| CMasten |
So now that I have my very own generator, I am looking for a nice portable Air Conditioner unit to go with it, so when Edison decides to not send us power again for several days we can at least cool a room or two. I have been looking at the Fedders at Home Depot, but reading mixed reviews about how they leak, the window kit etc.
I figure if anyone will have good advice, its the Honda Pilot brotherhood !
so is anyone out here using one they like? maybe ones to stay away from? I am thinking something in the $400-500 range would be about right.
Thank you in advance |
|
|
| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by CMasten
So now that I have my very own generator, I am looking for a nice portable Air Conditioner unit to go with it, so when Edison decides to not send us power again for several days we can at least cool a room or two. I have been looking at the Fedders at Home Depot, but reading mixed reviews about how they leak, the window kit etc.
I figure if anyone will have good advice, its the Honda Pilot brotherhood !
so is anyone out here using one they like? maybe ones to stay away from? I am thinking something in the $400-500 range would be about right.
Thank you in advance
We have had a Maytag 9000 Btu portable unit for 3 years that we purchased from Home Depot for $399 on sale. It is manufactured by Fedders. It cools great and doesn't leak. The window kit works but it is not something you would leave installed when you are not using the unit. Portability more means it is not installed in a window. It is easy to move between rooms (it has wheels) but I would not plan to move it between floors a lot because it is heavy. The biggest drawback is the big exhaust hose that needs to be installed in the window every time it is used - I don't really mind it, but it means more than just flipping a switch to turn it on. The window kit is just a thin piece of plastic that goes in the window to hold the exhaust hose - it doesn't create a permanent seal (but it will keep rain out) so I remove it when not in use. We use it in a bedroom that we cannot install a window unit. I would buy this again. |
|
|
| jdeanski |
| Why don't you just pick up a couple of small window units. Just open the window, set it in place and close the window. There's no worry of hoses or draining the condensation tank. I've seen them go for about $100 each. |
|
|
| Sportymonk |
quote:
Originally posted by jl_ss
... snip .. The window kit works but it is not something you would leave installed when you are not using the unit. Portability more means it is not installed in a window. It is easy to move between rooms (it has wheels) but I would not plan to move it between floors a lot because it is heavy. The biggest drawback is the big exhaust hose that needs to be installed in the window every time it is used - I don't really mind it, but it means more than just flipping a switch to turn it on. The window kit is just a thin piece of plastic that goes in the window to hold the exhaust hose - it doesn't create a permanent seal (but it will keep rain out) so I remove it when not in use. ... snip
I have never seen one of those types before. Can you post pics? |
|
|
| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by Sportymonk
I have never seen one of those types before. Can you post pics?
|
|
|
| wwong |
Here's what Consumers Report says about portables:
watch out for portables
A/Cs that roll from room to room and vent through a window may seem like a good alternative where window or wall mounting won’t work. But in our tests, three large portable A/Cs delivered less heat relief than their claims suggest.
The Amana AP095R, Ev_er__star MPK-10CR-1, and Frigidaire FAP09EP1Z cost $400 to $500 and are rated about 10,000 Btu/hr., enough to cool some 400 square feet with a regular A/C. Yet none of them supplied even half that cooling power. All have a single exhaust hose, which draws warm air from elsewhere in the house to cool the condenser coils. If you must use a portable, buy one with two exhaust hoses. That type cools coils with outdoor air and should come closer to delivering its rated BTUs.
A/Cs that roll from room to room and vent through a window may seem like a good alternative where window or wall mounting won’t work. But in our tests, three large portable A/Cs delivered less heat relief than their claims suggest.
I was considering a portable for the garage. But when I read this, I went with a window unit. Got a 8000 BTU Fridgedaire for $200 at Lowe's |
|
|
| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by wwong
Here's what Consumers Report says about portables:
watch out for portables
A/Cs that roll from room to room and vent through a window may seem like a good alternative where window or wall mounting won’t work. But in our tests, three large portable A/Cs delivered less heat relief than their claims suggest.
The Amana AP095R, Ev_er__star MPK-10CR-1, and Frigidaire FAP09EP1Z cost $400 to $500 and are rated about 10,000 Btu/hr., enough to cool some 400 square feet with a regular A/C. Yet none of them supplied even half that cooling power. All have a single exhaust hose, which draws warm air from elsewhere in the house to cool the condenser coils. If you must use a portable, buy one with two exhaust hoses. That type cools coils with outdoor air and should come closer to delivering its rated BTUs.
A/Cs that roll from room to room and vent through a window may seem like a good alternative where window or wall mounting won’t work. But in our tests, three large portable A/Cs delivered less heat relief than their claims suggest.
I was considering a portable for the garage. But when I read this, I went with a window unit. Got a 8000 BTU Fridgedaire for $200 at Lowe's
I read that (it's been 3 years since we bought ours) and found that it doesn't apply to our Maytag/Fedders. It's rated at 9000 Btu and I've used it in the same space that I've also used 8000 BTU window units. I've found that the portable did cool faster for the same temp day. Perhaps Fedder has a better unit than Fridge and Amana or maybe the larger portables (10,000+ BTU) just aren't as good. Either way they are definately NOT the most economical way to go given the lower price of the window units. They also tend to be slightly less efficient. |
|
|
| jcantanixon |
Yup, I just went through this. I bought a 9k portable and it actually said in the manual that since it uses only one exhaust hose, it limits the ability to cool the condenser, which makes it less efficent than a window unit with the same rating.
I ended up taking it back and buying a 10k window unit for less.
If you want to "try" it then I suggest Costco. They have the 9k units from Sharp for $419 and they have a no-hassle return policy. |
|
|
| jestmaty |
Bought a unit from Lowe's on Wed 08/09/06 and had it back in the box for return less than 3 hrs later. It is a model from Delongio? and the name on the box says Pinguino.
Anyway, 10,000 BTU's and had the two hoses, one to draw in outside air and one for venting out the window. That second hose got as hot as the sun.... not very good when trying to cool down a 10 X 15 room.
That was the poorest excuse for an A/C I've ever seen. $499, ouch. Granted, we do live in Houston Tx. and it was HOT yesterday, but I had an accurate temp guage in the middle of the room and it never dropped 1 degree.
We just bought a two story with a pool (has 3 pumps for the exchange of water, waterfall, and Polaris sweeper to keep it free from dirt and leaves on the bottom). Trying to keep the electric bill down by only running a window unit in two different rooms (both high effeciency models) at night when sleeping.
I haven't sold my other house yet, so I have two mortgages and bills temporarily
:eek:
My homeowner's association at my new house has restrictions against window units, so I have to think of other options. Thought I'd try the portable.... waste of time...
I did look for the fedders brand? that was mentioned in another thread but had zero luck at Home Depot where the other member found theirs:( |
|
|
| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by jestmaty
Bought a unit from Lowe's on Wed 08/09/06 and had it back in the box for return less than 3 hrs later. It is a model from Delongio? and the name on the box says Pinguino.
Anyway, 10,000 BTU's and had the two hoses, one to draw in outside air and one for venting out the window. That second hose got as hot as the sun.... not very good when trying to cool down a 10 X 15 room.
That was the poorest excuse for an A/C I've ever seen. $499, ouch. Granted, we do live in Houston Tx. and it was HOT yesterday, but I had an accurate temp guage in the middle of the room and it never dropped 1 degree.
We just bought a two story with a pool (has 3 pumps for the exchange of water, waterfall, and Polaris sweeper to keep it free from dirt and leaves on the bottom). Trying to keep the electric bill down by only running a window unit in two different rooms (both high effeciency models) at night when sleeping.
I haven't sold my other house yet, so I have two mortgages and bills temporarily
:eek:
My homeowner's association at my new house has restrictions against window units, so I have to think of other options. Thought I'd try the portable.... waste of time...
I did look for the fedders brand? that was mentioned in another thread but had zero luck at Home Depot where the other member found theirs:(
I noticed that Pep Boys automotive now carries the Fedders, not sure if its just in So Cal but worth a shot |
|
|
| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by jestmaty
Bought a unit from Lowe's on Wed 08/09/06 and had it back in the box for return less than 3 hrs later. It is a model from Delongio? and the name on the box says Pinguino.
Anyway, 10,000 BTU's and had the two hoses, one to draw in outside air and one for venting out the window. That second hose got as hot as the sun.... not very good when trying to cool down a 10 X 15 room.
That was the poorest excuse for an A/C I've ever seen. $499, ouch. Granted, we do live in Houston Tx. and it was HOT yesterday, but I had an accurate temp guage in the middle of the room and it never dropped 1 degree.
We just bought a two story with a pool (has 3 pumps for the exchange of water, waterfall, and Polaris sweeper to keep it free from dirt and leaves on the bottom). Trying to keep the electric bill down by only running a window unit in two different rooms (both high effeciency models) at night when sleeping.
I haven't sold my other house yet, so I have two mortgages and bills temporarily
:eek:
My homeowner's association at my new house has restrictions against window units, so I have to think of other options. Thought I'd try the portable.... waste of time...
I did look for the fedders brand? that was mentioned in another thread but had zero luck at Home Depot where the other member found theirs:(
The Fedders unit appears to only be available for online ordering at a lot of places:
Home Depot: HD Link
Walmart: WM Link
Target: Target Link |
|
|
| jestmaty |
Thanks to both of you for the information.
Does this unit work? My room to cool is upstairs, and roughly 10 X 15/16 with 9ft ceiling. I slept in that room last night with the GE window unit that I haven't taken down yet (8,000 BTU) and it works GREAT!!!
It was 70 degrees when I woke up. |
|
|
| jay |
I live in a 3-level townhouse, and the lower level was always cold, the main level at temp, and the upper (bedroom) level warm or hot. I read somewhere that to equalize the temperature, just leave the fan on. I turned the HVAC fan on medium over two months ago, left it on, and the results have been great. The temp is equalized throughout the house, the A/C outdoor unit runs a lot less, and my electricity bills have actually dropped.
It takes a lot more electricity to cool a house than it does to keep it cool. I'd bet that you're actually spending more trying to save money the way you're doing it, jestmaty, than just letting the central air work as it was intended. |
|
|
| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by jestmaty
Thanks to both of you for the information.
Does this unit work? My room to cool is upstairs, and roughly 10 X 15/16 with 9ft ceiling. I slept in that room last night with the GE window unit that I haven't taken down yet (8,000 BTU) and it works GREAT!!!
It was 70 degrees when I woke up.
As noted above, I have the 9000 BTU Maytag version of the Fedders unit with a single hose. It is used in a 12 x 16 ft room with 8 ft ceilings that is underneath an improperly ridge vented attic (it gets really hot in that attic). It performs as well or better than the 8000 Btu window unit that it replaced. It is really oversized for that room and has no trouble cooling it quickly and keeping it cool on 100 F days. The portable unit is slightly less efficient than a window unit but if you can't use a window unit I would recommend the Fedders unit base on my Maytag experience.
Jay makes a very good point. Through the use of window a/c units I can keep our house at 70 degrees during 100 degree days. During extended hot periods we use the a/c units and generally don't open the windows. Once it has cooled down, the units cycle on infrequently to keep it that cool. In the NE, it generally cools down some at night, so I can leave the windows closed and shut off the A/C units and it will still be nice and cool in the morning. |
|
|
| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by jl_ss
The Fedders unit appears to only be available for online ordering at a lot of places:
Home Depot: HD Link
Walmart: WM Link
Target: Target Link
and now Pepboys, http://pepboys.shoplocal.com/pepboy...storeid=2315026 the weekly ad I just got has the portable also listed up to the 12k units for 499.00, Manny , Moe and Jack will sell anything auto or non auto related. |
|
|
| jrinjax |
One suggestion for low operating cost cooling, but with a higher first cost is having one of the new ductless split systems installed.
The new ductless systems by Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Halycon etc.. have a new technology that has been popular in Japan/Europe for several years. We were expecting it in the US before now, but it was not available here until recently.
The Japanese/Euro Houses do not lend themselves to having a duct system installed, so they have used the ductless splits with wall/ceiling mounted cassette type evaporators in each room tied to a single/multiple outdoor unit[s] for many years.
The new inverter technology allows the ECM [electronically commutated motor] in the compressor/fans to match the speed/output of the compressor/fans to the heat load of the room/house.
The SEER ratings for these machines are extremely high [18-20].
We are now using quite a few of these as a low cost replacement for Liebert equipment in small embedded server/router/telcom rooms in the high rise office buildings.
I am going to install one in my workshop this Fall when business requirements lessen.
JR |
|
|
|
