Arctic King Portable AC: New BTU and Room Cooling Regulations
An overview of the new Canadian standards for rating portable air conditioners, effective July 1, 2020.
Background on New Regulations
A new standard for rating BTU output and room cooling for all Portable Air Conditioners was introduced in Canada on July 1, 2020. The previous rating system, ASHRAE, did not account for the heat emitted by the portable AC units into the room during operation. The new system, SACC (Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity), has been implemented to address this by adjusting for these factors. This change will affect the listed BTU ratings and the recommended room cooling areas for portable AC units. The SACC rating is now the standard for all portable ACs sold in Canada.
Packaging and Model Information
Newer Portable AC units will display both the old ASHARE rating and the new SACC rating on their packaging to facilitate comparison. The room cooling area information has been updated to reflect the new SACC rating system. A training module will be available to explain these changes and highlight the features of Midea's Air Conditioning and Dehumidifier products.
Model Comparison and SACC Ratings
The following table details various Arctic King and Midea portable air conditioner models, their specifications, and their corresponding ASHARE and SACC ratings:
| Lowe's item# | Rona item# | MODEL # | BRAND | DESCRIPTION | ASHARE capacity(BTU) | SACC capacity(BTU) | Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 817037 | 21615013 | AP53SEWBA1RCM | Arctic King | Arctic King 8000 BTU, SACC 5300 BTU Portable Air Conditioner | 8000 | 5300 | 150 |
| 0817038 | 21615015 | AP07SEWBA1RCM | Arctic King | Arctic King 10 000 BTU, SACC 7000BTU Portable Air Conditioner | 12000 | 7000 | 300 |
| 0888150 | 21615022 | AP08SEWBA1RCM | Arctic King | Arctic King 12 000 BTU, SACC 8000BTU Portable Air Conditioner | 13500 | 8000 | 350 |
| 0888151 | 21615023 | AP10SEWBA1RCM | Arctic King | Arctic King 13500 BTU, SACC 10300BTU Portable Air Conditioner | 13500 | 10300 | 450 |
| 0888153 | 21615024 | MP72SQWBA1RCM | Midea | Midea 12000BTU Quiet Smart Portable AC, SACC 72,000BTU | 12000 | 7200 | 300 |
| 0888149 | 21615025 | MP86SQWBA1RCM | Midea | Midea 14000BTU Quiet Smart Portable AC, SACC 86,000BTU | 14000 | 8600 | 350 |
| 938877 | 21615037 | MP12SVWBA3RCM | Midea | Midea SACC 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter 3-in 1 Portable AC | 12000 | 550 | 550 |
Note: SACC means Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity in Btu/h, which is a new mandatory standard in Canada effective from July 1, 2020.
SACC Rating with Room Cooling on Packaging
The packaging for new portable AC units displays both ASHARE and SACC ratings. The following provides a guide to matching room size to BTUs based on the SACC standard:
| Air Conditioner Operating Capacity (SACC Standard) | Cooling Area (Sq.Ft.) | Room Size (L x W) (Sq.Ft.) |
|---|---|---|
| 5,300 BTU | 100 to 150 | 10x15 |
| 7,000 BTU | 250 to 300 | 10x25 |
| 8,000 BTU | 300 to 350 | 15x20 |
| 10,300 BTU | 400 to 450 | 20x20 |
| 12,000 BTU | 450 to 550 | 20x25 |
For example, a unit with a SACC Standard of 7,200 BTU/h and an ASHRAE Standard of 12,000 BTU/h is suitable for rooms up to 300 Sq Ft (approximately 15' x 20').
