When installing air conditioners, many people don’t know whether to choose a water system or a fluorine system.

YESNCER uses this article to compare fluorine system air conditioners and water system fan coil air conditioners.

Further Read

What is a fan coil unit?

The advantage of Fan Coil Unit:

1. Comfort:
   Fan coil unit: The cooling/heating carrier is water, and the air output is gentle. It does not take away moisture from the indoor air during operation and can keep the air moist. In summer, the supply air temperature difference is small, and there will be no air conditioning disease.
   Fluorine machine: Freon is used as the refrigerant. When used, it will take away indoor moisture, making the air drier and less comfortable. In summer, the system supply air temperature is low, and children and the elderly are weak and prone to colds.
2. Energy Saving
   Fan coil unit: The heat capacity of water is relatively large, and the greater the utilization rate, the more energy-saving it is. It is suitable for large apartments. There are also household water machines, which can be used as small as 60 square meters. The two-in-one air conditioning and floor heating system is especially energy-saving.

3. Security
   Fan coil unit: Generally speaking, as long as it is under regular construction, whether it is a fluorine machine or a fan coil unit, the possibility of leakage is very small. However, being small does not mean there is no possibility of leakage. When the system is running, the pressure in the pipe is 2/3 of tap water. The pipe material and installation process are consistent with tap water, and the probability of water leakage is extremely low. Water is an environmentally friendly medium. Even if it leaks, it will not harm the human body.

4. Reliability
   Fan coil unit: The fan coil water pipe adopts the same hot-melt connection as the tap water pipe. No welding is required, and the construction safety is high. The outdoor unit completes the cooling or heating cycle process, and the indoor unit only performs simple heat exchange. The two operate independently. The indoor unit or the outdoor unit can be modified separately later.

5. Refrigeration Speed
   Fan coil unit: It has an additional water circulation heat exchange system than the fluorine machine. It is a secondary heat exchange and slows in heating and cooling, so the cooling speed is not as fast as the fluorine machine.

6. Heating Effect
   Fan coil unit: Thanks to the jet enthalpy increasing technology, it can operate normally in an environment of minus 25°C. It can support central air conditioning + wall-mounted boiler or central air conditioning + floor heating linkage system, and the heating effect is better in winter.

7. Cost Comparison
   Fan coil unit: The initial cost is relatively high, most of the spare parts required for maintenance are open, there are many replaceable brands on the market, and the maintenance cost is transparent. Even if repaired after many years, even if the product has been updated, the spare parts can still be used.

VS Fluorine Machine:

• It adopts frequency conversion technology and has the advantages of high control accuracy, high efficiency, and energy saving. However, the indoor heating effect is not good. It needs to be equipped with an electric heating system, and the cost will continue to increase.
• Freon is a chemical substance. Once leaked and absorbed by the human body, it will directly harm health. Moreover, leakage will greatly cause the entire fluorine machine to collapse and become unable to operate.
• There is only one variable frequency compressor, and the controls of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are all connected. If one indoor unit fails, it may cause the entire system to be out of balance and unusable. Moreover, once the indoor unit refrigerant leaks, it is almost impossible to repair, unless the ceiling is removed and the welding points are inspected one by one.
• The heat transfer efficiency of refrigerant is higher than that of water and air, so it is cold as soon as it is turned on, and the speed is slightly faster.
• The heating function is weak in winter, below -5℃, it can hardly heat, and it does not support the installation of wall-mounted boilers or floor heating linkage systems.
• The initial cost is lower, but once the refrigerant leaks, the maintenance cost is higher. When repairing, all spare parts must use spare parts corresponding to the brand. Especially when repairing after many years, the product will face multiple generations of upgrades, and the spare parts may not be compatible.

The advantages and disadvantages of fluorine systems and water systems are obvious. Choosing a fluorine system or a water system actually depends entirely on your personal lifestyle. Generally speaking, fan coil units are more comfortable and perform well in heating in winter. They are especially suitable for families with elderly and children; while fluorine machines have faster cooling and heating speeds and are suitable for people with a faster pace of life.