Individuals often speak about getting some type of temperature control integrated into the reverse cycle ducted AC system. So, what are the various types of air conditioning temperature control systems, and how do these systems work? Below, the common categories of AC temperature control systems and the way they function are highlighted:
Basic Air Conditioning Controller
A basic controller comes with the reverse cycle AC system, and it has a thermostat designed to read the AC temperature. Typically, this temperature is read from inside the return air box in the unit that is located inside the roof space or from the controller.
If you read the temperature inside the return air box, sometimes it is not an exact representation of the room temperature. The space itself might be very cold, but when the air goes back to the return air box, it might have significantly warmed up. This indicates that the air conditioner will keep operating. For example, the living room controller is set to 22 degrees; however, when the air gets to the return air box, it has warmed up back to 30 degrees. This, in turn, causes the AC to keep running.
In this case, the system will operate even though individuals are becoming cold. However, there are two opportunities to counteract this. First of all, raising the temperature of these controls will result in the unit cycling off more quickly. It should be noted that the temperature on the controller is typically inaccurate. Instead, it functions as a scale. For example, if the temperature is set to 22 degrees, this does not necessarily mean the space will cool off to 22 degrees.
Furthermore, some individuals place a ducted fixed constant in the hallway close to the return air grille. As suggested by the name, this constant is always on. This enables the conditioned air to easily go back to the return air box, which assists the unit in cycling off. In this case, if you were servicing just the bedrooms that were far away from the return air, the room air would excessively heat up before going back to the return air. However, the fixed constant would directly bleed air back into the grille; this will cause the cycling off of the unit and ultimately save on operational expenses.
VAV AC Controller
VAV is the acronym for Variable Air Volume. With this system, the zone motors are there for the reverse-cycle ducted AC system to allow for temperature control to the spaces you occupy. Essentially, a zone is a sequence of blades that are used to close the ductwork if you would like to prevent air from entering the space. For example, if the AC is turned off in the bedroom, the blades will close, limiting the airflow from going down the ductwork into the bedroom. Similarly, when air is wanted, the blades open fully, and air will begin to flow out the diffuser into the bedroom.
However, VAV systems work in a different way. In place of the blades simply closing or opening, they can consistently adjust the percentage at which they are open. The constant adjustment allows you to control the volume of airflow that comes into a space, which ultimately switches the temperature of the space.
For instance, if the space is roughly 30 degrees and the VAV controller (positioned in the actual space) is set to 22 degrees, the air would blast in attempting to cool the space. When the temperature in the space gets to about 22 degrees, the blades will start to close to limit the airflow to sustain the temperature. The moment the temperature in the room starts to go above 22 degrees, those blades will reopen to allow for more airflow to bring the temperature back to 22 degrees. By so doing, the VAV system will have the capacity to maintain the temperature in a space.
The VAV system is among the simplest methods of AC temperature control. It is an inexpensive method of adding temperature control to a few rooms, for example, your living room, office, and master bedroom. Do not confuse this system with VRV; the VRV air conditioning system uses a variety of head units or wall splits running of a huge outdoor compressor.
Full AC Temperature Control
Fully-ducted temperature control functions just like the VAV system previously outlined. Each room has a controller, and the temperature is read, through which the blades close or open to enable the proper airflow to cool or heat the space.
The distinction between full temperature control is clearly that the entire home is run by temperature control rather than just a few spaces. As such, the full-temperature controlled AC system will provide you with the most comfort as persons would be capable of setting their own preferred temperatures wherever they are.
Additionally, the temperature-controlled AC systems are more economical to run than the standard systems because of their energy-saving features. This is because as soon as the spaces reach temperature, the units can be switched off. This allows for cycling off, which ultimately saves on operational expenses.
Reasons to Have a Temperature-control Air Conditioning System
Essentially, air conditioning temperature control enables each user to adjust to his or her preferred temperature. Individuals are all different and frequently desire different temperatures in their living space. Additionally, there are other factors that assist in determining the temperature of a space. These include heat load from people and devices, the clothes being worn by the individual, and the side of the building on which the sun is located. However, temperature control units prevent these challenges by providing each individual with control over his or her own environment.
However, one thing the systems cannot do is carry out separate heating/cooling operations. The air conditioning can only cool the room if the unit is set to cool. If someone wants cooling in one space and another person wants heating in another room, the unit will not have the capacity to do this.
