BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: EBarnacle
Date: 29 Jul 09 - 06:10 PM

This is one of several applications currently available. Basically, the difference between dehumidifiers, air conditioners and AWGs [Atmospheric Water Generators] is in the piping. All can be set up to drain precipitated water either into a drain or a service line. Larger AWGs double as HVAC units.

There are several patents out there which address the ability to reinsert humidity into air leaving a building. These are truly dripless, as there is no accumulation of water.

If you get one of these units, consider that the water produced is effectively distilled water as long as you keep the system clean.

IF you do buy one of the units with continuous drainage, make sure the drain stays clear. If there is a level sensor, it will shut down the unit when the vat fills. If the sensor fails, it could get messy.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: open mike
Date: 29 Jul 09 - 03:13 PM

i suppose a/c units often also de-humidify. here where the R.H. is in the single digits, there is not much moisture in the air. Swamp coolers work pretty well in dry climates...they add moisture to the air.

i used to spray the pads of mine, where the water trickled thru, with rose water or lavendar essence for an aroma therapy touch!

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: gnu
Date: 29 Jul 09 - 12:34 PM

Danby has good units, according to The Appliance Guy up the street from me. Bought a 10 for Mum and a 12 for me. I plumbed hers through the floor and into the utility sink in the basement "just in case". My 12 came with a bucket and I have checked it often... not a drop of water in it.

The Danby website is well constructed and has a fair bit of info on their products.

Apparently the big thing in efficiency is the gas.

I went to Economy glass with a drwaing of what I wanted made up for my casement windows. He said, "Go home and get your screens and the fittings for the ACs and well make you what you really want." Done. Works a treat.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: GUEST,sona66
Date: 29 Jul 09 - 11:00 AM

I was in the market for a portable ac recently and did humongous amount of research on features, specifications and price comparisons. One thing for sure is that Portable acs must have hoses to vent out to expel warm air. Without a hose the heat will be expelled indoors and reduce the impact of cold air in the room. One of the best I have found in the market is Plasma Cool portable PC-14E. It is easily portable on wheels, very strong – 14,000 BTUs cooling rooms upto 500 sq. ft., does not require draining, removes tons of moisture from air every day, looks ultra modern and best of all saves on electricity bills. I have been using it for about 4 months now, and everyone in my family has come to love this ac. You can find out more about this ac on www.plasmacoolportableac.com – one of the most honestly informative sites on this product out there. The website also has many testimonials that praise the product.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 08:10 PM

About 20 stores within 50 km of my home in Calgary sell it, including Home Depot. Widely distributed, it should be easy to get further information on its use.

The company (Danby Premiere of Guelph, Ontario) also sells standard window air conditioners.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 07:07 PM

"# The room that I want to use the portable air conditioner in has windows that do NOT open, does the unit need to be vented?

Both hoses need to be connected in order for the unit to work to its fullest capability. If you do not connect the intake hose the machine will use the room air that has been cooled by the unit to cool the compressor therefore decreasing the amount of air conditioned air in the room. This, in turn, will cause the compressor to work harder in an effort to replace that cool air. If you do not connect the exhaust hose, the machine will be exhausting the air that is used to cool the compressor into your room. This air is warm and will therefore counteract the effects of the air conditioner. This will also cause the compressor to work harder and shorten the life of the unit.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 06:55 PM

I have a dehumidifier which must be emptied every day or two..but it HAS an option to run a house to a drain if needed. Convenience is one thing, but physics always applies....

(I may look for one also....sure would be nice to set one at the end of the bed on hot Summer nights)

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 05:12 PM

It says this in the manual

NOTE: The exhaust/window kit must be installed at all
times when the unit is operating under AIR
CONDITIONING mode. There should be at least 11.8"
(30cm) clearance between the unit and any other objects
or building structures, and should be installed on a level
surface.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 04:48 PM

We've have two window a/c units, gnu. Back East where it was so humid, they froze up a lot and had to be turned off to thaw which did cause them to drip. Out here, in the arid west, they don't freeze up, but there is a little bit of condensation...it just drips outside and evaporates pretty quickly so no problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: jeffp
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 04:46 PM

Go to the product you are interested in. Click on the link for more information. On that page, you will find a tab for Literature. That allows you to download a PDF of the manual. Take a look through that and see what you find. Definitely don't want any surprises after you've bought it.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: gnu
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 04:41 PM

Ahhhh.... I don't understand. The thread title says No-drip. The first line of the first post says no-drip, etc. The first line in the body of the link says Bucketless Wonder!

Did I miss sommat?

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: jeffp
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 04:34 PM

It doesn't drip, but it fills a tank which must be emptied periodically. At least the one I checked out does. Have you read the manual?

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: gnu
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 03:58 PM

Oh... I can drill a hole in the floor and run a hose but that is not what is advertised. No-drip means NO drips... or does it?

What about the possibilty of mold and nasties... recall Legionnaires' disease?

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: PoppaGator
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 03:39 PM

The non-window models all LOOK as though they include a tall "bucket" about the size of a standard kitchen trash receptible. Also, the first such model I looked up included this notation:

"Direct drain option for continuous operation."

That would seem to imply that if you do NOT connect the unit to a "direct drain," you will have to occasionally shut down and empty some wastewater.

Perhaps the design allows most of the condensation to be recyled by cooling the coils, but it may be inevitable that some amount of water will eventually accumulate, even if it does so very slowly.

Installing a window unit can be a pain the butt, especially in a temporary situation. I'm sure that portable units like these can be a very attractive option even if a bit of occasional maintenance (nothing more than dumping a little water) is necessary.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 03:24 PM

The evaporating water adds to the cooling of the coils - says their website.

Subject: RE: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 01:08 PM

Do they have an evaporation tray or something?

Subject: BS: Portable air conditioners with no-drip
From: gnu
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 01:02 PM

So... no-drip, dripless, bucketless... technology. Do they cut the grass?

Unless I hear different, at 8AM tomorrow morning, I am buying two of these puppies.

A window unit at Mum's don't cut the grass no more... it's under the grass. I have the same model in my house and it's diggin as I type.