EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Compressor difference between different efficiency window A/Cs?

jeff5may · 06-16-13, 02:32 AM

The main difference in window AC units that use the same refrigerant but higher SEER/EER in old units is usually the condensor. Either it has more surface area or more layers of tubing through the same surface area. The compressors are mostly all constant-speed rotary and are highly alike. Watts in per watts of cooling is mainly determined by the effectiveness of the outdoor coil.

Newer units are mostly the same in the cheaper lines. As cost increases, so does the design. Mini-split units are the epitome of this trend. The expensive units have electronic expansion valves, inverter-driven scroll compressors, and sophisticated digital controls. With mid-line models, you never know what's inside until you do your homework.

If you are going to start with an R-410a unit and fill it with ES-22a, please take lots of before and after measurements and tell us how it does. Other members have done this with relative success, but the jury is still out as to what gas or blend of gases works best. But it has been proven to work with propane. Just remember that the oil in these units absorbs water.

As for me, I'll stick with R-22 based units for donor units. They are cheap and plentiful, and so is bbq gas refrigerant and mineral oil.

06-16-13, 02:32 AM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	The main difference in window AC units that use the same refrigerant but higher SEER/EER in old units is usually the condensor. Either it has more surface area or more layers of tubing through the same surface area. The compressors are mostly all constant-speed rotary and are highly alike. Watts in per watts of cooling is mainly determined by the effectiveness of the outdoor coil. Newer units are mostly the same in the cheaper lines. As cost increases, so does the design. Mini-split units are the epitome of this trend. The expensive units have electronic expansion valves, inverter-driven scroll compressors, and sophisticated digital controls. With mid-line models, you never know what's inside until you do your homework. If you are going to start with an R-410a unit and fill it with ES-22a, please take lots of before and after measurements and tell us how it does. Other members have done this with relative success, but the jury is still out as to what gas or blend of gases works best. But it has been proven to work with propane. Just remember that the oil in these units absorbs water. As for me, I'll stick with R-22 based units for donor units. They are cheap and plentiful, and so is bbq gas refrigerant and mineral oil. Last edited by jeff5may; 06-16-13 at 02:37 AM..