Air Conditioner Advice

Blarghy

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Figgy

Blarghy wrote:

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?

Any portable A/C unit is going to need a window as an exhaust outlet anyway. I've never really understood the point of them for that reason. For the price you pay and the noise, you're better off getting multiple window units. Even if your windows aren't the exact perfect size for one, you can fashion a mount yourself and make it perfectly safe.

Esh

Figgy wrote: »

Blarghy wrote:

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?

Because quite a few buildings won't allow you to install window units as they're unsightly.

Blarghy

Yes, the landlords are giant dicks about any tenant modifications. I put up coat hooks and subsequently received a firmly worded letter to not do anything of the sort in the future. So, I would like something a little more discreet.

Figgy

Esh wrote: »

Figgy wrote: »

Blarghy wrote:

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?

Because quite a few buildings won't allow you to install window units as they're unsightly.

I see. They might not allow portable units either, then. You're still going to have something in your window.

MushroomStick

Before you drop a few hundred - Do you remember to leave the bedroom door open when the a/c is on? Are you opposed to supplementing the a/c with box fans or something to get the air circulating better?

Esh

Figgy wrote: »

Esh wrote: »

Figgy wrote: »

Blarghy wrote:

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?

Because quite a few buildings won't allow you to install window units as they're unsightly.

I see. They might not allow portable units either, then. You're still going to have something in your window.

No, it's just a small air vent thing that you could easily disguise to look like nothing. It's not a giant box hanging out the window. It's no more obtrusive than a screen. You'd have to be the most anal of anal to disallow one of those.

But, it can't hurt to call management first.

Djeet

My experience with portable units is they are really only good for single room use. The "exhaust" is a marginally flexible tube about 6 ft long and they are packaged with a window kit. They are kilowatt level devices.

Before investing in one I'd look at weatherproofing doors and windows, shading windows, and fans as portable AC's are loud and expensive to run.

Blarghy

I currently use a set of 3 box fans to keep air circulating during the summer, and I do keep the bedroom door open to ensure the cool air can enter. My sister has a portable a/c in her living room and the couple of times I spent the night on her couch I slept just fine over the sound (which wasn't much louder than the 3 fans I use anyway). Single room cooling is just fine, as it mostly just intended to help out my main a/c when the temperature spikes.

bowen

Esh wrote: »

Figgy wrote: »

Esh wrote: »

Figgy wrote: »

Blarghy wrote:

So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.

I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.

Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?

Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?

Because quite a few buildings won't allow you to install window units as they're unsightly.

I see. They might not allow portable units either, then. You're still going to have something in your window.

No, it's just a small air vent thing that you could easily disguise to look like nothing. It's not a giant box hanging out the window. It's no more obtrusive than a screen. You'd have to be the most anal of anal to disallow one of those.

But, it can't hurt to call management first.

This.

Plus you can usually keep the screen on so you'd have to look really hard to notice it. They're handy if you're only ever in a single room instead of running central air.

I think their ballpark is around $500. The only thing I know of is to be diligent with removing the water.

Djeet

If you're fine with the cost of operation and the noise then go for it. If you're looking for lower cost solutions I'd try:

(1) shading your external unit if it's not already, that should improve efficiency

(2) since you're already running fans you might want to make an evaporative cooler. big bowl of ice water with a towel draped over it in front of the fan.

bowen

No reason he can't do both. Thermal curtains will cost some money, but absolutely worth it. We added them to our windows and the ambient temperature before the AC dropped by at least 5 degrees. They work amazing in the winter too, keeping out the cold air.

Then if you do need an AC to drop it more, you will be using less energy to do so.

Entriech

Edit: Necroed, apparently. What's up, Vanilla forums?