Split Air Conditioner System

Written by:  • Edited by: Swagatam
Updated Aug 15, 2009

Split air conditioners are used for small rooms and halls, usually in places where window air conditioners cannot be installed. However, these days many people prefer split air conditioner units even for places where window air conditioners can be fitted.

Do you have a single room but no place to make a slot for the window air conditioner? No problem, there is an excellent option in the form of a split air conditioner. The split air conditioner can be installed in rooms and offices where you don’t want to disturb the setup of the room and avoid demolitions in your favorite space. The split air conditioner takes up a very small space of your room, looks aesthetically cool and makes very little noise, ensuring sound sleep for you when you return from your day’s hard work.

There are two main parts of the split air conditioner. These are:

1) Outdoor unit: This unit houses important components of the air conditioner like the compressor, condenser coil and also the expansion coil or capillary tubing. This unit is installed outside the room or office space which is to be cooled. The compressor is the maximum noise making part of the air conditioner, and since in the split air conditioner, it is located outside the room, the major source of noise is eliminated. In the outdoor unit there is a fan that blows air over the condenser thus cooling the compressed Freon gas in it. This gas passes through the expansion coil and gets converted into low pressure, low temperature partial gas and partial liquid Freon fluid.

2) Indoor unit: It is the indoor unit that produces the cooling effect inside the room or the office. This is a beautiful looking tall unit usually white in color, though these days a number of stylish models of the indoor unit are being launched. The indoor unit houses the evaporator coil or the cooling coil, a long blower and the filter. After passing from the expansion coil, the chilled Freon fluid enters the cooling coil. The blower sucks the hot, humid and filtered air from the room and it blows it over the cooling coil. As the air passes over cooling coil its temperature reduces drastically and also loses the excess moisture. The cool and dry air enters the room and maintains comfortable conditions of around 25-27 degree Celsius as per the requirements.

Split Unit
click to enlarge

The temperature inside the space can be maintained by thermostat setting. The setting should be such that comfortable conditions are maintained inside the room, and there is also chance for the compressor to trip at regular intervals. If the compressor keeps running continuously without break, its life will reduce.

These days multi-split air conditioners are also being used commonly. In units for one outdoor unit there are two indoor units which can be placed in two different rooms or at two different locations inside a large room.

Since there is long distance between the indoor and the outdoor unit, there is always loss of some cooling effect; hence for the same tonnage, split air conditioners produce somewhat less cooling effect than window air conditioners. However, with modern insulation material this gap has been reducing between the two. In any case, there are number of instances where there is just no alternative to the split air conditioners.

Must read:

1) Parts of the Split Air Conditioner

2) Installation of the Split Air Conditioners


Comments

Showing all 29 comments
 
Surender Jun 27, 2011 8:47 AM
Distance bt indoor and outdoor unit.
Hi All,

Plz come one tell me what should be perfect distance bw indoor and outdoor unit of split Ac.. i hv 2 tons AC but my room situation is like that i must put my outdoor unit at distance 15 feet.. so does it work properly for me.
Surender Jun 27, 2011 8:43 AM
Distance between indoor and outdoor Unit
Can anybody tell me what should be the perfect distance between indoor unit and outdoor unit.. i have a room, for that i want 2ton Split AC. but for that i have to put the outdoor unit at 15 feet .. so does it work properly for that.. plz give good suggetion for that.. thanx for that...
B.S.RAWAT May 29, 2011 2:33 AM
split ac
dear sir,what meaning of split, why called it split ac.
fazmeerdj Feb 3, 2011 4:16 PM
The function about the expension valve
Dear Sir,
I want to know the function of expention valve

Regards,
Fazmeer
Birhanu Eyassu May 18, 2010 6:57 AM
specificaton
dear Sir,

I am very intersted to know about the detail of AC, because u know some times I want to know the required quantity of Ac for a single room with its BTU and I cant get it can u pls help me to find the specification and requirement by profession I am a civil engineer i need it for my carrer too
Dr srinivas Apr 13, 2010 6:15 AM
frsh air exchange in split ac
hi,i feel lack of fresh air in split ac room a gone thru ur article,pl eloobarate how fresh air and volume exchange inthis split ac room as two capillary tubes and drain pipe is from indoor unit
regards
dr srinivas
k.v.senthilkumar Mar 29, 2010 3:36 AM
split ac systems
please send working principles of split ac systems in details for studings purpose
Haresh Khemani Feb 3, 2010 12:49 PM
Air circulation
Roopak, just go through the article here: http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/45046.aspx

If you still have questions, feel free to ask more questions.
Roopak Feb 3, 2010 12:19 AM
Air circulation in Split AC
Hi Haresh,
I am asking you this question as I was not able to find the answer for this question when my friend asked me this question.I believe that the air exchange from indoor to outdoor doesnt take place in the case of a split AC. In that case how do we still feel comfortable even after being in a closed Air conditioned room with the same amount of air. How is the freshness of the air maintained in that case. I hope you can provide an answer for this.

Thanks in advance,
Roopak.R


































Haresh Khemani Jan 21, 2010 12:18 PM
2 indoor 1 outdoor
Hi Animesh, this mode is successful, but I would still recommend the one indoor and one outdoor unit mode since it gives greater flexibility. Even the cost difference between the two is not much.
animesh Jan 21, 2010 4:04 AM
2 indoor unit 1 out door unit
Am thinking of buying a 2 indoor unit with 1 outdoor aplit a/c... please advise if this is a successful mode..

Haresh Khemani Oct 24, 2009 7:39 AM
Split
Dear Seshgiri,

The split units are available for up to five tonnes. In most of these units air cooled condensers, the ones similar to window ac condensers are used.
K.SeshagirI Rao Oct 24, 2009 7:14 AM
Hi
Hi sir, how much capacity of split air conditioners are available in the market. And tell me what type of condensers are used in that system.
Gayan Oct 2, 2009 11:47 AM
air codition
dear sir,
can u send me to all type of air condition brands. split & window & out door type. world use
Haresh Khemani Sep 16, 2009 11:35 PM
Cost
Hi Swapnil,

The cost of the 1.5 ton split unit starts from Rs. 20,000 and can go up to Rs. 35,000 depending on the brand. The installation charges are usually Rs. 1000/-. Some companies include the installation charges in the cost of the split AC and don't charge separately.

Thanks,

Haresh
swapnil Sep 16, 2009 9:51 AM
cost
what is the appx. cost of installation of split ac
abdul razak Aug 24, 2009 5:30 PM
My thomson (china Made )split unit (2ton)
is compressor working frequently only
this is causing (almost 10 minutes in an hour) after that compressor get off) when we change some adjustments in remote again (may/may be) will start working
i dont know actually what is this problem?
please help me

a. razak
Haresh Khemani Aug 22, 2009 1:57 AM
Split AC help
Dear Mano,

I can't really see anything wrong in the unit. The only problem is you have not been using the remote buttons correctly. I would recommend you call the dealer from whom you have purchased the unit and ask them to demonstrate the working of the unit. This should help you instantly.

Thanks,

Haresh
mano Aug 21, 2009 10:49 AM
split air conditioner help!
hey :)
i have a split air conditioner and i hav eno idea how to use it .
it says "cool,off,heat"
and "auto,on"

so i select "cool" and "auto" but the lowest degree you can go is 50..is that normal cuz shouldnt it be 25 or sometihng but it wont go less than 50?
and i checked and the the main system for air conditioner is turned on..so whats the problem.

ps.i use it for 20 minutes ans see no difference so i always stop it cuz its SOO hot in where i live and i cant live a second w/o the window open since the i dont know how to use the air conditioner..so please tell me what im doing wrong ? and what should the degree be at? is 50 bad? i have no idea at all.please help mee! thanksss :)
Haresh Khemani Aug 16, 2009 11:22 PM
2 in 1
Hi Varun,

Yes, this mode is successful, it is called multi-split unit.

Thanks,

Haresh
varun Aug 16, 2009 3:25 PM
2 in 1
Hi,

Am thinking of buying a 2 indoor unit with 1 outdoor aplit a/c... please advise if this is a successful mode..
Haresh Khemani Aug 15, 2009 2:10 AM
TRIPPING OF SPLIT UNIT
Dear Sohail,

Check the installation of the outdoor unit and make sure there is no hindrance to the flow of air.

If this is OK, there can be problem in settings of the remote or the PCB is not functioning properly.

Thanks,

Haresh
SOHAIL Aug 14, 2009 11:38 PM
TRIPPING OF SPLIT UNIT
THE UNIT WHEN TURNED ON ITSELF CHANGES THE SETTING AND EVENTUALLY STOP AFTER A FEW MINUTES and goes on standby function. Sometimes it turn on itself after a few minutes and the above sequence is repeated.
Haresh Khemani Aug 13, 2009 12:50 AM
Noisy Indoor Unit
Dear Anthony,

Thanks for your query. Most of your questions are answered in the article "Installation of the Split Air Conditioners: Deciding the Location of Indoor and Outdoor Units" available at http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/45249.aspx

The major problem that I can see is with the location of the outdoor unit as mentioned by you in the last sentence of your comment. As you will read in the above article also (see some accompanied images also) the outdoor unit should be kept in the open space with no hindrance to the flow of the air. This where the problem lies, rectify it and you will get silent indoor unit.

The problem arises only when the compressor is started because lots of heat is generated in the compressor and the condenser and there is no chance for releasing it to the atmospheric air. The refrigerant remains in the gaseous state and makes noise.

Give it a try, thanks,

Haresh
Anthony Farrugia Aug 12, 2009 3:41 PM
noisy indoor unit
I have recently moved my split type ac from one location of the room to another. This also involved moving the outdoor unit to a different location.
Since this move the indoor unit is making a very loud noise whenever the compressor is running. The unit is very silent when the compressor turns off and only the fan is running.
Cooling is ok but the noise is unbearable. To give you an idea, the noise is similar to the noise of the compressor.
Could it be that the noise of the compressor is being transmitted through the freon because the outdoor unit is now installed in a confined space. The front of the outdoor unit is now facing a wall only one foot away. Your help is appreciated.
Haresh Khemani Aug 6, 2009 12:53 AM
Inverter type compressor
Dear Jackson,

What is inverter type compressor? Do you mean rotary compressor and its advantages over reciprocating compressor? Please clarify your question.

Haresh
jackson127 Aug 5, 2009 11:49 PM
Inverter type compressor
What do you think the advantages of the new "inverter type" are over the old type compressor? Does inverter type worth the almost 100% price mark-up?
Haresh Khemani Aug 5, 2009 8:45 AM
Split A/C troubleshooting
Dear Vincent,

Please keep on visiting Bright Hub for the soon to be published articles on troubleshooting.

The dew water from room is collected in the indoor unit. The drainage pipe is connected to it for removing this water.

Thanks,

Haresh
Vincent Carlson Aug 5, 2009 8:24 AM
split a/c troubleshooting
Hello,

Any tips on troubleshooting split a/c cooling problems? Also, should the outside unit have a drain or something to carry the water away from the unit? Thanks, Vince
 
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