When choosing an air conditioning system for your property the running cost is a major factor to consider. Our fully internal water-cooled air conditioning systems are designed not only for efficiency but also to be cost-effective in the long run. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect regarding how much water cooled air conditioning costs to run.
Electricity Consumption
Our water-cooled systems are highly energy-efficient, particularly as they utilise inverter technology. This technology ensures that the system only uses the energy it needs to maintain your desired temperature. For every 1 kW of electricity our systems consume, they produce approximately 3 kW of cooling.
To give you a practical example, if you have a 5 kW condenser unit, it will consume around 1.66 kW of electricity when operating at full capacity. As your room reaches the temperature you've set (setpoint), the system automatically reduces its power usage, which helps keep your electricity bills lower. Compared to portable air conditioning units, our systems are more efficient and adapt better to your cooling needs, saving you money over time.
Water Consumption
The amount of water used by our water-cooled air conditioning system is another significant cost factor. However, this can vary based on several factors:
- Setpoint Temperature: Lowering the room temperature to a cooler setpoint requires more water. For example, maintaining a room at 18°C would use more water than setting it to 22°C.
- Outdoor Temperature: Higher outdoor temperatures increase the system's water usage since more heat needs to be removed from the indoor air.
- Building Materials: Properties with more glass or less insulation may retain heat longer, necessitating more water to maintain cool indoor temperatures.
To provide a rough estimate, cooling an average-sized bedroom (5m x 4m) with a 2 kW indoor unit in a well-insulated modern building, under moderate outdoor conditions (27°C), might require around 60 litres of water per hour.
However, once the room reaches the desired temperature, the system will use less water, as it only operates intermittently to maintain the set temperature. The cooler you set the temperature, or the hotter it is outside, the more water the system will use.
Operational Time
How much air conditioning costs to run also depends on the running time of the system. Running it continuously will naturally lead to higher electricity and water costs. However, with our systems, you can achieve the desired temperature quickly and then choose to turn off the system or let it operate at a lower capacity to maintain comfort, which can further reduce costs.
To maintain the setpoint temperature of the room or systems normally only take 20 – 30 minutes per hour of operation, so water consumption will drop when the setpoint temperature is simply being maintained.
Maintenance and Efficiency
Regular maintenance is key to ensuring your system runs at peak efficiency. At Urban Cooling, we offer maintenance services to keep your system in top condition, which not only prolongs its life but also ensures it continues to operate cost-effectively. Without regular maintenance, any air conditioning system can become less efficient, leading to higher running costs.
Water Recycling Options
As the wastewater from the system is heated up to around 45-50degC, in some situations we are able to connect up to a large hot water storage cylinder to the unit, so the heated water can be used for a shower or bath. This recycled water can potentially offset some of the operating costs by reducing the need for additional water heating.
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