:
As far as air conditioning is concerned, it is slightly different from other major appliances, and air conditioners pay more attention to three points of products and seven points of installation. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to these performances of the product, installation and after-sales are also important. Therefore, when we buy air conditioners, we should also give priority to brands with good installation services and after-sales guarantees.
In addition, for split air conditioners, it is not recommended that you choose imported brands, after all, the premium is too high, there is no need to spend that wrong money. Nowadays, the technology of domestic air conditioning is also generally mature, like the familiar quality of Gree, Midea, Haier performance and sales are among the best, as well as like commander, Hualing, TCL, Kelong, Oaks, etc., these are very cost-effective brand choices.