100 vs 220 window A/C's
Prior owners installed 220 lines to the top floor for window A/C’s (12,000 BTU’s). It’s time to replace one, and I am being told by salesmen that I should switch to 110, as they are more energy efficient. It would be a substancial cost to change the 220 line to 110 — will I really…
Prior owners installed 220 lines to the top floor for window A/C’s (12,000 BTU’s). It’s time to replace one, and I am being told by salesmen that I should switch to 110, as they are more energy efficient. It would be a substancial cost to change the 220 line to 110 — will I really savae that much $$ by running a 12,000 BTU window unit on 110?
I’d assume you don’t need more than 12kbtu for “normal” sized brownstones.
And to Master Plvmber, agreed, but do residences even *have* 3-phase anywhere? My understanding is that even reseidential cac is 1-phase. Am I wrong?
There is little difference in efficiency when comparing 110v to 220v SINGLE PHASE, but the equipment does tend to last longer.
However, 3-phase 220v is much more efficient than 110V ac.
Catch 22 may be availability of new units. J&R on 7th Ave in Park Slope says that there are very few 220 12,000 BTU window (not thru the wall) units for sale anymore. You may find that you have to switch to 110 because you can’t find a 220 unit to buy.
1:11,
You almost always need 230v 15amp service to install a 15,000 BTU or greater A/C unit. It is impossible to have a 28,000 BTU A/C unit that runs on 115v 15amp wiring. That’s the point here – why would you limit the cooling power potential that a room already has?
Astounding that ConEd can’t answer a simple electrical question. TO correct misconceptions:
Given the EER and Btu rating of an a/c, makes NO difference in running cost what the voltage is.
On the average, 110 appliances may be less efficient than 220, but that’s immaterial because a specific EER says it all, it means Energy Efficiency Rating. It’s possible that 220 appliances are sturdier, but not by much.
Changing from 220 to 110 service is just changing a breaker. 5 minute job, but I can’t be sure about code (220 wire may be lighter than required for 110, since 220 may be lower amps). I would not do it.
There ain’t no arctic blast from a 220 a/c that a *same sized* 110 unit won’t have.
Don’t listen to them…The 230v line is better to have – it can handle the bigger load demands of higher BTU units, and it’s less likely to be stressed (overheated) than a 115v line is by a window A/C unit.
I’m not sure that you’d save money, either, especially in terms of how frequently the 115 would have to be chugging away to keep up with the arctic blast from the 230v unit. If anything you might save money using the 230v.
115v A/C units always seem completely underpowered and weak to me, especially in the humid environment of nyc summers.
Why would it be substantial to change to 110 from 220? You already have 3 wires of which you only need 2? Should only be a new breaker.
110 is less efficient vs. 208/220. Sounds like a sales gimic.
Ysabelle, I did call ConED, and after three reps, their best “guess” was that they’d use the same amount of electricity as long as the EER rating was the same. Their answer did not leave me with confidence, though.