How Many Amps Does A Window AC Use?

Image source: Freepic

Are you planning to install a window AC? The first information that you would like to know about it is the amount  of amps that it uses.

This air conditioning device is designed to use  between  5 to 20 amps  of current.

Usually, the starting current is higher than the running current.

This implies that once you turn, the current consumption of the AC will shoot up, then will start coming down as it continues to run.

Just knowing the amount of the current that it uses is not enough. You need to know how we have come to this value.

It will also be cool to know what you can do with the current usage of the window AC.

In this article, we are going to highlight  other things you should know about the amps that a window AC uses.

Window AC overview

Image source: AirCondLounge

To give you a better understanding of how many amps a window AC uses, let’s have a brief overview of this device.

As the name suggests, this is a type of air conditioner  that is usually installed in a window, or any other ideal opening on the wall.

If features a compact design that allows it to fit onto the window without any struggle. Also, this design makes it an ideal AC for small rooms where space may be a major constraint.

A typical window AC unit comprises of the key components of a refrigeration. These are the evaporator coil, and  a fan.

The AC works by absorbing  hot air from the room and releasing it outside. At the same time, it will absorb cool air from outside and circulate it in the room.

Window AC are popular due to various reasons.  One of them is they are easy to install and use.

These devices have evolved over years and come with  tons of user-friendly features. Most of them are programmable whereby you can tweak the operation of the AC to meet the specific needs of a room.

Some have advanced air filtration capabilities to ensure that they deliver quality and purified air into the room.

Cooling affect vs the amps an AC uses

One of the key factors that determines the amount of Amps a window AC uses is the cooling capacity.

It is pretty clear that the higher  the cooling capacity of the AC, the more the amps it will consume.

This is pretty obvious because larger AC units are expected to deliver more, and to achieve this, they should be able to draw land use large amounts of currents.

British thermal units( BTU) is the unit used to express the cooling capacity of an AC. It defines the amount of heat that is capable of changing the temperature of one pound of water by  1ºF.

In the context of a window AC, the cooling unit the BTU will be the amount heat that can be transferred from inside the room to the outside per hour.  For example, it can be 8000 BTUs per hour.

A 6000 BTU AC unit will  use less current than a 10,000 BTU AC unit.

So, when you are in the market looking for an air conditioner ensure that you check out its rated BTU. From the figures, you will know whether it will be a heavy consumer of electricity or not.

Energy Efficiency Rating (EER)

Energy efficiency rating (EER) is another major factor that determines the amount of amps that a window AC draws at any given single time.

EER are is the measure of how efficient the AC uses the electricity that it will use for cooling purpose.

High EER means that the window AC uses minimum electricity to initiate the cooling process. On the other hand, lower EER value means that the AC unit uses maximum amount of current to cool the room.

To give you an example, a 10,000 BTU window AC  that has an EER rating of 8  will use more amps than another unit with the same BTU and an EER rating of 10.

So, other than the BTU, take time to check the EER  value of the air conditioner before you buy. The higher the rating the better as it means the air conditioner will not consume more amps hence save on electricity bills.

Staring current of window AC

By looking at how the window AC operates, it is clear that more power is needed to start them than to keep them running. This means that they use more amps when starting and the consumption will go down until it reaches the the normal operation levels.

The good thing is the starting period  only lasts for a short time so you don’t need to be worried about the power usage.

When it comes to the numbers, the a 5000 BTU window AC has a starting current of 9 amps and the running current of 4.35amps. You can see that the running current is half  the starting current.

How can I find low amp windows AC?

To save the cost of electricity, you may consider buying the low amp window AC.  The only way of finding such air conditioners is by checking on their sizes and the EER. These two are among the vital parameters that you should consider when buying a window air conditioner.

You can get the best results if you buy a high-capacity window air conditioner that has a high EER. This means that it will still cool the room perfectly without consuming too much electricity.

Conclusion

From this guide, you know the  current that  window AC use.  There is no fixed value, instead, it varies depending on the cooling capacity and the energy efficiency rating.

You should also find out the cost of the  window AC. Check out from different suppliers and choose one that meets your needs.

Don’t forget to buy a window air conditioner that is fully capable of meeting the cooling needs of the room

A reputable AC consultant will come in handy in helping you get the best from your AC.

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