Anyone know about portable air coniditioners?

JBlaze

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My new apartment doesn't have air conditioning. Which completley sucks because I live in Southern California. I just want a little AC that i either stick in the window, or perferably a portable one that has a hose that you stick in the window.

I need something that will basically power a small living room in my 1 bedroom apartment. Can anyone tell me whats a good price range for a decent one? Also what brand I should buy? Thanks.
 

parttimer

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The hose kind are like twice the price as a window mount AC unit. I bought a 16K btu window unit for $250 from Lowes. It was energy star and all that crap. One half that size that used the hoses was like almost $500. My 16K unit cools our first floor, two rooms that are 15x20 and one thats 12x12 in about an hour.
 
JBlaze

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The hose kind are like twice the price as a window mount AC unit. I bought a 16K btu window unit for $250 from Lowes. It was energy star and all that crap. One half that size that used the hoses was like almost $500. My 16K unit cools our first floor, two rooms that are 15x20 and one thats 12x12 in about an hour.
Money isn't really an issue b/c my dad is funding it whatever the price may be. Though, I'd like to keep it under about $450I think 8-10k BTU would be more than enough for me. I just need it to cool a small living room.

Would you recommend buying online or just grabbing one from my local costco or home depot? Also, does brand make a big difference, or should I mainly be concerned with the btu?
 
Rivet

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My new apartment doesn't have air conditioning. Which completley sucks because I live in Southern California. I just want a little AC that i either stick in the window, or perferably a portable one that has a hose that you stick in the window.

I need something that will basically power a small living room in my 1 bedroom apartment. Can anyone tell me whats a good price range for a decent one? Also what brand I should buy? Thanks.
I have one. It’s an 8000btu unit "Danby" brand model. Its true that they cost much more then a regular AC that would have much more power. If I could do it over I would just get a regular AC (or 2) unit with more BTU's. I don’t find 8000 BTUs strong enough. I’m in Ontario and have just started using it again yesterday. Its really only good enough to cool off ONE small area like 20feetx12feet (size of my master bedroom) with the doors closed. And even then after hours of being on the room gets comfortable but can never get it "cold". If it has a water tank to collect the water in like mine does on a humid night the machine will shut off because the tank(s) will be full and the heat wakes you up. It also has to suck air in from the side of the unit and that’s where all the cold air generally is so its sucking the cold air back outside.

I hope this helps
 

MaynardMeek

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I have one from ToneAir ( home depot) they are pretty bulky but if you keep them on long enough they do wonders... at the current time i do not have to pay electric so .. it works for me.. though we just got cent. air ( go figures) you should not spend any more than 300 for a very good one... the room it cools is roughly 15X13 and it also extends into my dining room beyond those figures above
 
jmh80

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My mom got a small one for like $200 at Wal-mart.

I think it was Wal-mart. Maybe it was Lowe's or Sears.
Anyway - look around at those sort of places.
 
yeahright

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I researched this a couple years ago and the portable ones should really just be thought of as an option if one absolutely cannot stick one in the window (cost, effectiveness, drainage issues).

You can get dozens of models good enough for a 1 bedroom apartment for a lot less than $450. Check out this link:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat72000050016

Air conditioners are HEAVY. Not heavy for a bodybuilder (LOL) but heavy for a windowsill. Do yourself a favor and spring the extra $30 bucks to get an add-on heavy duty support brace to better distribute the load on your wall.

To seal up the rest of the window, I measured it and had the local hardware store cut me a piece of clear lucite (it was like $10 bucks). A couple screws and some clear duct tape and it even looks nice from the outside (no ugly board blocking light and looking like crap).
 

FitnFirm

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Do you have a LOWE'S there? they have several to choose from to fit any budget, basically you need to measure your window first! to see what will fit, the window ones are going to work better then the portable, also make sure it either comes with a mounting kit or they have them available.
 

parttimer

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I would shop right at Lowes, they were the cheapest when I shopped for my unit. Get as big as you can. I think anything over 16k needs a 220 line but just check first. If you buy from a decent store brand shouldn't matter.
 
JBlaze

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well it has to go in big ass window.....like 5'x12', thats kind of why i want a hose, so that I can close the majority of the window.
 
yeahright

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well it has to go in big ass window.....like 5'x12', thats kind of why i want a hose, so that I can close the majority of the window.
Don't do it. Read reviews on the portable ones. Google it.

I know the siren song you're hearing....as it almost pulled me in. I really wanted a portable one because it seemed so much simpler....but as I researched, all the reviews emphasized the drawbacks (costs more, you have to empty the water basin regularly, they don't work as well, you're still going to have to block off the window).

My suggestion is that you get a window model. You install it, close the window flush with the side of the airconditioner. Attach a portable window lock (50 cents) to keep the window in place. Then measure the space above the air conditioner (that part of the window which is still open). Then go to your hardware store, have them cut a piece of clear lucite for that space. Pick up some clear duct tape while you're there. Fit the lucite to the window, drill in a screw or two, seal everything off with the duck tape, and you're done.

It's basically an afternoon's work.
 
JBlaze

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Don't do it. Read reviews on the portable ones. Google it.

I know the siren song you're hearing....as it almost pulled me in. I really wanted a portable one because it seemed so much simpler....but as I researched, all the reviews emphasized the drawbacks (costs more, you have to empty the water basin regularly, they don't work as well, you're still going to have to block off the window).

My suggestion is that you get a window model. You install it, close the window flush with the side of the airconditioner. Attach a portable window lock (50 cents) to keep the window in place. Then measure the space above the air conditioner (that part of the window which is still open). Then go to your hardware store, have them cut a piece of clear lucite for that space. Pick up some clear duct tape while you're there. Fit the lucite to the window, drill in a screw or two, seal everything off with the duck tape, and you're done.

It's basically an afternoon's work.
Damnit fine! I guess I was just HOPING they would work well, even though I kind of knew they wouldn't. After doing some research i'm pretty much set on this:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=SEARS&pid=04275101000
 

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