Often when the cold season begins, the question arises as to whether the air conditioner can be turned on in winter. This is due to the fact that heating using split systems is much more economical than electric. But for the correct use of the full potential of the device, it is necessary to know several important rules and strictly adhere to the recommendations of equipment manufacturers. This article will help you figure out which air conditioner is best for this. Photos of some specialized heat pumps will convince you that, in addition to functionality, industry leaders also pay attention to design.
Split system heating efficiency
During operation of the air conditioner, heat is pumped from one medium to another. When working on cooling, it leaves the room in the external environment, while heating - vice versa. To do this, use the capabilities of the compressor refrigeration cycle. Interestingly, the effectiveness of the air conditioner significantly depends on the outside temperature. To assess the efficiency of the thermal performance of domestic and semi-industrial systems, the COP coefficient (Coefficient of Performance) is used.
COP is calculated as the ratio of the thermal performance of the air conditioner to the power consumed by electrical energy. The higher the rate, the better. For example, a factor of 3.6 means that 1000 watts of electrical power is used for 3600 watts of generated heat . In modern systems, this indicator can reach a value of 5.8 and higher.
Can I turn on the air conditioning for heating in winter
Is any air conditioner designed for heating? In recent years, the vast majority of models for the European market come with a heating function. There are models only for cooling, but they are most often produced for special applications (for example, for server rooms) or for hot countries.
To the question: “Can I turn on the air conditioning in the winter?” - you can give a positive answer, but with some reservations, which will be discussed in this article. The air conditioner in cold weather can be used both for heating and cooling. To work at low temperatures for the second purpose, fewer models exist, and some of them need to be refined, which we will discuss below.
Air conditioning heating
First of all, you need to make sure that the air conditioner can work for heating. This is indicated by the presence of the heat pump mode in the device. What the instruction manual for the air conditioner remote control should directly talk about, as well as a description of the split system itself. The heating mode is usually indicated on the button with a stylized sun sign or a similar icon.
Next, you need to make sure that the split system can be operated at a specific outdoor temperature. Even the most simple and inexpensive appliances work for heating in cold weather. It should only be noted that for such systems the lower limit of the operating temperature is usually limited to -5 ° C. Inverter air conditioners can be turned on up to -15 ° C (some models up to -20 ° C). And specially designed heating systems are designed for use without loss of efficiency up to -28 ° C.
Using an air conditioner to cool in winter
Sometimes there is a need, even in cold weather, to use a split system for cooling. This is necessary if there are any powerful heat sources in the room and the temperature in it is elevated even in the cold season. Most often, these can be server rooms, telecom operator stations, hot restaurant shops and diagnostic laboratories.
In this case, you need to keep in mind that most air conditioners with constant performance are not designed for cooling at an outdoor temperature below +15 ° C, and some inverter systems are below -15 ° C. To use the air conditioner when the air parameters go beyond the set limits, a special revision is required: the use of a winter kit. It includes:
- crankcase heater;
- drainage heater;
- regulator of fan speed and condensation temperature.
Please note that such a modification is only necessary when using the air conditioner in cooling mode at low outdoor temperatures.
Problems and risks of operation
Often you can hear about such a problem: "I turned on the air conditioner in the winter for heating, but the room temperature does not rise." This may indicate both a breakdown of the device and a lack of its power. Let's talk about possible problems when using air conditioners in the cold season.
The operation of the air conditioner must be carried out strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. When using a split system for heating in winter at a temperature lower than that set by the manufacturer, the following problems may occur:
- system efficiency is greatly reduced;
- freezing of the outdoor unit capacitor and fan breakdown may occur;
- Due to the increase in oil viscosity, the compressor may break during start-up.
In any case, you need to know that using the device outside the recommended temperatures is a violation of the manufacturer's conditions. The failure of the air conditioner is not a guarantee case.
Heat Pump Models
Consider the questions of whether it is possible to turn on the air conditioner in the winter for efficient heating as the only heating system and what equipment is best designed for this. Many manufacturers have in their assortment air conditioners designed specifically for use as a heat pump. They are characterized by high efficiency and low boundary temperature.
These systems include the following equipment:
- a series of air conditioners Zubadan from Mitsubishi Electric;
- Hitachi models using All DC Inverter technology;
- MHI Hyper Inverter air conditioners;
- Daikin Ururu Sarara split systems.
Of course, any of the presented systems is a relatively expensive, but modern air conditioning. Photos of some of them can be found in this article. No matter what type or brand of split system you use for heating, it is important to strictly follow all the recommendations of the equipment manufacturer.