How A Room Air Conditioner Works

The most common and cost efficient cooling device is the room air conditioner. This consists of indoor and outdoor portions. An air filter, a fan and a cooling coil are parts of the indoor portion. The warm, humid air is drawn through the filter and into the fan then blown over the cooling coil. The cooling coil then cools and humidifies the air before it is blown into the room. The cooling coil contains a refrigerant fluid, which changes its physical property from liquid to gas because heat from the warm air passing over the coil causes its evaporation. Heat from the warm and humid room air is taken through this process. The outdoor portion of the unit consists of a compressor, a fan and a condenser. The cooling coil gives off low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The compressor on the other hand delivers high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas to the condenser. The fan blows outdoor air over the condenser. Inside the condenser the high temperature, high pressure refrigerant gas is converted to refrigerant liquid. Heat from the hotter refrigerant gas is taken by the cooler outdoor air passing over the condenser.

This process causes the refrigerant gas to change to the liquid state. The refrigerant fluid circulates through the closed path leading through the cooling coil, the compressor and the condenser in a constant motion. The relatively cool outdoor air is sucked by the fan for cooling the condenser and then blows the hotter air back outdoors. In a room air conditioner, electric motors drive the compressor and the two fans. 110-volt lines are used for smaller room air conditioning units while for larger units 220 volt line supplies are used. An entire small residence can be cooled by some room air conditioners with sufficient capacity.

Although a room air conditioner is the lowest-cost cooling device, it has its own disadvantages which include the following:

1. Most room units can provide only widely irregular room air temperature.
2. Most room air conditioners operate with noise.
3. It is difficult to obtain an even distribution of cool air.

Because of the known disadvantages of a room air conditioner many people prefer to use the more expensive central cooling system.

A central cooling system is commonly divided into two units: An indoor and an outdoor unit. A filter, a fan and a cooling coil constitute the indoor unit. The outdoor unit on the other hand consists of a compressor that is motor-driven, a fan for the condenser and a condenser. A cabinet mounted outdoors houses these components. Most home cooling systems provide humidity reduction but offer only very limited humidity control. The length of the compressor operation determines the moisture content reduction. For example, a low indoor humidity value of 40 percent is reached when the compressor operates continuously for several hours during a hot summer day, but as night time approaches and the compressor stops operating, the water drops on the cooling coil tend to evaporate and a jump in the indoor humidity occurs. This variable humidity and its limited control however, are acceptable to home owners who are using the central cooling system.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Air Conditioning

Air Conditioner Thermostats

A thermostat is an apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a system within a particular range by directly or indirectly controlling the flow of heat energy into or out of the system. All air conditioners have thermostats that can be manually operated or automatically preprogrammed to work at regulating the room temperature. There are many ways in which you can use an air conditioner thermostat effectively.

One of the most successful yet economical ways to reduce your air conditioning costs is to adjust the thermostat setting on the air conditioner. The savings are more noteworthy when you set your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. For each degree you raise the thermostat setting, you reduce seasonal cooling costs by 7 percent to 10 percent. In doing so, you can use ceiling fans in addition to the air conditioner and thus, save a lot of money.

Most centrally located air conditioner thermostats are equipped with two fan settings, 'on' and 'auto'. When the thermostat setting is set to 'on' the fan runs constantly and when it is set to 'auto' the fan runs only during cooling cycles when the air conditioner compressor is in use. When the air conditioner is in use all day, the cooling compressor only operates about 50 percent of the time, that is, for about 12 hours. The extra fan operating time that occurs when the thermostat is set to 'on' can add roughly $25 to monthly air conditioning bills. Using the 'auto' setting, alternatively, saves energy and money because the fan operates fewer hours. Besides achieving energy and cost savings, the 'auto' setting also promotes more comfort by offering better humidity control as moisture removed during the cooling cycle is re-circulated back into the home while the compressor is off.

Thus, thermostats play an important role in the cost and function of an AC.

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The Essential Guide To Buying And Maintaining An Air Conditioner

Central air conditioners take air from the outside and filter it while simultaneously letting the old air out. The more powerful versions of this item are so powerful that they have to be kept away from children or else they might get hurt. The reason they are so powerful is to provide air to multiple rooms at once.

1. Thinking About Choosing A Free Standing Or Central Unit

One of the major benefits of using a central air system over a free standing system is that the outdoors nature of the unit means you will have much lower noise levels inside your home. Of course, being outside carries with it added concerns - you will need to keep the unit free of snow and other obstructions in order for it to work properly. It also is considerably more expensive than a free standing unit.

2. Should You Get A Cover For Your Air Conditioner?

A solid investment is a cover for your central air system. Not only will it keep debris like snow and leaves out, but it will significantly extend the life of your unit. They also keep dust and small insects away from the body of the air conditioner and its different components. Some better-quality Covers can also absorb the vibration of the air conditioner, and reduce the noise it creates.

3. Changing Your Filter Is Essential

If you suffer from allergies, have a baby, or have trouble sleeping at night, you might want to consider getting an air conditioner even if you don't have trouble staying cool during summertime. As a thin layer of dust appears on the filter it becomes more difficult for the machine to pass air through. Eventually it will become so difficult that the machine will break down. For this reason, and the health of your family, it is an excellent idea to change the filter as often as you can.
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HVAC Schools

If you are mechanically inclined and looking for a new career, perhaps HVAC School is something you should look into. HVAC Schools teach skills and technology for installation and repair of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) systems. Students learn to troubleshoot the electronic and mechanical components of HVAC units.

HVAC Schools offer numerous options to earn diplomas, certificates, and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Diploma and certificate programs can be completed in a year or 18 months; AAS degree programs can be completed in two years and involve more in-depth study of management and business applications.

Training will include commercial heating, refrigeration and air conditioning, wiring techniques, service call procedures, and troubleshooting training programs and courses. Graduates of HVAC Schools are prepared for positions working with heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning systems as entry-level technicians, mechanics, and service sales persons.

Some HVAC Schools offer two-year Associate of Applied Science degree programs in service management. Students in AAS service management degree program will concentrate on business operations - accounting, business law, salesmanship, and management - and aspects of customer service. AAS service management graduates are prepared for positions as repair technicians, apprentice mechanics, supervisors, and managers at the entry-level.

HVAC technicians may work in various types of businesses and manufacturing, for private contractors, or in institutional buildings. There is a steady demand for skilled HVAC technicians. Even though the work can be strenuous at times, the rewards can be worth it, with most technicians bringing home respectible salaries.

If you are interested in the field of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration, apply to a HVAC School or Online HVAC School today!

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Traditional School Directory and find Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.