Thinking of a portable A/C?

[BaldLoonie]

Interesting article in one of the trade magazines on these puppies. Most are just 1 pipe models with a hose that blows the hot condenser exhaust out of the structure.

Let's say you get a 1 ton model and stick your hose out the window. Typical is 600 CFM of exhaust air which means that unit is causing 600 CFM of infiltration into the cooled space, say a 800 sq ft apartment. If this is a 90+ and humid day, the sensible & latent heat from all this infiltration will be MORE than the 1 ton cooling capacity of the A/C !!!!! Which means this apartment will get warmer not cooler!!! Or as the article mentioned, if being used as a spot cooler in an air conditioned space, all this infiltration will cause the central air unit to work much harder.

Bottom line, ONLY buy a unit with 2 pipes so your condenser air is coming from outside as well.

Just a little free advice to anyone thinking of one of these units :)

[DeltaT]

I wouldn't buy any of them period. I've had customers give me 3, so far, that ran but no cooling. Ends up the evap is so cheap and the copper is so thin that after a few cooling sessions the evap get a ton of micro-leaks throughout the coil due to expansion and contraction. Purchased a new coil from manufacturer, installed and the same happened.

The manufacturer rep wanted to know if I wanted to be one of their repair dealers...said he had a lot of business. I wonder why.

I've turned down free systems now. Not worth even picking up anymore cept the little scroll compressors are just fine and could be used in something else, I suppose.

[zootjeff]

I wouldn't buy any of them period. I've had customers give me 3, so far, that ran but no cooling. Ends up the evap is so cheap and the copper is so thin that after a few cooling sessions the evap get a ton of micro-leaks throughout the coil due to expansion and contraction. Purchased a new coil from manufacturer, installed and the same happened.

The manufacturer rep wanted to know if I wanted to be one of their repair dealers...said he had a lot of business. I wonder why.

I've turned down free systems now. Not worth even picking up anymore cept the little scroll compressors are just fine and could be used in something else, I suppose.


I'm surprised that there is a market at all for the 1 hose units! You'll get one cold room and a bunch of really warm rooms. Does anyone have a good list of two hose units?