1. How is a portable air conditioner different than a window AC?
A portable AC is a small mobile air conditioner unlike a window AC which must be mounted through-the-wall. Furthermore, portable air conditioners do not require permanent installation. All our portable air conditioners are between 29" and 34" tall and weigh between 65 and 80 pounds. Portable air conditioners also work great in apartment situations where a window unit is unacceptable.
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2. Is a portable air cooler and a portable air conditioner the same thing?
No they are not the same. Air coolers use water and evaporation to cool much the same way a swamp cooler cools. Only the direct air stream is cooled (10-15 degrees) and generally air coolers cannot cool the ambient air in a room. Portable Air conditioners use a compressor/Freon to cool and are much more effective in cooling rooms and at keeping the humidity low.
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3. Could you explain why and how portable Air Conditioner's are vented ?
Portable air conditioners extract hot air that must be vented. If the hot air is not vented, the portable air conditioner will not be able to cool a room effectively. Window and venting kits are always included with our portable air conditioners at no extra cost. You may also vent the portable AC through a wall vent, into the attic or drop ceiling, or even around a door! You are only limited by your creativity.
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4. How long is the exhaust hose?
The exhaust hoses are generally between 5 and 7 feet long and are made of high quality 5" flex hose
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5. How does the window kit work?
The foam window kit simply is cut to fit most any slider or up-down window in your home up to 4 feet. The window is then closed against the foam to seal the air from the outside, the exhaust hose then is fit through a small cutout in the foam. Installation takes about 5 minutes and this allows for easy portability from window to window. For windows larger than 4 feet, simply purchase extra foam at the local hardware store. As mentioned earlier, for unique window situations ( casement (crank-out) windows), a little creativity is all that is needed.
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6. Can the exhaust hose be extended?
All the Portable Air Conditioner's come with the standard hose length of 5-7 feet. If you need a longer hose, they are readily available at the local hardware store but it is a good idea to avoid hose lengths over 12 feet as well as 90 degree bends. You can also vent through the dryer hose as long as the hose diameter is 5" or more and the outdoor venting flap is removed.
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7. Do portable air conditioners collect water?
All portable air conditioners condensate water as they are cooled, this water is then contained in a internal water reservoir. On all our models, this water reservoir has the auto shutoff feature so that water is never accidentally spilled on the ground. With the unit off, the water is easily emptied into a drip pan. You can also gravity drain the portable AC by connecting a hose to the connection on the reservoir.
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8. Are portable AC's energy efficient?
Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) is a standard measure of efficiency for comparing appliances and the cost of operation. The higher the EER, the more energy efficient the air conditioner. The WA1210E has an EER of over 12 while the Soleus KY32U has and EER of 10. Any rating of 10 or more is excellent. Furthermore, by cooling only one room, portable air conditioners can save you considerable on your monthly electric bill. All of the portable air conditioners that we carry operate on 115 Volt/ 60 Hertz (normal household standard). They generally run on about 7-10 amps and require a regular 3 prong grounded plug found in all homes.
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9. Are portable air conditioners used to cool computer server rooms?
This is one of the most common uses of a portable air conditioner! Even in small computer rooms, a 12000 BTU unit should be purchased due to the extra heat produced. Moreover, the portable AC will help keep the air dry and more suitable for computer application.
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10. How Portable Air Conditioners Work?
Portable air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. A portable air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside. The evaporator and condenser coils are serpentine tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. This tubing is usually made of copper. A pump, called the compressor, moves a heat transfer fluid (or refrigerant) between the evaporator and the condenser. The pump forces the refrigerant through the circuit of tubing and fins in the coils. The liquid refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, pulling heat out of indoor air and thereby cooling the home. The hot refrigerant gas is pumped outdoors into the condenser where it reverts back to a liquid giving up its heat to the air flowing over the condenser's metal tubing and fins.
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11. Sizing Portable Air Conditioners?
Portable air conditioners are rated by the number of British Thermal Units (Btu) of heat they can remove per hour. Another common rating term for air conditioning size is the "ton," which is 12,000 Btu per hour.
How big should your portable air conditioner be? The size of your unit depends many factors such as how much shade you receive, how much insulation is in your home's ceiling and walls and size of the room to be cooled.
*We strongly recommend to go with a portable air conditioner that is rated at cooling a larger room area than the size of your room, especially when there is a heat source. The portable air conditioner will not work in a Sunroom and Garage and in rooms where heat source is absorbed quicker than the cooling capacity that the portable air conditioner can produce. We would recommend our customer to give the manufacture a call before purchasing.
12. Room Air Conditioners EER
Room air conditioners generally range from 5,500 Btu per hour to 14,000 Btu per hour. National appliance standards require room air conditioners built after January 1, 1990, to have an EER of 8.0 or greater. Select a room air conditioner with an EER of at least 9.0 if you live in a mild climate. If you live in a hot climate, select one with an EER over 10.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers reports that the average EER of room air conditioners rose 47% from 1972 to 1991. If you own a 1970s-vintage room air conditioner with an EER of 5 and you replace it with a new one with an EER of 10, you will cut your air conditioning energy costs in half.
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13. What are the differences between a DUAL HOSE portable air conditioner and a SINGLE HOSE portable air conditioner ?
SINGLE HOSE
Uses indoor air to cool compressor and exhaust outdoors.
Uses indoor air to output cold air into room.
CONS:
Draws indoor air for both indoor & outdoor air output, decrease in room air pressure pulls in warm air from other rooms (through doorways and other crevices).
PROS:
Although warm air is drawn from other rooms, it provides fresh air.
Indoor air (lower temp then outdoor air.) used to cool compressor means better efficiency.
Only uses 1 fan/motor = less energy consumption.
DUAL HOSE
Draws outdoor air to cool compressor and exhaust outdoors.
Uses indoor air to output cold air into room.
CONS:
Same air circulated within room - may cause dizziness/faintness if one stays in room too long or room is too crowded.
Outdoor (hot) air used to cool compressor means higher energy costs.
Manufacturers of dual-hose units even recommends/warns not using the 2nd duct (which draws air to cool compressor) when 90°F or higher outdoors – as it may cause
compressor to overheat. ** Note: Temperature of most areas during the summer easily rises above 90°F.
Uses 2 fans/motors = higher energy consumption.
PROS:
No decrease in air pressure. Will not draw in warm air from other rooms.
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14. Yes, I am ready to purchase the portable air conditioners !
To purchase a portable air conditioners please enter our portable air conditioner section by (click here)
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