Author Topic: air conditioner - recommendations?  (Read 3679 times)

scrubbyfish

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air conditioner - recommendations?
« on: May 15, 2016, 01:32:17 PM »
climate up to 40 Celcius, heat continues through some nights
very dry
500 sq feet space
high-crime so not a good place to have windows open during sleep
temporary housing, so no permanent/structural changes
prefer quiet, but cool air is more important to me than silence

What portable or (nonduct) window air conditioner do you most recommend?

.x.

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2016, 02:14:55 PM »
following for replies. 

csprof

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2016, 03:18:58 PM »
climate up to 40 Celcius, heat continues through some nights
very dry

Swamp cooler / evaporative cooler, if you can get the water hooked up to it.  Much more energy efficient in the climate you've described.

Otherwise - it's useful to know how many cooling days you have per year, so you can analyze the ROI on buying a very high EER unit vs a more moderate one.

SethB

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2016, 03:55:28 PM »
I've liked mini splits under those conditions.

scrubbyfish

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2016, 04:36:32 PM »
Thanks, SethB and csprof.

It's getting quite complex, as I've just realized the opening-area of the window in my main (kitchen/living/bed/dining) room cannot accommodate a window AC, a mini split, nor the short exhaust hose on a portable. I could put one with more oomph in one of the less-used rooms, which might help cool the main...

scrubbyfish

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2016, 05:40:56 PM »
Have now located one portable AC with hose that will reach high main window.

But also found this: http://www.costco.ca/Lifesmart-EZ-Cool-Duo-Air-Cooler.product.100290571.html
Pros:
1. Available via Costco, which means fully refundable if ever a problem.
2. Reviews (on other sites) are quite strong where people followed the instruction to "close the cap tightly."
3. Water-based, which can help prevent kid's nosebleeds.
4. Very small! Which means easy to move, including when we switch houses next!
5. Doesn't care what windows we have and don't have; can go in any room.

I might give it a shot, unless I hear big thoughts here that influence me otherwise.

csprof

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2016, 06:18:52 PM »
I know nothing about the specific unit you found, but I'm also a fan of Costco's return policy, and 40C + very dry means that you're likely to do well with an evaporative (water)-based cooler such as that one.

Only drawback I see is that you've got to keep it filled.  If you don't mind the routine, it looks like it's worth a try.

obstinate

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2016, 12:03:17 AM »
I'd go with the portable. My wife and I have one and have been very happy with it when we lived in an upstairs apartment with a flat roof and no insulation.

Just make sure you get enough BTUs. https://www.energystar.gov/products/heating_cooling/air_conditioning_room

alsoknownasDean

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2016, 04:28:35 AM »
Don't you need to have a window open if you use an evaporative aircon (or even for exhaust for a refrigerative aircon)?

If it wasn't for the fact that it's temporary, I'd say move to a safer area.

Another option is a couple of fans. I found on hot nights if you lie on top of a slightly damp towel and have the fan blow air over you, it's not too bad. The damp towel draws a lot of heat out of your body.

scrubbyfish

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2016, 09:07:28 AM »
I'd go with the portable.

Do you mean the large portables that exhaust outside? Or the super portable (Lifesmart) I linked to just above?

Don't you need to have a window open if you use an evaporative aircon (or even for exhaust for a refrigerative aircon)?

If it wasn't for the fact that it's temporary, I'd say move to a safer area.

Another option is a couple of fans. I found on hot nights if you lie on top of a slightly damp towel and have the fan blow air over you, it's not too bad. The damp towel draws a lot of heat out of your body.

I have two small high ones I can keep open, and found one portable with a hose long enough to reach one of those.

I am happy to report that I finally understand that no where is safer :)    We don't really have police presence/action anymore and the criminals aren't abiding by our descriptions of safe neighbourhood. (Big, recent learning curve for me.)

Yeah, I definitely do all the basic tricks: open windows during cool air, shut them and curtains during warm air (these two already cool it many degrees), fans, wet sheet, sleep on floor, etc.

obstinate

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Re: air conditioner - recommendations?
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2016, 10:03:50 AM »
I mean the large ones that exhaust outside.