Air conditioning

I was interested in the comments about air conditioning in a conservatory. I was thinking about putting something like that in the bedroom. I do have experience of using air conditioning but not maintaining it. I do have a small window that could be used for the machine or hose. Any help or ideas welcomed about cost and where to get more details.

Robbie

Reply to
Roberts
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There is little maintenance excpet emptying the condensate (portable units) and cleaning air filters.

Purchase cost is easy - go and look in any DIY barn and you will find them in a range of prices. Ald/Lidl will possibly have them again this year.

Running costs will depend on how much heat needs to be extracted. Think of them (very, very roughly) as a fan heater, in reverse..

The noise of the portable units is quite something as they have two sets of fans - one to shove cool air into the room and another to shove hot air down the hose. You have to hear one running to appreciate the noise.

The portable units usually come with a "window plate" or other means of trying to block off the window opening, around the hose. A proper hole in the wall is a lot better as otherwise a lot of the (expensively heated) air you are extracting just comes back in again..

Examine the use of a ceiling fan and/or (window mounted?) extractor fan. These can be very effective and a lot cheaper to buy and run than an aircon. And a lot quieter..

Reply to
Palindrome

Some of the portable ones evaporate the condensate on the condensor (hot coil) which also makes the condensor more efficient. In very high humidity, they might still need occasional emptying though.

And the compressor, which in the fitted split unit ones is in the outside unit.

The portable ones with a single air tube to the outside are pathetic. They take the cooled air from the room to cool down the condensor (hot coil) and blow it outside. This air has to be replaced in the room, by sucking warm/humid air in from outside. The units are pretty much fighting themselves.

I modified one which I was given after the owner gave up with it. It had a separate air intake for the condensor (hot coil) and evaporator (cold coil). By cutting up a cardboard box and using lots of parcel tape and a second length of air hose, I could isolate the condensor (hot coil) airflow from the room by having it draw its air from the outside through a second hose, and properly seal the room. Then it worked brilliantly. Most go not have separate grilles for the two air inlets, and could not be modified in this way.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

That's interesting. We have a cheap one which we got from B&Q a couple of years ago. It isn't particularly fantastic so I might have a look at doing what you did.

Malc

Reply to
malc

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