Dedicated power supplies for air conditioning
Air conditioning has gone from a luxury to something people really want after the last few summers, and it doubles as a very efficient heater in winter. Every fixed air conditioning system needs its own dedicated circuit, straight from the fuse board. It can't just be plugged into a socket. Carl installs that supply, and works alongside your AC installer so the unit can be connected and commissioned without delays.
How an air conditioning system is powered
The red line is the dedicated circuit: its own breaker in your fuse board, running to an isolator beside the outdoor unit. Pick a system and a mode to see how it changes.
System
Mode
Why air conditioning needs its own circuit
A split air conditioner isn't like a fan heater you plug in. Manufacturers require a dedicated supply, and for good reasons.
Compressor start-up
The compressor draws a surge of current as it starts. On a shared socket circuit, that surge plus a kettle or toaster is enough to trip the breaker.
Long, continuous running
AC can run for hours at a time on a hot day or a cold night. A circuit sized for that load won't run hot.
Its own protection
A dedicated RCBO protects the AC alone, so a fault on the unit never takes out your sockets, and a fault elsewhere never stops the cooling.
Local isolation
A lockable isolator next to the outdoor unit lets engineers service it safely, without guessing which breaker to switch off inside.
Warranty and regulations
Manufacturers' warranties expect the supply to meet their installation instructions, and a new circuit is notifiable under Part P.
What about portable units?
Portable air conditioners with a hose out of the window are designed to plug into a normal socket. It's fixed split systems that need a dedicated supply.
What will it cost to run?
Air conditioners move heat rather than make it, so they put out around three to four times more cooling or heating than the electricity they use.
What we install
- A check that your supply and fuse board can take the extra load
- A dedicated circuit with its own RCBO, sized from the manufacturer's data
- Armoured cable outside, neatly clipped or in trunking
- A lockable, weatherproof rotary isolator next to the outdoor unit
- Interconnection cable to each indoor unit, ready for the AC engineer
- Spurs for condensate pumps where the drain can't run by gravity
- Testing, certification and Part P notification
Working with your AC installer
Connecting the refrigerant pipework and commissioning a system needs an F-gas certified engineer. Many AC companies don't do the electrical side, or charge a lot to subcontract it. We fit the supply before they arrive, so install day goes smoothly.
Where we fit AC supplies
Bedrooms and lofts
Top-floor rooms and loft conversions that turn into ovens every summer.
Garden offices
Garden rooms that are too hot in July and too cold in January. AC handles both.
Offices and shops
Comfortable staff and customers, on circuits that won't trip when it's busy.
Server and comms rooms
Dedicated, resilient supplies for cooling that keeps IT equipment running.
Salons, gyms and cafés
Hot, busy spaces where proper cooling makes a real difference.
Conservatories
Usable all year round instead of just in spring and autumn.
Tell Carl what you need
Free, no-obligation quotes across the Wirral. Most enquiries get a reply the same working day.