Free-standing/portable air conditioners

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Free-standing/portable air conditioners - Help!?

Aaroona

3196 posts

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#162227 2-Feb-2015 16:16

We've just moved into an apartment in Auckland CBD- have signed a 12 month contract.

Turns out, after we had signed the paperwork- we don't have any opening windows, other than the two ranch sliders in the lounge. There is small vents in each of the bedrooms which I presume are to provide some circulation, but they do a terrible job at it.

I'm now stuck with two options that I can see.... Either buy some fans that potentially may not work, other than move hot air around, or, more preferably;
buy a free-standing air-con unit.

My problem I'm running into is; all the portable ones I've seen seem to have an exhaust, which requires to be sitting in an open window.. something I can't do!
D

Is there any other options for me? If there another Air-con unit that will do what I want, without having to install it into the apartment permanently? Or am I stuck with only having fans?

Stan

929 posts

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#1227859 2-Feb-2015 16:24

Unfortunately venting is the only option normally the hose is 150mm is there any place you can jam this?
Possibly put a car door in the ranch slider and replace the glass when you move out?

heylinb4nz

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#1227873 2-Feb-2015 16:40

Stan: Unfortunately venting is the only option normally the hose is 150mm is there any place you can jam this?
Possibly put a car door in the ranch slider and replace the glass when you move out?

A car door ??? "you mean a cat door :) "

These units usually come with an adapter, simple get a glazier to cut a hole, if renting replace the window when you go.

We purchased this one from Heathcoates 100% for about $1200

http://www.olimpiasplendid.com.au/prodotti/ellisse_hp.php

Great unit, as it cools in summer and heats in winter, also dehumidifes. Reasonable on electricity as well. For cooling it can manage a 25 square meter room and on a hot Hamilton summer day 30 deg can get the room down to 18 degrees. Heating mode it manages 40-45 square meters on a frosty morning and get room upto around 21 degrees.

Coming up 3 seasons use now.

Geektastic

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#1227892 2-Feb-2015 17:02

Cut a sheet of plastic or marine ply that you can shut in the sliding door so that it fills a gap from the bottom runner to the top runner, wider then the diameter of the hose.

In the sheet of wood, cut a hole and mount the AC vent hose.

Open door, hold wood/plastic in place, close door tight to hold it there. Turn on AC. Enjoy.

Aaroona

3196 posts

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#1227894 2-Feb-2015 17:06

Geektastic: Cut a sheet of plastic or marine ply that you can shut in the sliding door so that it fills a gap from the bottom runner to the top runner, wider then the diameter of the hose.

In the sheet of wood, cut a hole and mount the AC vent hose.

Open door, hold wood/plastic in place, close door tight to hold it there. Turn on AC. Enjoy.

Why on earth did I not even consider that.... I will look at that option.

I think replacing the glass is a little drastic, and I'm happy to be slightly inconvenienced by putting up a little bit of ply... unsure what Body corp will think, but I'm sure they won't even notice!

Thanks for your suggestion!

Geektastic

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#1227895 2-Feb-2015 17:07

No extra charge..!

mattwnz

20142 posts

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#1227904 2-Feb-2015 17:10

Aaroona: We've just moved into an apartment in Auckland CBD- have singed a 12 month contract.

Turns out, after we had signed the paperwork- we don't have any opening windows, other than the two ranch sliders in the lounge. There is small vents in each of the bedrooms which I presume are to provide some circulation, but they do a terrible job at it.

I'm now stuck with two options that I can see.... Either buy some fans that potentially may not work, other than move hot air around, or, more preferably;
buy a free-standing air-con unit.

My problem I'm running into is; all the portable ones I've seen seem to have an exhaust, which requires to be sitting in an open window.. something I can't do!
D

Is there any other options for me? If there another Air-con unit that will do what I want, without having to install it into the apartment permanently? Or am I stuck with only having fans?

This document may give you some ideas, and whether the apartment complies. http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Compliance-documents/G4-ventilation-3rd-edition-amendment-2.pdf

chiefie

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#1227975 2-Feb-2015 19:07

We have one of those freestanding portable A/C. It does come with a slide-panel to be installed on sliding windows. We have tilt window, so we just clip it and hold it tight with window close as much as it can. There'll be gap but it's not significant enough to lose cold air. Ideally, I should make perspex glass with a precut hole for the exhaust pipe to attach to and the window will be kept shut.

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xpd

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#1232571 7-Feb-2015 16:36

Ive got one of these sitting in the garage on a test run now, its no use to us so looking to sell if interested.

Global 4 in 1 mobile air conditioner
model:CFO.5DII
H:70CM/L:25CM/D36CM
15.5KGS
230v
fan
Dehumidifying 12L per day 330w
cooling capacity 860w
heating capacity 1120w

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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SATTV

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#1232599 7-Feb-2015 17:10

We had a portable air conditioner and I would never have one again.

I bought a bit of wood and cut a hole to vent it outside, the other thing I did was make a draining tray to get rid of the moisture otherwise I was up every hour or two emptying the water collection tank.

Overall it did a very poor job, it was a good one at the time, it struggled to cool the bedroom down with the door closed, the only time it was cool is when you stood right on top of it.

Maybe ask your landlord to install a proper one, the worst they can say in no.

I would stick with a fan.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

raytaylor

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#1232683 7-Feb-2015 20:12

I used to have one - but it was a single duct one.
Make sure you get a dual duct

The problem with the single duct common ones is they suck air in,
it goes over a set of cooling fins, then the air is split
Cool air comes back out the unit in to the room
The heat is let into the other half and blown out the duct outside.

So the issue there is you create negative pressure in the room from half the air going through the unit being blown outside.
This negative pressure then sucks warm air back into the room from under doors etc.

They work, but they are inefficient. Much better than a fan.

A dual duct system sucks air in from inside, and at the same time sucks air in from outside.
It goes through a heat transfer compressor which moves the heat from the indoor air, to the outdoor air, then blows that air back out their respective directions. So outside air goes into the unit cool, and goes back outside hotter. Indoor air goes in, and comes out inside cooler without creating a negative pressure. These are very efficient and much more effective.

I got rid of my single duct unit because it was too noisy.
Now i have a split system heat pump in my bedroom.

Delonghi about 5 years ago made a "portable" split system unit. It was really aimed at DIY installers.
It was like your typical indoor wallmounted + outdoor floor mounted back to back heat pump
Except what made it "portable" is you could unplug the hoses between the indoor and outdoor units.
I thought they were awesome so we bought one for $1400 and installed it in my parents house - works wondefully and we didnt need to spend another $800 on a professional installer
But they dont seem to make them anymore. I guess with people thinking they were actually portable, they would loose the gas each time you connect/disconnect it.
One of these units would have been perfect for your situation and occasionally you see them on trademe.

edit: it looks like they do still make them, just the local importer doesnt bring them in any more
http://www.portable-ac.co.uk/delonghi_maestro.html

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Incindre

117 posts

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#1232928 8-Feb-2015 14:59

Be warned that, apart from being horrendously noisy, these things expel water too. If you're using a little tray underneath the outflow you'll have to be wary otherwise it'll overflow before you know it (not fun).
+1 for the plywood/window idea, then just get some garden hose and rout that through another hole in the bottom of the board and have it drip outside.

1101

3122 posts

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#1233390 9-Feb-2015 13:32

I had a single duct one. I did actually work to some degree.....but
That duct spits out a lot of air.
All the air being blown out, the same amount of air gets sucked in, hot air from outside to replace it , otherwise you'd get a vaccuum :-)
So its really inefficient, they work great if you point them directly at you and will cool the room down somewhat .

You can get portable spilt types , where the actual `radiator`heat exchange unit can sit out side with a few small houses going back to the main unit inside.