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Portable AC unit for cooling a bedroom?

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June 18, 2017, 08:03 PM
Orguss
Portable AC unit for cooling a bedroom?
I'm currently having trouble sleeping due to the heat. There isn't much in the way of insulation and the windows are old, single-panes, which means the heat of the day burns right into the house. My bedroom is upstairs while everything else is downstairs. I got into bed last night and the mattress was hot.

I've been looking at portable AC units on Amazon but don't really want to spend $300-400 on one that's going to be crap. My windows slide horizontally, so I can't mount a traditional window AC unit.

Anyone have experience with these?



"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
June 18, 2017, 08:10 PM
Balzé Halzé
Swamp cooler maybe? How's the humidity where you live?


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June 18, 2017, 08:10 PM
LS1 GTO
Costco sells a brand called DeLougie. (I think that's the name's spelling.)

Great for San Diego and those 10 days of the year it's required.






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June 18, 2017, 08:11 PM
Jimbo Jones
My AC failed a couple weeks ago and when I was told it would be several days of Texas heat before it would be repaired so I went out and got this to tide us over.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hisen...nditioner/1000195223

It worked really well and I think will work for you better than a standard window unit. The unit sits on the floor and there is a vent like a dryer exhaust (but bigger diameter..may 10") that is in a frame that you put in the window and close the window to the frame size. The exhaust vent can be easily positioned vertically in your window.

Lowes has a pretty good variety of these in stock so get the one that fits the size room you need cooled.


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It's like my brain's a tree and you're those little cookie elves.
June 18, 2017, 08:19 PM
Orguss
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Swamp cooler maybe? How's the humidity where you live?

To quote my man, Hudson: "It's a dry heat!"

quote:
Originally posted by Jimbo Jones:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hisen...nditioner/1000195223

It worked really well and I think will work for you better than a standard window unit. The unit sits on the floor and there is a vent like a dryer exhaust (but bigger diameter..may 10") that is in a frame that you put in the window and close the window to the frame size. The exhaust vent can be easily positioned vertically in your window.

Lowes has a pretty good variety of these in stock so get the one that fits the size room you need cooled.

That's exactly the type of AC unit I'm looking for, but there are so many brands I thought I'd ask here first.



"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
June 18, 2017, 08:29 PM
jimmy123x
I've found that they suck. All of the air they're blowing out that dryer tube, they're sucking into the house from outside. Do they cool, yes. But they tend to shoot out water droplets sometimes, they're somewhat noisy, and whatnot.

I'd recommend blowing in insulation in your attic. It's a lot cheaper than you think it is...... about $0.60 a sq' foot of attic space......the insulation saves you a ton on your electric bill and should solve your problem so a win win.
June 18, 2017, 08:32 PM
Orguss
I'm renting a converted hot house. My landlord isn't going to add insulation cuz he's cheap like an old Chinese woman.



"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
June 18, 2017, 08:35 PM
HRK
Woot had some units under $300. A 8000 unit for a small bedroom was $200
June 18, 2017, 08:40 PM
charlie12
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Swamp cooler maybe? How's the humidity where you live?


If you used that at my house in Louisiana it would be like rain in the room.


_______________________________________________________
And no, junior not being able to hold still for 5 seconds is not a disability.



June 18, 2017, 08:55 PM
Sigfest
I'm trying to picture a window that slides horizontally. Like a casement?
When I first bought this house I never thought I'd ever get AC due to the size of the Casement windows. I sweated pretty bad because the house is made from clay block. No duct work so no central air. And the boxes on the ACs I looked at stated they fit bigger windows. However, one day as I walked through Lowes I watched a guy pull out a tape measure and measure the size of the frame on the AC without the slide accordion things extended. A light bulb went off. I asked him what was the measurement he got. I rushed home to find out that I had 1/2" to spare. Hallelujah. I hot a piece of plexiglas cut for the top, siliconed it in and finally had a cool room to sleep in.
June 18, 2017, 09:03 PM
Orguss




"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
June 18, 2017, 09:10 PM
truckola
I took the slider out, put a window unit in, then filled the rest of the hole with plywood and put some 2inch insulation on it, but it was not a rental.
June 18, 2017, 09:20 PM
Georgeair
I have a friend with a mini-split system in his bedroom to keep his menopausal wife from spontaneously combusting.



You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02

June 18, 2017, 09:27 PM
Dbltap
Don't do portable unless you absolutely have to.
If it is the only game then start with the
Whynter Elite ARC-122Ds dual hose.
A window unit is always more desirable.
If window is doable then look at the Haier Serenity series or a Friedrich
June 18, 2017, 09:41 PM
hvyhawler
Sigfest and I think alike...
June 18, 2017, 09:56 PM
CQB60
Portable units are relatively inexpensive at lowes or Home Depot. Just get one rated for the size of your room or it will run incessantly.


______________________________________________
Life is short. It’s shorter with the wrong gun…
June 18, 2017, 10:10 PM
matai
Yeah, they work great, most are rebranded Honeywell I think.
June 19, 2017, 06:02 AM
SgtGold
Home Depot has casement window AC units.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fri...FFRS1022R1/206210806

You are going to have issues with the portable AC units. You have a fairly large heat load due to the construction of your house. The portable units are really only good for about 60% of the rated BTU's due to nunerous issues. My house is similar in construction and 10k BTUs in the one upstairs bedroom barely cut it with the downstairs AC units running. After I insulated the house the 10k unit upstairs can cool the room. I know it's twice the cost, but a window unit will work much much better than the portable unit.


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'I'm pretty fly for a white guy'.

June 19, 2017, 06:44 AM
45 Cal
Casement is the way to go,expensive as hell,twice the cost of regular.
June 19, 2017, 08:10 AM
ryan81986
Also consider getting some room darkening shades or curtains. It will cut down on the pre-heating of the room during the day.