With temperatures in certain parts of India already hitting 50 degrees Celsius, one can’t help but wonder if our ACs are equipped to deal with this sort of heat. When they advertise their ACs, AC manufacturers have often claimed that their ACs would make the Sahara or the Atacama deserts feel like the polar caps. But how accurate are these claims?
Do ACs really work in this extreme heat in Delhi? Or, more importantly, are they equipped to deal with this heat?
How do ACs remove heat?
But first, it is essential to understand how ACs function. In a very rudimentary sense, air conditioners work by moving heat from inside to outside. But when it’s super hot out there, this process isn’t as effective, making it harder for the air conditioner to keep things cool indoors. Extreme outdoor heat makes it challenging for the system to do its job correctly. The efficiency of this process is usually measured in BTUs per hour. A 1.5-ton AC, for example, has a BTU rating of about 18,000.
When the outdoor temperature is much higher than what the system is designed for, it struggles to cool indoor spaces, especially if it’s trying to cool too large an area. This puts a lot of pressure on the unit and can cause it to wear out faster.
It may surprise many, but older ACs with heavier but less efficient compressors have better cooling capacities. Compressors move the refrigerant around in a cooling unit, such as the condenser or radiator, to soak up and dissipate heat.
But when it’s blazing hot, the compressor can get overloaded because it’s working extra hard to cool things down. Older compressors work better because they were built with a greater emphasis on cooling than power efficiency. Because of global emissions targets, AC manufacturers had to start prioritising their products’ energy efficiencies as much as their functionality.
Can ACs deal with this heat?
Whether your AC has an older compressor or a newer one, all ACs have a limit on how much they can handle. Modern ACs are usually rated to operate at a maximum ambient temperature of 55 degrees. But do keep in mind that even at considerably lower temperatures, the air around the AC is much hotter. That’s because the AC is taking heat away from a room and throwing it out.
As a result, while air conditioners might technically keep running when it’s 50°C outside, they’re not only going to work. People inside might not feel as comfortable, you’ll pay more for electricity, and your system might even get damaged.
With temperatures rising worldwide, it’s super important to ensure our air conditioners can handle the heat. After all, staying cool and comfy indoors is important for our well-being.
Expanding upon this, let’s consider some potential solutions to the challenges of extreme heat in air conditioning systems. Remember when we said that ACs with older compressors are better at cooling? Even though they are better at cooling, they are not well suited to the kind of heatwave that people are dealing with. They lack many other functions that help an AC function better.
Most modern units often come with advanced features designed to improve performance in hot climates. These include variable-speed compressors and enhanced insulation. These allow the system to adapt better to fluctuating outdoor temperatures and maintain consistent indoor cooling at a fraction of the energy cost.
How should I set my AC for this 50-degree summer?
First and foremost, remember to set the temperature of the AC to a maximum of 24 degrees. Consider the factor of 25. The lowest that your AC temperature should be is roughly 25 degrees lower than the ambient temperature outside. Anything lower than that, and you’re going to use up more electricity without making much difference, straining your compressor and cooling system more than usual, which might hurt not just its performance but also its longevity. You may have to replace the condenser, compressor, or even the whole unit before expected.
While you can still run your AC lower than once in a while, it has to be for a shorter period of time. And as such, you should be using your fan in conjunction with it to make it more effective. Moreover, you may cause some severe damage to the compressor or radiator, which is also called the cooling coil.
Also, if you’re going to push your ACs to the limit constantly, get them cleaned regularly. Also, you may need to get your AC service twice a year and get the cooling loop’s gas topped up. While you’re doing so, be prepared for a gargantuan electricity bill, probably larger than you have ever seen.
