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If anyone is considering buying a "portable" air conditioner - the kind that rolls around on wheels - know that they are pretty awful. If you must buy one, at l

If anyone is considering buying a "portable" air conditioner - the kind that rolls around on wheels - know that they are pretty awful. If you must buy one, at least buy a "dual hose" version. Single hose versions suck air out of your house, causing fresh, but hot, air to be sucked in through all the vents, gaps, and cracks in your house. Window units or "split" systems are far more efficient and work much better, at the downside of cost and installation fees. Technology Connections has a very good video (with perhaps excessive detail, but it is very interesting) about them, here: https://youtu.be/_-mBeYC2KGc https://youtu.be/_-mBeYC2KGc

6f8986c3 5y ago
TechIngredients did an interesting design for a swamp cooler using liquid desiccants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w4rg3UcsgI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w4rg3UcsgI Haven't yet built one myself, but it looks like a sensible design for climates that aren't overly humid.
tspike 5y ago
I'd love to get a mini split, but it seems like all the contractors around here are booked out a minimum of 3 months.
- denimnerd42 5y ago
  try a DIY Mr. Cool. They are easy to install for anyone that has a little xp in home diy projects. I'm on year 2 and I love mine in the garage.
  - endisneigh 5y ago
    I've heard of these - I'm surprised it's taken so much time for someone to just think of a pre-charged lineset and compressor with valves you can open.
    - denimnerd42 5y ago
      Yeah. I was looking at it initially and thought it might not be that great so I got a few quotes for Japanese units and they all wanted like 5-6k so I just did it myself with a 1.5t under $2k for everything including electrical. I figured if it ever went bad I could just get another or try to fix it first.
stu2b50 5y ago
Portable ACs are the right tool for some people. Another thing to think about is noise - they're actually louder for you the consumer than window units, but in some cases that's a good thing, because sometimes your neighbors start to complain about the noise to your landlord if you're renting. One more plus is that if you're in a climate that only gets that hot a handful of weeks a year, then for the sake of your window unit you should really take it out to prevent rust and other wear, but that's a huge hassle. You can just wheel the portable AC into the closet. --- tl;dr they do suck at cooling in comparison to window units, but they're probably the right thing to get if you're renting in a cool climate.
sbierwagen 5y ago
I currently live in a condo complex that bans window air conditioners and ductless air conditioners. It's portable or nothing.
- derekp7 5y ago
  One hack I've seen is to have a box that sits inside your room with one end butted up against the window screen, and a regular air conditioner that is mounted on the other side of the box. The screen-end of the box would have 4 fans, two blowing in and two blowing out that would vent the heat exchanger side of the AC with outside air. Yet there would still be no AC box visible from outside the building.

6f8986c3 5y ago

TechIngredients did an interesting design for a swamp cooler using liquid desiccants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w4rg3UcsgI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w4rg3UcsgI Haven't yet built one myself, but it looks like a sensible design for climates that aren't overly humid.

tspike 5y ago

I'd love to get a mini split, but it seems like all the contractors around here are booked out a minimum of 3 months.

denimnerd42 5y ago
try a DIY Mr. Cool. They are easy to install for anyone that has a little xp in home diy projects. I'm on year 2 and I love mine in the garage.
- endisneigh 5y ago
  I've heard of these - I'm surprised it's taken so much time for someone to just think of a pre-charged lineset and compressor with valves you can open.
  - denimnerd42 5y ago
    Yeah. I was looking at it initially and thought it might not be that great so I got a few quotes for Japanese units and they all wanted like 5-6k so I just did it myself with a 1.5t under $2k for everything including electrical. I figured if it ever went bad I could just get another or try to fix it first.

stu2b50 5y ago

Portable ACs are the right tool for some people. Another thing to think about is noise - they're actually louder for you the consumer than window units, but in some cases that's a good thing, because sometimes your neighbors start to complain about the noise to your landlord if you're renting. One more plus is that if you're in a climate that only gets that hot a handful of weeks a year, then for the sake of your window unit you should really take it out to prevent rust and other wear, but that's a huge hassle. You can just wheel the portable AC into the closet. --- tl;dr they do suck at cooling in comparison to window units, but they're probably the right thing to get if you're renting in a cool climate.

sbierwagen 5y ago

I currently live in a condo complex that bans window air conditioners and ductless air conditioners. It's portable or nothing.

derekp7 5y ago
One hack I've seen is to have a box that sits inside your room with one end butted up against the window screen, and a regular air conditioner that is mounted on the other side of the box. The screen-end of the box would have 4 fans, two blowing in and two blowing out that would vent the heat exchanger side of the AC with outside air. Yet there would still be no AC box visible from outside the building.