[Gansan]

If the operating time is 8 hours or less per day, a three star unit will suffice.

[yzfrj]

Originally Posted by Gansan

If the operating time is 8 hours or less per day, a three star unit will suffice.

Gansan sir, Any reason why you say this ?
I do agree the saving per month between 3,4 and 5 star are very similar.

Is it like a diesel swift vs petrol swift thingy ?

However if you can spend 2-3k more (compared to similar 3 star models) and get at 5 star unit wouldn't that be better in the long run and in area where A/C's are a must than a luxury.

[recshenoy]

People,

Any feedback on onida 5 star A/Cs? My collegue is looking for 5 start 1.5 ton AC (in Bangalore).

I heard onida service isnt good! is it true? Any alternate A/Cs?

[Sujai]

While searching for Voltas AC with different dealers in Bangalore, I found a deal

Voltas Vertis Classic ( hope the name is correct )
1 ton capacity
2 star rating
Rs.19,900 including installation and stabilizer

Considering that I am in living in Bangalore(top floor) and that I will be using AC for max 4 months ( 6 hours max per day ) in a year , is 2 star rating going to make any major difference in terms of electricity bill ?. Or should I go for 3 star + power rating which is having 6k difference in price

[yzfrj]

Originally Posted by Sujai

Considering that I am in living in Bangalore(top floor) and that I will be using AC for max 4 months ( 6 hours max per day ) in a year , is 2 star rating going to make any major difference in terms of electricity bill ?. Or should I go for 3 star + power rating which is having 6k difference in price

According to a site this is the info about star rating and the potential savings

Originally Posted by recshenoy

People,

Any feedback on onida 5 star A/Cs? My collegue is looking for 5 start 1.5 ton AC (in Bangalore).

I heard onida service isnt good! is it true? Any alternate A/Cs?

Don't know about A/C. I did have a problem with Onida Microwave (damaged product). The shop folks calmly said I have to wait for a week when I found the unit to be damaged when I reached home and informed them in 30 mins or so after buying the thingy.

Onida support DID NOT reply at all. Phone numbers kept ringing.
Finally I took help of my big bro and shouted our way towards a replacement the next day.

This was around 14 months back.

[sandeepmdas]

5-star rating is good for home usage, where you pay the power bill out of your pocket. Lower stars are good for establishments as the AC is cheaper to buy than a 5-starer and the bill is a part of the expenditure..

My LG has 3-minute delay, and the dealer advised against a stabilizer. I also received advise (not from dealer) in favour of installing a capacitor that can prevent the abrupt huge drop in voltage when the AC powers up. Can anyone provide more info on this, please ?

[khoj]

To decide on whether you need a stabilizer or not compare the power situation at Varkala to that in my part of the country per my post #778 and decide accordingly.

As for the voltage drop due to the compressor, it draws the starting current only for a few milliseconds and that capacitor thing is just an eyewash. The a/c already has a starting capacitor built in to do the required job. In fact the air con has a running capacitor too to help ease the pain all of the time that it is running.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's not just the starting current. Even the running current, as the voltage drops, is going to increase. I believe it was this that burnt out our main supply cable --- and getting that replaced was neither simple nor cheap.

(but why a couple of circuit breakers didn't trip, or the main supply fuse blow, first, I am unable to say)

[khoj]

@Thad E Ginathom
Oh you got hit too! Sorry to hear that, I have gone through the same many years ago that is why the 3 phase supply and the enhanced load connection. You are correct regarding the running current and that is the reason the air cons must have a running capacitor.
FACT All air cons have starting capacitors but not all of them have a running capacitor.

If I understand correctly the circuit breaker will trip only if there is a short or the current being drawn exceeds the value of the breaker. The main supply fuse at your place I am assuming is the one with the copper wire and the electricians have a tendency not to use a fuse wire of correct gauge/value but a bunch of copper wires which at times can bear currents much higher than the main cable itself. Coming to the main cable majority of the houses across the country are not equipped with cables that are capable of taking sustained high loads. Air cons and other power hungry appliances are relatively new in terms of popular usage and no one really thinks about the wiring etc till a burn out or whatever else, we all assume it is of the required gauge and will hold good. It usually does for the time it takes for the old one to burn out which in most cases could be years.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Our trip to UK last summer: the day we left, our water-pumping system failed, and the day we returned our 3-phase supply cable burnt out!

I just now realised that my post is somewhat tangential --- we have stabilizers, and they didn't protect us against the current flow either (ok, they are not really meant to, but they should cut out if the voltage falls too low).

Our local EB guys were great! Both in rigging a temporary single-phase supply on the same day, and we gave them the job of replacing the cable. They charged less than a private quote. Yes... we did pay, and yes, I'm aware that the EB should have done the work for free, but we did not want the extra hassle, negotiations, and wait.

You are right about the mains fuses. Just a few strands of copper wire. I kept an eye open for 45-amp fuse wire when last in UK, but I could not find it, and, in a country where such things are strictly sealed, it is probably not publicly available.

Anyway, back to AC units...

A few pages of posts ago, someone recommended Blue Star, on the basis that they are into the big-scale commercial stuff as well as domestic. I was daydreaming about building a new house yesterday, and checking out their site --- for the centralised AC plant my dream house will have! Closer to earth, when replacement time comes for any of our Samsungs, I think I might give Blue Star a try.

[khoj]

3 phase cable replacement = big hole in pocket Ouch!!

You did well to use the EB guys, trust me now they are your friends for life!

Regarding Blue Star do yourself a favour and forget that they even exist. If you were a really big corporate yes it would make sense but they are not really consumer centric. This is from the people inside and even they do not buy their own products for self use.

As for the centralised system as and when you turn your dream to reality do find out about this new comcept (well not so new) This is where they lay piping 8 to 10 feet beneath the ground and fill it up with thermic fluid. The same piping also runs across a heat exchanger and from there a blower takes the air all around your building. The idea is that the concept makes use of the temperature difference that exists above and beneath the ground. I am sorry I do not know the exact functioning but this has been tried out in some houses in Gurgaon and it works both in summers as well as winters. Totally green and minimum electricity required for the big blower, the heat exchanger and the thermic fluid pump.

[anku94]

Originally Posted by anku94

Guys we're on the lookout for a 0.75 ton AC. Earlier, we had almost decided on a 0.75 ton Voltas Window AC, but now a relative of our has suggested a split AC since splits are available in 5 star rating.

So what do you suggest ? Is a split worth the price difference when a Window AC is an option ? If so, what brand do you suggest ?

Usage will vary from about 6-8 hours per day for 2-3 days a week to 12 hours a day for 4-5 days a week. Any recommendations in that case ? We'll stick to 0.75/0.8 tonners as we're switching my room's cooler with one, and we don't want a major increase in our electricity bill.

[khoj]

@anku
While I do not know the size of your room but a 0.75 ton in Patiala's summers is not going to be of much use apart from turning your meter over.

If the room is around 100 sq. feet get a 1.2 tonner, 1 if the budget is tight. You could choose from any of the popular ones try and avoid Blue Star & Carrier. A split is always better than a window, it will give you more efficient cooling in terms of achieving the desired temperature faster and holding it while using less electricity. Also it is better looking and more silent thereby adding to the comfort.

Last but not the least the split will come back on after a power cut but most window units with the new electronic front panels do not start automatically when the power comes back. You will have to get up and turn it back on manually.

[anku94]

@Khoj Hmm...let's see what my parents have to say on this. And I dunno, a 1.1 tonner does a decent job of cooling my parents' room, and proportionally, if you multiply the ratio of volume of air in my room to volume of air in my parents room with 1.1, you'll get a figure of approximately 0.75 , especially since there is no direct sunlight into the room. But there'll be other factors involved, I guess.

And the initial cost of the AC won't be a problem. The increased bill of a 1.0/1.2 over a 0.75/0.8 will be.

I'll get the figures of room dimensions from my parents and then I'll get back to you. Thanks.

[ghodlur]

Friends,

I am looking for a Split AC for my bedroom of 140 sqft area. What tonnage AC should I buy and what are the features I should look into when buying a Split AC. The reason for going for split AC is there is no provision for window AC. The bedroom has direct sunlight from 2 pm to 6 pm. I would be using the AC mostly during the nights and for a couple of hours during the afternoon. The qualities I am looking for in an Split AC are
1) Suitable tonnage
2) Competetive price
3) Ease of Maintenance, Good After Sales service.
4) Peace of mind

Is it neccessary to buy a stabilizer for AC. It has come to my notice that some AC have an in built stabilizer and even some have inverter. Can anybody enlighten on this.