Air conditioner and split system: what is it, what is the difference

The air conditioner has one unit. It combines all components, and it is installed in the room. The split system consists of an indoor and outdoor unit, which is mounted on the side of the street. Let's consider the types and features of monoblock air conditioners and split systems.

Monoblock conditioner: stationary or mobile

This is quite a dimensional device, because all elements of the system are hidden in one body. The fan and compressor make noise. The main plus of such monoblock conditioner is that it is not necessary to mount the block from the street side.

Types of monoblock conditioners:

• Stationary air conditioners are mounted on the wall. Pipes are laid in the wall and lead outward, so they do not spoil the interior and the view of the building.
• Mobile air conditioners take in air for cooling from the room and take out warm air through a pipe routed through a window or hole in the wall. It cools a room from 15 to 35 square meters.
• Small ductless floor air conditioners. The air from the room passes through the cooling filter with water and is brought back. This is the most mobile equipment, equipped with wheels.
• Window conditioners are rarely used. They are mounted in a window opening.

Mobile conditioners are used in the buildings, where it is prohibited to spoil an architectural look with units, installed on the walls from the street side. Also they are convenient at a rented apartment. Some models can heat.

Split-system: models for apartments and large premises

Bulky unit with a fan and compressor, which makes noise, is mounted on the street side on the wall of the house. A more compact unit is placed in the room, which draws air from the room and gives out cooled streams. The units are connected by a pipe, conducted in the wall.

The peculiarity of split systems is that they can work not only for cooling, but also for heating. The heat is enough to maintain a comfortable temperature at home in the off-season.

Types of split-systems:

• Wall-mounted split systems - the most common option for apartments. Inverter system saves electricity, smoothly changes the compressor speed, which reduces the noise level. Non-inverter systems are cheaper, but create a stronger flow of cooled air and are noisy.
• Floor-ceiling split-systems are installed near the floor or under the ceiling. If the unit is installed below, the flow of cold air is directed along the wall, passes along the ceiling and gradually descends downwards. This eliminates drafts and cold air from cold air.
• Ducted split systems are arranged in such a way that one unit is built into the ventilation system, the other - from the street side. Several rooms are cooled through the ducts. The inflow of fresh air comes from outside.
• Cassette split systems are built into the suspended ceiling. They distribute cooled air to four sides, which increases the coverage area.
• Column air conditioners are installed for cooling a certain zone in a large room: in a hall, a gym, on a stage.

In a private cottage, offices or large multi-room apartments are installed channel models or use multi-split-systems. To one powerful external block are connected the internal blocks from all the rooms. It is also possible to install several split-systems with separate outside units or to combine mobile air-conditioners and stationary ones in different rooms.

Split-systems are more comfortable to use, because they make less noise and are more compact. Monoblock wall conditioners do not disturb the external architecture of the building. Mobile equipment can be moved around.