how to get the best from your air con?

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 14:38

Hi



Any suggestions on how to run air cons the most efficiently so to keep the electric bills down?



I need to run mine most days - all day - at about 29/30 degrees. I'm pregnant and am just too hot to go without!!!



Night time is ok when there is a sea breeze.



Any ideas?

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 14:42

Hi Treesy

I was told when I had mine on 26/27 that was too high to keep the room cool so now I leave it on around 16/17 my bill will probably be sky high but its so hot that I cant turn it off, and if you use a fan it just circulates the hot air. I understand that being pregnant you will feel the heat even more. well I feel it bad also,

maybe I,m pregnant also ) (hope not) )

keep well and keep cool

sheila

elkiton



Joined: 15/03/2009
Posts: 514

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 14:53

hi, For my partner who feels the heat, our practice is to aircon the smallest room possible, so we have set up our small bedroom as an office with day bed, computer, comfy chairs etc. We run it at 28 degrees, have the windows shut and if possible (for you) with blinds that will reflect the sun. Dont use additional fans as this disturbs the airflow.

tonye

griffin9870


Joined: 01/03/2009
Posts: 92

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 15:07

I also feel the heat and do something similar to elkiton. Also try putting your feet in a bowl filled with water and ice as this tricks your brain into thinking it is cooler than it is. My midwife told me that when I was pregnant. Hope everything goes well for you and look forward to hearing about your healthy baby.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 15:40

make sure you take out the filters weekly and give them a brush off, you would be shocked at how much dust gets in them.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 15:44

Rose I always take my filters out and then hose them down in the shower, as you say you will be surprised how much dirt in them. I have spoken with people who didnt know they had to do that or how you take them out.

sheila

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 16:17

hi sheila,

yes i brush mine out every few days then once a week give them a shower. that make the aircon step up a gear.

it only takes a few minutes and even i can do it.

fazo1


Joined: 23/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
27/07/2009 19:00

hi clean the filters out you should benerfit from having it set between 20/24 if dont beerfit it may need a service nige

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
28/07/2009 10:53

thanks all - I DIDNT know about the filters so will get on with cleaning them this week!!!



Nice breeze today so hopefully no air con needed today!!!



x

keithr


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 720

Message Posted:
28/07/2009 15:50

My AUX units have a sleep function on them,anyone know if this makes them cheaper to run at night ???

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
29/07/2009 10:33

It does but it may shut your a/c down after 2 or 3 hours or it may increase the temp by 1 degree per hour for 3 hours or so. Better off running a/c at 25 and only having a bed sheet on you.

A/c also dehumidifies the air making your sweat dry faster. This causes more cooling and also reduces the clammy, sweaty feeling.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
29/07/2009 11:42

Vaughan

You have solved a question I was going to ask, as I tried the other night and put it on sleep mode and woke up a couple of hours later, the room was baking and the a/c had shut itself off, wont try that again.

Can anyone say why Arcelik said set it to 16/17 for the coolest and you say 25/26 is better, thought that was the winter setting **help please

sheila

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
29/07/2009 12:30

Hi Sheila,



Setting your a/c at 16/17 is pointless as you will probably never achieve that temp unless you have a v.big unit in a v.small room. If you manage to get anywhere near 16/17 you will find you will need a duvet to sleep under - again pointless.

25/26, preferably with a small fan as well, will be more than enough with much less power consumed.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
29/07/2009 15:20

As an experiment, can as many of us that use a/c in their bedrooms try running it at 25 tonight (switch on an hour before going to bed) and see if that is a comfortable level? We can poll tomorrow and see how we got on. A/C is a big user of juice and if more people used less, maybe the KibTek power outages would be fewer.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 11:37

hi vaughan,

we tried something similar a few weeks ago, before bed put it on 16, then when we went to bed, we put it on 26, woke up about 4am far too hot.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 11:59

Hi fire starter,



Do you want to try 25 tonight? I know it doesn't sound a lot different, but you may be surprised. If you notch it down a degree per night until you feel "cold" at 4am you will find the happy medium.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 13:59

Did anyone else try running their a/c at a higher than usual temp last night? It would be interesting to see the numbers.

Krin52


Joined: 25/08/2008
Posts: 419

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 14:42

We run our bedroom a/c at 25 every night ....put it on an hour before bed and turn it off as soon as we wake up!



We also close up the 'work' room and put the a/c unit on 'dehumidify' when it gets absolutely too warm to be happy! Maybe fooling myself but it seems that is cheaper than the 'full' a/c setting?



Vaughn, is that right or am I just wishing?

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 16:27

Dehum can use more power than straight cooling which dehums as a by-product. In dehum cooling takes place to dry the air then some heating takes place to keep the temp from dropping. Not good.

Dawnie1


Joined: 27/09/2008
Posts: 217

Message Posted:
30/07/2009 18:45

Vaughan I have mine on 24 & sleep with a sheet over me, I find that is perfect.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2009 12:43

Anyone else anything to report?

caroletavy


Joined: 03/07/2007
Posts: 143

Message Posted:
31/07/2009 13:10

I also sleep with just a sheet and run the aircon at 25. No problem.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
31/07/2009 17:15

maybe it depends on what type of house you live in, ours is an old one.

cool in the day but warm at night.