Distance From Air Conditioner to Blower

How it Works

• The reason for the correlation between the distance of the air conditioner and the blower stems from the fact that the air-conditioner unit is the part of the air-conditioning system that produces the cold air. The cold air is produced by the compressor, which compresses the refrigerant gases within the system's lines. These gases cool as they expand. The cool air that is produced as a byproduct of the entire process is distributed by the blower. The closer the blower to air conditioner, the colder the air will be and less time it will have to gain in temperature.

Pipe Sizing

• The distance of the air conditioner from the blower might not affect the ability of the air conditioner to cool in all cases. Air conditioners that are larger and more efficient units might be able to handle moving the air conditioner some distance from the blower without a loss of capacity. However, a qualified installer should be able to determine whether or not changes need to be made in the size of the refrigerant line piping. This can have an effect in air conditioners that are less efficient and less powerful. The ability of these units to distribute enough of the cooled refrigerant over a long distance might be limited. If you plan increasing the distance between the air conditioner and the blower, be prepared to increase the size of the refrigerant lines.

Path

• When determining the distance of the air conditioner from the blower, other considerations need to be made in addition to the actual size of the refrigerant pipe lines. One of those considerations is how many twists and turns the refrigerant lines will make along the way in reaching the blower. The more turns the cooled refrigerant has to make, the less efficient the air conditioner will be in delivering it to the area where the air exchange and blower are located.

Applications

• Removing the air conditioner from the immediate vicinity of the blower unit should really only be done as a matter of convenience and practicality. There may be instances in which it is practical to do so. For instance, if you live in an apartment building or town home where there is no room for the air conditioner near the blower, you may be able to place it on the roof. Distance should be considered in light of all of the various practical considerations that need to be taken into account for installation.