Most residential air conditioners need a breaker between 15 A (1.5-ton units) and 60 A (the largest 5-ton units), but the only number that counts is the one printed on your unit’s nameplate. Use this air conditioner breaker size chart…
Water from an air conditioner isn’t safe to drink as-is because it is collected from coils, pans, and drain lines that were never built to deliver drinking water. The water seems pure to the eyes, but it picks up whatever…
R22 refrigerant (also called R-22, HCFC-22, or Freon) is a colorless hydrochlorofluorocarbon gas, chemically chlorodifluoromethane, that cools air conditioners, heat pumps, and commercial refrigeration systems. It is still legal to use for servicing existing equipment, but only reclaimed, recycled, or…
MCA vs MOCP for AC Calculator comes down to two jobs. MCA (minimum circuit ampacity) is the smallest wire ampacity an AC unit needs. MOCP (maximum overcurrent protection) is the largest breaker or fuse the manufacturer allows. Size the wire…
The right wire size for an AC unit comes from the minimum circuit ampacity (MCA) printed on its nameplate, not from its tonnage. A wire size chart for AC units gets you close: most residential central units land between 14…
The fastest way to reduce your AC electricity bill is to cut the kilowatt-hours your unit uses: raise the thermostat to 24-26°C (75-78°F), run the AC fewer hours, and choose an inverter model when you replace it. Your bill is…
A typical room air conditioner costs about 8 to 30 cents an hour to run at $0.15 per kWh, and a central system costs about 45 to 53 cents. The AC running cost calculator below turns that range into your…
Your AC most often leaks water because the condensate drain line is clogged, and where the water shows up tells you how urgent it is. A thin drip from the outdoor drain pipe is normal. Water inside your home, from…