In collaboration with Climatiza. Radar Panamá works with this company, and the analysis follows the same editorial standards. How we work
Contents of this guide
How each technology works: fixed speed and variable speed
In a conventional air conditioner, the compressor runs at full capacity when the thermostat calls for cooling and shuts off when the set temperature is reached. In an inverter, the compressor and fan speed up or slow down according to what the space needs, so the unit does not alternate between full power and off.
| Aspect | Fixed speed | Variable speed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compressor | Full capacity or off, cycling repeatedly | Raises or lowers its speed according to the need | ENERGY STAR, 2024 |
| Light load | Keeps alternating on and off | Runs slower, more efficiently and more quietly | ENERGY STAR, 2024 |
| Undersized unit | Runs continuously | Runs continuously at full speed and loses the savings advantage | ENERGY STAR, 2024 |
The ENERGY STAR note of 11 June 2024 covers room units, but it describes the same compressor principle. It adds that an oversized unit cools before it removes humidity and costs more to run. Radar’s guide on why BTU per square meter is not enough to size a unit explains how capacity is calculated.
Reading efficiency: EER and SEER
EER measures a unit’s efficiency at full load, and SEER measures it across the whole cooling season. To compare two units, SEER also counts the hours when the unit is not at maximum, and in both cases a higher number means less electricity for the same cooling.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines EER as cooling capacity in Btu per hour divided by power in watts at 95 °F, and SEER as the heat removed from the space over the season divided by the electricity consumed in that period. It publishes this in its FAQ on the 2023 standards for central air conditioners of 5 October 2022. The guide notes that SEER2 and SEER are similar but not directly comparable.
What Panama regulates on efficiency labeling
Panama has technical regulations that require meeting minimum energy-efficiency indices and showing consumers visible labels on air conditioners, inverter units included. No official Panamanian guide comparing inverter and conventional was found; what can be verified is the labeling and who enforces it.
The National Energy Secretariat reported, according to Panamá América of 29 December 2017, that the Ministry of Commerce and Industries resolutions were published in Official Gazette 28434-A. The International Energy Agency records Resolution 115 of 2017, of 30 November 2017, adopting regulation DGNTI-COPANIT 103:2017 for ductless split units. According to TVN (29 March 2026), the Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (Acodeco), competent to verify that efficiency information is visible, inspected 22 premises and 208 models from 15 brands: only 3 met the labeling rules, in preliminary results.
The sources differ on how the standards are numbered, and the texts with their minimum values could not be opened, so no index is quoted. They are worth checking in the Official Gazette or at DGNTI.
Maintenance and service life of each type
None of the official sources opened states that one type of unit needs less maintenance than the other, or publishes a different service life for each. What the sources do document are checks that apply to any unit with a coil and condensate drainage.
The EPA guide on mold in commercial buildings recommends keeping HVAC drip pans clean, draining and unobstructed, and including regular inspection and maintenance. The Climatiza maintenance page describes a preventive visit that checks temperatures and pressures, filters, coils with attention to corrosion from salt air, drains, electrical components and refrigerant. The terms of a maintenance contract are in another Radar guide.
Which unit you have and what a survey decides
Which units a space has, and which to keep or replace, is decided with an equipment inventory, not an article. The Climatiza asset survey page describes a technical inventory that records, per unit, brand, model and capacity, installation year, overall condition including corrosion, criticality, estimated remaining useful life, and photos of the unit and its nameplate.
- Photograph each unit’s nameplate and record brand, model and capacity.
- Check the manufacturer’s data sheet for the compressor type.
- Note each unit’s installation year and condition.
- Compare quotes on a common baseline, a use of the inventory the Climatiza page names.
Myths and facts
- Myth: an inverter always saves. Fact: undersized, it runs continuously at full speed and loses the advantage (ENERGY STAR, 2024).
- Myth: SEER and SEER2 are the same. Fact: the DOE notes they are not directly comparable.
- Myth: the efficiency label is optional. Fact: Panama’s regulations require it and Acodeco inspects compliance (TVN, 2026).
Climatiza installs equipment on commercial and industrial projects and surveys the inventory of existing equipment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between inverter and conventional?
The difference is the compressor: the conventional one runs at fixed speed and alternates between full capacity and off, while the inverter adjusts its speed to the need. ENERGY STAR describes it this way in its 2024 note.
Which one uses less electricity in a commercial space?
None of the official sources consulted publishes a percentage for Panama. Variable speed gains efficiency under a light load, but an undersized unit runs at maximum and loses that advantage.
Is it worth replacing a conventional unit with an inverter?
It depends on each unit; there is no general answer. The equipment inventory supplies capacity, age, condition and remaining useful life to decide and to compare quotes.
How can you tell if an air conditioner is inverter?
The model is read on the unit’s nameplate and the manufacturer’s data sheet is consulted. An equipment inventory records brand, model and capacity with a photo of the nameplate.
Does an inverter need less maintenance?
None of the official sources opened says so. Filters, coils, condensate pans and drains are checked on any unit, and the EPA recommends regular inspection and maintenance.
Related articles
- Air conditioning and maintenance in Panama
- How much a business’s air conditioning uses and what raises it
- Air conditioning maintenance in stores and supermarkets in Panama
- Air conditioning in rented offices and law firms in Panama
Sources
Checked on October 27, 2026. Panamanian sources are in Spanish.
- ENERGY STAR, Variable Speed Means More Savings with Room Air Conditioners (11 June 2024).
- U.S. Department of Energy, Central Air Conditioners, 2023 Energy Conservation Standards FAQ (5 October 2022).
- Panamá América, Regularán entrada de aires acondicionados (29 December 2017).
- International Energy Agency, Resolution 115 of 2017 (Panama).
- TVN Panamá, Acodeco detecta incumplimiento en etiquetado energético de aires acondicionados (29 March 2026).
- EPA, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, chapter 2.
- Climatiza Panamá, HVAC asset survey.
- Climatiza Panamá, air conditioning maintenance.
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