From: nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house sci.physics alt.home.repair sci.engr.heat-vent-ac sci.electronics.basics
Subject: Re: more fun with air conditioning
Date: 7 Aug 2004 07:36:41 -0400

J Jensen  wrote:

>The question that most interests me still is whether the unit can possibly
>use less current when running at night, or when losing heat to the outside
>very efficiently like with water running over the coils.  There seems to
>be no way to measure this without splicing an high capacity ammeter into
>the circut...

A clamp-on meter would be a start. I measured a drop from 1050 to 950 W
(including the $10 10 watt Harbor Freight fountain pump) when trickling
rainwater over a window AC, using a $200 Brand Electronics wattmeter.

TURTLE implied that an AC rated at 36K Btu/h at 95 F might make 33K or
31K at 105 F. I'd like to see a manufacturer's COP vs temp diff curve.

Nick