Which uses less energy, a window fan or using the fan mode on my window air conditioner?

We put air conditioners into the windows of each of our bedrooms. Some nights it is hot enough that we have to use the air conditioner, but many nights, we just turn the air conditioner on the "fan mode" instead, thinking that it would use less energy. But, now I'm starting to wonder if it really makes a difference. Would it be more energy efficient for me to simply use a window fan, or not?

Answer:
A window fan would use less regardless of voltage. The fan is designed to be used as a fan, the a/c is not. Of coarse the a/c in fan mode uses less than the a/c in a/c mode, but the engineering is not the same. The fan moves a lot more air, and is designed to bring air in from outside, where as the a/c in fan mode only pulls a little in. The in take from outside is a lot smaller on an a/c because it is mainly designed to recirculate the air in the room so that it is not trying to cool new hot air from outside.
Depends if your AC is 110 or 210.
110 really shouldnt make a big difference in the energy bill. I love it, last summer I kept mine running all day everyday, and my Electric bill was only $40/month. Cant beat it.
it is more energy efficient to use window fans,but they do wear out faster than air conditioners,and need to be cleaned weekly
They would actually do two different things. A window fan brings air in (or draws air out) while the A/C fan simply recirculates room air. In fan mode, the window unit also runs the condenser fan which will do no good at all.

In short, the window fan should use a lot less juice.
Trivial difference either way. Buy one compact fluorescent and do a lot more.
Its good that you are at least thinking about these things, but I don't think there is a cut and dried answer, you might have to put an electrcians ammeter on the power cord and do an actual measurement because a fan is a fan. The big difference is the fan you don't see is not running a compressor in fan mode.

And as Bob mentions, I have been using flourescent bulbs for a few years because they heat the house less in the summer, and thus the AC dosn't have to work as hard...its like a double savings.
If you are using the wall ouotlet that is for a 110 line for your fan and a 220 for the airconditioner fan then the 110 outlet is more energy efficien. the 220 use twice the electricity.
The ac on fan setting will use more energy to move the same volume of air because it is pulling the air through a heat exchanger whereas a fan has no such obstruction.
a window fan. smaller motor, less resistance.

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