Questions tagged [air-conditioning]
The air-conditioning tag has no usage guidance.
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Is it inefficient to turn off the airconditioner for short durations of less than two hours?
I was recently recommended not to turn off the airconditioner (A/C) when leaving a room for two hours or less but instead to increase the temperature setting closer to the outside temperature. The ...
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Why is adding thermal mass good for heatwaves, given the importance of cooling off at night?
Thermal mass is the amount of thermal energy needed to raise a building one degree. Sometimes it's desirable: earthships have very thick walls with a lot of material, while phase-change materials ...
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For dehumidification purposes, does a ductless heat pump use more or less energy than a dehumidifier?
We have recently installed a ductless heat pump (Mitsubishi) in some soon-to-be-finished basement space. It will be used primarily for heating during the winter (we live in Maine). During the summer,...
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Estimating real, overall efficiency of an air conditioning unit
I want to research into electrical consumption of air conditioning units. While trying to make a rough estimate of efficiency, found that the btu/h capacity of the specifications does not make sense ...
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Reuse waste heat from air conditioning
Is it worth it?
After a lot of searching I have found that there is a Heat recovery unit for hot water from refrigeration systems which transfers heat from refrigerant into water.
What astonishes me, ...
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Why not use condensate from a split-unit air conditioner to improve cooling efficiency?
This is bugging me to the point that it almost enrages me.
A split-unit air conditioner would typically cause condensate to form in the indoor unit. This water can be simply drained with gravity ...
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Combining fans and AC
Would blowing a fan on yourself and easing the AC save energy on hot days? Assume we keep the feels-like temperature the same. For example, 23 °C with still air and 28 °C with a fan may feel similar. ...
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Why is the Energy Guide efficiency rating of my air conditioner so much lower than the specification?
Now that my partner and I are working from home indefinitely, we decided to install central air conditioning. We got quotes for a unit with a 17 SEER efficiency rating, and ultimately picked this one. ...
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Should I close vents to unused rooms?
It’s 40°C at dusk during a summer heat wave. My electric utility is threatening blackouts and begging people to conserve.
I have a couple unused rooms in a detached suburban house that don’t need air ...
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How to reduce indoor humidity in the summer time?
I own a home in southern Wisconsin, USA, where we have a humid continental climate (emphasis on humid!).
There is no central air conditioning. This summer we are experimenting with cooling strategies ...
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How to reduce energy usage of a window air conditioner?
In the summer, we use a window air conditioner in our bedroom to be able to sleep comfortably at night. It takes a while to cool, and I know it uses quite a bit of energy. Here are a few steps we take ...
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Should storm windows be left open in the summer to reduce hothouse heat gain?
During the summer is it more desirable to have storm windows open, partially open, or closed?
I have old wooden, single-pane windows with aluminum storm windows and I have installed energy film on ...
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What is the actual efficiency of an air to air heat pump in the winter
We are looking at air to air heat pumps (aka reverse cycle AC units) to replace our existing electrical heaters.
Air to air heat pumps claim a COP of 3 or 4 to 1 in the manufacturing literature. ...
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Portable AC or Dehumidifier?
I currently am a recent graduate and I am living in a place that does not have AC. I am looking to buy a portable AC or to buy a dehumidifier. I currently live in Minnesota and sleeping at night when ...
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Temperature equalisation throughout the house
We have been living in our home for a number of years now, so have seen several summers and winters, but we are still looking to solve the heating and cooling problems we have.
Heating
The walls and ...
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Heat Recovery Ventilator HRV, metal vs paper core?
Which one is more efficient and has longer operating life, thin metal or nano paper core in a HRV?
It will be used in a Nordic country.
TL;DR
I'm searching for a heat recovery ventilator.
I am not ...
user5246
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How large should be solar panel to power air conditioner?
Solar panels are more efficient in sunny regions, but even in places that receives less sunlight, there are hot days when electricity consumption peaks because of air conditioning.
More sun = warmer ...
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Mechanical damper built in to vent fan?
Are there any bathroom fans or range hood fans that have a mechanical damper built in that fully seals when the fan is turned off? In other words, it shouldn't let any air in OR out when the fan is ...
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How do I keep my room on the first floor cool all day and night?
I live in a duplex bungalow. The room on the first floor is about 250 sqft but has only two windows of 12 sqft each. The roof is at 10 ft level. The roof is open to sunlight and is used to dry clothes ...
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Why refrigerant cooler is more popular than evaporative cooler?
When I look at how houses/offices are cooled in my area I see that refrigerant cooler is far more popular than evaporative cooler. I did not find any company which serves evaporative cooler services/...
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How to benefit from air-conditioning water
I'm doing research on the water of the air conditioning, and a dissertation on how it could be collected and where it could be used. I already started by collecting some figures and I did some ...
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Heat Pump vs Air Exchanger, What's the difference?
I hope this is the right place - I'm looking at buying my first home in a climate where a heat pump would make a significant difference on our energy requirements for heating and cooling. I've done ...
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Notifications for outside temperature negating need for air conditioning
How can I get automatic notifications that the outside temperature (in Sydney CBD) is below a certain threshold, and therefore the best option is to turn off the air conditioning and instead open the ...
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What is the difference between Geothermal HVAC and Heat pump?
What is the difference between these two renewable energy air conditioning systems?
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Most fuel efficient way to run AC in my car?
More of a curiosity question, but I'm trying to figure out the most fuel efficient way to run the AC in my car, assuming I must use AC. I already know when to open windows vs use AC, so I'm looking ...
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Would saving winter ice for summer A/C be more energy efficient?
Scenario 1:
Ice blocks are harvested from frozen river in early January, then stored in underground cellars. When summer comes, the same district heating network is used for circulating cold water.
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Can you drink condensation water from air-con after treating it?
My question is about using condensed water from air conditioners. Can this water be treated with reverse osmosis plants and ultraviolet so you can use it? How pure will this water be?
If this water ...
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How effective is free cooling
I live in the tropics, and during the summer it is very hot here. Today the air temp was low-mid 30C with 80% Relative Humidity.
I live close to a stream, which I'd like to use for free-cooling. ...
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Running aircon and window fan to blow cigarette smoke out, consequences?
I smoke in my home office room which is 20x30 feet. I have a wall mounted 12000btu aircon in the wall, and want to put a window fan, one of those 10 inch high and as wide as the window with twin fans ...
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Which one is more sustainable: central A/C or window A/C?
I would like to know which kind of cooling will be the most sustainable, that is, will use the least energy and cooling agents.
I am considering summers with temperatures in the high 90's (35-37 ...
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