[barathvajan]

Hello Guys,
Finally bought a 1T General for my moms room.Summer in Chennai is unbearable so bought it. Total damage done is Rs 42000 including installation & copper tubing.
Model: ASGA 13 ACT
Capacity: 1T
Rating: 5 star
Note that this AC doesnt come with the copper tubing. So 4m of copper tubing is Rs 2400 and stand at Rs 900 (both included in that Rs 42000)
And now about the performance. I will be comparing it with my existing 2star panasonic 1.5T AC (CS 18 JKY) bought in 2009 July.
The air throw from general in low speed is much higher than my panasonic in full speed.The cooling of general is really good for the room (100 sqft) Not to underrate my panasonic which still cools my room (150 sq ft) in matter of 5 mins though the temp is at 27. I rate General to be little better in cooling when both the ACs are kept at same temp. One more advantage of general is that the fan throw which keeps the air circulating while my panasonic needs fan to be switched on to have that air circulating.
Now for the things that i dont like about General.
1. No backlit in remote and no display in AC either (My panasonic also doesnt have it. But I bought it purposefully). This is for my mom and she cant see anything in night. One advantage though is that it makes a nice little beep and blinking of power light to show that it has received your command (Panasonic in this regard is very bad.It makes such a tiny beep, so ting that you have to get up and listen to it specifically to hear the beep)
2.Fan is noisy when compared to panasonic. Panasonic hardly makes any sound. Even in super quiet mode, Noise from general is higher than Panasonic.
3. Remote is too slow. Any change you make to settings (temperature, fan speed, mode etc), the remote refreshes the entire settings, all display goes off and comes back again in about two seconds. SO if you are in a hurry and make changes you will feel fed up.Panasonic on the other hand is better.You can change the mode temp and fan speed and it responds immediately.
4. Air flow direction. Though General has more directions to its credit, nothing is displayed in remote leaving you to look at the AC to check for the direction of vent and air flow.Panasonic displays the position of vent in remote itself, so you easily set the required position of vent.

Finally. Am i satisfied with the buy?The answer is yes.Though it has few disadvantages, all is ok the moment you enter the room with AC on.

Last I should give credit to Panasonic also. THree years and still the performance is amazing. No breakdowns, no hicups nothing.Wonderful AC.

Barath

[Thad E Ginathom]

No backlit in remote

Does anyone offer this? It would be a boon!

Any change you make to settings ... the remote refreshes the entire settings, all display goes off and comes back again in about two seconds.

You mean it would, for instance, take six seconds to change the temperature three degrees? That sounds very un-user-friendly.

[akj53]

Last month I bought 2 General ACs. First one is 1.5 ton window unit which costed me 28500 plus installation. 2nd one is 2 Ton split for my drawing cum dining room which is quite big. This costed me 48000 plus 3500 for installation plus 3500 for stabilizer, total 55000. Both are fully imported units.

O General is supposed to be The Extreme Machine, which works even in extreme temperatures up to 55*C. Noida is a killing ground for AC's due to its polluted air, which ensures very frequent gas leakage in cheaper AC's. So I was looking for a robustly built AC which may give me few more years of service. So I didn't shop around for other AC's and bought General straight away.

Installation experience for window was so so and for split unit it was lousy. They left dust and debris all around, did not fill up the wall hole with POP, did not secure the drain pipe properly. Few complaints to dealer ensured sorting out the matters. Dealer experience was OK to Good.

Both units have a Auto feature which also regulates the fan speed and some times even takes the unit in standby mode for sometime, when the desired temperature has been reached and temperature difference between the room and outside in not much. Window unit has a noisy grill but both units of Split are very silent. Split has a huge outdoor unit and it cools our big DD area very effectively which Incidentally needs 3 Ton cooling capacity. Cooling is very fast and good.

Only complaint is that they provided only normal grill filters whereas the catalogue mentioned 2 other filters. In future I will buy only split units.

[kamboj]

I bought Voltas Vertis Premium 1.5T split AC last year in May. This season I am facing an issue with the unit. Last year it would attain desired temp of 28C in 15-20 mins and after that there would be compressor on-off cycle of 7 and 5 mins respectively. However this year even after running for 1hr compressor is not cutoff. The room temp is shown between 32-30C, though we feel that cooling is quite good.

I got its free service done last year at season end, and this year I serviced my self 2-3 days back (@khoj, thanks for sharing service tips in this thread). Problem remained even after service.

What could be wrong here.

[amitpunjani]

Originally Posted by akj53

Last month I bought 2 General ACs. First one is 1.5 ton window unit which costed me 28500 plus installation. 2nd one is 2 Ton split for my drawing cum dining room which is quite big. This costed me 48000 plus 3500 for installation plus 3500 for stabilizer, total 55000. Both are fully imported units.

O General is supposed to be The Extreme Machine, which works even in extreme temperatures up to 55*C. Noida is a killing ground for AC's due to its polluted air, which ensures very frequent gas leakage in cheaper AC's. So I was looking for a robustly built AC which may give me few more years of service. So I didn't shop around for other AC's and bought General straight away.

Installation experience for window was so so and for split unit it was lousy. They left dust and debris all around, did not fill up the wall hole with POP, did not secure the drain pipe properly. Few complaints to dealer ensured sorting out the matters. Dealer experience was OK to Good.

Both units have a Auto feature which also regulates the fan speed and some times even takes the unit in standby mode for sometime, when the desired temperature has been reached and temperature difference between the room and outside in not much. Window unit has a noisy grill but both units of Split are very silent. Split has a huge outdoor unit and it cools our big DD area very effectively which Incidentally needs 3 Ton cooling capacity. Cooling is very fast and good.

Only complaint is that they provided only normal grill filters whereas the catalogue mentioned 2 other filters. In future I will buy only split units.

Hi Buddy,

Even i recently bought 2T General AC for the same price of Unit and paid the same for installation. I 100% agree the OD unit is massive and super silent.

I am now planning to buy General Window Ac 1T, but when i checked with Dealer, he mentioned there is no STAR Rating on Window AC. Could you please clarifiy that.

Last summer i bought 1T Hitachi, is far below my expectation interms of performance, horrible noise. No more Hitchai ever.

Thanks

Amit

[M5_fan]

Originally Posted by amitpunjani

Hi Buddy,

Even i recently bought 2T General AC for the same price of Unit and paid the same for installation. I 100% agree the OD unit is massive and super silent.

I am now planning to buy General Window Ac 1T, but when i checked with Dealer, he mentioned there is no STAR Rating on Window AC. Could you please clarifiy that.

Last summer i bought 1T Hitachi, is far below my expectation interms of performance, horrible noise. No more Hitchai ever.

Thanks

Amit

All general window ACs are rated 2 star only.

[akj53]

Originally Posted by amitpunjani

Hi Buddy,

Even i recently bought 2T General AC for the same price of Unit and paid the same for installation. I 100% agree the OD unit is massive and super silent.

I am now planning to buy General Window Ac 1T, but when i checked with Dealer, he mentioned there is no STAR Rating on Window AC. Could you please clarifiy that.

Last summer i bought 1T Hitachi, is far below my expectation interms of performance, horrible noise. No more Hitchai ever.

Thanks

Amit

General's USP is ruggedness and the ability to work in extreme temperatures. It is perhaps the largest selling brand in Middle East. It is basically a heavy duty machine so they are not into the power saving game. Still their earliest compressors were reciprocating types and now they have shifted to rotary ones which are more energy efficient but even now there are people who still want the reciprocating types. I am not sure about the 1 ton rating as M5 has quoted, but I think their 1.5 T window unit may be 3 star.

[amitpunjani]

Originally Posted by M5_fan

All general window ACs are rated 2 star only.

Thanks for the prompt reply, 2 Star is too less, which would mean huge bills. Could you suggest any other AC equivalent to General with higher star rating. Keen on Window only

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by kamboj

What could be wrong here.

Get the thermostat checked, I guess it's covered with dust and is not detecting the cutoff temperature.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by amitpunjani

Thanks for the prompt reply, 2 Star is too less, which would mean huge bills. Could you suggest any other AC equivalent to General with higher star rating. Keen on Window only

I think Hitachi has a couple of 5* units. I bought one last year and am very happy with it.

[amitpunjani]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I think Hitachi has a couple of 5* units. I bought one last year and am very happy with it.

Sir, already have Hitachi, procured last year. Certainly not the product which i expected, too much of noise as well as avergae cooling. I think Old Gen Hitachi were good, since they started manufacturing in India, the quality has suffered big time

[M5_fan]

Originally Posted by amitpunjani

Thanks for the prompt reply, 2 Star is too less, which would mean huge bills. Could you suggest any other AC equivalent to General with higher star rating. Keen on Window only

Are you sure that you want window only? Window ACs are getting obsolete these days.

But if you want a reliable and extremely quick cooling window AC then i will suggest Carrier. They have 3 star and 5 star models. One of the distributors is in rajouri garden. His rates are fixed but you can 'try' to bargain.

America is one of the very few countries where window units are still preferred over splits. So its better you buy an american brand that specializes in ACs aka carrier.

[amitpunjani]

Originally Posted by M5_fan

Are you sure that you want window only? Window ACs are getting obsolete these days.

But if you want a reliable and extremely quick cooling window AC then i will suggest Carrier. They have 3 star and 5 star models. One of the distributors is in rajouri garden. His rates are fixed but you can 'try' to bargain.

America is one of the very few countries where window units are still preferred over splits. So its better you buy an american brand that specializes in ACs aka carrier.

The only reason i am a bit against Split, as alot construction and destruction on the walls required. Recently got 2T General split AC installed and after that i said to myself no more of pains taking excercise. Window AC are absolute easy to fit and service.

[kamboj]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Get the thermostat checked, I guess it's covered with dust and is not detecting the cutoff temperature.

Thanks for the pointer.

Is checking/cleaning thermostate DIY stuff or should I call Voltas mechanic. If DIY, then any idea where thermostat can be located on this unit.

[M5_fan]

Originally Posted by amitpunjani

The only reason i am a bit against Split, as alot construction and destruction on the walls required. Recently got 2T General split AC installed and after that i said to myself no more of pains taking excercise. Window AC are absolute easy to fit and service.

Get a carrier window AC then. Its available in 2star, 3 star and 5 star. Extremely reliable and quick cooling.