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What is a
portable air conditioner?
A portable air conditioner is an air conditioner unit that can be easily moved
from room to room for spot cooling depending on your needs. The main benefit of
portable air conditioners is that they do not need to be installed through a
wall or connected to an outside compressor. Instead portables use a
flexible hose that run to a window and connect to a vent kit to allow hot
exhaust air to vent outdoor. The exhaust hoses are flexible and generally between 5 and 7 feet long. These small, mobile units do not require permanent installation.
Use them for any room in the house. Roll them easily around and cool only the
part of the house you are using, not the whole house.
Portable air conditioners are normally between 25" and 35" high & weigh between
60 and 85 lbs. These units ranges in size from 9000 BTU to 14000 BTU.
Some units also have a heating option that will warm your room during winter
months. Portable
air conditioners are perfect for computer or server rooms, bedrooms,
apartments, and many other applications.
.
Are portable
air coolers the same as air
conditioners?
Not at all. Air coolers are like swamp coolers in that they use water
and/or ice through evaporation to cool a room. Portable Air conditioners are basically refrigerators without the insulated box. It uses the evaporation of a refrigerant, such as Freon, to cool and dehumidify.
What are mini split
air conditioners?
Like central air conditioner systems, mini splits have two main
components: an outdoor compressor/condenser, and an indoor air-handling unit.
A conduit, which houses the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing, and
a condensate drain, links the outdoor and indoor units. The main
advantages of mini splits are their small size and flexibility for zoning or
heating and cooling individual rooms. Many models can have as many as four
indoor air handling units (for four zones or rooms) connected to one outdoor
unit. The number depends on how much heating or cooling is required for the
building or each zone (which in turn is affected by how well the building is
insulated). Since each of the zones will have it's own thermostat, you only need
to condition that place when someone is there. This will save energy and money.
Ductless mini split
systems are also often easier to install than other types of space conditioning
systems. For example, the hook-up between the outdoor and indoor units generally
requires only a three inch (~8 centimeter [cm]) hole through a wall for the
conduit. Also, most manufacturers of this type of system can provide a variety
of lengths of connecting conduits. So, if necessary, you can locate the outdoor
unit as far away as 50 feet (~15 meters [m]) from the indoor evaporator. This
makes it possible to cool rooms on the front side of a building house with the
compressor in a more advantageous or inconspicuous place on the outside of the
building.
Since mini splits have no ducts, they avoid the energy losses associated with
ductwork of central forced air systems. Duct losses can account for more than
30% of energy consumption for space conditioning, especially if the ducts are in
a unconditioned space such as an attic.
In comparison to other add-on systems, mini splits offer more flexibility in
interior design options. The indoor air handlers can be suspended from a
ceiling, mounted flush into a drop ceiling, or hung on a wall. Floor-standing
models are also available. Most indoor units have profiles of about seven inches
(~18 cm) deep and usually come with sleek, high tech-looking jackets. Many also
offer a remote control to make it easier to turn the system on and off when it's
positioned high on a wall or suspended from a ceiling.
Split-systems can also help to keep your home safer since there is only a small
hole in the wall. Through-the-wall and window mounted room air-conditioners can
provide an easy entrance for intruders.
See our
selection of portable air conditioners, mini splits, air coolers and whole house
fans.....
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