[Mr_Bean]

Brought the Panasonic 1.2 tonne cube AC today. Below is the pricing:
AC - 15,500/-
Stabilizer - free
Installation - 1200/-
Total = 16,700/-

It is a 2 star AC with an EER of 2.6. Salesman was complaining about noisy fan on the AC & he claims that it is a failure model.

Why did i select?
I needed a split AC to cool my room. At the price front it seems like a VFM.
Trust the Panasonic brand since it falls into the league of Hitachi, OG, Daikin. I have an OGeneral Window 1.5 AC running trouble free for the past 10 years, only thing required is periodic service.

[ece2k2]

I bought a Daikin 0.75 Ton airconditioner a few weeks back. This is a G series (non-inverter FT25G model) machine and the specifications/brochure claims a COP of 3.38 for this machine (2.62KW cooling at 775W power consumption). But the machine that was delivered to me has a COP of 3.1 (2.60KW cooling at 838W power consumption). The model number of the delivered machine is the same though and it is a 5 star rated unit.

So, it looks like something is definitely wrong here, where the COP has gone down for the delivered machine compared to the claimed specs. Date of manufacturing of the machine is August 2010. The dealer placed the order directly with the company once I made the payment - so I don't think this is a case of old stock either (had to wait for a week for the machine to arrive).

I had emailed Daikin India about this discrepancy 10 days back, but I haven't got any response. I can't digest the fact that a reputed company can claim something in their brochure and deliver a unit that is not that good and still can get away with that. Also, now I am not sure about the other specs that is being claimed in their brochure and what the truth is.

Please advise me if I there is a way to get this resolved.

[devarshi84]

Why not take it up with the dealer? Also use the toll-free number and register a complaint that the product is not as promised. That should get you a quick reply.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Car ACs do require to be topped up every couple of years or so. I have had a split for 10 years - except after a compressor failure about five years ago, have never had to charge it. All three of my Window units are over 9 years old. Never had to recharge. So I will not bother,

As the cockney will say,"You pays your money and takes your choice".

Sirji, how are you getting so much life on your a/cs? In the past 12 years I have changed 7 A/Cs in 3 bedrooms. Quite frustrated about this.
I have had Carrier, LG, Hitachi, O'G and Samsung. All of them gave me problems within 4 years and needed gas filling or replacement. My OG Gas leaked in 4 years and after refilling and tinkering, it finally died at 5 years and 2 months. Guys are asking 8K for repair and recommending to get a new one.
I am now having to get a new A/C for moms room which has a window Samsung 1.5T. It is forming Ice on the grill in front and cooling has become less. So considering to get rid of this as well.

[sgiitk]

@diyguy: Could be corrosion of the Aluminium condenser due to the salt. The condenser in my son's Sammy went porous in under two years - location Manipal.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@diyguy: Could be corrosion of the Aluminium condenser due to the salt. The condenser in my son's Sammy went porous in under two years - location Manipal.

Could be the salt as I am in Chennai, but on the other hand, my Father In Law bought the LG along with me in 1999. It is running fine for him even now. I have changed 3 a/c since then in my bedroom. The difference is that I used to employ service personnel to service my a/c regularly while he would just clean the filter and the condenser fins with a brush himself. Never taking the a/c out in this period.

[mashmash]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Could be the salt as I am in Chennai, but on the other hand, my Father In Law bought the LG along with me in 1999. It is running fine for him even now. I have changed 3 a/c since then in my bedroom. The difference is that I used to employ service personnel to service my a/c regularly while he would just clean the filter and the condenser fins with a brush himself. Never taking the a/c out in this period.

Yup same situation in Vizag. We had a Carrier and the body was rotten in 3 years. Got a new shell made for it, the compressor died two years later. Exchanged it for a Voltas which touchwood is running fine so far. Its more silent and cools better compared to Carrier.

I don't think I have to face this issue in Hyderabad. Though bluestar claims that its body is anti corrosion treated. Have decided to buy the Bluestar 1.5 ton 2 star machine. 21k including transport, installation and stabilizer. Central Airconditioners, Room Airconditioners, Commercial Refrigeration, Specialty Cooling

MaSh

[Mr_Bean]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Could be the salt as I am in Chennai, but on the other hand, my Father In Law bought the LG along with me in 1999. It is running fine for him even now. I have changed 3 a/c since then in my bedroom. The difference is that I used to employ service personnel to service my a/c regularly while he would just clean the filter and the condenser fins with a brush himself. Never taking the a/c out in this period.

Our O General AC has been running without any problems for the past 10 years in Chennai, I don't think it could be salt, may be the AC is exposed to lot of heat?

[mdsaab]

Just a quick post

Would like to recommended Whirlpool Split AC's.

have been using for a couple of years and no problems so far (thank god)

no we have 3 of them. have been recommending them ever since.

(no i dont work for whirlpool )

[ece2k2]

Originally Posted by devarshi84

Why not take it up with the dealer? Also use the toll-free number and register a complaint that the product is not as promised. That should get you a quick reply.

Well, the dealer wasn't really interested in selling the Daikin AC and I literally forced him to place the order. So, I am pretty sure that he is not going to take up the responsibility.

I called up the toll free number and I was asked to speak to the service head. I just spoke to the service head and he gave me the following explanation:

"COP given in the brochure/website/spec is calculated under Daikin's test conditions, whereas the COP mentioned in the unit (as part of the star rating sticker) is calculated by the BEE. Since the test conditions can vary, the COP is also something that can vary".

Is this true for other brands too - where the COP specified in the star rating sticker is lower than the COP given in the unit's spec supplied by the company? If this is the case, then I am not sure if it even makes sense to go by the COP claimed by the various companies.

Thanks!

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@diyguy: Could be corrosion of the Aluminium condenser due to the salt. The condenser in my son's Sammy went porous in under two years - location Manipal.

Originally Posted by Mr_Bean

Our O General AC has been running without any problems for the past 10 years in Chennai, I don't think it could be salt, may be the AC is exposed to lot of heat?

Mine is north facing and one thing I know is that the guy that installed it didnt align it well and I think there was water retention due to that.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by mashmash

Yup same situation in Vizag. We had a Carrier and the body was rotten in 3 years. Got a new shell made for it, the compressor died two years later. Exchanged it for a Voltas which touchwood is running fine so far. Its more silent and cools better compared to Carrier.

I don't think I have to face this issue in Hyderabad. Though bluestar claims that its body is anti corrosion treated. Have decided to buy the Bluestar 1.5 ton 2 star machine. 21k including transport, installation and stabilizer. Central Airconditioners, Room Airconditioners, Commercial Refrigeration, Specialty Cooling

MaSh

I am now considering a Voltas 5 Star rated 1.5T Split - Also thinking about Blue Star - same specifications - got a price for 30K for the Blue Star.

[mashmash]

Originally Posted by diyguy

I am now considering a Voltas 5 Star rated 1.5T Split - Also thinking about Blue Star - same specifications - got a price for 30K for the Blue Star.

I do remember our Bluestar guy quoting 27k for a 1.5T split, but not sure how many stars its got. Did not pay attention as I was more interested in the Window AC.

[devarshi84]

I am not sure if this helps you guys but some of the new ac's come with blue fins technology or something. It is said to wear better against saline climate.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Now I know more about the place that I live in than I did four years ago, resistance to corrosion will be a very important factor on my AC shopping list