"so I tend not to agree with the theory of outside vs. inside temps. If you are recirculating the inside air, then it will get cooler and cooler and cooler as you are cooling cooler air each time is recirculates. I have been in 113 degree temps outside and gotten the inside temp down to as low as 68! (21 foot North Trail with 15k a/c unit in Amarillo, Tx. & full sun)."
SORRY....I disagree with the above - because - 'the theory of "outside/inside differential temp" is true. I worked over 30 years repairing commercial/residential Air Conditioning and the "absolute best" one could expect a 'properly sized ac unit' to do was a 30 degree split (between outside/inside temp), - and that is when 'everything is working perfectly, house is well insulated, all the coils are clean and compressor and other components working perfectly. Most houses would get between 20-25 split. This is the law of physics...sorry.
Your 'idea' that the AC continues to cool the air each time it recirculates is also false. If this was true you would eventualy be "freezing" the plumbing in the house, come on.
Actually, the AC conditions the air - by removing heat/humidity from the conditioned space (inside air), hence the name "Air Conditioning."
All AC systems "must be" sized correctly otherwise you would have big problems. Here's an example: Let's say you have a 1800 sq ft house. The 'rule of thumb' for sizing says 1 ton (12000 btu) for every 600 sq ft of properly insulated space. Therefore - you would need a 3 ton (36000 btu) AC for the house.
Note: actually 'sizing' a house for Air Conditioning is somewhat more complicated than this - this is just as I said a 'rule of thumb' example.
Anyway.. back to the 1800 sq ft house. So.. "Joe Homeowner" in an attempt to get 'extra cooling' decides he's going to install a "4 ton (48000 btu) AC on his house. Note; I've actually seen this done!
What he (Joe Homeowner) gets is an AC unit (because it's so oversized) that "does not run long enough" to pull the humidity out of the air and the insided temp (while indeed cold) is drafty and uncomfortable. Remember- "humidity is the chief reason" you feel uncomfortable when the temp is warm/hot.
Let's say "Joe Homeowner" tried to 'cheap his way out' and installed an 'undersized unit' say a 2 ton (24000 btu) AC, then the 'undersized' unit would run all the time and still not get the humidity and temp down inside.
"Sizing" is everything when it comes to Air Conditioning.
A short AC course follows:
Freon is reduced in temp (causing about a 40 degree coil) and into a liquid (by a metering device) and as it passes through the evap (inside) coil, it picks up heat from the air inside the cooling area (due to evap fan motor drawing warm air across the coil)
This air is warmer than the liquid in the evap coil and therefore a 'heat transfer' takes place. Think of a 'coke bottle' sitting on an outside table on a hot day. It will 'sweat'.... that is because it is absorbing the warm air. This is a 'heat transfer.' Your inside coil does the same thing - 'it will sweat as the warm inside air is absorbed into the coil.
This 'heat laden' freon is then pumped (by the compressor) to the outside condenser coil and cooled by the condenser fan motor and distributed outside - and then the cycle starts all over.
This is a 'basic' refrigeration cycle. It 'will' continue to reduce the inside air temp as it recirculates the air, "to a certain point." But... this all depends on "outside temp," and will only reduce inside temp to a certain point - which brings us back to the outside/inside temp differential. i.e. 90 degree outside temp - equals - approx 60-65 inside temp " if " everything is working perfectly.
This 'differential split' does not 'go away,' it will always be there. Therefore, inside temp will be "limited" in how far it drops by the temp of the outside air, as well as the working operation of the AC equipment.
Note: it is 'possible' to overload a conditioned space with excessive equipment but that is not "conditioning the air," and the resulting problems you would have - would be (often) worse than having no air conditioning.
Even with that said, ..... as to the claim of a 45 degree differential between inside/outside temp .... uh, I'd have to see that.
