If you’re looking for an air conditioning unit for your home, you need to know the differences between a mechanical and an electrical system.
But before we dig deeper, let’s get one thing clear. Strictly speaking, there’s no such thing as a purely mechanical or purely electrical air conditioner. In other words, every AC has both mechanical and electronic parts.
Let’s Clear Up the Confusion around Mechanical vs Electrical Air Con!
Hypothetically speaking, a purely mechanical AC would be something like a device that needs an external force to suck in the warm air from your room, compress it to boost its pressure and turn it into liquid that can then expand and evaporate to absorb the heat. But that’s not all there is. Two sets of hand-cranked fans would have been needed: one set to ooze out the cold air into your room, and the other to release the warm air outside.
It would have been a sight to behold, but it certainly wouldn’t be the most practical contraption!
So, when we are talking about mechanical vs electrical air conditioners in lay terms, what we usually mean is the extent to which our AC operates automatically.
To be sure, there are ACs that run on gas and not electricity. But these are bulky and costly units that usually don’t make sense in your average household.
There are also so-called passive cooling systems that rely on the building’s design and natural ventilation. Then there are technologies in development like completely green ACs powered by liquid nitrogen. But we’ll have to wait for quite some time before these make it to our homes!
Mechanical vs Electrical vs Electronic Parts in Air Conditioners
In simplest terms, the mechanical components in an AC are all the parts that move. For example, it’s the fan that blows air, and the compressor for the refrigerant. Think of them as wheels and pedals on a bicycle!
The electrical component of your air conditioner is what powers it. Single phase power has only one phase wire (plus one neutral) connecting it to the electrical grid. A three-phase system, like its name suggests, requires three phase wires and a neutral connected to one circuit.
Of course, three-phase power is more efficient than single-phase power and is generally used in commercial settings. Home air conditioners with three-phase power are generally more efficient than single-phase systems. However, you can also upgrade to premium versions of some systems to increase their efficiency.
Then there’s the electronics: all of those advanced bits and pieces that make ACs as easy as pushing a button – or even not having to push one for the device to operate! It’s anything from your remote to systems that “smartify” your air conditioner so that you can hook it up with your phone and control it via an app.
In other words, the electrical components power the mechanics so that they can move, and the electronics are for you to control the whole process.
Reverse Cycle Air Conditioners
The process of heating and cooling your home or office can be made more efficient by installing a reverse cycle air conditioner. This type of air conditioner runs quietly and uses the ambient air surrounding the external unit to heat or cool the room. It is a great way to save energy and money while heating and cooling your home or office.
And because it only needs a single device, you won’t have to switch between different devices.
Home Air Conditioners
As we explained above, all conventional home air conditioners are both electrical and mechanical.
However, they usually come in two types: centralised and portable or split system unit. Both can help keep a room cool and comfortable. A centralised system will circulate air in and out through ducts, whereas a portable system, like a window unit, will cool the immediate area where it’s installed.
The difference between them is most noticeable in both size and coverage.
Centralised systems (sometimes also known as ducted air con) use larger components and you’ll typically see them in residential houses and buildings but also hotels, hospitals, schools and workplaces where they can cool many rooms at once.
Split system units (or portable), on the other hand, are smaller, cheaper both to buy and run, and used to cool a single room. In addition, portable units use less energy than centralised ones. A good example of a portable system is a window unit.
Central Air Conditioners
When you’re buying a central air conditioner, make sure to check the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating. This rating will tell you how energy-efficient a system is relative to the heat or cold output it produces. A higher SEER rating means greater savings on energy costs. Newer systems can reach up to 26. You’ll also notice more energy efficiency with qualified central units. Compared to standard units, these units can use up to 15% less energy.
Window Units
If you are thinking about buying a window unit for your home, it is important to understand how they work. These air conditioners utilisze the refrigeration properties of the outdoor air to cool the room. A window unit typically includes a fan, a compressor, and a coil. The coils pull the room air over the cold coils. The air is then cooled and pushed out of the unit to lower the room’s temperature.
Commercial Air Conditioners
While residential air conditioners use considerably less power than commercial units, they consume more energy in proportion to the overall energy use of a building. In addition, residential air conditioners often operate on single-phase power, whereas commercial air conditioning systems typically run on three-phase power. There are many advantages to commercial air conditioning systems, including their ability to be easily controlled from any location. These advantages make commercial air conditioning the preferred choice for commercial buildings.
Maintenance of Air Conditioners
When it comes to routine maintenance of your air conditioner, you must start with the air filter. Dirty filters will reduce airflow and reduce the AC efficiency of your system. Also, they will deposit dirt directly into the evaporator coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. Regularly changing your air filter can help reduce your energy costs by 5% to 15%. Likewise, you should regularly check the electrical connections and terminals.