There are no effective portable air conditioners??

[ScottyChip]

I read the consumers report review on portable air conditioners and can say they do have some valid points, but to dismiss portables all together is wrong. I have both a portable (commercial cool, 10,000 BTU, single hose) and a window (sears 10,000 BTU), and the window unit will cool a room faster than the portable, but the portable can still bring the room to a comfortable temperature. CR reports that the portable will create a negative pressure in your room, I agree because I have noticed this, but I understand talking with people who have the two hose portable this does not happen because it brings in outside air to compensate for what is exhausted. Noise, I find both about the same, and neither is quiet. With respect to the portable being portable, it does weigh about 80 lbs, but is on wheels and I have never found it difficult to roll anywhere in my house that it is needed, but I do have a semi-permanent installation. There is an adjustable plastic frame that fits in a window if you wanted to move it around. I put in a dryer type vent for mine. In comparison the window weighs about 80 lbs and a chore to get in and out of a window, a seasonal thing for me, because of too many drafts in the winter.
I did not return my portable to the store and still use it every summer and will continue to until it fails. That's my experience.

 

[DT86]

For several years I had a bed room with a poorly thought out hvac. Actually the whole 2nd floor had poor air return and would be hotter than the 1st floor. Even with box fans it was unbearable to sleep some nights.

Most recently I had used a LG portable unit with the 4" exhaust out a window. It worked great after I got the window sealed up.

I always wondered why you couldn't use a dryer vent in the wall and skip messing with the window exhaust. I can't see any reason not to, just didn't get around to doing it.

 

[Richard]

Alot of those portable units not only do AC but heat also and a dehumidifier all in one. Pretty cool

I always thought an AC unit (of any kind) dehumidified simply by doing its job?

 

[dickfoster]

If you can believe the Consumer Reports review:



Many other sites have a more favorable take on these things-- although possibly biased as dealers.

For our intended use something like one of these would be a good option-- IF they're worth the $$$. Anyone have a portable air conditioner that can share their opinion as to how well they work?

At my last house I had a roll a round two hose portable that worked pretty well. I sure beat sitting in the sweltering heat. After much research I determined that the two hose models are better than the single hose models. One hose is for exhaust heat the other is for the compressor to get its heat out of the room too. I looked around and tried to buy it locally but ended up ordering one online to get the kind and capacity I wanted. I forgot what brand it was but I got a bigger one rather than a smaller one. When it wasn't needed during the cooler months I pushed it out of the way into a corner behind a TV where it wasn't visible.
I left it with the house as the new place has two central systems.

The key is to get enough capacity for the square footage you're trying to cool and look for good performance. I was doing one large kitchen/family room with a southern exposure but it helped keep the rest of the house a bit cooler too. That room could really heat up in the afternoon.

 

[ch1ch2]

I've never used a "portable" air-conditioner, although I've used a number of window units, including one in my shop right now. But in the days before I had an air-conditioner, when I first started working nights and trying to sleep in the daytime, I once had a portable evaporative cooler that held one gallon of water. I set it on a stool right beside my bed so it would blow right in my face.:laughing:

I agree about the evaporative cooler.
We called the swamp coolers.
But it depends on what you are using it for.
It uses water evaporation to drop the air temperature. It also results in much higher humidity. If you are working outside or in a garage it is hard to beat.

 

[joefromga]

Swamp coolers don't help much in high humidity areas. There's just not enough evaporation for your skin to cool itself unless you add ice water.

 

[oosik]

About 25 years ago we had a window mounted AC. It cooled the bedroom OK but was so loud & vibrated/shook so bad we couldn't get to sleep. I imagine todays units are far superior - they sure couldn't be worse. It cools down in the evening here so I just turn on fans on opposite ends of the house and suck cool night air thru the house.

 

[Egon]

With one of these you may be able to quieter the fan and get cool air.