Split air conditioners have a split design with an external or out door unit that houses the compressor and one or more internal units that are served by the compressor and house the air handlers. Their design makes them similar to central air conditioning units however the fact that they use smaller air ducts makes them less expensive and easier to install.
In a split air conditioner the refrigerant is pumped to the cooling coil in the air handlers through the ducting. The conduit which just needs a three inch hole drilled in the wall connects the inner and the outer unit. It houses the refrigerant and suction tubing, the condensate drain and the power cable.
Advantages
Split system air conditioners have many advantages over the traditional central air conditioning systems. The primary benefit is ability for zoning so that you can cool or heat individual rooms, thereby saving energy. They are also considerable smaller than central air conditioners.
The internal units of split system air conditioners are designed to suit the decor of your home. The installation is fairly simple and one out door unit can serve up to four indoor units. Since the connecting conduit has to be bought separately and is available in different lengths you can place the internal and external units almost 50 feet apart.
There is also a lot of flexibility in terms of the indoor units. You can choose the traditional wall mounted design or go for the ceiling mounted model. The indoor units can also be suspended from the ceiling or you can opt for the newer floor standing models. Almost all manufacturers offer remote controlled units so it’s easier to switch them on or off.
The refrigerant used in most spilt system air conditioners in environment friendly Freon. Most manufacturers will include refrigerant specifications in the user manual.
While choosing a split air conditioner the first thing to look for is the cooling capacity.
Units are available from 12000 BTU and even though they are cheaper than central air conditioners they are certainly more expensive than the window air conditioners. Prices for a 1 ton unit can range from $1100 to $2300.
This does not include the installation charges. You will need the services of an HVAC professional to install a split air conditioner. He will set up the lines for drainage, electricity and coolant and put in the right amount of coolant. The tubing needed may have to be purchased separately.
Usually a single indoor unit is enough to cool one zone or room but this depends on the insulation, the amount of sunlight received in the room, other electrical appliances being operated in the room and the number of people. If your BTU requirement is more you can even opt for two indoor units for one room. Since the compressor is in the external unit, split air conditioners are remarkably quiet.
Depending on the BTU requirement and the number of rooms you will also have to make a choice between dual zone and triple zone versions. A dual zone model has two air handlers while a triple zone unit has three air handlers.
Many newer models also have heating options in the split air conditioning units. The heating is achieved through the use of electric heat strips or heat pumps.
The other things to consider would be the voltage requirements. The 5 star rating acts like a seal of approval from the US department of energy and is given to products that are very energy efficient without compromising on the performance or features. So look for the 5 star logo on the product.
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