Portabale AC units?

[drewstar]

Hey guys, any of you AC  experts?   I'm thinking on  buying a new AC unit and really am interested in the floor models (As opposed to the window mount units).

I am sick and tired of installing the window mouted AC unit ever spring and taking it out every Fall.  Yesterday I dropped my bohemouth window mounted AC unit while trying to install it, and I'm sick of that style.



Is any one familliar with the floor models that vent out the window  compared to the more convential full window models? These look much easier to intall.

Assuming similliar BTU's and energy ratings is one stle better/worse than another?

I'd like to buy this style, but have no knoweldge about them:



I'm used to this style and am sick of it.



However,  being cool is the ultimate goal.  Room is about 300 Sq feet.  I's thebedroom so quiet running is important, but northing is more important than  gettting the room ice cold.

I'm looking at a 10,000 BTU floor model unit.

??

[NE-Phil]

Me, too! I didn't know there were floor models available. I just re-sided the house with vinyl and I don't want to mess around with screwing supports outside the window into the new trim work.

A floor model looks like a better alternative.

Phil

[drewstar]

I Just hate friggin hauling it in and out.  

From my limited reading today though,  The "portable" (floor) units are not as efficent as the window units...the whole unit is in the room and they give off heat, where as a window unit sit's on the sill and only brings in cold air. the floor models will need to be drained to as windows units just drip outside.

AS fars as BTU's theyre about the same At first I thought  Whoa! look at the beast, it's gotta be a monster of cooler  I admit  It's my bedroom and I only use it a few months, I don't care if I spent an addiotnal 10 bucks on the AC. I want big time Mo Fo cold air. But  I'm finding the large floor models are about 9-12,000 BTU's.  This is decent, but I think it's comperable to the unit that  I have.

Noise?  Since the whole unit is inside the room, it's gotta be louder, no?

as I type this, I'm thinking, maybe I am stuck with the damn in the window unit...?

[Zep]

Drew.......

I just bought one on e-bay....but have not used
it yet except to just turn it on for a few seconds.



Here is the link to the one I bought. These units new are $2800.00
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260105390293&rd=1&rd=1

Here is the link to the brand website:
http://movincool.com/portable-air-conditioner/

[drewstar]

Zep why did you buy that style? Was a window mount stlyle an option? What/how are you going to use it?

That's a $2000 unit that looks like it would be used for a Computer/sever room?


As I just posted, I'm thining the in window are better for cooling and noise, but if mounting in a window isn't feesable, these units are "ok"

I was hoping they were "vastly superior"

[svspa]

drewstar,

We picked one up last year when we had a heat wave here.

We don't have a suitable window in our family room so I had to go with the portable.  I put a 4" vent in a corner of the room so I hook it up there when in use.

Here's a link to the one we picked up. I think it was $550 or something like that. It worked adequately to cool us off when temps were around 100.

[link]http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeLanding/0,1056,217,00.html[/link]

Some of the features:

Sharp’s new CV-P12LX Portable Air Conditioner is easy to move from room to room. It provides quiet cooling with sleek and attractive styling and a Plasmacluster™ ion generator. Use it as a dehumidifier to remove up to 65 pints of moisture from the air in a single day. A fully featured remote control with LCD display allows you to control the unit from anywhere in the room. The flexible exhaust hose and window adapter kit allow window installation and venting of the hot air, while keeping rain and insects out.
11,500 BTU, EER 8.5
 

 Features
  
 Portability
 
4 Easy Roll Casters allow the air conditioner to be moved easily from room to room. The flexible exhaust hose and window adapter kit allow easy venting to the outside.
  
 Full Function Remote Control with LCD Display
 
Control every function of the unit from anywhere in the room. The LCD display shows all of the current settings. Change the mode of operation, adjust the fan speeds or activate the timer.
  
 Plasmacluster™ Ion Technology
 
Activate the Plasmacluster Ion generator to release positive and negative ions into the air.  
  
 65 Pint Dehumidification
 
Use the dehumidify function to remove up to 65 pints of moisture from the air every 24 hours.
  
 Automatic Oscillating Louvers
 
allow you to sweep the air across the room for better distribution and comfort.  
  
 4-Way Air Direction
 
lets you direct the cool air where you need it most.
  
 Bucketless Design
 
No water tank to empty. The built in condensate disposal system sends the water out of the exhaust hose.  
  
 Library Quiet™
 
As low as 36 dB at low cool.

[drewstar]

Hmmmm. I'm cuross on how you like it compared to a window mount???

Did you buy from a national chain store?

[Zep]

Drew.....

I have parties every once in a while and I convert my garage
into a sports bar themed poker room/overflow room for parties.

I put up beer banners / lighted beer signs / slot machine / ect....

There is no window in my garage and I thought it might get hot.

I saw this unit on e-Bay....a $2800 unit for $250.

However I ended up having a friend just add an A/C duct and return
to my garage that I can shut off/on. It kept my garage nice and cool
last weekend for the Oscar De La Hoya fight party.

So now I may just sell the e-bay unit to a friend that has
a very small cabinet making shop that has no A/C.

[svspa]

drewstar,

We haven't had a window unit so I can't compare. Where we live the summers normally aren't too bad.

It would be nice if it were quieter and put out more cooling, but for the price and the BTU rating I think does an adequate job.

When we have moved it to our bedroom and can close the door it does a pretty good job of cooling it down. But I wouldn't expect it to take a moderate sized room from 100 to 80.

Steve

[drewstar]

thanks guys. I'm understanding where these units would work best. And for me, since I have a decent sized  convetional window, and noise and raw cooling power are the biggest critera,  a  window mount seesm to be the best.  I may investagate brackets for  it.

Right now,  it sits on the sill and is biiitch  to put it.   yesterday it dropped  out (about 10 feet down into  a garden). I was hoping I broke it, but no such luck. The wife tells me it still works.  

Darnit!

[Bonibelle]

Drew, I have split duct air conditoners
http://us.sanyo.com/industrial/HVAC/features.cfm
I have Sanyo's upstairs and a Samsung unit for my sunroom. Te main part of the house is a central system.

I did this to conserve energy. I have a Cape Cod and when we are not using the upstairs (bedrooms), they don't need to be cooled. So usually in the day time, I set the Sanyo units to about 85.  that sounds really hot, but since they are very effecitve dehumidifiers, it isn't that bad.  About 1/2 hour before bedtime, they are programed to lower the temperature.  The great thing is they need no duct work, they are quiet (much more so than window units) and you have individual controls for each room. the newer Samsung unit in my sunroom has a wireless remote and various settings that allow you to air condition, dehumidify or just blow air. It also have a turbo to really cool the room down fast.  All of this because I see no reason to waste energy when we aren't using a particular area of the house.
My heat is zoned also.

I would highly recommend these units, and there are other manufacturers.  The Sanyo units are 15 years old and we have been very happy with them.

[Bonibelle]

And I would hop right on this project  
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/nasa-predicts-sizzling-summers-for-east/20070510232009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

[drewstar]

I don't understand the "Split" AC units that well.

I did a bit of research. 2 units, one inside the room the other outside the house and via pipes the AC is run/


Anyone in New england have one? How are they in the winter? What are the costs? this could be the solution I am looking for.

[Bonibelle]

http://www.atrendyhome.com/portable-air-comparisons.html
this might help Drew

[Bonibelle]

Or this, http://www.mrslim.com/Products/userSpecific.asp?Commercial=0

Not an inexpensive option, but by far the best if you don't want to go central air.