Portable air conditioners

[joslar15]

A couple years ago, we glassed in our 8x16 screened-in porch. Glass on two sides, 16 ft side faces East, awesome for having coffee and watching the sunrise. The room now gets much more use than I ever anticipated, so I would like to have it climate controlled; the ceiling fan just doesn't cut it. If I were a smart man, I would have added a run when I replaced my central air last year. So, I am looking for alternatives, such as portable units. Mini-split systems, at least from what I have seen, have been ruled out by cost/benefit. This leads me to the portables.

Anyone have experience with these? Brands to look for or avoid? Are they effective? Any other tips, things to consider? I'm thinking 12k BTU should be sufficient.

 

[Mr. Habib]

We bought one of these this summer. It has worked well so far, although we haven't had the typical Indiana heat and humidity this year.
Shop Idylis 10,000-BTU 450-sq ft 115-Volt Portable Air Conditioner at Lowes.com

 

[Rookie]

I used one last summer as well as this summer. They work like a regular window unit would. Periodically, they need drained.

 

[TheEngineer]

Problem solved...

 

[bdybdall]

Problem solved...

Excellent idea, did you study engineering at I.U.?

 

[lordjackel]

I have had this one for the past 3 years...its awesome (I have central air but it isn't strong enough to cool the upstairs south facing rooms). Cools great, no issues and no need to drain it. Only down side is it pulls 13 amps so needs a dedicated circuit.

Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner - PAC1401W

 

[skulhedface]

Excellent idea, did you study engineering at I.U.?

Can't be IU. No duct tape

 

[TheEngineer]

Excellent idea, did you study engineering at I.U.?

Nope...

Modoc Railroad Academy School - Railroad Training Center - Railroad Academy - Engineer Program

 

[Crbn79]

If you go the portable route, make sure you get one that has 2 vent hoses and evaporate through exhaust so you don't have to empty the pan often.

The systems with only an exhaust and no intake hose send some of your cooled air out and you lose a good deal of cooling efficiency.

 

[joslar15]

If you go the portable route, make sure you get one that has 2 vent hoses and evaporate through exhaust so you don't have to empty the pan often.

The systems with only an exhaust and no intake hose send some of your cooled air out and you lose a good deal of cooling efficiency.

On the subject of exhaust venting, can I just run the hose into the attic, or out through the soffit?

 

[IndyBeerman]

Problem solved...

Excellent idea, did you study engineering at I.U.?

Actually that looks like post graduate work from Purdue's Aerospace Engineering team that worked on Apollo 13.

 

[bwframe]

A couple years ago, we glassed in our 8x16 screened-in porch. Glass on two sides, 16 ft side faces East, awesome for having coffee and watching the sunrise. The room now gets much more use than I ever anticipated, so I would like to have it climate controlled; the ceiling fan just doesn't cut it. If I were a smart man, I would have added a run when I replaced my central air last year. So, I am looking for alternatives, such as portable units. Mini-split systems, at least from what I have seen, have been ruled out by cost/benefit. This leads me to the portables.

Anyone have experience with these? Brands to look for or avoid? Are they effective? Any other tips, things to consider? I'm thinking 12k BTU should be sufficient.

I have a unit I'd like to sell. I sent you a PM with an offer.

 

[88GT]

We put one in our 1-bedroom double when the brand-new A/C was stolen. $400 was a heck of a lot less expensive than $2500. It's been in there for about 3 years now.

 

[Crbn79]

On the subject of exhaust venting, can I just run the hose into the attic, or out through the soffit?

They generally have a window insert, I wouldn't vent it into an attic as it's quite a bit of moisture which will be put off from it. Heat + Moisture = yuck. If it's going to be a long run, you could always hook it up to some PVC pipes and vent it through a soffit from there.

 

[joslar15]

They generally have a window insert, I wouldn't vent it into an attic as it's quite a bit of moisture which will be put off from it. Heat + Moisture = yuck. If it's going to be a long run, you could always hook it up to some PVC pipes and vent it through a soffit from there.

I know about the window inserts, but my "windows" are 2 - 7' x 8' sliding patio doors for one wall an another 7' x 8' sliding door for the other wall, hence going up to vent. Wasn't sure about the moisture aspect of venting to the attic and its present roof vents and perf soffit.

BWF-thanks for the excellent offer. Still working on SWMBO that I can vent the thing in a way that's "not ugly!"

 

[Mr. Habib]

The one we bought, see link in post 2, had a window insert that could expand to fit a patio door if that helps.

 

[IndyBeerman]

A couple years ago, we glassed in our 8x16 screened-in porch. Glass on two sides, 16 ft side faces East, awesome for having coffee and watching the sunrise. The room now gets much more use than I ever anticipated, so I would like to have it climate controlled; the ceiling fan just doesn't cut it. If I were a smart man, I would have added a run when I replaced my central air last year. So, I am looking for alternatives, such as portable units. Mini-split systems, at least from what I have seen, have been ruled out by cost/benefit. This leads me to the portables.

Anyone have experience with these? Brands to look for or avoid? Are they effective? Any other tips, things to consider? I'm thinking 12k BTU should be sufficient.

I have a 13x18 sunroom that has 5 foot tall windows on three sides, along with a full length glass door and two skylights.

I'm currently cooling it with a 10,000 BTU air conditioner that does a some what adequate job until it gets above 85 outside.

Just don't have enough air supply from an 8 inch incoming line and I'm planning on adding a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split high efficiency heat pump. Will heat down to 15 below, and plan on adding a second cooling only add on for my upstairs loft to ease the strain on my main system. Cost is not cheap, but it will far outweigh the heating and cooling it will provide along with help my main unit not having to work so hard.

 

[joslar15]

I have a 13x18 sunroom that has 5 foot tall windows on three sides, along with a full length glass door and two skylights.

I'm currently cooling it with a 10,000 BTU air conditioner that does a some what adequate job until it gets above 85 outside.

Just don't have enough air supply from an 8 inch incoming line and I'm planning on adding a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split high efficiency heat pump. Will heat down to 15 below, and plan on adding a second cooling only add on for my upstairs loft to ease the strain on my main system. Cost is not cheap, but it will far outweigh the heating and cooling it will provide along with help my main unit not having to work so hard.

A mini-split would be the ideal way to go, but SWMBO would never go for that!