PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONERS

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

mieleforever

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
201
Location
SOUTH AFRICA
Hi all, I would like to have an opinion regarding these new portable room air conditioners. We have recently moved in a house, a rental, and I would like to install a air conditioner in our bedroom. The problem is if I install a regular split unit a/c i will have to drill holes in the wall and when we eventually move from the house it must stay there. So now I have seen some of these portable a/c's and would like to know if someone out there owns a machine like that and how effective they really are, because they are price wise actually the same. I appreciate your opinions.

Regards
 
 
There's one in the storeroom at work to try compensating for the ice machine that doesn't have a remote condensor. Second unit, first one died after about 2.5 or 3 years. Free-standing portable air conditioners don't have the same effective capacity as a window unit or split system of the same BTU rating. But they may be OK if there's no other reasonable solution. Like all air conditioners, they must have a way to dump the condensor heat. Single-hose units blow cooled room out [the window] as part of that process, further reducing effective capacity. Dual-hose units are better in that they pull outside air in, through the condensor, and back out.
 
We have two units upstairs in bedrooms, they're 9,000 btu each. Both are dual hose and are quite effective. Enough that they will cool both those bedrooms, the hallway and the 3rd bedroom and bathroom if you have a fan in the hall to blow the air around. They are ugly though and somewhat noisy. Generally speaking we only turn them on about 30 minutes before bedtime since we're not upstairs most of the day anyways it doesn't need all day cooling up there. Depending on the humidity levels and how often they are running the reservoirs on the back of the units do need to be emptied occasionally.. Could every few days to every few weeks.
 
What is your temperature ?

What is your highest temperature during your summer months, because South Africa can get really hot during summer, I am talking of temperatures of around 38- 41 degree celsius that translate to around 100 - 105 degree Fahrenheit. So when taken that into account will it still do anything, taken into consideration that the unit I am looking at is a 12000 BTU, in a room of around 20 square meters.

Looking forward to your replies.

Cheers all.
 
I have one of those and I'll give it for free to the first who ask.

I got it as a backup, as temperatures here can reach up to 47 degrees C during the summer and my 36.000BTU split type air conditioner isn't enough to cool my living room (20 square meters).
It was great, except for the noise. I used it only once as and A/C and couldn't stand the noise but sometimes i used it to defrost my non frost free freezer. the exaust hose is great to do that because it's very wide (bigger than a DVD) and blows hotter than a hair dryer and the jet is really strong. Now I have a brand new frost free freezer so I'll never again have to defrost.

The fan sounds almost like a professional hair dryer when the compressor starts, it sounds like a vaccum cleaner and a blender together.
 
What type of window(s) are there? Most window units don't need to be screwed or drilled in. They have acordian type frames on either side to stretch out and the window being closed holds the unit in place.Easy to install and remove for the season.The only other window units I've seen are for casement windows and also held in place by a frame included with each model unit.
 
Three thumbs up for portable AC

I have three of them and they are ideal for my situation, an 1895 brick cottage with a second floor built in the peaked roof attic space. A house this old was not built with hermetic sealing in mind although I have over the years thoroughly replaced and caulked all window frame members that have pulled away from the brick and sealed up every reasonable crack & crevice. None-the-less a house like this is not an economical candidate for central air.

For the first 14 years I used two 6000 btu window units but besides being unsightly from the outside they also dripped down the brick walls and rotted some sills.

My first portable in 2000 was a 6000 btu black Danby that has a built in water tank but can be drained by hose. This unit, still in service, sits about 3 feet above the floor on a stand beside an inside archway and directs it's oscillating breeze into the main floor living-room. Being elevated it's influence can be felt throughout the entire main floor except for the back laundry-room/pantry. Running 24/7 June through late September on Humidify setting it keeps the house dry and a cool 69 F. I rarely use the AC setting except under dire conditions such as the 5 day humid heatwave we had that saw outside temps approaching 100 F. Then all it could maintain was 72 F inside.
The inside wall against which it sits has a hot air register & duct pipe for the furnace, which is easily disconnected in the basement. For summer I have in place a 15 foot long dedicated 5" duct pipe that runs across the basement to a screened cellar window, sealed with a Styrofoam form though which the hot exhaust exits.
I also have in place a dedicated 3/4" vinyl drain hose that passes through the register plate where it is clamped to the floor beams & joists at a slow angle that takes the water by gravity alone 30 feet across the basement to the floor drain. It never clogs or develops air bubbles - it just constantly drains.

Being under an insulated roof, Upstairs in the bedroom lounge a second 10,000 btu blue Sunbeam unit sits high on a table beside a window where it exhausts, again through a styrofoam screen block.
This unit is self-evaporating and does not require a drain hose. collected Water is pumped over the hot condenser radiator where it is expelled as vapour. Again, no problems maintaining a dry 70 F all summer season long.
Key to efficiency is vacuuming the house dust off the lift-out foam filter screens weekly and taping an open cell foam filter sheet over the compressor radiator vents if it doesn't have a second filter there.

The most important thing with these units is proper end-of-season draining and cleaning. In fact I take the cases off and detail every nook and cranny cleaning out every vane & water well that invariably collects mineral sediment, storing it away over winter in the basement ready for another hot summer. The downstairs Danby unit is 10 years old! the Sunbeam is 7 years old and both still running strong.

Running them on dehumidify seems more economical than AC, according to my electric bill. This summer I would turn off the upstairs unit for the day when I was at work, only turning it on about 10 PM or when I get home at 11:30. It did a fine job of dropping the room's temperature from the high 80s down to 70F within an hour, making for a cool night's sleep.
Both units have infinitely variable temp settings for AC or humidify.
I like the tall slim robotic droid profile of these two units.

A third unit, a newer 2007 Sears Kenmore 12,000 btu drainless unit stands by for emergency, should one of the other units fail. (I really don't like it's bulk and style) Eventually though it will be the unit for the 30 x 30 foot front part of the peaked attic that comprises the Vacuum Lounge. But its humidify setting is anonymously automatic - it works but I prefer to monitor and dial in my own temp settings. (I think they do this to protect the less-than-robust components) I've been looking at the better looking portable units that appear on the market every year...I mean, I like a flat top that can serve as a plant stand or Cat Roost and so do the cats. A front facing oscillating stream is smart, too :-)

I am completely at peace - even oblivious - over the hum & fan noise they make, in exchange for calm & comfortable hot weather living.
Okay, I'm a heat & humidity sissy.

In the picture it is the white one being tested by the window.
All three units are single hose exhaust, drawing their air from the room they are in. I'm sure the two hose units are more economical as they draw their air from outside and exhaust outside; but I have a basic engineering concern about the intake and exhaust streams so close together...
Dave

aeoliandave++8-31-2011-22-31-1.jpg
 
OLYMPIA SPLENDID PIU

Hi I would like to know wheter anybody has some experience with these type of portables. I spoke to the sales man and he realy prefers them even over the Delonghi and pricewise they are the same.

Regards
 
I have no experience with this particular brand. But it's a one hose model, keep looking if you can find a model with two hoses. They are way more efficient. I have a one hose model too, it didn't do much until I modified it myself to a double hose model so the air that is used to cool the condensor is now sourced from outside instead of coming from the room where it stands. A single hose model is not a good airconditioner, it's just a machine that blows out cold air but in the meantime sucks a lot of warm air in from outside.

Here is a picture of a dual hose model type airconditioner.

foraloysius++9-4-2011-11-07-57.jpg
 
I agree that a dual hose unit is the more desirable configuration. But I'm constantly amazed at how many single hose models are offered up for sale around here.

In terms of noise, Sharp offers a "library quiet" line, which I presume emits a tolerable noise level.

The units that intrigue me are not only the dual hose models, but also those that have a built-in heat exchanger heating ability. Not via resistance heating (which some units mysteriously provide), but true HVAC condenser driven heating. This likely would be far more efficient than resistance electric space heating. I've considered getting it for the master bedroom since due to duct sizing and configuration, the central force air heating system always seems to leave the master bed/bath a few degrees cooler than the rest of the house. But maybe I should focus on fixing the ducting instead...
 
Dave, my AC is exactly like yours, but the top (control panel) is different and it has stainless steel panels instead of the blue panles at yours (unless you didn't remove the protective plastic film)
mine is 12k btu, has two drain hoses (gravity and pump).

Do you know how to open it? Somehow I dropped a coin in it and I need to open it to remove. I can see the coin, it doesn't interfere, but annoys me.

Anyway, I can't stand it's vaccum cleaner noise so I'll probably never use it again.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top