AC's Electricity Consumption?

Question

I'd like to know if keeping my ACs running all day can save electricity than turning it off when I leave home in the morning and turning it back on when I come back home from work.

I always thought it was better for environment (less electricity consumption) if I had it turned off while I'm away, but many people around me say that it takes a lot more energy to cool down a room once temperature goes up a lot during the day because the AC is off.

Does anybody know how this works? Please answer ONLY IF you know this well. Thanx!

Answer 1

It is cheaper to turn it off during the day.  Ideally, you would use a clocked thermostat (readily available for central air conditioning systems) which would turn on the machine before you get home so that you would arrive at a comfortable house.

Answer 2

You should keep your AC set at a certain temperature all the time, read the brochure that arrives with your bill.  The two household items that use the most electricity are an AC and a Microwave Oven.

Answer 3

ACs switch on 10 hours wouldn't help to save cost. The meter reading still ticking.

Switch off is the best way.

Eg : AC 1hp = 0.75kWh ,ie 1 hour charged 0.75kW.

        Let say : 1kWh = $1.

        10 hours = 0.75kWh X $1 X 10 hours = $7.50.

        if you switch on for 10 hours and left for work.

       If you switch off and left for work . Come back and switch On the ACs.

      There are 1.5 time more kWh jump up in order to start the motor within the ACs and slowly reduce back to 1hp (0.75kWh) within 1 hour .  The calculation will be like this :

Let say Max 2.0 times kWh jump up : 1.5kWh X 1 hour X $1 = $1.50 (for the 1st 1 hour )

Then, the rest of the hour are charged with 0.75kWh.

Now, you understand.

In the market there are inverter build in the ACs, which slow ramp up the motor inside the ACs. So, the start up wouldn't jump up to >1.5 time kWh. I recommended you to use it.