You can turn on the air conditioner in winter to heat the house. Overview of air conditioners for heating a room in winter

Modern split systems and mobile units are able not only to cool the air, but also to heat it. It is important to understand: is it possible to use the air conditioner for heating in winter or the equipment is not designed to work in thermal mode at low temperatures outside.

Features and principle of operation of a split system for heat

Any split system is not a heating device, it lacks a heating element, therefore, in order to maintain quality comfortable temperature the climate control system will not be enough. This is due to the peculiarities of the principles of its functioning. only when certain values thermometer outside.

Most splits can produce warm air. AT in general terms this process can be called the reversal of freon, in which the compressor is responsible for pumping it towards the room: heat is taken from the outside and conducted inside. Required to change the refrigerant flow four way valve, which swaps the evaporator and condenser in places. In indoor unit freon condenses with the release of heat, and in the external - evaporation, in which the air conditioner absorbs heat. Heat is pumped from one place to another, but not generated. Because of this, in the heating mode, the efficiency of the air conditioner is greatly reduced, which makes its operation ineffective at street temperatures closer to zero.

heat exchanger outdoor unit becomes infinitely small: at thermometer values closer to zero and below its area is not enough to remove cold.

Outside temperature limits

The main part of air conditioners with heating function have certain limitations: manufacturers produce climate equipment with a programmed ability to work on heat at a minimum outside temperature of up to -5°C. In practice, it has been proven: with minus indicators, the split system should not be launched. It can be concluded that it is impossible to use the air conditioner for heating in winter. AT best case bask in this way will turn out until November.

Failure to follow the recommendations given in the instructions and during installation leads to wear and tear in the constant start-stop mode. Modern two-component devices have special program, at which a signal is given from the temperature sensor to the board about unacceptable temperature values \u200b\u200bof the heat exchanger, and the device is blocked from turning on. AT last resort only the fan will work, or one of the error codes will be displayed - for each trademark have their own ciphers.

How to turn on and set the air conditioner to warm air

If a temperature regime on the street is observed, turn on the air conditioner using the ON button on the remote control remote control or on an external panel.

Find the HEAT button, or MODE and then the icon with the image of the sun, drops, snow or fan. If there is nothing like this, then this model of air conditioner is not intended for heating the room.

After switching the system to thermal mode, use the “+” and “-” buttons to set desired temperature. It should be higher than the room temperature.

After setting the desired temperature indicator, the fan will turn on, and then warm air will begin to flow. The set climate will be established within 10 minutes.

There are models in which you first need to set the mode and temperature, and then press the ON button. detailed instructions included with the device upon purchase.

Problems and risks of operation

If you turn on the air conditioner for heating when the outside temperature is below the permissible one, the following problems may occur:

the efficiency of the system will be significantly reduced;
the condenser of the external unit will freeze;
the fan of the outdoor unit breaks;
the oil will thicken, causing the compressor to break down during system startup.

Efficiency and thermal efficiency of air conditioners

Under the efficiency of the air conditioner understand the evaluation of the efficiency of the system. The calculation of this value is made from the ratio of consumed and useful power. In this case, useful power is the amount of reduced heat per unit of time. talk about effective work possible when the efficiency of the air conditioner in heating mode is more than 1.

Usually, at positive temperatures outside, the amount of heat generated exceeds the amount of energy consumed by 2-4 times. If the power consumption was 1 kW, then the heating power will be approximately 2-4 kW. The manufacturer indicates the rated power consumption, which may slightly differ from the actual values.

The energy efficiency ratio of an air conditioner is usually labeled C.O.P. (Coefficient of Performance). It can be calculated by correlating two values - heating power to power consumption.

If the thermal power was 3.5 kW and the consumption was 1.2 kW, then the efficiency would be approximately 2.9 kW. This is considered a fairly large performance. If the temperature outside decreases, the energy consumption increases accordingly, while the coefficient drops noticeably. A coefficient less than 2.4 is considered low. Devices with these values are marked below the A-class.

Winter set

There are two myths about effective air conditioning heating in the winter cold.

The first myth: when installing a winter kit on an air conditioner with a heating function, it will be possible to use it at low temperatures. There is some truth in this - in this case it is allowed to turn on the device, but not for heat, but for cold.

The standard winter kit consists of three elements:

fan slowdown device;
compressor crankcase heating;
drainage heating - self-regulating heating element.

When the air conditioner is used for heating in winter, there is no need to slow down the fan, on the contrary, it should rotate even more. Therefore, such a split configuration will only help with cooling the room, when it is necessary to slow down the rotation of the fan to maintain the condensation temperature.

Installation of the winter kit for inverters is carried out in most cases not completely, but partially, since for many devices the fan rotation retarder is already built into complex system electronics.

The second myth: the purchase of a modern air conditioner with a built-in winter kit and an anti-icing program will allow you to operate for heating up to the specified temperature parameters, which very often reach serious values. This is not entirely true. Only a few models belonging to semi-industrial series will be able to heat the room. In addition to the built-in drain pan heater, they have an enlarged heat exchanger. Such models provide decent heating efficiency in winter with air conditioning even at -25 ° C. The rest will be able to work efficiently with such external parameters only for cooling.

The main manufacturers and series of devices with a programmed ability to heat a room in cold weather:

AT modern conditions production of climate technology, it is possible to use an air conditioner for heating, but the purchase of an all-season split will cost much more.

Mobile air conditioner as a winter heater

The mobile air conditioner combined in one housing all the internal working elements of the refrigeration machine. When working in the cold, the air is taken from the room, inside it is divided into two parts: the cooled flow goes back, and the warm one is discharged through the outlet corrugated hose to the outside.

To heat the air in most monoblocks, a heating element is installed - built-in electric heater. The compressor works in reverse: cold air enters the pipe, and hot air enters the room. At the same time, electricity consumption increases significantly. Accordingly, work efficiency drops, and heating mobile air conditioner becomes costly.

At the same time, there are three significant advantages:

with the help of this design, it is possible to serve areas up to 60 m²;
heating with air conditioning in winter is possible at any outside temperature, since there is no external unit at all;
a ceramic heating element for air heating can be installed in the mobile unit.

An accurate thermostat is placed in a monoblock with a heating mode, which, when the device reaches the set temperature, will turn off the compressor.

There are not many manufacturers producing high-quality monoblocks with a heating function. The most famous among them:

Selecting an air conditioner with heating function

Regardless of the preferred design of the device, when choosing an air conditioner for heating, it is imperative to pay attention to the following characteristics:

rated power consumption;
heat performance;
energy efficiency class;

Any air conditioner is designed to cool the air in the room. But in the cold season, for many users, this device works for heating. However, before you start operating the equipment in this way, you need to understand how to properly start the heating with an air conditioner. This information will help prevent errors in the operation of expensive equipment.

The principle of operation of a split system for heating is a decrease (!) in the temperature of the air taken from the street. Air will be taken, for example, with a temperature value of -16, and given back in an even colder state, reaching up to -25. The difference is used for heat transfer: The resulting warm air enters the room.

However, will the device have enough power for the full implementation of such a task? It is important to know: if the temperature on the street turns out to be significantly below zero, then the compressor simply does not have enough strength to heat the air - wear and tear will begin. And if the equipment works at its maximum, it is already fraught with the risk of breakage.

So the first condition is outside temperature. Using an air conditioner as a heater is appropriate for regions with a mild climate. And for most of our country, such equipment should be used only in the off-season, in autumn or spring.

Running an air conditioner for heating in winter can be dangerous and frozen drain hose. In this case, condensate will begin to drain into the building. Today, manufacturers are trying to solve the problem by installing a 20-watt heater in the technique. The blocking system also works well: the equipment turns off when the temperature drops sharply.

The effectiveness of such a process

How economically feasible is it to turn on the air conditioner for heating? It turns out to be quite economical, because the work is based on a heat pump. This is also indicated by the figures: from each kilowatt of electricity, 2.5-4.2 kW of heat will go out. This is with regard to the temperature regime ranging from 0-5˚С. The efficiency of the system is calculated up to -15˚С (and for some models such an opportunity is provided even up to -30 degrees).

When comparing the use of an air conditioner with oil heater, then the latter seems not at all economical: it goes into 1 kW of electricity, while giving out only 0.95 kW of heat.

So how efficient is air conditioning heating? It affects electricity cost. Where it is cheaper to heat with gas, it is not economically feasible to put the air conditioner on heating in winter. But in regions (countries) with expensive electricity, it would be rational to leave the climate equipment in heating mode (but again, with a reservation for weather conditions).

Advantages and disadvantages of a split system for heating

To heat or not with the help of an air conditioner - each user decides for himself in private. But if the decision turned out to be positive, then you can be sure that the air will not dry out, as when using heaters. There are other advantages:

environmental friendliness of application(no CO2 emission);
heat will be produced three times more than electricity consumed.

But besides improving the microclimate, there are also "pitfalls". You should definitely be aware of them with constant use.

Device wear happens 3-5 times faster. This will happen due to thickened oil, which will lose its properties.
There is a trend to replace the refrigerant - R410, which is safer for the ozone layer, will be in use. This requires the installation of more advanced compressors.
The performance of the device will be two times less than the nominal.
Air conditioning for heating in winter often fails.

The best option

A good solution would be to buy devices with inverter. This technique is able to heat the room even at -25˚С outside the window. It is also captivating that it will actually be possible to additionally attach a hydromodule unit to the design of an inverter device for heating. This element can be located both outside and inside the building.

If a hydroblock external, then the equipment will work according to the type of heat pump familiar to us. In this case, it makes sense to use the air conditioner only as additional source heat (or if non-permanent residence is expected in the house). If home visits are irregular, then winter period it is necessary to completely preserve (turn off and insulate) the entire system of the device.
If a hydraulic block is inside, the equipment can be connected to traditional radiators or " warm floor". A similar principle of operation of the air conditioner for heating will require initial costs at the installation stage, but the reward will be full-fledged heating. Another plus of such models is good maintainability.

How to choose the right model

From correct selection models will depend on how the heated air conditioner works. Here it is important to pay attention on the characteristics of COP(ratio of heating power to consumed) and EER(cooling/consumption ratio):

COP in home models should be 2.8-4;
for EER, this figure can be 2.5-3.5 units.

The energy efficiency class of the device also matters: in the case of the most priority and economical A, the optimal indicators should be from 3.2 to 3.6 for COP and 2.2-2.4 EER.

Regardless of the recommendations, it will be necessary to mount this type of equipment individually, taking into account the characteristics of the room. At the same time, it will be important to calculate the possible heat losses that come from windows and doors. It is in these places that it would be reasonable to create thermal curtain. A little about control: the equipment will be switched either from the remote control or manually. Heating can be set automatically.

It is important to know such nuances: the first few minutes the device should work as an air conditioner, not a heater. This is necessary to keep warm. outdoor unit and thawed any ice that may have formed in the drainage. next times at this point, the ventilation speed will be regulated. Also, many models have a special DeIce function, which will allow you not to confuse the mode of correct inclusion.

And here are some more tips to help improve the performance of the technique.

Heated drainage will allow water not to freeze and remove condensate.
With the compressor stopped, the heater can be switched on to warm up the oil and prevent it from thickening. In this case, the refrigerant will not be able to flow into the crankcase.
If the outdoor unit has fan controller, then it will catch up with the current temperature and prevent freezing of the indoor unit.

So, the heat from the air conditioner is much more cost-effective than from other devices (with a cost of 1 kW, the consumer receives 4 kW). All energy goes precisely to the movement of warm air masses. Many modern devices guarantee Good work and at thirty degrees of frost. However, any split system remains only an addition to the main heating and is not yet ready to take on the full load of providing a comfortable warm atmosphere in housing.

Winter is approaching by leaps and bounds. It is felt not only on the street, but also in our own apartments: unfortunately, the heating system often leaves much to be desired, and you have to heat the house on your own. There is another situation: sometimes the batteries heat up too actively, and it is simply necessary to cool the air in the room. In this regard, many people have a question: is it possible to use air conditioning in winter? We answer - it is possible. But with some conditions.

There is a wide range of air conditioners on the market with different specifications so it's not very easy. But something still unites split systems, monoblocks and other devices: in winter they are used extremely rarely. But why?

The point is our famous Russian frosts. When the air temperature changes, its humidity also changes - therefore, excess moisture (condensation) occurs during the operation of the air conditioner. Most air conditioners have a drainage system installed to remove moisture: the visible part of this system is a tube that usually goes outside. If it's too cold outside, the tube drainage system freezes, and an ice plug forms in it, which prevents condensate from escaping. Then the moisture has two options: either it seeps into your house through the inner case, or disables the device.

The outdoor unit also suffers from the cold, in particular the compressor - the "heart" of the air conditioner, which compresses the refrigerant (a special substance necessary for the operation of air conditioners) and supports its movement through the rest of the device. It helps him to fulfill his direct duties special oil, the properties of which just depend on the air temperature. If it falls below the limit approved by the manufacturer, the oil will thicken and the compressor parts will wear out.

There is another danger. In heating mode, the refrigerant, despite its name, must not be cooled, but heated. This does not happen at extremely low temperatures. Upon receipt of chilled, i.e. liquid, refrigerant in the compressor, a water hammer occurs - it is this that can render the device unusable.

So In winter, use the air conditioner with care and follow the operating instructions.

True, there is one type of air conditioner that can be adapted to work in winter conditions, is a mobile monobloc air conditioner. This mobile floor device can be used in all rooms, taken with you to the country house or transported when moving: the device does not require installation. The only element of the device that should not be in the room is the duct for the removal of warm or cold air. To eliminate the risk of freezing of the air duct, it is worth bringing it into the vent.

In general, the operation of an air conditioner is based on only one principle familiar to us from physics lessons: heat is absorbed during evaporation, and released during condensation.

Initially, the device was intended for cooling, but modern technologies have stepped far ahead, so now heating is the most common function for climate technology. To understand how an air conditioner works for heating, let's first look at how it works for cooling:

The gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor.
In the compressor, the refrigerant is compressed under pressure and heated to a very high temperature.
From the compressor, the refrigerant enters the condenser, where the refrigerant passes into a liquid state.
Further, the pressure of the refrigerant decreases, and it enters the evaporator of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, where it again passes from liquid state into gas. The refrigerant boils up, it “takes” heat from the room, goes back to the outdoor unit and “throws” the taken heat out into the street.
The gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor again and the cycle is completed.

You can use the heating mode special valve- it reverses the flow of refrigerant and, as it were, swaps the condenser and evaporator. Otherwise, the principle is the same.

Before using the heating mode, make sure that the appliance has this function. This is indicated in the instructions, as well as on the device itself - the heating mode is usually indicated by the sun icon.

If a heating mode is provided, look at the lower temperature threshold at which heating can be turned on - usually this is also written in the instructions.

Remember: each thermometer can have an error. Sometimes it reaches several degrees. Therefore, it is better not to use the air conditioner if your thermometer shows a critical mark declared by the manufacturer.

Up to what temperature do air conditioners work for heating

As a rule, air conditioners work properly in heating mode when the air temperature is above -5°C. At lower temperatures, firstly, the heating power drops significantly, and secondly, there is a risk of icing on the condenser or the drainage system of the device. So we do not recommend turning on the heating mode during severe frosts, otherwise, due to improper operation, you risk losing your climate “friend”.

However, some models of split systems heat the air at both -10°C and -15°C. The lower temperature limit depends on the type of refrigerant. Inverter models also work at -15 ° C - they have the function of adjusting the intensity of the compressor, which allows it to be more flexible in relation to outdoor temperatures. Of course, the price of an inverter air conditioner is much higher than a conventional one.

The most simple reason, for which heating does not work - the client bought the device without understanding its capabilities. For example, split systems without a heating mode are very popular in latitudes with a warm climate. Therefore, be attentive to all the little things when buying climate equipment.

Does your favorite appliance not heat up in cold weather? No wonder. We have already written about the possible dangers of operating an air conditioner in the cold: the problem may be related to a compressor failure, oil, and a drainage system. The wizard will help to understand the problem in detail.

If heating does not occur, do not rush to sound the alarm. Especially when the display shows that the device is working properly. Perhaps the indoor unit just warms up for a long time - this is normal in cold weather. The room temperature may start to rise within 15 minutes after the unit is started.

Another common problem is refrigerant leakage. A leak occurs, for example, due to poor-quality soldering of the inter-unit pipes through which the refrigerant circulates. In this case, a refrigerant charge will be required, which is carried out by the after-sales service.

Even if you know, do not forget that after installation you need to properly care for it. If you do not have time to clean the filters in a timely manner, then damage cannot be avoided.

A small display screen will help pinpoint the problem. AT modern models it usually outputs an error code. The meaning of each code is displayed in the instructions.

If you cannot determine the cause of the breakdown or are not sure that you can fix it yourself, you should call the master.

Is it possible to turn on the air conditioner in winter for cooling

The answer will be the same as the answer to the question about heating - you can. But only if the winter is warm.

Generally, the minimum temperature at which the air conditioner operates normally in cooling mode is -5°C. At a lower temperature, the device is subject to all the dangers that we wrote about at the beginning of the article. Therefore, carefully study the technical specifications of the device before using the cooling mode.

In order not to be distracted by the operation of the air conditioner, you can set: with it, the device will turn on and off automatically according to the schedule that you make.

Nevertheless, you always have the opportunity to “strengthen” the air conditioner by installing a winter kit.

Winter kit for air conditioning

Sometimes the air conditioner is equipped with the so-called winter kit. The set includes several devices. They heat the drainage system, prevent thickening of the oil and hypothermia of the refrigerant.

The principles of operation of the winter kit are as follows:

The temperature sensor regulates the fan speed of the outdoor unit. When the temperature gets lower, the speed slows down. This prevents freezing (and thickening) of the oil and the formation of ice in the housing.
A significant part of the load of the compressor falls on its start. And if the compressor is also frozen, the air conditioner is definitely not good enough. Therefore, the winter kit provides heating of the compressor crankcase. So the compressor is always ready to start.
In order to avoid ice plugs, and the condensate is removed without problems, the drainage system is heated.

It would seem that all the problems have been solved, and the dangers have been overcome, if not for one thing. Indeed, the winter kit allows you to turn on the air conditioner at lower temperatures than stated by the manufacturer, but only in cooling mode!

If you turn on the air conditioner with winter set in heating mode, the unit will still not be able to work properly. Moreover, the risk of water hammer increases significantly.

Everyone probably remembers the unprecedentedly high demand for air conditioners last summer. Moreover, both household air conditioners and systems intended for enterprises were snapped up. But winter has already come, which means that the air conditioner can be put on hold until at least spring. But no matter how! There is work for the air conditioner in the cold season. The main thing here is to know how to properly use this equipment in winter so that it does not deteriorate by summer. About all the subtleties winter work air conditioners correspondent site told Technical Director MDV-Russia Aleksey Zaitsev.

- Air conditioning, at least household, is not recommended to be turned on if the temperature outside the window has dropped below minus 10 degrees. What will happen if this order is violated, and is it really necessary to strictly observe this requirement?

- The recommendations not to turn on the air conditioner at negative temperatures are based on the operating temperature range of the equipment specified by the manufacturer. The manufacturer is obliged to indicate the service life of the equipment, and in many countries this parameter is set by law. That is, it cannot be less than a certain period. Since all air conditioners in Russia are imported, these terms apply to them.

If you do not comply with the specified temperature regime, this will lead not only to a reduction in the life of the air conditioner, but may also lead to its breakdown. Therefore, the rules for operating the air conditioner are mandatory. It should also be remembered that all technical characteristics are declared by manufacturers only within the specified operating temperature range.

- But still, you can turn on the air conditioner in the cold season ...

— Observing a whole range of restrictions. First of all, it is necessary to determine which of the operating modes of the air conditioner in question: about cooling or heating. Almost all modern air conditioners can operate normally in heating mode at low temperatures. However, one should not expect from the air conditioner in such conditions the energy efficiency declared by the manufacturer. Under certain conditions, it may be easier to turn on the electric heater.

It should be remembered that due to design features it is easier to work at negative temperatures for an inverter-type air conditioner than a standard one. For example, mini VRF-systems MDV guarantee heating operation when the outdoor temperature drops to -15 degrees Celsius. Wall split systems MDV guarantees heating operation at outdoor temperatures down to -7 degrees Celsius. The cooling mode for a conventional air conditioner at outdoor temperatures below plus 10-17 degrees is an extreme mode of operation, leading to breakdown.

To illustrate, here are a few examples of why low temperatures can be critical for air conditioners. First, the main part of air conditioners is home appliances which, when designed, were not designed for such work. Secondly, is cooling often necessary if the outside temperature drops below plus 10-17 degrees? Usually the need to turn on the air conditioner at such moments arises, for example, in the off-season, when central heating not turned off yet. The main problems in this case are associated with a decrease in the condensing pressure, with oil boiling up when the air conditioning compressor is started. At temperatures near or below zero, condensate freezes, usually brought outside. This does not lead to a breakdown of the air conditioner, but it completely leads to repairs in the room.

- What to do if even at negative temperatures outside the window, it is essential to operate the air conditioner?

- In this case, it is necessary to use equipment specially adapted for such conditions. For example, MDV mini VRF systems guarantee cooling operation when the outdoor temperature drops to minus 5 degrees Celsius. If you need a separate split system, then you need to install a special winter kit. It usually consists of a condensing pressure regulator, a compressor crankcase heater and a drain heater. To avoid voiding the warranty, this kit should only be installed by an authorized service center. Installers can only be relied upon if they represent the supplier of the equipment, but this is not very common.

- What does such a kit give?

- When installing this kit, it is possible to achieve stable operation of the air conditioner for cooling down to -15C. With a further decrease in temperature, the wind load will have an effect, i.e. in calm weather or with a good location of the outdoor unit in a place protected from the wind, operation up to -20C is possible. Extending the operating temperature range down when working for cooling is also possible, but it seems impractical due to the high cost of these solutions.

- How important is it to use air conditioners in winter?

- Usually in the cold season, air conditioners are used for heating, mainly in the off-season. However, for the market of private users, this issue is not as relevant as for corporate clients. For various industrial enterprises the operation of the air conditioner for cooling at low temperatures is a rather important issue.

– Given that most users do not turn on the air conditioner in winter, is it necessary to carry out any special events on the conservation of this technology?

— Preservation of the air conditioner for the winter period is not mandatory procedure. It is much more important to carry out preventive maintenance of the air conditioner before the start of the new summer season. So, in the indoor unit, you need to clean the permanent filters, and, if necessary, replace the replaceable ones, which you can do yourself. Using the services service center, it makes sense to clean and disinfect the heat exchanger of the indoor unit, clean the heat exchanger of the outdoor units, flush the drainage system, check the tightness of the refrigeration circuit, and if necessary, repair leaks and recharge the air conditioner. This work must be carried out every year. If your outdoor unit is located in the distribution area poplar fluff, the heat exchanger must be cleaned when contamination appears. These measures will allow the air conditioner to work during the service life declared by the manufacturer and save on electricity.

The exclusive distributor of MDV in the territory of the Russian Federation and in the CIS countries is the Group of Companies "AYAK". Official website of the company

Many owners of a split system have a question whether it is possible to turn on the air conditioner for heating in winter. To begin with, it is worth understanding the principle of operation of such equipment, learn a few rules of use and carefully study the instructions. This is due to the fact that each model has its own functions.

To get started - learn how your device works

Heating during the cold period

Almost every device has not only a cooling, but also a heating effect, but when operating the air conditioner in winter time several factors must be taken into account.

During heating, freon penetrates into the outdoor unit, after which it evaporates there, taking away some of the heat. Then the gaseous refrigerant enters the inner side, where it condenses and releases all the accumulated heat. This is how the air conditioner works at sub-zero temperatures.

At the same time, the heat exchanger, which is located in the outdoor unit, is cooled to a minimum and an ice layer forms on it. This is one of the reasons why you should not turn on the air conditioner in winter. The second is related to the increased viscosity of the oil in the compressor: the moving mechanism can only function normally in a lubricated state. And in the cold, this substance thickens strongly, which causes damage to the device.

Before turning on the split system, read the instructions

Before turning on the split system when negative temperature, you need to do the following:

Carefully study the instructions, find in it the point where the allowable temperatures. If it is colder outside, then the device should not be used.
Check that the indicator on the outdoor thermometer is higher than the minimum allowable.
On the remote control, find the button that is responsible for the heating mode, and press it. An icon should appear on the device - a stylized sun.
Set the required temperature, while not heating the room too much, as the device may not have enough power. It is enough to warm the room up to + 18 ... + 24 ° С.

It is worth paying attention that after all the actions performed, the device starts working only after 5-10 minutes.

The fact is that at first the air conditioner is prepared for the process, moreover, it does this without turning on the indoor unit, so you should not worry that the device is broken.

Cooling in winter

Some rooms need heat removal even in the cold season, such as MRI rooms, so it's worth looking into whether the air conditioner can be used in winter for cooling.

Almost all devices in the factory configuration are not able to function in this mode. Minimum temperature usually +5…+10°С. To provide cooling, you will need special precision equipment, but it is usually very expensive.

Basically, devices are finalized on their own, using non-inverter blocks for this. But in this case, there may be problems with freon, since subzero temperature lowers the pressure, respectively, its condensation is much more difficult.

To solve the problem, you can install an additional winter kit in the outdoor unit that regulates the pressure during condensation. This action occurs by decreasing and increasing the speed at which the fan will operate. Although there are modern units on which the required set is already installed.
The winter set consists of:

Drain heater. Works on cooling in the internal block where there is a condensation of moisture. Water entering the street can freeze.
crankcase heater. This device contains oil, it is the heater that prevents it from thickening.
Fan speed controller. It can have two options for functioning: in the first, work occurs due to pressure indicators in the system, in the second, temperature sensors that are installed on the condenser can be used.

It’s worth adding right away that the winter set does not bring significant help for heating the room in the winter.

Winter set consists of 3 elements

Of the entire list provided, only the crankcase heater is used for the heating function, while such equipment is not installed on inverter models.

Features of winter operation

Each split system model has its own minimum temperature regime. You can find out which one is inherent in this model in the instructions. Also adhere to the following indicators:

inverter units can be operated within the range from -10 to -15 ° С;
non-inverter ones are rated up to -5 ° С, and some devices - only up to + 5 ° С;
There are heat pumps designed for heating at -28°C and below.

Is it possible to use the air conditioner in winter for heating, directly depends on outdoor temperature. At zero, you can turn on almost any device, while it will give out more heat than the electricity consumed. In addition, some split systems can function perfectly even at minus values, but then it is necessary to ensure that the outdoor temperature regime does not exceed the one indicated in the instructions for the unit.