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ACs consume 40% of your utility bills choose wisely!

Fig-1: Average distribution of power utility bills

Current estimates indicate that nearly 40% of an average family's power consumption comes from cooling! So how do you go about selecting an energy efficient AC system to help you keep your cool this summer, without burning a hole in your pocket? While limiting the usage of ACs for relevant occasions is prudent, on a practical note you need to opt for the AC with the right ratings in the Power Labels This would help you save significantly on power bills as also taking care of tips to maintain cooling ACs would help you maintain the balance.

Power Savings Label

On any power savings label you would notice the EER & STAR Rating. EER is defined as the ratio between the cooling capacity and the power input into an AC. If you have a 1 Ton AC rated at about 3,500 Watts, then for every 1,000 watts consumed, your AC has an EER of 3.5W/W. Technobabble aside, it tells you how much cooling can your AC give you for the amount of power you give it. Bottom line is: The higher the EER, the more efficient is your AC. STAR Ratings are closely linked to EERs. In the earlier example, the EER of 3.5 that we calculated earns the AC a 5-STAR rating. On the other hand, A 3500W AC of 1 Ton which consumes 1400 watts of electricity (a full 400W more than the earlier example) instead has an EER of 3500/1400 Watts = 2.5 W/W or an Energy rating of 1 STAR.

Once you have made the choice between Split & Windows AC refer to this table for the mapping between EER & the STAR rating system - updated for 2012:

Star Rating

EER (W/W) Min. Max. 2.49 2.69 2.89 3.09

Star Rating

EER (W/W) Min. Max. 2.69 2.89 3.09 3.29

1. Star 2. Star 3. Star 4. Star 5. Star

is the same as for 2011

2.30 2.50 2.70 2.90 3.10

1. Star 2. Star 3. Star 4. Star 5. Star

2.50 2.70 2.90 3.10 3.30

2012 STAR EER mapping for Windows AC 2012 STAR EER mapping for Split ACs

Most people won't be going around with ratios and numbers rattling around in their heads; instead, it's easier to remember if an AC is rated 1, 2, or 3 STARs. Thus, the higher the number of STARs, the more energy efficient is the AC. When purchasing an AC, it's wise to select one that has the STAR label on it. Why? Because such appliances begin paying for themselves the minute you have them installed and switched on. Don't believe us? These numbers should convince you:

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STAR Rating Efficiency

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Cooling (Watts) Input Power (watts) Units Consumption / Day (kWh) Per Unit Charge in Rs.) Electricity Cost Saving Per number of STARs) (Approx.) 2.5-2.69 2.7-2.89 2.9-3.09 3.10-3.29 >=3.30 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 2261 2080 1926 1793 1677 9.04 8.32 7.7 7.17 6.71 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 678 624 578 538 503 308 851 1313 1712 2059

Ratio (EER) Capacity

Cost/Month (in Year (w.r.t.

(Approx. cost Rs.)

Note: Assuming 8 hours operation per day for five months in a year Source: Bureau of Energy Efficiency Table 1: Star Ratings vs. ROI As you can see from the cost savings offered above, the higher the number of STARs, the greater is the savings in electricity consumption. Assuming you use a 1.5 Ton AC, 8 hours a day, for five months in a year, you save more than two thousand rupees a year!

Understanding TCO (Total cost of ownership)

Without mincing words, its a fact that the higher the STAR rating of an AC, the higher its cost. Considering other factors, the sharp AC shopper will realize how much better a deal a Star-rated AC is than a run-of-the-mill AC that will, in the long run, cost more in terms of energy consumption. With the total operating life of an AC lasting anywhere for 8 to 10 years, isnt it prudent to select an AC that will provide returns for you in terms of energy consumption? Lets do the math: a 5 STAR-rated AC costs anywhere from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 35,000. If it saves you Rs. 2,000 a year in energy savings, the AC will have repaid more than 100% of its cost during its maintenance-free operating life. In addition to this, youre secure in the knowledge that a 5-STAR rated machine may have an even longer trouble-free operating life; STAR rated machines are engineered to be more efficient their components are made of better quality materials and they are sturdier in comparison to their ordinary brethren.

Power Savings & the Right Size

With ACs, size does matter, but bigger doesnt necessarily mean better. Why use a 1 Ton AC when a 3 Ton AC will cool faster, right? WRONG! The 3 Ton AC will definitely cool a room faster than a 1 Ton (were assuming here that the 1 Ton is sufficient to cool the room in the first place) but when the temperature rises, the compressor of the AC will keep cutting in to reduce the temperature thereby using more power. The 1 Ton AC will take a bit longer to cool the room, but will use less energy because it will keep the room cooler for longer. So where you think youll be using less power, your 3 Ton AC will actually drill a sizeable hole in your pocket not to mention, of course, the initial cost which will be much higher than a 1 Ton AC. Going the other way is just as bad if you select a 0.5 Ton AC to cool an area which actually requires a 1 Ton AC, the compressor will run constantly. Not only will this result in raised eyebrows and widening eyes when you get your electricity bill, it will also result in considerable wear and tear of the AC compressor; which like all temperamental mechanical devices, will give up the ghost in the heat of summer and leave you in the lurch. Click here for pointers to select the Right sized AC for your room. So there you have it. The choice is yours: you can choose to buy an AC that is cheaper but in the long run is bad for your wallet (and the environment, we might add) or you could step into one of our stores and select the energy STAR rated AC that suits your needs best! Choose wisely go for the latest STAR rated ACs.

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