Anyone have a portable ac unit?

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Anyone have a portable ac unit? I know they’re less efficient than a window unit, and am wondering if anyone has experience with them. I have about 500sf to cool. Our window unit took a shit, and I’m getting tired of lugging around a big honkin unit, plus it was a pain in my ass to install due to our storms. This looks like a much better option.

Looking at this one, but am open to suggestions if anyone has experience with a specific model or brand. Cost is not an issue, but this is our last year at this house so I’m not interested in a PTAC or anything like that.

Thanks!

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Yeah I have one. I’ve had it since my apartment days and it worked great. The key was that the apartment required them to install your window AC unit (historic building) and you had to pay them an extra $50 per month since electric was included. With the portable unit I was able to just vent it to an open window without anyone knowing :snky:

Oddly there is a pan at the bottom that collects condensation and you’re supposed to have to drain it every so often… but mine never filled up and I never had to use it, lol.

I’d offer to sell you mine for cheap since I haven’t used it in like 2 years, but it’s nice to have just in case.

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Also, $500? Damn. I think this one is mine, but I just grabbed it from Home Depot and thing I only paid $200: http://www.sears.com/lg-8-000-btu-115v-portable-air-conditioner-with/p-04202123000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=Cj0KEQjwosK4BRCYhsngx4_SybcBEiQAowaCJWny1Mw88Yq6opVGxc_MZAawjgMKTe6aicY8dvoxF88aAjiG8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

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Awesome, I appreciate the info Josh. That unit is kind of stiff, but it’s 14k btu, and acts as a heater too which might be handy someday.

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I had one which vented outside via a custom frame you could take out in the winter. It worked awesome and was quiet, the unit drained via a small tube (think vacuum line size) that drained outside. Although it seems as it’s been discontinued, ours was a Frigidaire like this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41B-xOWNhpL.SX466.jpg

It took a little while to cool the room down, but once it was cool - it didn’t work much to keep it cool.

We’ve since installed central air in a baseboard heat house, which is obviously the best option, but 10-20X’s the cost.

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One of my friends has one for her bedroom because her house has baseboard heat making central air an expensive addon. It works great and somehow magically deals with the water without filling a pan or having a drain line.

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This. Once I was concerned and went to check it, but there was nothing in there. Maybe we just never had days with that level of humidity.

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I have a Honeywell unit. It works pretty well. It was $400.

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:tup:

thanks for all the input. I was worried about draining it constantly, good to know that magically isn’t an issue. My wife was very pregnant July and into August, so our old one huffed pretty hard and died a dignified death. I think our house was in the 50s a few times…

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I have one, usually don’t have to touch the drain pan, but did once and it spilled on my wood floor. I’m more careful now.

I don’t really think it works all that well to be honest. I have a nice one (forget the model) but for me the tubing going to the window sheds a lot of heat. I’ve been meaning to find a replacement hose that is better insulted, or just wrap it but haven’t gotten around to it.