With summer approaching, the Consumer Council tested 15 window-type air conditioners on the market commonly known as “3/4 hp” models, and found that 10 of the samples had cooling capacities lower than their claimed figures, with differences ranging from -0.1% to -2.2%.
“Cooling capacity” refers to the rate at which an air conditioner expels indoor heat to the outdoors. The higher the figure, the faster the cooling speed, and the quicker the room becomes cool. The Consumer Council tested the 15 air conditioner samples in an environment with an indoor temperature of 27℃ and relative humidity of 48%. The brands and models of the 10 air conditioners with cooling capacities lower than their claimed figures include:
1. “White -Westinghouse” - WWN07CMA-D3
2. “Philco” - PWA807M
3. “Ryobishi” - RB-07MA
4. “Gree” - G1807VM
5. “Frostar” - FR-E7
6. “Midea” - MWH-07CM3X1
7. “Canopus ” - TA-07EAE
8. “Carrier” - CHK07LNE
9. “Hitachi” - RA-08QF
10. “Toshiba” - RAC-H07F
Among them, “White -Westinghouse” WWN07CMA-D3 recorded the largest difference, 2.2% lower than its claimed figure. Next was “Philco” PWA807M, which was 1.7% lower. However, this was still within the 10% tolerance range allowed under common international practice. In addition, based on the test results, the cooling seasonal performance factor (CSPF) of the samples ranged from 3.02 to 3.14, also meeting the Grade 1 rating standard under the current “Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme”.
The recorded cooling capacities of the other 5 test samples were higher than their claimed figures, by about 0.3% to 4.7%. The brands and models of these air conditioners include:
1. “General” - AKWA7FNR
2. “Panasonic” - CW-N719JA
3. “Rasonic” - RC-N719J
4. “York” - YC-7GB
5. “Fortress” - FWAC08M18
Among them, “General” AKWA7FNR had the highest cooling capacity, 4.7% higher than its claimed figure. Next was “Panasonic” CW-N719JA, which was 2.9% higher than its claimed figure.
However, the current Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme has already been in place for 5 years. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department is preparing to start implementing a new energy efficiency label at the end of this year, with full implementation after the 12-month grace period ends. At that time, under the newly revised standards, all 15 test samples in this test would drop from Grade 1 to Grade 4.
In addition to cooling capacity, the Consumer Council also tested the air delivery rate of the 15 samples. The higher this figure, the stronger the airflow blown out by the air conditioner. According to the test results, “Panasonic” CW-N719JA, “RasonicR” C-N719J and “Hitachi” RA-08QF had the highest air delivery rates. In addition, “General” AKWA7FNR and “Gree” G1807VM had larger air delivery adjustment ranges than the above three models, reaching 32%, with a significant difference between the highest and lowest fan speeds. “White-Westinghouse” WWN07CMA-D3 had an air delivery adjustment range of only 12%, with little difference in performance between the highest and lowest fan speeds.
Finally, the Consumer Council also tested the dehumidification performance of the 15 air conditioners. Although “Panasonic” CW-N719JA, “RasonicR” C-N719J and “Hitachi” RA-08QF had the highest air delivery rates, only about 19% to 20% of their cooling capacity was used for dehumidification. “Toshiba” RAC-H07F, on the other hand, had about 29%.
