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Thread Number: 27848
Anyone know anything about Portable AC units? |
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Post# 426552 4/3/2010 at 13:38 (5,135 days old) by Volvoguy87  (Cincinnati, OH) |
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summer is quickly approaching and I need to do something about it. Wes won't allow window AC units, and we're not in a position to install central AC yet. I need to get a portable AC unit so I can sleep (last summer was a bad experience to say the least).
I'm looking into a few different options right now. A Haier 14,000 unit for $350.00 from Costco, a DeLonghi 11,000 unit for $300.00 from Costco, or something else. I'm very untrusting of anything wearing the Haier name. The price can't be beat though and I read the reviews (a medium rating when all averages were rated) and am not that horrified. I don't plan on moving the unit anywhere and I intend to cool my bedroom with it. The reason for the 14,000 btu unit is because my room isn't small. It's approximately 220 square feet but with a high ceiling and 3 large single pane windows (storm windows will be a few years in the future at this rate). Given Costco's easy return policy, am I on the verge of making a poor decision to purchase the 14,000 btu Haier portable AC unit? Would the 11,000 btu DeLonghi be a better buy? Would a third unit I don't know about yet be a better buy? What do you think? Dave | ||
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Post# 426554 , Reply# 1 4/3/2010 at 14:07 (5,135 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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I have two Delonghi 11000 units for our upstairs bedrooms. With hotwater heating can't have central a/c. We have a Mitsubishi Mr.Slim split that does the living/dining/kitchen area.
First off make sure it is a two hose unit. Single hose units have to draw in air from somewhere for all the heat they expel from the room, two hose units don't. They aren't as efficient They're UGLY as sin with those big hoses going up to the window.. I had a pic somewhere can't find it now. The condensation bucket on the back DOES fill up with water from the humidity taken out.. so they need to be emptied every couple or few days depending on how high the humidity has been. When the bucket is full the units stop cooling until you empty them. With the two of our running, sometimes just one, they can cool the 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs quite well Since we're only up there to sleep most often I don't even turn them on till later in the evening, depends on how hot a day it is. | ||
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Post# 426558 , Reply# 2 4/3/2010 at 14:23 (5,135 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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Post# 426578 , Reply# 3 4/3/2010 at 16:48 (5,135 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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Someone wasn't reading | ||
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Post# 426584 , Reply# 5 4/3/2010 at 17:21 (5,135 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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Window units are certainly better and quieter that's for sure. Plus a lot cheaper too. We have sliding windows in the bedrooms otherwise I'd have just got a couple of those $99 Haiers and stuck them in.
Our Habitat Restore has quite a few 2nd hand a/c's on hand and cheap too. Last summer was unusually cool so there wasn't the big demand so the ones they had are still there and now there's more. . Even stores like WalMart couldn't get rid of all the ones they had on the shelves when they knocked the prices down to $79 which is pretty cheap considering. | ||
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Post# 426585 , Reply# 6 4/3/2010 at 17:25 (5,135 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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Timeliness ... | ||
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Post# 426587 , Reply# 7 4/3/2010 at 17:28 (5,135 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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Post# 426609 , Reply# 8 4/3/2010 at 19:32 (5,135 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) |
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I am deeply indebted to these portable AC units.
With an 1894 brick house - second level built into raised roof attic - of approximately 1220 sq ft on each level, central air is not really an option without spending thousands just to seal up every crack and floorboard. I have caulked and sealed around all windows between the brick mold and have gasket seals on all the outside warped door frames and that made a huge difference for heating bills this past winter - I estimate 25% less.
For aesthetic reasons I didn't want any AC units hanging off the outside streetview walls but used a 7,000 btu unit for 10 years in the east bedroom window that serves as the computer and some vacuums room. This did a nice job of keeping the ground floor cool with the aid of a main room ceiling fan but by the time one got back to the kitchen one was sweating. Then the free standing room units came to market. First one I had was a Danby 7.000 btu unit with front firing ascillating vanes that I set up in the livingroom adjacent to a forced air furnace grill. Very nice when lying on the couch. Because this unit required a drain hose (or the empty twice a day bucket) I modified the furnace grill as a changeover seasonal panel, disconnecting and plugging the furnace duct and running the Danby's single exhaust hose and drain hose down to the basement where a dedicated duct pipe directed the exhaust 16 feet over to a basement window screen and the drainhose arranged for gravity feed along the main joist to the floor drain. For 6 years, and still functioning, this arrangement did a fantastic job of cooling the entire main floor to a dry 71F. So I got a second one for the upstairs bedroom, this time a similarly styled 9000 btu badged Sunbeam made by Fujitronic/Coldfront. This one sits on a tabletop shelf against an outside window and exhausts the condensate water through the exhaust hose - no drip pail or drain hose needed. I like both these units because they are tall and slim-ish with flat tops and the styling suggests Dalek-type robots - very decorative amongst the vacuums. Last summer, fearing a torrid humid heatwave months long and expecting the main attic lounge to be completed, after surveying all the available models out there, I purchased a third one-hose/no drain portable from Sears on sale, a Kenmore 12.000 btu made by Delonghi, for the main attic that would exhaust through an eave vent. I really object to the units that are all rounded and bulky. Bulky because of the two hose setup and designed rounded so the housewife/husband can't put tv lamps on top. :-( I ended up using downstairs in place of the Danby. We didn't get that heatwave but the Kenmore did keep my entire ground floor dry and at a steady 68F all summer long; it is capable of cooling down to 65F but then I'd have to put clothes on... Perfect for Pianos and Davys. The only problem with the Kenmore was that the digital control buttonpad is on the flat top and the cats would press them as they slept and cavorted up there - oth really like to be blasted by the cold air stream. So I tape-hinged a clear cd case lid over the buttons and use the remote - problem solved. All indications are that the torrid heatwave will come with a holy vengeance this year. I am ready. I run all the machines on the low speed dehumidify setting 24/7, only triggering AC when the temperature soars. To sum up - I like a one-hose unit that exhausts condensate water along with the hot air through the same hose. They do this by collecting the condensate in a bottom tray and level sensors them pump the water up and over the heat exchange radiator where it evaporates into the exhaust stream. My units exhaust through gasket-ed styrofoam doublehung window partitions against the outside screen and so do not make themselves obvious and ugly to passersby. Not as hushed as Central Air but much quieter on low fan than a window unit. At season's end I completely open up & dismantle the 3 units to dry out and remove any trace of water to prevent mold forming in hidden places. With Friday and today's temperature hitting 76F under somewhat hazy humid skies, I test ran the upstairs unit and the car's AC. I won't set up the Kenmore until the first sticky summer day arrives. A happy summer Dave is a cool dry Dave. The blue bedroom unit: 
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Post# 426618 , Reply# 9 4/3/2010 at 20:14 (5,135 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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~ Even with a window duct to exhaust the waste heat, it still uses room air for the condensor, which has to be made-up by pulling air through from uncooled areas of the house.
Better portable coolers have an air INTAKE and an air exhaust so that cooled indoor air is not pushed out the window. IIRC there is a rule of thumb of about 20 BTU/h per square foot (with a standard 8 foot high ceiling). Single room units tend to be 4,000 to 6,000 BTU/h to compensate for addtional heat-gain due to adjacent uncooled space and air infiltration for the room's door being opened and closed frequently. Now as far as as the one you want being 11,000 to 14,000 BTU/h--- that size will cool three to four rooms above the Mason-Dixon line. The problem with oversized A/C units is that they dont run long enough to dehumidify. Trust, me a room at 82*F is comfortable with low/no humidity while one at 74*F and humid is uncomforatable. Hell Phoenix and Tucson Arizona, outdoors, at 100*F and 15% humidity was comfortabe,whereas 85*F at 80* humidity is intoleratble! ~Wes won't allow window AC units. UHM why? They are cheap and easy and don't destroy the windows or the house. A simple "L" bracket secured with a screw to the upper pane/sash if ordianry North-American up and down double-hung (I LOVE THEY WAY THAT SOUNDS!) windows will provide needed security. HINT: the more of the unit is OUTSIDE the house the less noisy they tend to be. Look also for three-speed models or even two-speed models. One-speed models are noise-makers! Honestly I hate portable vented A/C's. Mitsubishi "Mr.Slim" mini-splits may be just a little bit more money but they are nearly silent indoors and up to 4 indoor units may share an outdoor unit. It MAY pay to get the heat-pump units to be able to heat bedrooms and not the whole house at night. Also there are units that allow one to heat and cool at the same time in different rooms. (Now THAT is a neat use of A/C waste heat). Sorry but your best bet is to correct the thinking of the man prohibiting window-rattlers. (ducks and runs). I'm not fond of them but they are better than nothing, CLICK HERE TO GO TO toggleswitch's LINK | ||
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Post# 426619 , Reply# 10 4/3/2010 at 20:20 (5,135 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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and as far as window rattlers go.........
I found a Panasonic brand A/C at a tag/garage/yard sale. my aunt has one on the 1990s. It is VERY quiet! It is also my observation that those units where the cold air is discharged into the room on the (right) side are MUCH queiter than those with a standard cold-air discharge along the top (of the front facade). 
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Post# 426621 , Reply# 11 4/3/2010 at 20:21 (5,135 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 426622 , Reply# 12 4/3/2010 at 20:23 (5,135 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 426631 , Reply# 14 4/3/2010 at 21:30 (5,135 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Sizing, etc.
I wanted to get a more powerful unit because my room has high ceilings, large window area, and it is cantilevered out past the 1st floor by a few feet and has significant outside wall exposure. Also, according to my research, I'll need more cooling BTUs to compensate for the heat produced by the motor and compressor that gets into the room through the machine's cabinet and the thin-walled exhaust hose.
I know how important AC sizing is (too small won't cool and too big won't dehumidify). The Haier 14,000 btu unit I am looking at has a dehumidification-only mode. I can also open the door between my bedroom and the guest room next to it and can let any excess cooling work to cool the next room. Wes won't allow window units because he says they're ugly and he doesn't want any condensation dripping to rot the window sills. Also, he doesn't want any vibration causing increased wear on the original windows. Personally, I would prefer a window unit because of their quieter, more efficient operation and lower purchase price. Furthermore, I would love the noise of a window unit to drown out the constant barking of our neighbor's dog (where is a speeding bus when you need one?). Keep 'em coming, Dave | ||
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Post# 426643 , Reply# 16 4/3/2010 at 22:53 (5,135 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Brands.
Just for fun (and self torture) I am looking at some 8,000 BTU window units too. There is an energy star Fedders model: az7r08f2a. It looks to be about $209.00. Is Fedders still any good? I've dealt with cheap made in China goods before and would really prefer something more substantial. This Fedders unit looks pretty good in comparison to the Frigidaire and LG models available at local Big Box stores. It would also be a LOT cheaper to run than a portable unit.
Is it Fedders or Friedrich that is still made in the US? Would an 8,000 BTU unit be a US made one at all? So much research, Dave | ||
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Post# 426647 , Reply# 17 4/3/2010 at 23:44 (5,135 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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~Wes won't allow window units because he says they're ugly
So are gentialia, but they are still sought-after! ~and he doesn't want any condensation dripping to rot the window sills. uhm and all the rain coming through the window screens? With a good couple of coats of paint or stain and sealer, they wont rot. My mother had window units for 30+ years in the same window and never a problem. Ie there is any damage done in 6 short months one has 6 more months to find, it fix it and revise it. Sounds to me like unfounded fears are crippling RATIONAL behavior (window units). If window A/C units were THAT bad they would have come out of fashion by now. | ||
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Post# 426649 , Reply# 18 4/3/2010 at 23:53 (5,135 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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hmmm.
Then go to Sears or your local reputable A/C dealer and have back-breathers installed through the walls. The higher up on the wall the better they will perform. They are called back-breathers because they have no vents on the side as through-the-window units have. There are two sizes AFAIK the one "everyone" uses Fedders did it first and Friedrich, Whirpool, Sears Frigidaire, etc use the size. An then there is GE, a tad bit smaller. HINT: have standard back-breather sleeves installed and then you can add ANY unit to it even a GE WITHIN ITS OWN SLEEVE which is a bit smaller in height and width and depth. HINT: Go for 110v units as much as possible. As the BTUs go up (in multi-room units) their efficiency has to go up to be able to run on the limited wattage a 110v 20a circuit has to offer. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Toggleswitch's LINK | ||
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Post# 426650 , Reply# 19 4/3/2010 at 23:58 (5,135 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 426658 , Reply# 20 4/4/2010 at 00:28 (5,135 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Difference in capacity.
I am shooting for 11,000-14,000 in a portable unit to compensate for the heat produced by the machine in the room and some other significant deficiencies I have read about on the specific models of portable ACs I have been researching. For a window unit, I would only need to go as high as 8,000 BTUs.
We are restoring the windows and window sills. I know window units, when properly installed, pose no danger to the window sill, but Wes is familiar with the damage resulting from poorly designed and/or installed window units. I am confident I can install a window unit with no problems, but it' not my house. As for toughing it out, that is not an option. Last summer it was over 90 and HUMID at night in my room. I can sleep with high humidity or high heat, but not both. Also, I work a lot from home and my desk is in my room. I would like to be able to work and sleep without drowning in my own sweat. Who makes good window units that are less likely to vibrate? Thanks for all your input, Dave | ||
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Post# 426693 , Reply# 21 4/4/2010 at 08:53 (5,134 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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I remember those "Norge" type window units that were split in half where the window closed right through it. But the one I had was made by a company called Heat-Controller of Jackson Michigan. They probably made the Norge units because they rebranded them for dept stores as well. They worked equally as well for side-sliding windows as well as double-hung because there was only a small perhaps 2" square tube joining the two halves in the bottom right corner. Very ingenious design and virtually no louder than a table fan on low inside. I wonder why no-one has brought them back?
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Post# 426710 , Reply# 22 4/4/2010 at 10:51 (5,134 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Here's another dual hose portable air conditioner. I've seen the Soleus models more often on the internet. I agree with Pete that a dual hose model is the only way to go with a portable machine.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO foraloysius's LINK | ||
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Post# 426770 , Reply# 23 4/4/2010 at 14:39 (5,134 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 426775 , Reply# 24 4/4/2010 at 14:59 (5,134 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Actaully the health and comfort of the inhabitants of the house should be more important than the windows.
Besides cooled and dehumdiifed air will be benefitial to the house/structure itself. Look, water in a bathroom adds to maintenance issues and mold and rot. But, is one not supposed to use water to sustain the life of the ceramic tiles or the wallpaper or the sheetrock or the shower curtain? Perhaps there has been A case of A window unit rotting A window somewhere (hint: take it out in winter), but you guys are aware of the potential maintenace issues and will be smart enough to avoid that scenario by being observant. Should one not also cook with gas because it places a coating of yellow-brown sticky residue over every surface in the house starting with the kitchen? Yes, these are called byproducts of combustion and are unavoidable. One simply has to wash walls and ceilings and floors and paint constantly when cooking with gas. Does that mean no stove too, to preserve the kitchen? | ||
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Post# 426777 , Reply# 25 4/4/2010 at 15:13 (5,134 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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An 11k to 14k "portable unit" will be using about TWICE the electricity of a window unit of 4k to 8k BTU/h.
The cost of electricity of a portable unit will FAR exceed the cost of running a smaller window unit + window repairs. A one-hose portable A/C that sucks cooled air though the machine and pumps it out the window is just not green. Period. | ||
| Post# 426789 , Reply# 26 4/4/2010 at 15:37 (5,134 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
This is the one I had. It was rather noisy. Always had to empty that drain pan or it would start clicking. I think it worked real hard to do a lot of nothing. It only brought down the room temp about 3 degrees. I would take it every summer to "camp" and use it in my 8x10 finished Tuff shed. I ended up selling it and getting a window air conditioner instead. HUGE difference. No drain pan to worry about. Significantly quieter. Much more efficent. Cooled the Tuff shed right down on very hot (110 degree) days. I would not buy another one again.
Jim 
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| Post# 426790 , Reply# 27 4/4/2010 at 15:38 (5,134 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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| Post# 426791 , Reply# 28 4/4/2010 at 15:39 (5,134 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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Post# 426793 , Reply# 29 4/4/2010 at 15:46 (5,134 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Jim | ||
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Post# 426796 , Reply# 30 4/4/2010 at 15:59 (5,134 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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| Post# 426799 , Reply# 31 4/4/2010 at 16:17 (5,134 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c ) | ||
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Wes wont allow!!! Well if Donald said there could be no window unit...or dishwasher or anything else...he could find someone else to live with, it gets over 100 here and with 80+ humidity, there is either air or murder!!! | ||
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Post# 426891 , Reply# 33 4/4/2010 at 22:54 (5,134 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Today's window units now use plastic and sytrofoam where metal once was.
The good thing is that the styrofoam makes for a quieter unit, and it absorbs and attenuates vibration(s). Plastic fans have less mass, are better balanced, and also lead to less vibration. Ditto rotary compressors. The movement is balanced and vibration, if any, is minimal. The comprtesso sits on rubber mounts and springs. The compressor may vibrate, but such vibration is not tranferred to the frame/base of the A/C unit OR to the window in which it is housed. My father simply cut-to-fit white aluminum sheets and made a protected path for water that came throught the screens to exit the area between the windows and the storm-windows. Of couse the storm windows need to have two "weep-holes" (in the cauliking) for water to escape to outside the house! WHEN THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS WAY. NYC lanlords are prohibited BY LAW from banning window air-condtioners. They MAY charge $5 per month for wach unit for the wear-and-tear on the window and the outlet. NO ONE DOES because there is none! | ||
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Post# 426894 , Reply# 34 4/4/2010 at 22:59 (5,134 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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To prevent any fear of vibration simply mount an "L" angle bar to hold the top of the unit (instead of the window holding the unit) and screw it to the sides of the window frame.
This will also allow the A/C to be well-supported while the window can still be opened for cleaning or ventilation. Any reputable dealer can install one this way. You'll pay good money for such a thing, but if it means reduction of fear and peace of mind............. Be sure to sepecify if you need the unit to be removable in winter, or "permanent" (year-round). | ||
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Post# 426904 , Reply# 35 4/4/2010 at 23:24 (5,134 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Whole House Fan.
We live on the 1st 2 floors of the house. We rent out the 3rd floor, so we have no attic access (and not much of an attic to access anyway). Appliguy was kind enough to give me a big 1950s Robbins & Myers window fan. It's a real window fan, not a box fan. It moves a ton of air and I turn it on high-speed exhaust when the temperature outside is cooler than that inside. Unfortunately, although it moves lots of air, it is of insufficient capacity for the 1st 2 floors.
Wes and I restore old fans and although they do move lots of air, it's hot air. Still working on it, Dave | ||
| Post# 427080 , Reply# 36 4/5/2010 at 22:32 (5,133 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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Here is a photo of my Sunbeam window air conditioner that I bought for $89.00 on clearance at Circuit City a few years ago. It is only 5000 BTU and works WAY BETTER than the portable hose model I had. This one will keep the "Tuff" shed 68-70 on a hot 105 degree day. The portable hose model(9000 BTU) just could NOT keep up and would be in the upper 90's inside. Just to give you and idea of the SIGNIFICANT difference between the two models.
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| Post# 427081 , Reply# 37 4/5/2010 at 22:35 (5,133 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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| Post# 428012 , Reply# 38 4/11/2010 at 00:37 (5,128 days old) by richardc1983 (Leeds, UK) | ||
an opinion from the uk
in my job our company services air con I have had a lot of interest previously in this area also.
I used portable a/c units with 1 hose for 2 yrs to cool my flat in summer... it was very expensive to run and a 12000btu unit struggled to cool 1 room down and would run constantly. I had to keep doors closed all the time as it would struggle and was very noisy. I turned it into a 2 hose unit by using a spare hose and making a funnel on the back of the unit and using duct tape to seal it so that the unit would pull air in for the condenser from the outside rather than sucking the cold expensively produced air from the room I was trying to cool and throwing it outside! This worked better but still not ideal. The cooling load on my room is about 2kws however I was using a 3.5kw portable unit to cool a room and it still wasnt enough, they are weak they are not very good! I now have split inverter a/c, it is great, silent, and cheap to run. If you are using portable units make sure you get the biggest you can afford as even if you have oversized you still need to take account that the single hosed models will extract a lot of the cool air out of the room and then warmer air from other rooms will come in to replace it... defeating the purpose of it! Go with window ac or split ac if you can afford it, i sold all my portable units and this pretty much covered the cost of the split unit! I use LG split units, they are cheap to buy and run. | ||
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Post# 428028 , Reply# 39 4/11/2010 at 03:14 (5,127 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I've had my eye on a dual hose portable that also could double as a space heater in the winter. But at something like $550 I've put off getting one, although I'm intrigued by the heat exchanger capability. Now that I know about the noise issue I'm less inclined to get one anyway.
For now I have two 5500 BTU Daewoo window units. These were very economical. Got $50 rebates from the local power company for each one, so they wound up costing about $50 each. I ran them both in the summer of 2008, but last year I left them in storage and didn't miss them that much. In this climate even when the days are in the 90's, it generally cools down to the 60's at night, so I just run fans at night to cool the place down (open windows) and then seal the place up in the morning to keep out the heat until I get home. Having R45 above the ceiling and a ventilated attic helps. This summer I'm planning on finishing installing under-floor (R13) insulation and that should help even more. The windows here are all horizontal sliders, but the Daewoos are narrow enough to fit on the sill with the window about 80% open, and I rigged up a plexiglass panel above each one to complete the installation, along with some minor alteration to the outer aluminum frame on the window to accept the lower bracket. My main complaint is that with them installed, I lost a window needed to cool the place down at night. Last summer may not have been as toasty as some in the past, but I got through it without needing to reinstall either A/C unit. | ||
| Post# 428108 , Reply# 40 4/11/2010 at 16:53 (5,127 days old) by richardc1983 (Leeds, UK) | ||
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You have made the right decision dont waste your money on portable units, at least get the window units. The portables are noisier than window units as the comppressor and all the fans are in the room,
I had to turn the tv up really loud when it was on as it was so loud, constant buzzing from the compressor. Certainly could not sleep with it on at night! Use some of those high velocity air circulators at open windows to pull the heat and cooler outdoor air through. | ||
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Post# 429067 , Reply# 42 4/15/2010 at 18:20 (5,123 days old) by philcobendixduo (San Jose) |
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The BEST Portable A/C unit!
Hello - I was most fortunate to find TWO of these units online - one from Craigslist and one from a contractor in Montana. They are not available any more, as far as I know and are VERY hard to come by. Why no one besides Delonghi makes them anymore, I don't know as they are the BEST portable A/C units out there. I have a Delonghi PACT100P (Costco special) and it is a two hose unit. Still, it is VERY inefficient as there is a HOT hose in the room whenever it's running that adds a lot of heat to the room that then needs to be removed. The units pictured in this and the next post are by FREECOM. If you can find ANY portable split system A/C unit, BUY IT! They are the best. The two I have cool the ENTIRE downstairs of my 2400 sq. foot home. Much easier install than trying to lift a window unit each season.
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Post# 429068 , Reply# 43 4/15/2010 at 18:22 (5,123 days old) by philcobendixduo (San Jose) |
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Outside part FREECOM unit | ||
| Post# 429071 , Reply# 44 4/15/2010 at 18:40 (5,123 days old) by Spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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How does it work? | ||
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Post# 429312 , Reply# 45 4/16/2010 at 18:28 (5,122 days old) by philcobendixduo (San Jose) |
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FREECOM RCS-3000T
This is a true split system (almost) with the condenser and fan outside the house connected with a flexible line set that includes power, refrigerant, and condensate drain tube. There is nothing to empty unless the pump fails for some reason.
It is 12,000 BTU, has automatic turn or OR shut off (countdown timer) and motorized vanes for good air circulation. The compressor IS in the indoor unit, but it is very quite rotary design and can barely be heard over the blower when on high. This is just the best design in portable A/C units and I don't know why they are so expensive (new list is $2500 I think). I paid $1400. for the pair - a bargain for me as it was going to cost about $20k to install new furnace, A/C, improved ducts, etc. Plus - I can just turn on one or the other or both as needed - like a zoned system. You can still buy a unit from Delonghi but the price is HIGH and the features are LOW (like a MECHANICAL timer and controls!) | ||
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Post# 429339 , Reply# 46 4/17/2010 at 00:26 (5,122 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH) |
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Controls. | ||
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