Portable Air Conditioner

Hooking Up A Portable Air Conditioner

Small portable air conditioner units are also sometimes referred to as windowless air conditioners primarily because you do not need a window to install them. This is of course in stark contrast to window-type air conditioners which are installed in a frame similar to a window. A portable air conditioner is basically a console unit that is mobile and thus can be easily moved from one location to another. Despite this seemingly practical advantage, these types of air conditioning units are known for being a bit more expensive and utilize more energy which may lead to higher electric bills. The quality of air however is similar to that of a conventional window-type air conditioner.

Portable Air Conditioner Advantages

One distinct advantage of a portable air conditioner though is that you can let it face anywhere and you may also sit in front of it to allow you to feel a bit cooler. In general though, it may not be as effective in cooling a room as its bigger counterparts. Essentially the cooling process allows the unit to blow out cool air from the front while hot air blows out of the back or at the side. An air conditioner that is installed to the wall would be able to blow out cool air at the front while hot air blow out of the back and outside of the house. This is the stark difference in the ability to cool the room. The portable air conditioner keeps the hot air in the room making it a bit more difficult to achieve a cooler temperature. Hooking up portable air conditioners is fairly easier and can be done by simply following these tips.

Portable Air Conditioner Tips

1. Because portable air conditioners are very easily moved around their installation is likewise relatively straightforward. With the problem of exhaust air taken into consideration, the first thing that you must do to ensure that hot air blows outside of the room is to connect a vent hose. When you connect a vent hose to the portable air conditioner you will be sure that the hot air is dissipated outside of the room while cold air remains inside. Connect the vent hose directly to the outlet of the windowless air conditioners and direct it outside or into an open room. Fittings are normally packaged with the unit to make hooking up easy.

1. Some portable air conditioner units are packaged with a bucket to allow you to collect the condensed water produced by the unit. There are some units that are designed with a pump to allow the condensed water to circulate to the condenser unit allowing it to simply evaporate. The vent hose serves as the exit point for the hot air. In terms of hooking up your portable air conditioner this is a huge advantage because it is convenient and makes the operation of the unit more efficient. It also eliminates the need for you to empty the bucket regularly.
   

1. Part of the hooking up process is to identify the actual location where the portable air conditioner would be most effective. You should also take into consideration the length of the vent hose available to you because as much as possible you would like it to directly exhaust outside of the room. You must consider also any supplemental cooling available to you. The supplemental cooling unit can be instrumental in lessening the load of the motor of the air conditioning unit because it can help in allowing the air to circulate the room more efficiently.

1. Another thing to consider when hooking up your portable air conditioner is the issue of indoor pollutants. Normally our homes become victims of odors coming from smoke and cooking. Windowless air conditioners can help eliminate these pollutants efficiently while still cooling the room. Remember that the operation of the unit involves the pulling in of air from the room and blows it out through the exhaust. So this means that when there is smoke in the room it will not spill over to the other rooms but will actually be blown out of the room by the air conditioning unit. This is done while the room becomes cooler.

1. If you have centralized air conditioning in your home or office, hooking up a portable air conditioner will allow it to play the role of a supplemental cooling unit. Taking this into consideration, the best usage of your windowless air conditioner is to put it in an area where there is high internal heat. This means placing it inside the hottest room or the hottest portion of the house or office building. In offices, the cooling unit would serve a good purpose if placed near machines that emit heat like copiers and computers among others.
   

Windowless Portable Air Conditioner

In general, windowless air conditioners are excellent choices for supplemental cooling. You just need to take into consideration the cooling capacity of the air conditioner. To check on the cooling capacity of the unit you will need to verify its technical specifications. For example, a portable air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 7,500 British Thermal Units (BTU) allows it to efficiently cool a room with an area of about 250 square feet.

Portable Air Conditioner – What is BTU?

To find the effective BTU for your room you would need to multiply the length of the room by its width. The resulting value should be multiplied by 30 if has no windows and is not facing the sun. Multiply the value by 35 if the room has windows facing the sun or is at the top floor. Use 40 if the room has windows that face the sun and is on the top floor. Knowing the appropriate BTU will allow you to buy the correct portable air conditioner for your needs.