Air Con Use

[notmyself]

Turn it on 15 minutes before going to bed then off when I wake up.

Had a friend come to stay around this time last year and she just couldn't stand the heat so it was on 24/7 for 2 months and my electricity bill only went up by 300 Baht a month which would include powering an extra laptop, extra showers etc.. I know people who just leave it on 24/7 anyway but I don't see the point in wasting power to cool an empty room.

6-7 years fan only, last 3 with aircon only at night.

Takes more power to run my PC than it does aircon.

[StreetCowboy]

1. Yes

2. In the bedroom only....it's a bit ironic that I set it to the coldest it can go, and then snuggle up under the quilt, but I (and the Thai missus) like it that way.

3. Four years completely non-aircon last time. Five weeks this time (just moved back after six years away).

No, it's a creature comfort. Going non-aircon is for peasants that can't afford it (yes, I was a peasant before).

I suppose all you eat is rice and pla ra, if you don't, by your reasoning, you must be an utter wimp!

Another reason that I don't seek Farang company.

Case in point. Typical.

Ignorant and disconnected.

pots and kettles

Personally, I felt that he made a fair point at countering your offensive accusation

Anyway, thanks for your kindness, though it does not seem fair on the Thais

SC

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I think bkk should be more focused on good insulation myself -- it seems there is a huge amount of improvement and potential businesses there to me.

I was having the exact same conversation a week ago with a Canadian guy that lives near me.

Breeze block walls and flimsy windows doesn't help the situation. You'd almost need to change the whole building regulations. Loft insulation would help, but to what degree to make Thais willing to shell out the money for it?

The key factor is shade - ideal is trees overhead, heat reflected/absorbed far from the roof, next best a high roof with a lot of air circulation between it and a lower enclosed space.

Otherwise of course a lot of insulation under the roof itself, but insulating - or even tightly enclosing the space is only helpful when you are actually running the aircon. Otherwise permeable walls are best. Heavy materials like concrete that retain heat are the worst, lighter the better.

[StreetCowboy]

I think bkk should be more focused on good insulation myself -- it seems there is a huge amount of improvement and potential businesses there to me.

I was having the exact same conversation a week ago with a Canadian guy that lives near me.

Breeze block walls and flimsy windows doesn't help the situation. You'd almost need to change the whole building regulations. Loft insulation would help, but to what degree to make Thais willing to shell out the money for it?

The key factor is shade - ideal is trees overhead, heat reflected/absorbed far from the roof, next best a high roof with a lot of air circulation between it and a lower enclosed space.

Otherwise of course a lot of insulation under the roof itself, but insulating - or even tightly enclosing the space is only helpful when you are actually running the aircon. Otherwise permeable walls are best. Heavy materials like concrete that retain heat are the worst, lighter the better.

Loft insulation is great for trapping warm air as it rises under the ceiling and in the inhabited rooms, rather than in the eaves.

Not sure how relevant it is to Bangkok's condominiums, though

SC

[chops]

I run it pretty much 24 hours a day at near freezing temperatures. Feels like an icebox in here. Literally.

There have been times I have lived without air-con like a Thai. That can be okay if you run a good fan.

Edited May 11, 2012 by chops

[glassdude007]

Yes in the bedroom for my afternoon nap and

A must have after a good XXX and a shower.. at bedtime..

Downstairs we open doors front and back in the early Morning and evenings nice cool wind tunnel sea breeze..

High noon to sunset close all windows doors and curtains shady and cool very nice inside.

3000bht electric bill two fridge's lots of electronic crap computers, home entertainment stuff..

2 stints in country

first time 6 years.

2nd time 4 years

I'm an Expat and will never be a thai......

and don't try to be one either...

Edited May 11, 2012 by Rooo
profanity removed.

[brit1984]

1. Yes

2. 24 hours/day; in whatever room(s) we are using

3. A few months

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[wana]

i only turn it on when im hungover,feverish and severely dehydrated

apart from that ,windows open and breeze coming through is fine

have a fan for those days that just have no wind at all

[Hostile17]

those who dont run an AC.

Get yourselves checked. Being cold easly means you're extremely unhealthy

[Jingthing]

those who dont run an AC.

Get yourselves checked. Being cold easly means you're extremely unhealthy

That's not bad advice (check thyroid levels) really but on the other hand it really is possible to get acclimated to a tropical country. Using AC all the time ... not possible. Edited May 11, 2012 by Jingthing

[Naam]

A/C is for those who haven't hardened the <deleted> up.

no A/C is for those who "haven't" the dough

Edited May 12, 2012 by Naam

[Naam]

I think its healthier overall to acclimate to the local climate. If you spend a lot of time indoors in chilled environments, when you go out its a shock to the system and you sweat a lot.

yep! that's why the Innuit don't heat in their igloos. if they did and went out it would be a shock for their sytem and they'd be feeling cold a lot

[StreetCowboy]

I think you'll find a dehumidifier will give you as much benefit aas the air conditioning, and be a bit cheaper to run.

I'm lucky here in KL that its less humid than Bangkok, so I never have the air conditioning on. Its not just about the personal comfort, but also the stream of sweat dripping everywhere; luckily here, the sweat dries off your skin quickly, cooling you as it is supposed to do

SC

[hotandhumid]

For the first 10yrs, I remember using the aircon at home only for about 3hrs in the bedroom, switching on the fan just before sleeping. Now a/c is switched on all night, and that is 10hrs. Car and office a/c run all the time, so it is now practically 24/7. Last month the bedroom AC broke down and I tried being without it for almost 4 weeks, gave up and fixed a new unit this week. Body gets used to comforts.

I always said to the missus that when we would eventually move back out here, we'd definitely live an air-con life style.

Sleep in an air-con bedroom, wake up and go down to the air-con kitchen and have breakfast. Get in the air-con car and go to work in the air-con classroom. At night, eat in a nice air-con restaurant.

She's Thai, yet is much more sensitive to the heat than I am.

Yet I am happy having arrived on these shores again with what I have. I have an air-con bedroom (I sleep well), and I have an air-con workplace (I work well).

I sit here now in my front room with the fan on, and I'm happy. Yes I'd like it to be a few of degrees cooler, but it's managable. I certainly managed well enough before.

Ask me again in a few months time when I have the cash together to air-con the whole house, and I may well say, 'how the flock did I live without it.'

We'll see.

You said that you 'use to' be a peasant but you have now said that you have to wait a few months to save up to air con the house 24-7?

You still sound like a peasant to me.

[Darrel]

I have my aircon on all the time I am at home. I only turn it off when I go out or if the outside temperature is less than the inside temp, as it often is in November/December/January or after/during rain etc.

I set it to 27degrees permanently and I have a ceiling fan on permanently also. As I have a large studio the entire place is the same 27 degree temperature day and night which suits me fine.

[bendix]

In Bangkok, fans during the day. A fan on me at night also; aircon on only if i find it unbearable.

In HK (which I find much more humid than Bkk), aircon on pretty much whenever I'm home from around March through to November.

Aircon is much much cheaper to run in HK than in Thailand. Every household here receives a HK$150 (600baht) a month rebate on power bills. My power bill varies between HK$50-$200 a month, depending upon the season.

Been in Bkk on and off for 8 years, and HK for one year.

[bazmlb]

I use it, when its really humid and it helps dry things out a bit, don't sleep with it at night, 13 years in all

[Rsquared]

Never been a real fan of A/C even when living in Oz.

We're out in the sticks and designed our house with a large high roof and high ceilings and large verandah all the way around with timber walls. We mainly spend all day outside but when indoors it is naturally 10 degrees cooler and just use wall/ceiling or mobile fans.

Been here just over 1 year and still comfortable. ( we get plenty of breezes here and with the windows open...just great)

[Gary A]

I use air con only in the bedroom. When I use it is a simple answer, when it's HOT. Sixteen years here and never without an air con in the bedroom.

[Jingthing]

I think its healthier overall to acclimate to the local climate. If you spend a lot of time indoors in chilled environments, when you go out its a shock to the system and you sweat a lot.

yep! that's why the Innuit don't heat in their igloos. if they did and went out it would be a shock for their sytem and they'd be feeling cold a lot

Funny, but really, it's not the same thing. Well, it is to a degree. When heating in a cold climate it is probably healthier to heat to a level where you wear sweaters in the house but you don't want to get frostbite either. Interestingly, I PREFER cold showers now when of course like most westerners I used to consider them a punishment.

[cardholder]

1. Yes

2. In the bedroom only....it's a bit ironic that I set it to the coldest it can go, and then snuggle up under the quilt, but I (and the Thai missus) like it that way.

3. Four years completely non-aircon last time. Five weeks this time (just moved back after six years away).

No, it's a creature comfort. Going non-aircon is for peasants that can't afford it (yes, I was a peasant before).

I suppose all you eat is rice and pla ra, if you don't, by your reasoning, you must be an utter wimp!

Another reason that I don't seek Farang company.

Case in point. Typical.

Ignorant and disconnected.

Your 5,057 posts on a Farang forum suggest otherwise.

[Huayrat]

Turn it on when arrive home at about 6pm and turn it off at 1pm.. Usually set at 27 and bill is around 3000 baht but will be 2k after hot season has finished

[hotandhumid]

Out of interest how much approx would the monthly bill be if you had say 2 units running at say 18 hours a day (goverment rate)

Also, is it true that the lower the temp the more it will cost?

I've recently moved from a condo into a house and the heat is incredible, it's like walking into a furness, everything is hot, even the clothes in the wardrobe, it is going to drive me insane soon. The fans just blow warm air around.

[aneliane]

No

20 months

[meand]

Out of interest how much approx would the monthly bill be if you had say 2 units running at say 18 hours a day (goverment rate)

Also, is it true that the lower the temp the more it will cost?

I've recently moved from a condo into a house and the heat is incredible, it's like walking into a furness, everything is hot, even the clothes in the wardrobe, it is going to drive me insane soon. The fans just blow warm air around.

It depends on the size of the unit (# of BTU's). Many are about 12,000 btu's. The lower temps mean the compressor is working harder (duty cycle higher) and yes, the cost goes up dramatically the lower the temp. Anyway, if you want my opinion, i'd estimate 5000 to 6000 baht a month for the situation you described. If you are having to fight the sun and/or bad insulation that is just the worst, I feel you. I bet most of your heat comes down from the attic. Those things that twirl on the top of houses are amazing (don't know what they are called, ha). I actually installed one once in the US, it wasn't so bad. Cheap and effective. Sounds like you could use 3 or 4 of them up there.

[TommoPhysicist]

Never ........ my last leccy bill was 500bht.

[Semper]

Out of interest how much approx would the monthly bill be if you had say 2 units running at say 18 hours a day (goverment rate)

Also, is it true that the lower the temp the more it will cost?

I've recently moved from a condo into a house and the heat is incredible, it's like walking into a furness, everything is hot, even the clothes in the wardrobe, it is going to drive me insane soon. The fans just blow warm air around.

I think you are in the wrong country.

[TheCure]

Never ........ my last leccy bill was 500bht.

Mine was 20,000 THB .

[SimonD]

Never ........ my last leccy bill was 500bht.

Never ........ my last leccy bill was 500bht.

Ooh, you fibber...!

Your post #753 from the pinned Pension Thread:

... My Thai rates are 120bht, electricity 550bht, water 180bht...

Either that or you've managed to save 50b.

Edited May 12, 2012 by SimonD

[astral]

Off topic I know, but by way of comparison,

it has cost me $100, B 4000, for January and February,

to keep warm through the winter in a Mediterranean climate