Bought a Toshiba Aircon unit from a classified ad and it works in a
slightly different way to my other aircon unit (B&Q) and I wondered
why.

Its a floor standing unit on wheels with an exhaust hose which goes
through a hole in the wall, same as the B&Q unit.

However, it has a large water tank which needs refilling, whereas the
B&Q one doesn't. It's NOT an evaporative cooler, so what is the water
needed for?

It works *really* well, far better than the B&Q model so the water is
obviously doing something..but what?

shokka

Shokka wrote:
Bought a Toshiba Aircon unit from a classified ad and it works in a
slightly different way to my other aircon unit (B&Q) and I wondered
why.

Its a floor standing unit on wheels with an exhaust hose which goes
through a hole in the wall, same as the B&Q unit.

However, it has a large water tank which needs refilling, whereas the
B&Q one doesn't. It's NOT an evaporative cooler, so what is the water
needed for?

It works *really* well, far better than the B&Q model so the water is
obviously doing something..but what?

shokka
What's the model number. - should be able to look up on toshiba website
and
find a manual or something that would explain.
Simon.

sm_jamieson wrote:
Shokka wrote:
Bought a Toshiba Aircon unit from a classified ad and it works in a
slightly different way to my other aircon unit (B&Q) and I wondered
why.

Its a floor standing unit on wheels with an exhaust hose which goes
through a hole in the wall, same as the B&Q unit.

However, it has a large water tank which needs refilling, whereas the
B&Q one doesn't. It's NOT an evaporative cooler, so what is the water
needed for?

It works *really* well, far better than the B&Q model so the water is
obviously doing something..but what?

shokka
What's the model number. - should be able to look up on toshiba website
and
find a manual or something that would explain.
Simon.

Um, are you sure the water tank is not just the one to collect the
water extracted from the air ? The you empty, not fill ?
Or are you saying there are 2 tanks ?
Simon.
Or

sm_jamieson wrote:

What's the model number. - should be able to look up on toshiba website
and find a manual or something that would explain.

The manual mentions nothing about what it's for, just that it needs to
be filled.

The schematic shows the usual fridge compressor, fan, switches and
control board so no clues there.

The water doesn't come out of the louvre on the front (The air feels
dry) and in any case the machine has a dehumidification mode.

I wondered if the water was to improve the removal of heat via the
exhaust tube?

I *think* the model number is RAC-08 (Or similar). It was made in the
early to mid nineties.

shokk

sm_jamieson wrote:

Um, are you sure the water tank is not just the one to collect the
water extracted from the air ? The you empty, not fill ?
Or are you saying there are 2 tanks ?
Simon.

One large-ish tank that you fill up from the tap. I'm wondering if it
uses it to improve the efficiency of heat removal via the exhaust pipe?
The air that goes out of the exhaust tube feels damp.

Whatever it does and however it does it, it works extremely well.

shokk

Shokka wrote:
sm_jamieson wrote:

What's the model number. - should be able to look up on toshiba website
and find a manual or something that would explain.

The manual mentions nothing about what it's for, just that it needs to
be filled.

The schematic shows the usual fridge compressor, fan, switches and
control board so no clues there.

The water doesn't come out of the louvre on the front (The air feels
dry) and in any case the machine has a dehumidification mode.

I wondered if the water was to improve the removal of heat via the
exhaust tube?

I *think* the model number is RAC-08 (Or similar). It was made in the
early to mid nineties.

shokk

caution: wild guess approaching. Does it trickle over the hot heat
exchanger to increase exhange rate? If it did it would slowly scale it
up, so no.

Maybe its a twin cooling system, ac then evaporative. That would give
more cooling than ac alone, and the evap cooling would work well with
ac-dehumidified air.


NT

On 30 Jun 2006 03:34:52 -0700, "Shokka" wrote:

Bought a Toshiba Aircon unit from a classified ad and it works in a
slightly different way to my other aircon unit (B&Q) and I wondered
why.

Its a floor standing unit on wheels with an exhaust hose which goes
through a hole in the wall, same as the B&Q unit.

However, it has a large water tank which needs refilling, whereas the
B&Q one doesn't. It's NOT an evaporative cooler, so what is the water
needed for?

It works *really* well, far better than the B&Q model so the water is
obviously doing something..but what?

shokka

Is it maybe an evaporative cooler with a heat exchanger, so the warm damp air goes out of the
exhaust hose while cooling the air on the room side of the exchanger.

In article .com,
writes:

caution: wild guess approaching. Does it trickle over the hot heat
exchanger to increase exhange rate? If it did it would slowly scale it
up, so no.

Mine does that using the water condensed from the evaporator (cold
element), so no scale problem.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On 30 Jun 2006 03:34:52 -0700, "Shokka" wrote:

Bought a Toshiba Aircon unit from a classified ad and it works in a
slightly different way to my other aircon unit (B&Q) and I wondered
why.

Its a floor standing unit on wheels with an exhaust hose which goes
through a hole in the wall, same as the B&Q unit.

However, it has a large water tank which needs refilling, whereas the
B&Q one doesn't. It's NOT an evaporative cooler, so what is the water
needed for?

It works *really* well, far better than the B&Q model so the water is
obviously doing something..but what?

shokka

I've got a RAC-16sw. As Mike Harrison says its an evaporative cooler
with the steam pumped out throuhg the exhaust. I think they offer a
more powerfull cool for the size of unit but are a pain to keep topped
up.

marvelus wrote:
On 30 Jun 2006 03:34:52 -0700, "Shokka" wrote:


I've got a RAC-16sw. As Mike Harrison says its an evaporative cooler
with the steam pumped out throuhg the exhaust. I think they offer a
more powerfull cool for the size of unit but are a pain to keep topped
up.

Yup. Took it apart at the weekend to have a look! It's not an
evaporative cooler in the common sense, in that the evaporation is used
to cool the 'hot' air conditioner circuit rather than cool the room
directly.

Biiig heating coil that makes the water evaporate which is then pumped
up the exhaust hose, taking heat with it.

Because the 'steam' is a more efficient carrier of heat it means less
air is pumped up the exhaust hose and thus less (Hot) air is drawn into
the room being cooled, to replace it.

(The instructions for the unit includes directions for descaling the
coils which it says should be done regularly.)

Yes, it's a pain to keep refilling but it works *much* better than
other single hose air conditioners. I'm surprised that other
manufacturers don't use the same method.

Thanx to all who replied,

shokk

On 5 Jul 2006 02:04:04 -0700, "Shokka" wrote:


marvelus wrote:
On 30 Jun 2006 03:34:52 -0700, "Shokka" wrote:


I've got a RAC-16sw. As Mike Harrison says its an evaporative cooler
with the steam pumped out throuhg the exhaust. I think they offer a
more powerfull cool for the size of unit but are a pain to keep topped
up.

Yup. Took it apart at the weekend to have a look! It's not an
evaporative cooler in the common sense, in that the evaporation is used
to cool the 'hot' air conditioner circuit rather than cool the room
directly.

Biiig heating coil that makes the water evaporate which is then pumped
up the exhaust hose, taking heat with it.

Because the 'steam' is a more efficient carrier of heat it means less
air is pumped up the exhaust hose and thus less (Hot) air is drawn into
the room being cooled, to replace it.

(The instructions for the unit includes directions for descaling the
coils which it says should be done regularly.)

You need to find a chemist that will sell you citric acid and sodium
bicarb without thinking your a druggy I havnt done mine for a few
years and it was performing OK last night. But I live in a soft water
area.


Yes, it's a pain to keep refilling but it works *much* better than
other single hose air conditioners. I'm surprised that other
manufacturers don't use the same method.


When I got mine 18 years ago it was the *only* portable AC you could
get in this country, now you cant get this type. As another poster
said its probably a legonella death trap


Thanx to all who replied,

shokk

On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 10:38:00 +0100, wrote:

On 5 Jul,
"Shokka" wrote:


Yes, it's a pain to keep refilling but it works *much* better than
other single hose air conditioners. I'm surprised that other
manufacturers don't use the same method.

My aircon pumps the condensate into a tray below the fan blades which splat
the water over the heat exchanger, acheiving the same result, without having
to fill up with water. I wonder if it increases the liklyhood of propogating
legionella bugs?

The Toshibas use the condensate too but will get through an additional
gallon of water with about 5-6 hours continual use.