I was looking for a new AC for home recently and most online articles, which I checked, mentioned things like, “measure your room size”, “Decide Window vs Split AC”, “check energy star rating” etc. These are the things which I knew already; I needed other advanced parameters on which to base my decision. So here’s a sort of reference checklist I drew for myself:
- Buy a 1.5 Ton+ unit. There are some 1 Ton units available for smaller rooms, but IMHO they are more difficult to maintain, spares are difficult, and choices are few. Even if you have a very small area, the 1.5 ton A/C will automatically throttle itself down. (Also, you don’t really want the fans/coils to rev at the highest level all the time, so buying a slightly bigger unit is better).
- If you are buying an Inverter AC, check the warranty on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) — the electronics board that does climate control. (Inverter ACs are akin to climate control in cars, they automatically switch on/off to maintain a range of temperature. With traditional ACs, you have to do this manually. IMO, one is not better than the other.)
- You might want to opt for a unit which has a special coating on the condenser and fins to prevent salt deposit, rust, etc.
- If it’s a split AC, vacuum the system to evacuate moisture and air (Connect the pump to the service port on the outdoor unit and get the Copper pipe vacuumed before switching on the AC for the first time). The pump should run for several minutes (I read 30 mins somewhere). Check with the service person before they arrive to bring the vacuum pump.
- The installation charge for India is around Rs 1,500 (The company usually gives a 3 3-meter copper pipe and electric wire).
- Get a voltage stabilizer with the AC (at least in India). Costs around Rs 2,000.
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