Air Conditioner Test
There has been a lot of posts on this site about AC performance. You see a lot of people saying that you can only expect a 20 degree drop in temperature from your AC. I'm not sure how this story got s...
Forum Discussion
Another factor to consider. The heat load that the A/C sees is a tow part load; the sensible load and the latent load.
The sensible load is the actual temperature drop of the dry air.
The latent load is the removal of the moisture (water vapor) in the air.
In a high humidity are, the latent load is generally the larger of the two loads. In a dry area, the sensible load is larger.
So
latent BTUH + sensible BTUH = Total BTUH load.
The compressor is capable of reaching a fixed BTUH rating per ARI conditions.
The more water you see running off your roof, the higher the latent load. And the less dry air cooling you will see.
In a dry climate, the unit may well do 20 degF temperature difference or a bit more, while in a damp climate, it may only make 15 degF difference.
The 18 to 20 degF "rule" is a general rule and does not fit every case. But it is the difference between the entering air and the leaving air temperature to the unit. How well the unit(s) do relative to the outside temperature are determined by how well the unit is insulated, which way the RV is located relative to the sun and how much shade you have.
Ken
The sensible load is the actual temperature drop of the dry air.
The latent load is the removal of the moisture (water vapor) in the air.
In a high humidity are, the latent load is generally the larger of the two loads. In a dry area, the sensible load is larger.
So
latent BTUH + sensible BTUH = Total BTUH load.
The compressor is capable of reaching a fixed BTUH rating per ARI conditions.
The more water you see running off your roof, the higher the latent load. And the less dry air cooling you will see.
In a dry climate, the unit may well do 20 degF temperature difference or a bit more, while in a damp climate, it may only make 15 degF difference.
The 18 to 20 degF "rule" is a general rule and does not fit every case. But it is the difference between the entering air and the leaving air temperature to the unit. How well the unit(s) do relative to the outside temperature are determined by how well the unit is insulated, which way the RV is located relative to the sun and how much shade you have.
Ken
