10 difference between Normal AC and Inverter technology AC

Since the arrival of inverter AC in the market. The difference between inverter AC and normal AC becomes a hot topic. Lots of people want to know how an inverter AC differs from a normal AC.

The cooling load of an Air conditioner is a variable and depends on room occupancy (number of persons), the desired comfort level of the customer (set temperature), outdoor environmental conditions and many other parameters. In most ACs, the actual cooling load fluctuates. However, in regular ACs, the system is not designed to handle this variable load, but for the expected peak load.

In an AC, the compressor is the component that consumes electricity. In normal ACs [non-inverter type], the compressor is either ON or OFF. When it is ON, it works at full capacity and uses the full amount of electricity it is designed to consume.

When the set temperature in the Normal AC is reached, the compressor is cut off and cooling is stopped. When the thermostat senses that the room temperature has increased, the compressor switches ON again, automatically. That means, in normal air conditioners, the compressor is switched ON and OFF intermittently.

The inverter-driven AC with varying cooling capacity has been studied during the last two decades and the well-known technique is to control the rotational speed of the compressor based on its cooling load. A three-phase induction machine (IM) is generally used as the compressor motor.

In an inverter type AC, the inverter is used to control the speed of the compressor motor by changing the frequency of the power supply to drive the variable refrigerant flow and thereby regulating the temperature of the conditioned space.

The variable-frequency drive is used to achieve the desired frequency, and the rotational speed will be proportional to the input frequency. This will adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant based on the temperature of the room.

With this technology, the compressor of the AC is always ON but varies the power input depending on the temperature of the return air and the level set in the thermostat. Hence, the flow of refrigerant is dependent on the cooling needs of the space.

On the basis of the above discussion and other parameters of comparative like price, maintenance cost and performance. Here are the differences between normal AC and Inverter AC.

10 differences between Normal AC and Inverter AC.

1. Inverter AC carries inverter which converter constant grid power into variable AC power. To control the speed of the compressor. On the other hand, normal AC doesn’t have inverter technology.

2. The compressor of normal AC runs at a constant speed, whereas the speed compressor of Inverter AC varies as per the room temperature.

3. The compressor of normal AC runs switch ON and OFF periodically to maintain the room temperature. Whereas the speed of the compressor is increased and decreased (automatically) to maintain the room temperature. But the compressor of inverter AC didn’t switch off as long as AC is running.

4. Speed controlled compressor of an Inverter AC provides more precise cooling as compared to fixed speed compressor of normal AC.

Inverter AC consumes 35% less power than a Normal AC.

5. Inverter AC consumes 35% less power than a Normal AC. The frequently switching ON and OFF of compressor consume more power as compare to variable speed compressor.

6. Since inverter AC consume less power, they are more suitable to run on a home inverter during power cuts. As compared to inverter AC, a normal AC needs a 1.25 times higher size of home power inverter and battery bank to run during power cuts.

7. The compressor of inverter AC is very quiet as compared to normal AC. Since the compressor of an inverter AC runs at low speed for most of the time, it produces less noise.

8. The maintenance cost of inverter AC is higher than normal AC. The reason behind the higher maintenance cost of an Inverter AC is the circuit board of the inverter. Replacing the circuit board cost a very higher price, whereas the cost of the rest of the maintenance like gas filling and cleaning etc are the same as of Normal AC.

9. Inverter AC’s are costlier than Normal AC. Inverter technology makes inverter costlier than a normal one.

10. The compressor of Inverter AC can run faster than the compressor of a normal AC. Hence, Inverter AC cools the room faster as compared to normal AC.