How long after leaving the room should I turn off the air conditioner to save electricity?

(Dan Tri) - Many people often have the habit of turning off the air conditioner every time they leave the room, thinking that this will help save electricity consumption. However, this is a mistake that can increase your electricity bill.

Turn off the air conditioner when leaving the room. This mistake will waste electricity

Air conditioning is an almost indispensable device on hot days. However, this is also one of the devices that consumes a lot of electricity if not used properly.

Many people believe that they should turn off the air conditioner as soon as they leave the room to avoid wasting electricity because the device is still running in an empty room. However, this concept is not always accurate.

Many people have the habit of turning off the air conditioner as soon as they leave the room, but in some cases, this can cause the device to consume more electricity (Photo: Newflo).

The compressor is considered the most important part of the air conditioner, responsible for compressing and circulating the refrigerant in the system to absorb heat from the air in the room and release heat to the outside environment, thereby creating a cooling effect.

During operation, the compressor uses an electric motor to compress the refrigerant to high pressure, helping the refrigerant circulate continuously in the system and maintain the heat exchange process. This is also the part that consumes the most electricity, usually accounting for about 70-90% of the total electricity consumption of the air conditioner.

Every time the air conditioner is started from a completely off state, the compressor must operate again from the idle state. This start-up phase often requires greater capacity than when the device is operating stably.

Therefore, many experts recommend that if users only leave the room for a short time, they do not necessarily turn off the air conditioner. Maintaining the unit in operating mode at the appropriate setting can help limit the number of times the compressor has to be restarted, thereby contributing to reduced electricity consumption.

How long should I leave the room before turning off the air conditioner?

Japanese electronics experts have conducted research to find the optimal amount of time that users should keep the air conditioner running when leaving the room.

Accordingly, in case the user leaves the room for less than 30 minutes, the air conditioner should continue to operate.

Starting the compressor in a stopped state sometimes consumes more electricity to operate the air conditioner in an empty room (Illustration: Imgs).

Experts say that if you only leave the room for about 30 minutes, letting the air conditioner continue to operate at the appropriate setting will save more electricity than turning off the device completely. The reason is that when the air conditioner is turned off, the temperature in the room will increase and the compressor must operate at a higher capacity to bring the temperature back to the set level when restarting.

Similarly, experts from Beijing Electric Power Company (China) recommend that if users leave the room for less than an hour, they should not turn off the air conditioner. Instead, you can increase the set temperature and reduce the fan speed.

This method helps the air conditioner maintain operation at low loads, limiting the need for the compressor to restart after a complete stop, while still reducing power consumption thanks to the higher set temperature.

To effectively save electricity, it is necessary to close the room door when the air conditioner is still operating to limit the loss of cold air to the outside.

Keeping the air conditioner running when leaving the room for short periods of time (about 30-60 minutes) can not only help save electricity but also contribute to reducing the number of times the compressor has to restart from a stopped state, thereby helping to prolong the life of the device.

Why do inverter air conditioners save more electricity than conventional air conditioners?

Inverter air conditioners have a higher price, but save more electricity when used (Photo: Orient).

Air conditioners using inverter technology often have a higher price than conventional air conditioners, but are also considered to have better power savings under appropriate usage conditions.

The difference lies in how the compressor operates. With conventional air conditioners (non-inverter), the compressor operates at high capacity to cool the room. When the temperature reaches the set level, the compressor will stop and only operate again when the room temperature increases. The constant starting and stopping of the compressor causes the device to consume more electricity, especially during the start-up phase.

Meanwhile, inverter air conditioners use an inverter to adjust the compressor's rotation speed according to cooling needs. When the room temperature reaches the set level, the compressor does not stop completely but reduces speed to maintain a stable temperature. This method of operation helps reduce power consumption, while limiting the number of times the compressor has to be restarted, thereby contributing to extending the life of the device.

Inverter air conditioners have a higher price than conventional air conditioners. However, if used regularly and for a long time, the initial investment cost can be offset by lower electricity consumption. On the contrary, with low usage needs, conventional air conditioning may be a more economical choice.