Best Portable Air Conditioner?

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gnfb

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#279717 3-Nov-2020 12:29

I see the subject of Portable Air Conditioner topic opens and closes every few years on here.

I am looking at buying a Delonghi Silent Air-to-Air Portable Air Conditioner PACCN86 for $800

It seems to be middle of the road?

Would appreciate any negative, positive, alternatives. Especially any "just buy a cheap 4-500 hundred unit they are all pretty much the same" comments :)

Thanks for the assist I know less than zero on the subject :)

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

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gnfb

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#2596994 3-Nov-2020 12:30

Oh size may be relevant sorry apartment is only 35sq

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

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BlueShift

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#2597042 3-Nov-2020 13:56

I don't know anything about specific models, but the general consensus is: they're noisy, they need to be vented through a window, they're never as good as a properly installed heat-pump, but that said they do cool things down better than a fan if you can live with the noise and the window

If possible, spend roughly twice that for a proper heat-pump. If you're renting, hit up the landlord, they might be on the brink of installing one anyway, and if not, offer to go halves - costs you the same for a better result (except you can't take it with you).

Jaxson

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#2597059 3-Nov-2020 14:00

We deployed about 20 at work for the worst hit areas about 3 years ago during the summer heatwave that never returned.

They are noisy as sht, don't work particularly well and ended up needing building alterations anyway to vent exhaust air outside.

Random passerbys 2cents: Would not even go there.

gnfb

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#2597115 3-Nov-2020 15:16

OOOK thanx not the delonnghi ! and they list it as

Delonghi Silent Air-to-Air Portable Air Conditioner

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gnfb

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#2597125 3-Nov-2020 15:28

Just did a quick look around youtube and whoa! they are all it seems noisy time for a rethink.

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Scott3

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#2597138 3-Nov-2020 15:52

We have an old carrier one that I brought 2nd hand.

Ours has 1830W (6300BTU/h) of cooling capacity.

The upstairs of our house absolutely bakes in the summer.

Its about the right size for our, or our child's bedroom (cura 15m^2 each), During hot weather, it will be running continuously, taking the edge off the heat, but not reaching the set point. This is using the supplied discharge duct. Ours is fairly noisy & inefficient, but it got us through a summer pregnancy etc. Made a major difference to our lives especially at that time.

I have tried to cool our office with it (similar size to bedroom's, but easily the hottest room in the house for various reasons). The only opening window in that room is a skylight, so needed to use a different longer duct for the discharge. The unit is not grunt enough for this duty, but is very nice to sit next to the discharge.

Note that you do not get the same effective cooling as a similarly rated split unit as the non-insulated discharge hose runs through the room (and often leaks a bit at the connection point to the unit). Also you get warm outside make up air coming back into the room to replace what is discharged (and perhaps some short cycling if you can't get the discharge hose away from the window opening). Could be as much as 50% of the cooling ability wasted.

The PACCN86 Is rated at 8200BTU/h (2400W) cooling. I don't have any idea about the heat load of your apartment (number of people, Solar gain from windows in afternoon etc, level of insulation), but my gut feeling is that it would be significantly undersized for an entire 35 m^2 apartment. Should also note that it's max sound pressure level is 61dB(A). Not sure what the minumum level is, but don't expect this to be "silent". 60dB is about the sound level of a normal conversation.

You can get one that has twice the power for less money from another brand:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/mistral-16000btu-portable-air-conditioner_p0180971

I don't now much about the various models, but desirable features seem to be: Reverse cycle (able to run as a heat pump in winter), and a condensate evaporation / spray system so no need to empty a condensate tank (that said my condensate tank needs emptying less than once a year, which is oddly infrequent).

A dual hose unit would be good if you could find one, but they seem to be rare.

As others have said at $800, you are getting up towards 50% of the cost of having a proper split unit installed. This would be a lot quieter, more efficient and more effective. As such I would only shell out this sort of money if there was a really good reason a proper split unit can't be installed.

Scott3

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#2597141 3-Nov-2020 15:59

gnfb:

OOOK thanx not the delonnghi ! and they list it as

Delonghi Silent Air-to-Air Portable Air Conditioner

It's made by Delonghi, but they seem to brand it as penguin. On special at $750 at noel lemming today.

https://www.delonghi.com/en-au/products/comfort/air-conditioning/portable-air-conditioners/pinguino-air-to-air-pac-cn86-silent-0151802004

Can be turned to "silent" mode at 47dB(A). I think this is pritty good for a protable aircon. 50db as about the noise level in an average home. Note that as with all aircon's etc you don't get the full rated output or efficiency on quiet mode.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

Scott3

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#2597143 3-Nov-2020 16:04

Just fired mine up. If the sound level meter on my phone can be trusted it is about 50dB(SPL) at 1m, (background with open window etc is about 35dB(SPL))

Fred99

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#2597159 3-Nov-2020 16:27

Scott3:

Just fired mine up. If the sound level meter on my phone can be trusted it is about 50dB(SPL) at 1m, (background with open window etc is about 35dB(SPL))

I don't have an AC unit in our bedroom, but have a Dyson fan. The apparent comparable low noise level of these in a showroom is really quite impressive. In a bedroom - not so much. At anything above lowest setting (where it's useless), it's really bad IMO. Just a constant whoosh sound, only about 42dB IIRC, but enough for me to hate it. If it gets too hot at night, I turn the AC on in the hallway and open the bedroom door - seems to work fine, and I can't hear it.

Wellingtondave

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#2597323 3-Nov-2020 23:06

It comes up every time they're mentioned here or elsewhere on the Internet, they are not ideal and IF you can go down another path and install a proper one then that is the better route.

If you need temporary cooling and can put up with the noise, not great cooling compared to a permanently installed unit etc.... then they are fine for knocking down the temperature a bit. I used one for a couple of summers in such a situation and it was fine.

1101

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#2597464 4-Nov-2020 10:21

I had one that I used at home & at work untill it died.

The big problem , is the hot air exhaust is vented outside.
Now if you are blowing ALOT of exhaust air outside , then hot outside air needs to come in to replace that air

So they are VERY ineffficient , and only good for smallish rooms or blowing cold air in your direction
At home, I used it in my bedroom & had it on a timer just long enough for me to get to sleep on hot humid nights

I am considering buying another , just for my bedroom . I wouldnt pay more than $500 though. Farmers had one for less than $400 recently
Theres now way I'd see it as a whole house option