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What Size AC for a Retail Shop?

A typical retail shop (~400 sq ft) needs about 16,460 BTU/hr — a 1.5 ton unit in moderate US conditions, or two split units in hot Indian conditions (44,300 BTU/hr).
Tuned for this space — adjust to match yours

Defaults reflect this space type, including its typical equipment/metabolic load of ~1,500 BTU/hr. Same engine as the main calculator.

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Cooling load

Doors, lights and bodies

Retail loads stack three things homes don't: door-opening infiltration every few minutes (a glass storefront door can leak a third of the cooled air's worth of heat back in), display lighting (every watt is heat), and variable occupancy. The estimate below uses six average occupants plus lighting/equipment; busy weekend peaks run higher — inverter headroom absorbs them.

India practice: split pairs and cassettes

Indian shops above ~300 sq ft typically run two splits or a ceiling cassette rather than one big unit — redundancy (one unit failing doesn't close the shop on a May afternoon) and more even air throw across racks. An air curtain over a frequently-opened door pays for itself in one season in hot-dry cities.

FAQ

What size AC do I need for a retail shop?

A typical retail shop (~400 sq ft) needs about 16,460 BTU/hr — a 1.5 ton unit in moderate US conditions, or two split units in hot Indian conditions (44,300 BTU/hr).

What size AC for a retail shop in India?

A typical Indian retail shop of ~400 sq ft carries roughly 44,300 BTU/hr in hot conditions — a two split units. Adjust with the calculator above for your exact room and city.

Why two ACs instead of one big unit for a shop?

Redundancy and coverage: if one unit fails in peak summer the shop stays open, and two throw points cool aisles evenly. Operating cost is similar at equal total tonnage with inverters.

AC sizing for other spaces

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