Window or Split AC for commercial use in a smoking area

[confused123]

Hi everyone,
I want to replace one of my two dying 1.5 ton godrej split ac. It is for commercial use & my current elec bill is around 15k/month. There is a lot of indoor smoking due to which my indoor units get clogged/iced & hence require monthly pump down service. I want to strike a bargain between reducing electricity bill, lower maintenance & good cooling. I am interested in buying an inverter ac to reduce my electricity bill but all experts advice me to go for window ac. They say that indoor smoking will clog the split inverter earlier as compared to a window ac & also window ac require less maintenance. I need suggestions as to if i should go for window or split inverter considering excessive smoke from cigarettes. Also which brand is better for my usage (14 hr/day). Do any AC have active carbon filters??

Thanking you in anticipation

 

[ghatgepatil]

Both ACs operating or, one is a stand-by?
How big is the space?
What is the manpower load in the space?

 

[confused123]

Both AC operating. I plan to replace one of the two. area is around 500sqft. generally around 10 people inside the shop. My main concern is that if i should go for inverter split or window ac, as there is excessive cigarette smoking . my usage is around 14 hr/day, all days of the week.

 

[ghatgepatil]

10 people at the outlet translates to minimum 200 CFM of fresh air requirements for that area. Fresh air is the outside air which brings in the oxygen, else, people sitting inside would be forced to inhale carbon dioxide laced air after some time. You see, split ACs do not have this function. Some window ACs would have this feature, but the amount of outside air that can be brought in is very miniscule.

Obviously, if the running time is a high 14 hours daily, it would make a lot of sense to opt for inverter split AC. Replace both, if budget permits.

For the fresh air discussed, you need to procure yet another equipment known as ERV - energy recovery ventilator. It is provided with a cross-flow plate heat exchanger which allows the inside chilled energy of the indoor stale air exhaust to transfer to the unconditioned yet 'fresh' outdoor air. A 200 CFM air flow model would suffice for your space.

Cigarette odors would come drastically down, people inside would feel fresh and would be more productive. AND your AC load would also not increase by much due to the ERV function.

Your current AC clogging issue is NOT due to the cigarettes. It is due to the high dust content in the ambient air. Come what may, it is always advisable to clean the particulate filter inside 'any' air handling equipment once every month. Here, operational time is a long 14 hours daily !!!

 

[confused123]

Thank you for your advice. Considering it I suppose ill go for an inverter ac to cut my elec tariff. I've shortlisted Daikin, Sharp and Panasonic. Which one do you think will be the best buy for me? Also, can you please help me with the price of an ERV and where can i buy it from.
Thanking you

 

[Nikhil]

Go for a Daikin Inverter - hands down one of the best you will get in the market.
They are more expensive than the other brands but have tremendous performance.

Go for two 2 Ton units if you can - the extra capacity will give you more headroom when the shop gets crowded or if you have to place the outdoor units away from the shop. If you have a plan to remodel the shop area then ceiling mounted cassette style units will give you very efficient cooling but that is again a step up from the split unit design - cost and performance wise.

 

[avesbilal]

Using two Daikin 1.5tonne Inverter AC's at my home from past 1.5 years. Very satisfied with the performance and efficiency. I have used Carrier and LG AC's in the past, but Daikin the best I have used. As per my research while buying I was told Daikin and O- general are the top brands, though I don't know about the comparison in practical. My opinion will be to go with Inverter technology as it saves power as well as provides continues cooling (temperature doesn't fluctuates like conventional AC's)

All the best.