We are in the middle of a heat wave. The second of 2022 and one of the most extreme in memorywith temperature rises that have placed thermometers in some parts of our country above 45 degrees.
one of us the greatest ally is the air conditioning. However, high energy prices and the fear of spending more than necessary on the electricity bill mean that we think more than once when we should turn on our machine.
Energy efficiency, the first factor to consider
One of the first things to consider is the energetic efficiency. And it is that for some years these systems have incorporated an energy classification label that will indicate the efficiency of our air conditioning. The labels can be the following:
- A (the one with the least energy efficiency)
- A+
- A++
- A+++ (the one with the best energy efficiency)
The power of an electrical device, another key
The consumption of an electrical appliance is calculated according to its power. As explained by Organization of consumers and users (OCU), it should be specified that it is the input electrical power, that is, the electricity needed to make it work. In this type of device there is also the thermal power, i.e. its ability to cool or heat.
The the electrical input power is the amount of electricity needed for the device to operate continuously for one hour. It is indicated in the data sheet in watts (W). Because electricity bills express consumption in kilowatts per hour (kWh), electrical power must be divided by 1,000. As the OCU explained, the consumption of the air conditioning will be between 0.5 kWh and 1.5 kWh.
Regarding the thermal power, is the amount of heat or cold that air conditioning equipment can produce. It can be expressed in kilowatts (kW) or British thermal units per hour (BTU/h). To convert to kW, multiply by 0.293 then divide by 1000.
How much does it consume to cool a room?
The OCU lists several factors for this calculation. In the first place, the electrical power indicates the cost of the device if it were permanently on. But they work with thermostat which regulates the power to maintain the chosen temperature.
In addition to the device, some external factors influence such as the square in which our house is located, its orientation, the size and the insulation of this one, in addition to his own climate we live in, which will define the outdoor temperature and humidity.
The OCU performs an estimated calculation, with a medium by dividing by 2 the sum of the minimum and maximum powers. In the case of a device with a power between 500 and 1,500 W, this average would be: 0.5 kWh + 1.5 kWh = 2 kWh / 2 = 1kWh.
Consumption in euros is variable, due to the high prices we have experienced in recent months. If we consider that each kWh costs 0.30 €, a month would come to about 36 euros, assuming that we turned it on 4 hours a day (1 kWh * 4 h = 4 kWh of consumption * 30 days = 120 kWh * €0.30/kWh = €36).