Model
Friedrich WCVT12B30A
Rank #339 means 338 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 18th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 18% of those models.
What does the Friedrich WCVT12B30A cost to run per year?
At $136 a year to run, the Friedrich WCVT12B30A is among the more expensive room air conditioner models we track to run, ranking #339 of 404. It uses 46% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $252/yr to run, a saving of roughly $116 a year. Its 18th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is well below the class median, worth weighing against the raw cost figure above. Its CEER of 13.9 reflects combined energy efficiency ratio, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the K�Hl KCVS16B30B at $134/yr runs a little cheaper and the Midea MAT14R2FWTK at $140/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A room air conditioner typically stays in service for somewhere around 10 years; over that span, the Friedrich WCVT12B30A's $136/yr adds up to roughly $1360 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Friedrich WCVT12B30A normalized against its whole class, so each figure means something.
What it costs you over time
Running cost is an every-year number, so it compounds. At $136/yr, here is what the Friedrich WCVT12B30A adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Friedrich WCVT12B30A costs about $1360. That is roughly $1160 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $2520 over the same ten years.
How the Friedrich WCVT12B30A compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $136/yr, it runs about $37 a year above the class median of $99, and it is about $85 a year more than the cheapest room air conditioner to run at $51. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $252/yr, the Friedrich WCVT12B30A uses 46% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 13600 BTU/hr, the Friedrich WCVT12B30A is a large room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, size is usually the single biggest lever behind a running-cost figure, and at this end of the range there is more capacity to service, which tends to push the number up. Its CEER of 13.9, below the class median of 15, reflects combined energy efficiency ratio: a higher figure means it wrings more useful work out of every kilowatt-hour, so it is the efficiency lever to weigh against raw size.
- Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio (CEER). CEER captures cooling output per watt, including standby power; a higher CEER means less electricity for the same BTU of cooling.
- BTU cooling capacity. A higher-BTU unit is sized for a bigger room and generally uses more electricity per hour of operation than a smaller unit, regardless of efficiency.
- Thermostat and mode usage. Running on a fixed low temperature around the clock uses far more energy than using a thermostat setting, eco mode, or a timer to match cooling to when the room is actually occupied.
Common questions
Is the Friedrich WCVT12B30A cheap to run?
Not especially. At $136 a year it ranks #339 of 404 room air conditioner models we track, in the pricier part of its class to run, though its size and features may still justify that for your needs.
How much does the Friedrich WCVT12B30A cost per month?
Roughly $11.35/mo, spreading the $136/yr estimate evenly across twelve months at $0.1856/kWh. Actual monthly bills swing with your rate and usage pattern.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
We take the model's published annual energy use of 734 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $136 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Friedrich WCVT12B30A for its size?
18th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is not the main reason for the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 338 | K�Hl KCVS16B30B15400 BTU/hr | $134 |
| 337 | Lg LW1522IVSM14000 BTU/hr | $133 |
| 336 | Lg LW1522FVSM14000 BTU/hr | $133 |
| 335 | Friedrich KCVM14B10A13900 BTU/hr | $132 |
| 334 | Vissani VAWA14V4HWT14000 BTU/hr | $130 |
Source
ES_31705_WCVT12B30A_031320250544859_2821088View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Friedrich and WCVT12B30A are used here for identification only and are not endorsements. Figures are computed by WattWise Labs from public ENERGY STAR data, not measured in our own lab.