Portable Air Conditioner FAQ

1. How to pick a portable air conditioner using proper BTU rating?

BTU is an energy unit and represents the unit's cooling capacity. Pick the proper BTU rating to select the right air conditioner. Portable air conditioners are rated in BTU. The greater the BTU of a unit, the more cooling power it has. Please note that there is no direct comparison of the cooling capacity of the portable unit with that of window air conditioning units. Here are the general guidelines for room sizing selecting portable air conditioners:

7500 BTU: 150 square feet

9000 BTU: 200 square feet

10000 BTU: 250 square feet

12000 BTU: 350 square feet

13000 BTU: 400 square feet

Note: When selecting a Portable Air Conditioner, there are other factors to take into consideration other than the BTU and the suggested square footage. If the space you're looking to cool has one or more of the following factors, it is strongly recommended to go one or two size up:

1) Heat source such as computer servers, major appliance, skylight, direct sunlight, etc.

2) Higher floors.

3) Lots of windows, especially those facing the West.

4) Poor insulation, such as garage, sunroom, mobile home, etc.

2. Can I run the portable air conditioner without a vent?

No, portable air conditioners are designed to operate with a vent. If you do not vent the hot air to somewhere, the portable air conditioner will not be able to cool very effectively. The only area getting cold would probably be right in front of the where the cooling air outlet if no venting for hot air. Window venting kits are always included with our portable air conditioners at no extra cost. You may also vent the portable AC through a wall vent, into the attic or drop ceiling. For the casement windows, you can cut a panel with Plexiglas to cover the window and open a hole to vent the hose.

3. Is exhaust required?

All portable air conditioners require exhaust hose installation. This is for removal of hot air which has been used to cool off the compressor. Standard installation includes venting through a sliding window or through the wall, by cutting a hole. Most of AC units are supplied with the necessary accessories for either installation: flexible hose (extends up to 5'), window kit and wall adapter.

4. What is Self-Evaporating Technology?

Portable air conditioner units are equipped with an advanced condensation removal system: Self-Evaporating Technology. When running AC mode, this technology recycles the water condensation to cool off the cooling coils, then evaporates the water out with the exhaust air. This results in increased energy efficiency, cooling performance and reduces the need to empty the water tank. Under extreme humid conditions, the water condensation may collect faster than the unit can recycle. Should the built-in water tank becomes full, the compressor will automatically shut-off and water full indicator will blink. At this time, water should be emptied, which is a simple process.

5. What are the differences between single hose and dual hose?

Single Hose - draws indoor air for both front cold air output as well as exhaust air (used to cool compressor).

PROS:

1) Fresh air is exchanged within the room.

2) Higher energy efficiency.

CONS:

1) Percentage of the air taken in is used to cool the condenser. As this air is exhaust out, it creates a negative air pressure. Air is continuously seeping in from adjacent rooms to replace the exhausted air.

2) Slower initial cool down.

Dual Hose - draws indoor air for front cold air output and draws outdoor air for exhaust air (used to cool compressor).

PROS:

1) If outside temperature is lower than indoor temperature, compressor can be cooled down faster and produce colder front air output.

2) No negative pressure created within the room

3) Initial cool down of room is quicker than single hose.

CONS:

1) Same air circulating within the room, which will decrease in oxygen and increase in carbon dioxide.

2) If outside temperature is high (>90F) or when humidity is high (>80%), compressor cannot be cooled and results is increased temperature of front air output. In such cases, the second hose should not used to prevent the compressor from overheating.

3) Uses two internal fans and consumes more energy due to added hose.

6. How to install window kit for portable air conditioner?

All the portable air conditioners come with window kit. The window kit is designed for easy to use and takes less than few minutes to install. The window kit is to provide hot exhaust vent and to seal the sliding window opening. It includes a window panel and a hose. Usually, the window panel is 7" (width) and 60" (height). The hose usually is 5 feet and 5" in diameter. If you need an extended hose, you can buy it from hardware stores.

7. How to pick an energy efficient portable air conditioner?

The energy efficiency of the air conditioner is measured by energy efficiency rating (EER). The higher the rating, the more efficiency of the units is. When the EER rating is higher than 10, the unit's energy efficiency is above average. Here is a formula to calculate the monthly electricity cost per EER:

{Capacity (BTU)/EER x Cooling Hours per month/1000} x Electric Rate= Monthly Operating Cost

8. What are the differences between swamp cooler and air conditioner?

They are very different. The portable air coolers are designed to cool your personal space and are not true air conditioners. swamp cooler uses the evaporation of water to cool the air. The heat in the air was absorbed by moisture evaporation. It can bring down about 10F from the direct air stream. It is a good way to cool the dry area. swamp cooler does not require vent like air conditioner.

Air conditioner uses compressor to cool air, and it is a lot more efficient and can bring down temperature based on the thermostat. It removes hot air to outside, and therefore cools the inside air with the refrigerant in the system. However, air conditioner requires the venting kits. Also, air conditioners remove the moisture from the air and keep the humidity level low.

Overall, swamp cooler is a low cost alternative to air conditioner.