Whether it’s hot or humid in nature, the first thing we turn on is the air conditioner! As summer approaches, it’s only natural that your air conditioner usage will increase. However, this heavy usage can also affect your electricity bill. After all, you pay the price for comfort! However, careless use of the air conditioner can affect monthly savings. If you’re worried about your AC electricity bill, it’s important to know how much AC your AC is using so you can plan your usage correctly by sticking to your budget. For starters, here’s how to calculate AC power consumption.
How to calculate AC Energy consumption
How much energy does your AC consume? How many units of electricity will your AC use in a month? It depends on a variety of factors, including wattage ratings, device efficiency, and duration of use. To calculate the average energy consumption for a month, a simple formula can be applied:
- Multiply the AC power (in kW) by the time of daily use and then multiply by 30 or 31 (depending on the day of the month).
Let’s understand this with an example: consider a 5 kW AC that runs for about 10 hours a day. To determine your electricity bill, you’ll need to multiply the cost per unit by the average unit your AC consumes in a month. That means, in a month of 30 days, AC will consume about 1500 units of electricity.
You can also use BSES energy calculator to determine the AC power consumption of your AC.
Tips to control your electricity bill while using AC
1. Use wisely: Running the air conditioner continuously throughout the day puts considerable strain on both the overall unit and its individual components. Turn off if not needed or when the room has reached a comfortable temperature.
2. Regular service: Clean AC filters promptly or call AC service providers to check for gas availability or problems with oil and lubricants.
3. Ideal temperature: We get it, 40-45 degrees Celsius fiery summer weather can be really frustrating. But if you keep the air conditioner at a temperature of about 16-20 degrees Celsius, it will have to load a lot, which means a lot of power consumption. Setting the temperature to around 25 degrees Celsius will help reduce power consumption without compromising comfort.
4. Location of air conditioner: Not only maintenance or cooling, but the location of the air conditioner in the room is also an important factor in determining power consumption. Keep it away from direct sunlight.
5. Close the room door: If you close the room when using the air conditioner, it will help you cool the room faster.
