Portable A/C

DaveHo
DaveHo Posts: 3,471
Anyone have one that exhausts via a hose through a window they are happy with? We have central A/C, but in our house, our bedroom on the second floor gets blasted by the sun all afternoon. We like it COLD for sleeping, our central unit, unzoned, has no problem getting there, but the rest of the house is like an icebox. Looking for a unit that is quiet and won't require frequent dumping of condensate. We keep the curtains closed and have the air handler moving air at all times, but it just doesn't quite get it done. I'd say the central unit takes care of the humidity so I'm hoping to pick up a unit that gets us the temp we like without me having to empty water from the dang thing.

Comments

  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    edited July 2021
    I'll add that I've already considered a mini-split, but the cost of that just doesn't seem justified given the maybe month total we need it during the summer. I live in SE PA.

    Edited to add the room is roughly 400sq plus master bath which adds to the temp since we typically shower in the evening.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    edited July 2021
    Why not just get a small window unit? Many of them now have remotes to use from the bed.
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    edited July 2021
    I have a G.E. this is my second summer with it. Keeps my bedroom comfortable. Because of how they work none of them will get a room super chilly but it stays cool for sure. Because it's using air in the room to cool the condenser then shoots it outside there's negative air pressure in the room and that air ends up being replaced with air coming from the rest of the house via around doors and such so it's not like a regular AC blowing cold air into the room creating positive pressure and pushing the excess OUT of the room. It can't get my room so cold that I'm reaching for a blanket but it's certainly the difference between sweating and being totally comfortable and it is immediately apparent when you open the door and walk in that the room is being cooled. I can sleep with it on no problem but I don't know if I'd call it quiet. It's not loud either. It's an AC condenser and fan running, it's going to make noise. I haven't had to empty water out of it once. I don't know if that's because CO isn't humid or because of the unit. It does it's job, i'm not unhappy with purchasing it in any metric.

    Given that the rest of your house is cold you'd probably have better results than me because my neighboring rooms are warm so that negative air pressure draws in warm air for me where yours would be cool.

    I also wrapped the hose that goes to the window in some insulation with a silver outer cover on it to improve efficiency.

    https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-350-sq-ft-portable-air-conditioner-white/6439114.p?skuId=6439114
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    I also just remembered to be fair i also have a mini fridge, 50" LED TV, tube preamp, B&K amp, Velodyne subwoofer, video game consoles, & a dog all generating heat inside the room at various times.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,043
    My son and I just finished a work at home office for his wife and he put in a 10,000 btu portable. So far she's very happy with the results in the 10x15' building during the recent heat spell. Something to keep in mind to is you have to get a little bit larger than what you actually need due to the exhaust tube putting out some heat.
  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,162
    We did a dual split Mitz yeas back and love it!!
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,066
    I bought this one last year when my upstairs outside condenser unit went out at the beginning of the summer. Now, I use it like you want to use one as a supplement to the central air in my upstairs bedroom.

    I have never had to empty the internal water reservoir and it stays on all the time in the warm months. I set the temperature at 73 degrees at night; any lower and it's too cold for me. I have not used the heat function. The bedroom area is 12' by 25' separated from the bath and closet area. I have a 58" Samsung plasma TV in the bedroom which really puts out the heat - plus audio equipment.

    The one suggestion from me is to not order online. My first one arrived almost completely destroyed. I did a reasonable amount of research and decided on the De'Longihi.


    https://www.costco.com/de'longhi-pinguino-plus-arctic-whisper-portable-air-conditioner-with-heat-and-eco-real-feel.product.100715053.html

    74grui1dwzup.png

    k1cxdwf2adwe.png
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"


    Harry / Marietta GA
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,707
    You have to spend some money on them to get one that's actually quiet. The more inexpensive ones often have lower BTU ratings so they don't cool as well and they tend to be noisy. They are especially good if you live in a townhome/condo complex that doesn't allow window units sticking out.

    Otherwise, find one that will service the square footage you have and then get the next one bigger.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    Thanks for the input. Although cheaper, a window unit is out since this would be the front of the house.
  • charley96
    charley96 Posts: 304
    Make me think of visiting my sisters place, her husband runs the air at 68. I keep mine at 77.
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    One person's COLD is another's comfortable, another's comfortable is another's COLD
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,811
    can the window that the hose goes out be locked and secured ?
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    NotaSuv wrote: »
    can the window that the hose goes out be locked and secured ?

    2nd floor on front of house...??
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    NotaSuv wrote: »
    can the window that the hose goes out be locked and secured ?

    2nd floor on front of house...??

    Spiderman dude .....
  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    NotaSuv wrote: »
    can the window that the hose goes out be locked and secured ?

    2nd floor on front of house...??

    Yep.