portable air conditioners

[intexasatthe moment]

to cool a medium sized bedroom . Anyone with experience/advice/recommendations ?

[mac4]

I have had two Airforce portable aircon units (model WAP358DB) for several years using them occasionally every summer. They have been very efficient and reliable but are quite large, (470W x 300D x 900H) suitable for a bigger room but I expect there are smaller sized models.

Like all aircon units (unlike cooler units) they require an external vent to exhaust the hot air. This is a flexible pipe normally 100-110mm diam, the ones I have end in a rectangular fitting. I found the easiest way to arrange this is either:

- If you have a redundant fireplace/chimney breast cut a hole to insert the exhaust hose.

- If you have a sash window raise the lower leaf, insert a piece of wood across the window frame and lower the leaf down to hold it firm. Cut a hole in the wood to receive the end of the exhaust hose.

If you want to avoid having to empty the internal water tank then drill a hole through your outside wall for the drain hose. You can plug this with a cork when no longer needed or use a pipe with, for example a drain cock, for a more permenant soltion. (If you are not on the ground floor then fix the drain cock inside the room not on the

exterior wall where it won't be reachable).

[intexasatthe moment]

Useful info,thank you mac4.If I had sash windows (how I wish I did ) or a redundant fireplace as you describe I would go for that .

Sadly I'm thinking of what I believe are known as evaporative air conditioners ,but I guess they function only as air being blown across an ice pack ( which I notice are often freely available in Morrison's car park courtesy of Amazon deliveries )

[Adidas_guy]

I do exactly as Mac4 described, but I put the venting hose out of my patio door and just use cardboard from Amazon boxes to temporarily block the section of the door. It works great.

The evaporative coolers you mention work for about 5 minutes but as soon as the ice has melted, it?s just blowing warm air?

[Ashlar]

I bought a portable unit last year and was advised by a friend to buy a window seal kit. It cost about ?13 and is basically some Velcro to stick all the way around the inside of your window frame and then a triangular shaped strip of fabric that sticks to the Velcro, so when you open the window to put the vent tube out, it stops the air from getting out too. It comes with a zip, you open the window, undo the zip and stick the tube through the open zip and out of the window. When you are finished you simply remove the tube and the window closes with the seal still intact. I couldn?t get the link from Amazon, but if you search for air con window seal, you will see what I mean. It took less time to set up than I?ve spent explaining it! Really easy to do and keeps the draft out and the lovely cool air in!

[intexasatthe moment]

That's very interesting Ashlar ! And kind of you to go to the trouble of posting and explaining .Many thanks .