When it comes to heating and cooling your home efficiently Mini-splits does the best job while saving you a lot of money on utility bills. Since having a heating and cooling system in homes has become extremely important we also have to be concerned about the rising electricity prices as well as the environmental impact of using so much fuel to generate electricity.
Making a switch towards the mini-split systems is undoubtedly a good idea but before that, you ought to find out how much electricity does a mini-split use. From a general perspective, the amount of electricity used in a mini-split is far less in comparison to any other electrical healing or cooling system.
In this article, we will explain how much electricity does a mini-split use by going through its calculations and finding out how much money you have to pay in order to use this system at your residence.
Measuring the electricity consumed by mini-split
When we subscribe to the services of a utility company we utilize the electricity supplied by them and for this, they charge a monthly fee from us. The calculation of the supplied energy is done through kilowatt-hours and according to the total unit consumed in a specific period, you are charged by the supplier.
If you are unaware of the unit kilowatt-hours don’t worry because we will explain it to you. The kilowatt-hour (kWh) represents the amount of energy used by a one-kilowatt device for one hour. Fundamentally, to find out how much electricity your appliance consumes and calculate the charges you need to know its kilowatt-hour consumption.
Although there are many types of mini-splits available in the market they are mostly evaluated through British Thermal Units per hour or Btu/h. With the help of Btu, you can evaluate the nearby heat energy and it also represents the energy needed to increase one pound of water’s temperature by one degree Fahrenheit.
There are several methods through which you will be able to calculate the energy consumption of a mini-split but we will only focus on two different methods which are mentioned below:
- First method: In the first method, you will need to refer to the specification sheet of your mini-split. Here you will be able to find the consumption of your mini-split model. If you have found out the annual consumption rate from the specs sheet, all you need to do is to multiply the kW by the number of hours you will keep the mini-split running in a day.
In the next step, you need to multiply the result by the price per kilowatt-hour which is charged by the utility company and you will then find out how much you will have to pay for running the mini-split.
For further clarification, we can look at the following example. As per the data provided by the US Energy Information Administration, people residing in the United States have to pay $0.145/kWh on average. Suppose, you are using a mini-split that uses up to 1.5 kW of electricity for 8 hours a day. In this scenario the daily electricity cost for running the mini-split would be:
1.5 kW*8 hours*$0.145 = $1.74 per day - Second method: If you are unable to find the total power consumed by the mini-split then you can try the second method. In this method, you will have to make use of the volts and amps of the mini-split. Generally, the mini-splits are 110V or 220V and their amperage remains between 15 and 54 amps.
By multiplying the number of amps and volts together you will be able to derive the power consumption of the mini-splits in watts. In order to get the number of kilowatt-hours, multiply that figure by the number of hours the unit runs per day and divide by 1,000. To properly understand the second method let us look at an example.
Suppose you are using a mini-split of 220V and it can draw 25 amps of energy. In this case, the kW of the mini-split will be:
20A*110V = 2,200 W = 2.2 kW
Now if you are using the mini-split for at least 10 hours a day then your everyday electricity cost would be:
2.2 kW*10 hours*$0.145 = $3.19 per day.
| Method | Mini-split specifications | Daily usage(hours) | Electricity cost(per kWh) | daily electricity cost |
| 1 | kW: 1.5 | 8 | $0.145 | $1.74 |
| 2 | Voltage:220V Amperage : 25A | 10 | $0.145 | $3.19 |
How can you reduce the energy usage of your mini-split?
While you are focusing on finding out how much electricity does a mini-split use, you should also put equal emphasis on the methods through which you will be able to lower or reduce the energy consumption of your mini-split. Here are some of tried and tested ways you will be able to reduce the energy usage of your mini-split:
Maintain the filter regularly
Before starting to cool or heat the room a mini-split begins to draw inside the air of the room which is similar to any other conventional air conditioning system. However, during this process, the system may also suck the pollutants available in the room. For this particular reason, mini-splits are equipped with inbuilt air filters. These air filters assist in stopping typical airborne pollutants such as dust, debris, and grime from recirculating into the air of your house or room.
Due to the same reason, these air filters can easily become filled with sludge. These blocked filters can make the mini-split work harder than necessarily required and as a result, the system uses more energy than needed to properly support its functions. Cleaning the filters once every three months will keep your mini-split effective and energy efficient. You will be able to breathe clean air and lower your electricity bills simultaneously.
Use an energy-efficient system
If you want to keep your monthly utility bills at bay while enjoying the functionality of a mini-split then you should definitely use an energy-efficient mini-split model. In this case, energy star-certified models would be the best option for you.
Final words
By now you must have received the answer to your question: how much electricity does a mini-split use? However, if you are still confused between installing a central heating and cooling system or a mini-split heating and cooling system then you select the latter because the amount of energy used by a mini-split heating and cooling system is comparatively less than a central AC.
Nevertheless, you should check the factors such as the system’s current condition, type of system, frequency of usage, set temperature, etc. to determine the overall energy consumption of the product. Emphasizing all of them is essential in order to get the best out of your mini-split system while keeping energy consumption at the minimum level.
The best approach for you would be to select an energy-efficient model which will remain active during particular hours and won’t contribute much to your monthly utility bill. Remember to regularly maintain your mini-split filter to save extra energy.
Frequently asked questions
Do mini-splits use a lot of power?
In case you are using a single zone mini-split, the electricity consumption per hour would be around 500 to 700 watts. However, if a multi-zone mini-splits is in use then to get the actual energy consumption rate per hour you need to multiply the per-hour consumption rate of your system by the total number of functional zones.
Is mini-split more efficient?
If we compare mini-split with any conventional HVAC system then mini-splits are more energy efficient. These systems reutilize the consumed energy to some extent and they also utilize electricity to function rather than burning gas which is why it is more beneficial. However, you also need to note that mini-split is not effective for all kinds of infrastructure.
How much does it cost to run a mini-split per hour?
If the price of electricity in your region is $0.13 kWh then using a mini-split system with 1758 wattage and 6,000 BTUs you will pay almost $0.23 per hour in order to keep your home cool or warm. In case you are using a 12,000 BTUs or 7,033 watts indoor unit then you may have to pay $0.93 per hour for using your mini-split system.
Should I turn my mini-split off at night?
Turing a mini-split off at night is not necessarily a good idea. A lot of people don’t keep the mini-split system of their home running when they are not available at home or during night time thinking that they can save energy.
However, the mini-split system functions best when they are used 24/7. This way the system will consume less energy for functioning and an optimal temperature will be maintained in your room.
What are the disadvantages of a mini-split?
If we are to mention the disadvantages of the mini-split system then we have to give primary emphasis on their actual cost. The cost of a mini-split system resembles the conventional AC system.
You also have to be very careful about the size of the systems because having a mini-split system that is too big or is mounted improperly frequently has short cycles, draining resources and impairing both moisture and temperature regulation.
In this article, we have discussed how we will be able to measure the energy consumption of a mini-split and how much we need to spend on our utility bill in order to run a mini-split. Furthermore, we have also discussed how you will be able to effectively reduce energy costs through proper maintenance.
