In the search for a new air conditioner for your home, you may have come across the term –‘Inverter Air conditioners’. Knowing what it is and how it is different from a conventional air conditioner will help you in making an informed buying decision.
Speaking of differences, one of the features that make inverter air conditioner different from the conventional one is, its functionality. Generally, a conventional air conditioner draws a considerable amount of power for it’s compressor to function and maintain the set temperature. However, once the room is cooled at the set temperature, the compressor shuts down. This can also be termed as on/off method.
Whereas, the inverter air conditioner comes with variable frequency drive or VFD (type of motor controller that drives an electric appliance by varying the frequency and voltage supplied to the electric motor) that converts the alternative current (AC) to direct current (DC). By doing so, it eliminates any risk of power surge or shock while switching ‘on’ the inverter air conditioner. The inverter technology monitors the speed of the compressor motor i.e. even after attaining the desired cooling temperature, the compressor will keep functioning at a lower speed to maintain the cooling.
If in any case, there is sudden variations in the room temperature (For instance; you open the window or door of the room while the inverter air conditioner is on.) the microcontroller sensor in the inverter air conditioner, will automatically sense the changes and adjust the speed of the compressor to maintain the set temperature.
Image source: Panasonic
Here’s a tabular representation of the basic differences between an Inverter Air conditioner and Conventional Air conditioner.
| Features | Conventional Air Conditioner | Inverter Air Conditioner |
| Power Consumption on Startup | Consumes more power on startup | Consumes less power on startup |
| Compressor Speed | Fixed Speed | Variable Speed |
| Compressor Cooling Efficiency | Comparatively Less | Comparatively More |
| Noise Level | Comparatively More | Comparatively Less |
| Price | Lesser than Inverter air conditioner | Comparatively costlier than conventional air conditioner |
The technology used in an inverter air conditioner makes it a little pricey compared to a conventional air conditioner. While you may perceive the price range to be higher, it would offset with decrease in power consumption. Thereby, reducing the electricity bill to a certain extent. Let’s understand it with an example:
*Considering the average domestic tariff in India is Rs 8 per KW (kilowatt), a conventional 1.5-ton air conditioner consumes approximately up to 1.4 kWh (kilowatt per hour) of electricity on hourly basis under normal load. Let’s assume the conventional air conditioner runs for 10 hours a day. Now, let’s find out how much would it cost on a monthly basis.
Units per month = kW of Air Conditioner x Daily running hours x 30
Example: 1.4 kW of AC running for 10 hours per day.
= 1.4 x 10 x 30
= 420 Units per month.
Calculate Monthly Electricity Bill Using Units Consumed By AC:
Consider the cost of 1 unit as 8 Rs.
Electricity bill for AC=Units per month x Cost of one unit
= 420 x 8
= 3360 Rupees per month
*The above estimates are for instances only. The actual power consumption may differ depending on the individual usage.
However, according to BEE India, an inverter air conditioner saves approximately upto 30% to 40% electricity. Thereby, reflecting a considerably amount of reduction in the monthly electricity bill.
With effect from 1st January 2018, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has assigned new energy ratings for air conditioner called ‘ISEER’ (Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings.) Keeping in mind the variance in the temperature across India, this method of rating was introduced in air conditioners with a view to provide higher energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Inverter air conditioners typically start from 3 star rating under ISEER.
To explore a wide range of Inverter Air conditioner across brands check online at www.reliancedigital.in, you may also visit any of the nearest Reliance Digital stores. If you found this topic interesting, then do share it amongst your family and friends.
