Looking for reports of suitability from people who've used one of the common
(Home Depot / Lowes ) portable air conditioner units. Need to know how good
a job they'll do cooling a room.

Judging by what I know of thermal principles, the can't work. Where does the
heat go? We know that to cool/chill air, you remove heat from it. In other
systems, the heat is "pumped" outside. With the self contained unit in the
room, seems like it could never get ahead because it's not isolating the
heat anywhere.

Additionally, most of your air chillers have dehumidifcation as a
by-product. So where's the water going in these units? Maybe they've got a
concealed bucket you have to go dump periodically.

Anyway, I'd like to get a couple for use during power outages when we're
running on our gensets, but need to know first that they really work.
Otherwise, I'll use window units.

On Fri 09 Sep 2005 10:32:10p, RB wrote in alt.home.repair:

Looking for reports of suitability from people who've used one of the
common (Home Depot / Lowes ) portable air conditioner units. Need to
know how good a job they'll do cooling a room.

Judging by what I know of thermal principles, the can't work. Where does
the heat go? We know that to cool/chill air, you remove heat from it. In
other systems, the heat is "pumped" outside. With the self contained
unit in the room, seems like it could never get ahead because it's not
isolating the heat anywhere.

Additionally, most of your air chillers have dehumidifcation as a
by-product. So where's the water going in these units? Maybe they've got
a concealed bucket you have to go dump periodically.

Anyway, I'd like to get a couple for use during power outages when we're
running on our gensets, but need to know first that they really work.
Otherwise, I'll use window units.

These units are ducted out of a window using a flexible duct similar to a
dryer exhaust. Most have a tank that collects the condensate. Some are
available with pumps that pump the condensate out the window through a
small tube.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

RB wrote:
Looking for reports of suitability from people who've used one of the common
(Home Depot / Lowes ) portable air conditioner units. Need to know how good
a job they'll do cooling a room.

Judging by what I know of thermal principles, the can't work. Where does the
heat go? We know that to cool/chill air, you remove heat from it. In other
systems, the heat is "pumped" outside. With the self contained unit in the
room, seems like it could never get ahead because it's not isolating the
heat anywhere.

Additionally, most of your air chillers have dehumidifcation as a
by-product. So where's the water going in these units? Maybe they've got a
concealed bucket you have to go dump periodically.

Anyway, I'd like to get a couple for use during power outages when we're
running on our gensets, but need to know first that they really work.
Otherwise, I'll use window units.



They do work. I have one and the air coming out is very cold. The only
problem with them is that they suck air in from outside to replace the
air the blow out the vent through the window. Very inefficient.

The condensation either goes to a bucket, out a tube, or is evaporated
out the exhaust depending on type of unit you have.

These things are good if you can't use a normal window unit due to no
window or you dont want it sticking out the side of your house.

They do work. I have one and the air coming out is very cold. The only
problem with them is that they suck air in from outside to replace the air
the blow out the vent through the window. Very inefficient.

The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed, nor is outside air introduced to
the room. I do see some inefficiency because of the fact there is some
restriction to air flow while doing this. In a window unit, the heat is
immediately dumped to the outside and doesn't have to be fan forced up and
out a tube.

Tom.

"RB" wrote:

Looking for reports of suitability from people who've used one of the common
(Home Depot / Lowes ) portable air conditioner units. Need to know how good
a job they'll do cooling a room.

snip
In addition to what the others have said, I have one that I bought
when the main air conditioner went out and also use it off the
generator when power is out. They work and you can move them from
room to room. They just take a few minutes to set up. The ability to
easily move them is the only reason I bought this kind instead of a
window unit. Windows units do a better job and are cheaper, that
given I would buy another one when mine quits.
--
Jim Rusling
More or Less Retired
Mustang, OK
http://www.rusling.org

Tom wrote:

The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed...

Sounds like you are confused.

Nick

wrote in message
...
Tom wrote:

The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed...

Sounds like you are confused.

No. He's right on the money....

Tom wrote:
They do work. I have one and the air coming out is very cold. The only
problem with them is that they suck air in from outside to replace the air
the blow out the vent through the window. Very inefficient.


The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed, nor is outside air introduced to
the room. I do see some inefficiency because of the fact there is some
restriction to air flow while doing this. In a window unit, the heat is
immediately dumped to the outside and doesn't have to be fan forced up and
out a tube.


Not true. They blow air out two places.
1. Evaporator air: Out the front vent (cold air).
2. Condensor air: Out the hose that goes out the window. (hot air)

Air for both #1 and #2 come from the air in the room. But if #2 is
blowing air OUT of the room that means that:
a. The room will eventually be sucked dry of air or
b. Air is coming into the room from somewhere else.

Unless a magician is creating air in the room then it has to be drawn in
from some other room, cracks in the walls or ceiling or somewhere else.

User Example wrote:
Tom wrote:
They do work. I have one and the air coming out is very cold. The only
problem with them is that they suck air in from outside to replace the air
the blow out the vent through the window. Very inefficient.


The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed, nor is outside air introduced to
the room. I do see some inefficiency because of the fact there is some
restriction to air flow while doing this. In a window unit, the heat is
immediately dumped to the outside and doesn't have to be fan forced up and
out a tube.


Not true. They blow air out two places.
1. Evaporator air: Out the front vent (cold air).
2. Condensor air: Out the hose that goes out the window. (hot air)

Air for both #1 and #2 come from the air in the room. But if #2 is
blowing air OUT of the room that means that:
a. The room will eventually be sucked dry of air or
b. Air is coming into the room from somewhere else.

Unless a magician is creating air in the room then it has to be drawn in
from some other room, cracks in the walls or ceiling or somewhere else.

G'day,

Both ways now. Some draw air from the ( 1 ) room for the evap and cond
coils, many newer ones ( 2 ) draw outside air in one hose and blow the
cond air back outside with a second hose.

These units "barly" operate cooling a room when compared to a window
unit, but they will cool. JMO!

( 1 ) -
http://www.danby.com/en/productDetai...399D&dept=0004

( 2 ) -
http://www.danby.com/en/productDetai...2030&dept=0004

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

Appliance Repair Aid wrote:
User Example wrote:

Tom wrote:

They do work. I have one and the air coming out is very cold. The only
problem with them is that they suck air in from outside to replace the air
the blow out the vent through the window. Very inefficient.


The air coming in, is the same air going out after it has removed the heat
from the coils. Room air is not removed, nor is outside air introduced to
the room. I do see some inefficiency because of the fact there is some
restriction to air flow while doing this. In a window unit, the heat is
immediately dumped to the outside and doesn't have to be fan forced up and
out a tube.


Not true. They blow air out two places.
1. Evaporator air: Out the front vent (cold air).
2. Condensor air: Out the hose that goes out the window. (hot air)

Air for both #1 and #2 come from the air in the room. But if #2 is
blowing air OUT of the room that means that:
a. The room will eventually be sucked dry of air or
b. Air is coming into the room from somewhere else.

Unless a magician is creating air in the room then it has to be drawn in
from some other room, cracks in the walls or ceiling or somewhere else.


G'day,

Both ways now. Some draw air from the ( 1 ) room for the evap and cond
coils, many newer ones ( 2 ) draw outside air in one hose and blow the
cond air back outside with a second hose.

These units "barly" operate cooling a room when compared to a window
unit, but they will cool. JMO!



Yea, I have seen those 2 hose things. I tried to convert my one hose
type to a two hose type with some cardboard and duct tape. It sort of
worked but it fell apart and then I just bought a mini-split.

"RB" wrote in message
...
Looking for reports of suitability from people who've used one of the
common (Home Depot / Lowes ) portable air conditioner units. Need to know
how good a job they'll do cooling a room.


I bought a DeLonghi unit 4-5 years ago (approx $800 at the time!) and am
pretty disappointed by it. It is wimpy, doesn't cool as well as a much
cheaper (and lower BTU) window unit. Cycles constantly. Thermostat has a
hair-trigger response, either "always on" or "not on enough". Noise level
higher than a window unit even though it is advertised as "whisper quiet".
Fit and finish poor (front door rattles, compressor vibration noise) Would
not want to sleep in a room next to this thing.

-- Paul

No, Nick is right. (me agreeing with Nick..... scarry!)
Outside air is brought into the house, bringing heat and humidity with
it. That air mixes with room air, warming and humidifying the house.
Then it is drawn into the spot cooler and exhausted through a duct to
the outside. So the portable unit acts like an exhaust fan.

The net effect is you get very little real cooling and increase your
electric bill. If you can find one with a ducted outside air intake as
well as a ducted exhoust, it would be much more effective.

With spot coolers, you would do as well to stand in front of a
residential refrigerator and open the refrigerator door to get cool!

Stretch

Not true. They blow air out two places.
1. Evaporator air: Out the front vent (cold air).
2. Condensor air: Out the hose that goes out the window. (hot air)

Air for both #1 and #2 come from the air in the room. But if #2 is
blowing air OUT of the room that means that:
a. The room will eventually be sucked dry of air or
b. Air is coming into the room from somewhere else.

Unless a magician is creating air in the room then it has to be drawn in
from some other room, cracks in the walls or ceiling or somewhere else.

The thing is obviously going to be less efficient than a system
that keeps inside air inside, but:

If a quantity of air Q1 comes into the room and is
separated into to other quantities, a hot, wet Q2, and
a cold, dry Q3, and Q2 is exhausted outside, then
the air inside Q4) will obviously be cooler and dryer
than Q1. (but warmer and wetter than Q3).

If you assume the worst-case, that Q1 mixes thoroughly
with Q4 before being sucked into the unit, then
you should *eventually* reach equilibrium at q4=(q1+q3)/2.
If you get the best case, where ALL Q1 goes through the
unit before mixing, then you reach equilibrium at q3.

--Goedjn