Best portable AC

[pcslookout]

What brands are good ? What about model? Thanks.

 

[ultimatebob]

Well... I can tell you from experience that the Kenmore ones are crap. The window mounting bracket for the hose is terrible. It's also terribly inefficient.

 

[Captante]

Define "portable" ... you mean a window unit or one of those self-contained models that blows heat out through something like a dryer-hose?

I've used several of the latter and all were pretty crappy really.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Window units are better but if you don't have windows that work then the best portable is one that is modded so that it uses outside air for condenser intake. Otherwise it's just sucking a bunch of air from inside to outside and you basically lose half efficiency. They do sell dual pipe units that are already built this way but they are harder to find and you'll pay a
premium.

Before I got central AC I got a portable since I have crank windows, and I ended up just modifying it and adding an intake for the condenser/compressor cooling part. Worked ok.

If I was to do it over again though I would just get a window unit and convert it into a portable unit, since they are way cheaper. But I just ended up giving in and getting central AC. For the few weeks of the year that I need it here, it's worth it.

 

[13Gigatons]

Either get a Window unit or an through wall unit. The portable A/C's are just noise machines that do very little cooling.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Actually yeah through the wall is not a bad idea either, I imagine one could setup a normal window unit that way too with some work. Not sure how well insulated those units are though, you'd want some way to winterize it I guess.

That is one thing with the portables, they are LOUD. Like, data centre loud.

 

[Ken g6]

I wonder why they don't make a unit that expels heat through a radiator that hangs outside the window? Basically an air conditioner with a water cooling loop.

 

[Red Squirrel]

They sorta do, but they just dump the water in the drain and have a continuous supply. Kinda wasteful. I've also seen some that use a glycol loop and have a secondary compressor unit outside to rechill the glycol. I'm not too sure the reasoning for that as it seems inefficient to have essentially 2 heat exchange stages, I'm sure there's a reasoning, maybe distance?

I just remembered I still have my portable unit that I modded. I will probably use it for the garage when I finish it, as it would be nice to be able to work on projects in there in summer. Will have heat in there for winter too. For between seasons the AC unit has a heat function too.

 

[ultimatebob]

Window units are better but if you don't have windows that work then the best portable is one that is modded so that it uses outside air for condenser intake. Otherwise it's just sucking a bunch of air from inside to outside and you basically lose half efficiency. They do sell dual pipe units that are already built this way but they are harder to find and you'll pay a
premium.

Before I got central AC I got a portable since I have crank windows, and I ended up just modifying it and adding an intake for the condenser/compressor cooling part. Worked ok.

If I was to do it over again though I would just get a window unit and convert it into a portable unit, since they are way cheaper. But I just ended up giving in and getting central AC. For the few weeks of the year that I need it here, it's worth it.

Yeah, that's why I have one as well. My old house had crank open casement windows where a window unit would not fit. Honestly, the portable unit didn't fit much better, since I had to rig up a crazy system to get the hot air and waste water hoses outside.

 

[Red Squirrel]

For mine what I ended up doing is cutting out a piece of plywood that goes where the screen goes. Just have to remember to open the window before powering on the unit.

 

[highland145]

Disney brand.

 

[Six]

Best: Movincool
Quietest: Sharp