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IS 8225:2018 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for room air conditioners - specification. This standard specifies the constructional, performance, and safety requirements for room air conditioners of the vapour compression type, including both window and split units, up to a rated cooling capacity of 12 kW. It is fundamental for manufacturing, testing, and the BEE star labelling program in India, focusing on energy efficiency through ISEER.
Specifies requirements for the design, construction, performance, and testing of room air conditioners.
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
Practical Notes
! This standard is integral to the mandatory BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) Star Labelling Program for air conditioners; compliance is essential for market access.
! The key performance metric is the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER), which has replaced the older Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) to better reflect real-world usage patterns.
! Safety requirements are largely deferred to IS/IEC 60335-2-40, making it a critical companion document for ensuring product safety.
Consolidated list per BIS. For the text of each amendment, refer to the BIS portal link above.
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International Equivalents
Similar International Standards
ISO 5151:2017ISO (International Organization for Standardization), Switzerland
HighCurrent
Non-ducted air conditioners and heat pumps — Testing and rating for performance
Defines the primary international methods for testing and rating the performance of room air conditioners.
IEC 60335-2-40:2022IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), Switzerland
HighCurrent
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-40: Particular requirements for electrical heat pumps, air-conditioners and dehumidifiers
Forms the basis for safety requirements in IS 8225, particularly via its Indian adoption, IS/IEC 60335-2-40.
AHRI 210/240-2023AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute), USA
HighCurrent
Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning & Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment
Provides widely-adopted performance rating procedures, influencing the seasonal energy efficiency calculation methods.
EN 14511:2018 (Parts 1-4)CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
MediumCurrent
Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages and heat pumps with electrically driven compressors for space heating and cooling
Covers European test conditions and rating methods, which differ in temperature points from Indian standards.
Key Differences
≠IS 8225 mandates the use of the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) for energy labelling, which uses a specific bin-hour distribution tailored to Indian climatic zones. International standards use different metrics like SEER (USA) or SCOP/SEER (Europe) with different calculation inputs.
≠The standard specifies testing at Indian standard voltage and frequency (230 V, 50 Hz) and defines performance requirements under specific voltage fluctuation ranges (198 V to 253 V), which is not a universal requirement in international standards.
≠IS 8225 includes specific marking requirements, such as the ISI Standard Mark, rated voltage, and ISEER value, which are mandated by Indian regulatory bodies (like BIS and BEE) and are not found in general international standards.
≠While performance tests at T1 (35°C) and T3 (46°C) outdoor temperatures are harmonized with ISO 5151, the emphasis and specific pass/fail criteria for high ambient (T3) performance are particularly stringent in IS 8225 to ensure suitability for India's hot climate.
Key Similarities
≈The fundamental test methodology for determining cooling capacity and power input using either a room calorimeter or an air-enthalpy method is aligned with the procedures detailed in ISO 5151.
≈Electrical and mechanical safety requirements are heavily harmonized with IEC 60335-2-40, covering aspects like protection against electric shock, fire hazards from overheating, and mechanical safety of moving parts.
≈The classification of air conditioners into types (e.g., window, split) and categories (e.g., cooling only, heat pump) is consistent with the classification systems used in major international standards.
≈Functional tests such as the condensate disposal test (to ensure no water leakage into the room) and enclosure sweat test are common requirements shared with international standards like ISO 5151 to ensure user comfort and prevent property damage.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Standard Cooling Capacity Test (Outdoor Dry-Bulb Temp)
35°C (T1 condition)
35°C (T1 condition)
ISO 5151:2017
High-Ambient Cooling Test (Outdoor Dry-Bulb Temp)
46°C (T3 condition)
46°C (T3 condition)
ISO 5151:2017
Rated Voltage / Frequency
230 V / 50 Hz
Varies by region, e.g., 230V/50Hz (Europe), 115V or 208/230V / 60Hz (USA)
IEC 60335-2-40:2022
Primary Safety Standard Reference
IS/IEC 60335-2-40
IEC 60335-2-40
IEC 60335-2-40:2022
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Metric
Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER)
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER/SEER2)
AHRI 210/240-2023
Maximum Allowable Sound Pressure Level (1.0 TR Split AC)
Typically ≤ 45 dB(A) for indoor unit (Varies by capacity & type)
No universal limit; defined by manufacturers or specific regional energy labels (e.g., EU Energy Label).
General Practice / EU Regulation 2017/1369
Minimum EER for 3-Star Fixed Speed Split AC (Cooling Capacity 3.5kW)
3.31 (As per 2018-2021 BEE schedule, value changes periodically)
Not directly comparable; rating systems (e.g., ENERGY STAR in the US) have different criteria and levels.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values6
Quick Reference Values
Standard Indoor Test Temperature (Cooling)27°C Dry Bulb, 19°C Wet Bulb
Standard Outdoor Test Temperature (Cooling)35°C Dry Bulb, 24°C Wet Bulb
High Temperature Outdoor Test Condition46°C Dry Bulb
Voltage and Frequency Tolerance for Test±1% of rated value
Minimum Power Factor (>1000W input)0.90 lagging
Maximum Condensate Water Carry Over3% of total condensate
Key Formulas
EER = Q / P (where Q is Cooling Capacity in W, P is Power Input in W)
ISEER = CSTL / CSEL (where CSTL is Cooling Seasonal Total Load and CSEL is Cooling Seasonal Energy Consumption)
Tables & Referenced Sections
Key Tables
Table 1 - Standard Cooling Capacities
Table 2 - Standard Test Conditions for Cooling Capacity Test
What are the standard test conditions for measuring cooling capacity?+
Indoor conditions are 27°C Dry Bulb / 19°C Wet Bulb, and outdoor conditions are 35°C Dry Bulb / 24°C Wet Bulb, as per Table 2.
What is the primary safety standard that must be followed?+
The primary safety standard is IS/IEC 60335-2-40, which covers electrical safety for air-conditioners and heat pumps.
Does this standard apply to inverter (variable speed) air conditioners?+
Yes, the standard covers both fixed speed and variable speed (inverter) air conditioners and defines the test procedure for calculating ISEER for both types.
What is the required power factor for an AC unit?+
For units with a rated power input greater than 1000 W, the power factor shall not be less than 0.90 lagging, as per Table 4.