how many watts does a home ac unit use

Air Conditioning • Comfort Pro • HVAC Cooling off in the summer and early fall is a constant thought. No matter what your plans are for the day, you must figure out a way to stay cool to avoid heat strokes, sunburns, and other nasty problems that can occur. We want our neighbors to stay comfortable year-round. One of the primary concerns in terms of cooling a home is the cost. Heating and air conditioning accounted for 47.7% of the average U.S. household’s energy bill in 2009. In more recent years, electronic devices are taking over as the majority, but the cost of heating and cooling is continuing to rise as oil prices rise. Air Conditioning Unit Energy Consumption Air conditioning (AC) units are constantly running through the hot seasons to keep your home and offices cool. So just how much energy does it take to keep your home cool? Well, let’s take a look at the big picture first. The average U.S. household consumes about 700kW of energy each year, according to the .

Keep in mind this energy is spread across the seasons, not the seasons. Now let’s jump into the specifics for AC consumption. In reality, there is no guaranteed number. You’ll just have to look at the specifications for your unit, specifically. The energy usage per unit truly varies a lot; however, we can give average estimates and examples of popular units that are installed. Here are some specifics: As the sizes of central ACs vary, the wattage will vary.
ac power supply laptopThe more tons you have, the more usage you’ll use.
training on air handling unitThe 3500W average estimate is based on averages from 2.5 ton units.
cleaning an outside ac unitIf you’re interested in installing a 2.5 ton unit, or already have one installed, then you’ll use anywhere between 3200W-3800W.

What Does “Large” or “Medium” Mean, Specifically? The real difference between small, medium, and large window units is the BTU. If you notice, when purchasing an AC they give you the square footage covered, which is based directly off of the BTU. Here are some estimates on large, medium, and small units in terms of their BTU for your reference: These numbers are all variants, as there are smaller units that go down to 3000 BTU and sometimes even lower. In fact, there are some window units that use up to 25000 BTU. These units use about 2600 Watts of energy to run. Central AC units can use a whole lot more than 3500 Watts of energy, but they can also use a whole lot less. It all depends on how efficiently you manage the system. Some of the factors affecting the energy usage of all air conditioners, which prevent specific estimations, include: What’s it going to Cost Me? Cooling your home can be costly if you don’t pay think it through. The cost to run an AC unit depends on the size of the unit, as well as the factors listed above.

However, the average costs for each size unit can be found below: The above estimates are based off of an energy rate of $0.14/kWh, and the unit is run for 16 hours/day. To lower your energy bill during the summer, take a look at some of and if you’re in need of AC maintenance, repairs, or installation!Skip to main content You are hereHome » Blogs » ckmapawatt's blog blogHow much electricity does my AC consume?How many watts does an air conditioner use? The watts required to operate an air conditioner can vary based on many factors, including the type of cooling system, the cooling output and the frequency of maintenance. What is the average lifespan of an air conditioner fan relay? What are some different types of window air conditioning units? What is a Trane condensing unit? A central air conditioner averages a usage of approximately 3,500 watts, and the operation of the air conditioning fan without use of the compressor averages 750 watts.

Window air conditioning units can vary from 500 watts for small units to 1,440 watts for large units. A dirty air conditioning unit may operate inefficiently, using more energy to attain ideal comfort levels because of problems with airflow and with the ability for heat exchange to occur between refrigerant and the surrounding air. How do you troubleshoot an air conditioner thermostat? To troubleshoot an air conditioner thermostat, identify the type of thermostat that is in use, check that the unit is receiving power and ensure the unit i... How much electricity does a Pinguino air conditioner use? The electricity requirement for a Pinguino air conditioner varies depending on the model being purchased and can range anywhere from 950 to 1,500 watts. How many watts does a 5000-BTU air conditioner use? The number of watts a 5,000-BTU air conditioner uses depends on the number of amps it has and how many volts an outlet has. Most 5,000-BTU air conditioners... What is a 13 SEER air conditioner?

An air conditioner with a "seasonal energy efficiency ratio," or SEER, of 13 has a certain degree of efficiency in regards to its cooling output and energy... What is a temperature conversion chart for medical use? How much does a new furnace cost? What is the best indoor antenna for HDTV use? What are some tips for buying a Jump Starter air compressor? What is an air conditioner BTU calculator? What services does Superior Heating and Cooling offer?Knowing the wattage of your AC unit allows you to find out the cost to run it. Air conditioner capacity is often described in British thermal units instead of amperage or wattage. To determine the cost to run a 5,000-Btu air conditioner, however, you'll have to know the amperage rating. In turn, you can convert that number to wattage. Once you know the wattage, you can find out the cost to run the air conditioner for an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year. Locate the amperage of your 5,000-Btu air conditioner.

There will generally be a tag on the bottom or inside the filter panel with the specifications that you need. Most 5,000-Btu air conditioning units are rated at around 5 amperes. Calculate the wattage from the amperes. For example, multiply the 5-amp figure by how many volts there are at the outlet. In most cases this will be 110. Therefore, 5 x 110 = 550 watts. This figure will allow you to calculate your kilowatt-hours. Find out what you are paying for each kilowatt-hour from your local electric company. The national average is approximately 12 cents. Determine how much the air conditioner would cost to run over a 24-hour period. Use the basic formula of watts x hours of use ÷ 1,000 x cost per kilowatt-hour = cost of operation. (Dividing by 1,000 changes watt-hours to kilowatt-hours.) For example, in this case the mathematical formula looks like this: 550 x 24 ÷ 1,000 x $0.12. The cost to run a 5-amp, 5,000-Btu air conditioner over a 24-hour period is about $1.60. Divide the cost per day by how many hours in a day to get an hourly cost amount.