Do air conditioners that work in high humidity areas that don't need a window exist?

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
I want to cool the air in my small apartment a bit, but don't want a window unit as I only have one window. Even a few degrees would help.

I found a unit on Amazon that uses water, but it says it doesn't work well in high humidity areas. Pretty sure Boston is high humidity.
 

ISAslot

Platinum Member
Jan 22, 2001
2,891
108
106
they have some with a duct that mounts in a window
or a wall mount, but you have to cut an opening
 

Dirigible

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2006
5,961
32
91
High humidity means you can't really use the heat to turn water to a gas. You need to do something with the heat and you're saying you don't want to dump it outside. I would be surprised if what you seek exists.

Best bet may be a portable AC, easy to attach/detach its hose to the window so it is blocking the light only when you want cooling.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
I hear they dont work well in humid areas.

most swamp coolers also function as dehumidifiers... which if you're dealing with high humidity... is the only think that will work...

This is what we use..

http://www.air-conditioner-home.com...urce=googlebase&utm_medium=comparisonshopping

-- it can be used as an air cooler, fan, or dehumidifier.

5972-4b.jpg
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
11,940
542
126
I want to cool the air in my small apartment a bit, but don't want a window unit as I only have one window. Even a few degrees would help.

I found a unit on Amazon that uses water, but it says it doesn't work well in high humidity areas. Pretty sure Boston is high humidity.
I've wondered if you could run a swamp cooler and a dehumidifier in the same space to achieve your goal, but I haven't bothered to really learn about the method(s) dehumidifiers use to take water from the air. Generally speaking, thermodynamics is a zero-sum game, so where one machine cools the environment using the evaporation of water, the other likely warms the environment while trapping water.
 

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
Yes they do.

Look for ductless split, or roof mount/attic mount AC/heatpump.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
The OP is in a small apartment... he doesn't need a $50,000 unit.

hell... he doesn't even need a $200 unit...

a $20 dehumidifier would work fine.

That isn't a humidifier, its a pos evaporative unit with an aquarium pump inside and a fan blowing over a single curtain of mesh, its a totally useless device. Real evap coolers cost more and have far more surface area inside to work the evap bit.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
you're right.

it's a dehumidifier.

you're reading skills suck.

its called a typo.
and it doesn't matter, either term works because it doesn't work period. It doesn't dehumidify anything, do you even know how these things work? Go find one and look inside, the cheap ones have almost nothing inside, sometimes sold at asian supermarkets. They are effectively a scam product.
 
Last edited:

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,270
14,692
146
A dehumidifier is basically an air conditioning unit that takes the moisture out of the air. (which A/C units do as they cool)

I've never seen/heard of a swamp cooler (humidifier) that is also a dehumidifier. I suppose they could exist, I've just never seen/heard of them

OP, a true A/C unit has to have some way to vent the heat that's generated during the cooling process. Without such a vent, you'll get cool air out of one end of the unit...and hot air from the other...perhaps more hot than cool.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
There are units that use ammonia and heat to cool air and have very little exhaust, most burn propane and just need a small vent . You could install the vent in a small sheet of plywood and close the window. The vent is smaller than a dryer vent. The problem is the cost, over $1K
 

lurk3r

Senior member
Oct 26, 2007
981
0
0
Costco's got an in room air conditioner with a hose about the size of the one your dryer vents with, ~10000btu for under $500. If you want to cool the room, you have to do something with the heat, there's no magic solution. A dehumidifier may help
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Swamp coolers save money by not needing a compressor for refrigeration cycle. They also ADD moisture to the air. As dry air is passed over a pad it cools as the water in the media evaporates and humidifies the air. They are effective in arid climates especially when the humidity is below 30%.

I've never seen a small R717 (ammonia absorption) unit outside of a fridge. My personal fridge is R717 and not very good IMO.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Leave the refrigerator door open. :p

The coolth within the cavity is achieved by rejecting the heat to the outside via the condenser above the floor or in the back (on some freezers).

This is no different than sitting a window shaker on a table - feels good if you sit right in front of it but actually warms up the room. ;)
 

preCRT

Platinum Member
Apr 12, 2000
2,340
123
106
Hell yeah, Boston is freaking high humidity hell in summer.

Get a smallish [7,000 BTU] portable AC [non-window unit], the exhaust hose connects to a window. You can modify the holder so your entire window isn't blocked off and you can easily remove it when you want to use the window for fresh air. Try BJ's, Costco, Christmas Tree Shop or even Ocean State Job Lot for a deal.

If it is the view you are concerned about, they make some low profile window units that may suit your needs.