I worked at an auto shop, the boss lady loved an office as cold as her heart, so she used a portable unit pointed right at her, where did the heat pump out? That's right! right into the shop, right in front of the work computers! What a wonderful woman.
@@BuckRogers2000 what the hell are you putting up here? Do you have a dictionary? Look up mooch. You clearly do not know the meaning of mooch as it in no way makes sense the way you used it. Good boy though! Nice try.
Yeah I also watched many videos to understand how AC systems work, but none of them clicked for me. When I heard this guy explaining it, it instantly clicked.
HVAC tech here as well. FINALLY!! Someone explains this lol. Too bad the folks who use these wont ever bother to click on this video :( Also, great job on diving into the specifics on how this stuff works. I'm so use to explaining refrigerant theory and how AC/heat works to "common folk" *cough* home owners *cough*, that its refreshing to hear a proper explanation.
I'm a 20 plus year HVAC tech, and you my friend, did an incredible job explaining the way air conditioners work. Doing so in layman's terms so people not in the know can understand it is really great. I agree with the premise of the video 100%. 👍👍
I am a HVAC technician. I love your explanation of this. I always have a hard time explain to people how it works without getting too technical. You sir are awesome! 👍🏻
@C That's generally what I see people do, but you'll want an opinion from OP since they're an actual technician. Keep in mind sealing around the plywood and making very sure the plywood and AC unit are both safe and secure where they are, not to mention checking for any water leaks once it's installed.
I am traveling back from much further into the future and we simply use a thermodynamic law nullifier to simply move the heat out of the room and into the stove without having to deal with all those pesky laws of thermodynamics. How do we do this? By simply extracting the energy from your time dimension into ours. Who cares about the energy in the universe back when you were trying to use it?
As an old HVAC guy, you made this totally understandable for the consumer. I deal with trying to explain the operation all the time. Thanks for a fresh perspective.
The biggest downside we found with our window unit (and the reason we have a inside portable unit) is because of the massive issues we had with mold. Super humid climate + constant rain (south east US) = incredibly moldy unit which caused problems with family members who have asthma, etc. If someone solves that I'll happily pay for a new window unit.
@@Xteesy Xteesy The ac is a dehumidifier!!! if you have mold issues then your drain (slope of the a/c must be down as it goes to the outside) is clogged, dirty and recycling the condensation back into the room. Try two small A/c units instead of one and be sure to get one that drains the condensation to the outside. I put a hose and a filter to get "evap" (distilled) water which people pay for , into a small cistern (look it up) in the ground to keep cool. Blessings
I refuse to rent any place that doesn't have central air. Window units are no good unless you have one in almost every room otherwise you will have to keep your bedroom doors open to get cool air in the room and even then the rooms further away from the main unit in the living room will be hotter.
@@BartholomewSmutz Trick is to put the ACs in the bedrooms, so the open door cools the rest of the house during the day. And then when you go to sleep, you are cold and comfy.
As an American living in England, I can tell you that I own 2 of those portable a/c units, and thank God for them. Here in the UK we don't have traditional windows that could accommodate a window unit. Our summers are getting much hotter and so the upright portable a/c unit works perfectly for me, and they are not expensive to run either. I love my portables!
I see so many Americans telling me (just get your house fitted with a whole Hvac system rather than buy a portable) last quote I got was like 12 grand... as opposed to 400 quid for a portable. Hmmm. i wonder which I should get? lol
Try a double-pipe one. These theoretically does have exactly the same efficiency as split units or window units. I have the same efficiency problem but in a reversed way. I have central AC because the property allows only one place for AC exterior unit. It's a 14 KW cooling capacity one. But when I turn on only one room it's going low efficiency...like you have to buy a whole bucket for one wing.
@@Dreadpirateflappy That depends on your property. Do you own your apartment/house or you just rented it? Former get the split ac, latter get portable.
Absolutely agree with you. I have a well insulated house in the UK. Perfect for winter but it can be a nightmare in a hot summer, which I agree we seem to be getting more of late. It's easy to attach the window fabric and has made sleeping at night much easier. I no longer go to work looking worn out from no sleep in a heatwave and my work colleagues don't have to listen to me moaning!
This clears up a lot of gripes I've had with my portable. Sadly because of regulations in my building I was forced to buy one of them. You're dead right when you say this should be the last resort.
You could probably turn it into a 2 hose model by picking up another hose (like a dryer vent hose) and attach one end to where the air is drawn into the machine and stick the other end out the window so it doesn't suck out the air from your house.
I just hate the condensation drain part, major pain in the rear if you don’t have a good/easy outlet for it. Or the exhaust hose also, if your windows aren’t set up to where it’s easy to position the hose to vent outside.
Problem is, in my country (The Netherlands) window units literally don't exist. Split airco systems are available, but if you live in a rental home / social housing, you are prohibited from making any "permanent" changes to the house (i.e. making a hole in the wall to connect a split unit from inside to outside) so portable AC's are pretty much the only option.
Not necessarily true, you are allowed to make "permanent" changes if the home owner gives you permission. The problem with window units is, Dutch windows open like a door (outwardly), not up and down like American ones. So, if you had a window unit part of the window would be always open. The main reason I personally like portable air conditioners is because it's MUCH cheaper than an air conditioner you have to attach to the wall.
@@onee It's not that much cheaper to be honest. A cheap carvan split airco is probably way better, more efficient and stronger than an expensive mobile airco. But I still need a portyable one for my rental room, sadly
@@maxk880 From what I've seen those are usually a little more expensive than portable air conditioners. Portable ones are €200-500. Less powerful split caravan units start at €450.
Same in Switzerland. Can you imagine how much money the dude would make, that can offer a split air conditionner, that can be easily installed and removed in every home ?
I liked my portable unit. There were really only a couple months in the year when I needed more than just a fan. What made it better than the window unit is I could easily remove it, close both panes of the window so I wasn't losing so much heat in the winter time. Removing and reinstalling the window units every year is much less practical.
Removing the window unit and installing each year will prolong the life of the unit. Yes, it’s a royal pain taking it out and installing it but it’s worth it. My dad had a window unit that he installed each year then wrapped up real nicely in the basement for the winter. Lasted over 20 years
@@CathyS_Bx I know. I get it. I’ve rented apartments where you have to go outside to change your mind. I always put the AC in a closet on the floor. Not sure what your situation is. Best advice I have for now.
@@grazz7865 I wonder of there's a reversible window unit AC (meaning that it also has a setting to heat the room)? That would be usable during winter too, unless your winters get too cold.
@@m2heavyindustries378 there’s units like that. Motels use them all the time-especially the cheap motels……not that I spend much time in cheap motels 😂😂😂😂😂
Well presented and accurate. I have always found how the portable units operate to be poor and highly inefficient and in the early days when you had to drain the condensate by hand or through drain hose, it was even worse.
I owned one, and while it was loud, it still beat trying to sleep in a hot room even with a fan blowing on you. I mostly got used to it, and also set the temp higher so that it wasn't running for long periods of time. Sure, 78 degrees F/25 C doesn't seem "cold", but when it's 90 F/32 C outside and high humidity, it feels pretty darn comfortable.
You perfectly described my situation. Mine is loud but I don't care if it means I sleep in a cool room. And I live in the US Virgin Island. Summers are no joke.
I did too, in my defense, there was no way I could have used a window unit. Rented an apartment that had HORRIBLE windows that opened inwards slanting into the room, so they only opened a crack near the ceiling. Even routing the hose for the portable unit was a pain due to the terrible window design. So I had no other option.
I finally upgraded from a single-hose to a dual-hose portable for my apartment and the difference is night and day. The single-hose basically only cooled the room it was in, the dual-hose cools the whole apartment. As a bonus, it seems to use about half as much electricity. Plus, during wildfire season, it's not sucking smoke into my home. Well worth the extra hundred bucks or so.
I was wondering how these machines worked and am so glad to learn this. One of my dilemmas during wildfire season is to chose between open windows (cool, polluted air) or closed windows (hot, clean air). I always just thought I would have to choose one and alternate between the two, but it seems like that's not the case if I get a dual hose or if my window shape allowed for a window mounted unit. Nice!
@@zacksstuffmy Central AC went up, cost 5 grand for a new one, just brought a Hisense 8000BTU dual hose with 2yr warranty. For 279$ , it should get here by Saturday...
@@MrJoeBobSmith I mean, I've been seeing this around some time, the other day the air conditioner in the upper office busted and some geniuses took like four of these indoors... And it was like "you do realize the hot air is coming right back at us, right?"
7:22 "You can't just expel air from a room without it being replaced somehow, otherwise you are in a vacuum chamber and I advise you leave as soon as possible" I thought this was kinda funny
As an apartment renter whose central AC went out and isn't allowed a window unit, thank you for this video. I was lucky enough to find a 2 hose unit with 1 day delivery instead of getting a single hose unit from local stores. It cost me a bit more but I'm beyond positive that it's comparative efficiency will save me money.
Our AC went out a few summers ago and was gonna take 10 days to get a new unit. My buddy let me borrow one of those stand up machines and it saved my life while waiting on the new unit to be put in. It cooled the entire down stairs where we spend most of our time
PRO TIP - Adding insulation to that exhaust hose will greatly increase the efficiency, reduce operating cost and increase cooling performance on that portable air conditioner unit. It can also lower the exhaust sound by a few decibels.
That's a great tip which we also employed a few seasons back. We have an 18 yo(!) portable ac for the bedroom. It's a noisy beast and quite inefficient. So, wrapping the exhaust duct with insulation helped a lot with directing more of the heat outside, along with a lower overall noise level. Before insulating, the machine would sometimes actually turn off due to the high ambient air temps, but now with the insulation in place the machine works as it should by (somewhat) cooling the room. Definitely not as good as say, a split system.
I've had a Hisense portable down in my "cave" (finished, insulated room 15×24×8ft) in the highest part of my crawlspace, for FIVE (5) YEARS!!! It is a heat/ac/dehumidifier model. Summer or winter, no complaints.
Who the hell has such a pitiful and miserable life that they DISLIKE a video giving them nothing but clear and reliable information about something you have to be interested in to watch it in the first place? A great video with a clear, concise, and most important of all, informative delivery.
Then maybe you're the perfect guy to answer an idea I just got for my singelhose ac after watching this. I'm always thinking about how stupid it is for sucking in warm air again. So do you think the machine will work properly if I connect another hose for the air inlet with some modification to make it suck the outside air directly? The function of setting temperature will maybe not be usable but it's not a biggie, the biggest question is will it still be working okey when it sucking hot outside air all the time?
My friend had this in the windowless garage we would play DND in, with the air hose going through the outside doors dog flap. This is probably the best possible situation where a portable ac unit outshines traditional cooling. It doesn't have to be quite or efficient when it just has to periodically make the room tolerably cool for a bunch of already loud people.
When fictional combat concerning six or so IRL people sounds like REAL armed combat, you're obviously playing D&D properly! ...AND sometimes "making a little noise" really does have it's perks. ;o)
@@AuronFFX In the late 90's (if I recall correctly) "Vampire: The Masquerade" released a "Theatrical Version" of their RPG from White Wolfe Games... AND it was designed for kids and adults alike to dress up in costumes and run around acting like "real combat" except (of course) for actually wounding or killing anyone... they had rules for that... Still sounds like real combat with the jumping around and dramatic (over-acting) screaming and swearing and all... provided you're doing it right... What's funny is kid's seem to instinctively know how to play an RPG (read "Play Pretend") correctly... It's us (adults) who actually have to sit down and read a book to find out how it works... to be able to do it... AND many's the night I was up at the kitchen table with my friends, throwing dice and swearing like troopers... crunching up the combat numbers... AND the parent(s) in charge as such, were actually just glad their child was participating in something that was proving useful toward improved math skills... Children making noise, generally speaking, are good news. It's when things get quiet that you better be worried! ;o)
@@gnarthdarkanen7464 This is called LARP. I used to be part of a VTM larp until I had disagreements with a referee (dm) I can answer some questions if you like.
@@oxybrightdark8765 I'm familiar with LARP... The Vampire Theatrical RPG reference is something I figured just about anyone can look up online (surely, by now?) and figure out with as little or as much reading as they care to do... to their satisfaction. I'll continue to make my kitchen table sound like "real combat" and let the kids throw the dice and swear like troopers "theatrical license" as we call it... AND the parents can just learn to get glad that their precious is doing some serious math drills to keep up with the game. haha! Thanks... ;o)
Thank you for that fascinating explanation, I'm 56 years old and now I finally understand the basics about this technology that I have taken for granted all my life!
Wow I actually find this funny because it's the complete opposite of my personal experience. I went through 5 window units for my bedroom and they all sucked. They couldn't keep up and the humidity in the room was always extremely high. So I ordered one of those large portable ones with the exit hose. That thing was a life changer! I regretted not getting it sooner. I still use it and always recommend it to other people lol
I've read so many good and bad reviews. From what I can make out, thy seem great for humidity.glad it works for u. I'm thinking of getting one but Idk. Using a warehouse fan in my lounge atm. So loud. But with one of these portable ads the fan would hopefully push the cooled air down my corridor. That be good.
I went out of my way last year to order a dual-hose unit and wait for my hardware store to get it. Great decision, still noisy as hell but it really cools the room well.
down in Australia [where dual hoses haver never existed and most houses have gap ridden glass shutters posing as windows]; we modded a single hose to a dual hose out of desperation. Also insulated the hoses with that heat resistant stick on stuff they use to sound dampen cars. Night and day difference! went from barely cooling one room to over half the house no worries. Still was a pig so we got a window unit as soon as the old windows were replaced, quarterly electricity bills went down by 40% following summer.
Very informative. This explains why 3.5kW split system turned my shed into a freezer, but a 3.5kW portable system made the shed the same temperature as outside, which my windows can achieve.
@@retrocompaq5212 My best guess is that extremes play an important part in determining the viability of these units. Your summer temperatures in Canada are the same temperature as my mid-winter days in Australia. When it is 44 degrees Celsius in the shade in my summer, I really am not impressed by a drop in 4 degrees achieved with a 3.5kW portable unit in a small room measuring 21 cubic metres. My 3.5kW split system on the other hand, easily chills a 40 cubic metre room to 21 degrees in the same conditions. Perhaps these units work amazingly in cool climates, or maybe you own a product that has a performance well above the average. What I do know is that I am now one of the few Australian digheads that were dumb enough to buy one of these and find out the hard way why the only people who own these here are the people who tell you why you should never buy one.
Compared to the sound of it not starting up and realizing you're too cheap to hire a HVAC professional. Good thing I left half the bolts removed to make things easier! ;)
First time I have an AC in 10 years today (I had to come back to this, mine is a cheap single hose lol). I will not need my fan to sleep... If I hd a quiet big system I'd probably have wind sounds coming from speakers... love a storm too. Used to have these 12 h videos of thunderstorms playing while I sleep.
I am a fairly light sleeper and while I love the "white noise" created by AC to sleep to...the abrupt cycling on and off is so disruptive for me that I need a second white noise maker (in my case a fan that runs the whole night) to get a good night's sleep. I really glad not everyone has this issue
The hose of my last portable AC finally broke apart after 3 years, so I was looking into a new portable AC because I had a decent experience with portables. After watching this video, I decide it's time for me to get a window AC to save energy. Very helpful video, easy to understand and interesting to watch
@ Yannie: Yeah, I've used both, and the traditional window units are WAY better. And the portable ones, besides not actually cooling very well, take up a huge amount of limited indoor floor space. ☹
It looks similar (though a "budget" version) to the shots MKBHD does with his fancy camera robot. But I doubt this guy has access to this kind of equipment, so it could be camera slider, or just took the shot from further away and used a lot of stabilization
My wife and I have one of these portable air conditioners and we love it! It cranks the cold air even harder than our window units. We've had ours for about 10 years now and it's still going strong.
These are actually an extremely important emergency item for certain areas (especially rurally). It often gets over 120 F. in the summer where I live and the nearest store is more than a 2 1/2 hour drive away (“next door” neighbors are almost as far away). Every farm here has at least one of these. Because in the event of an emergency in the summertime, they are a literal lifesaver for the children/adults/pets/etc. that might be stuck at home awaiting a repairman, parent to get home, or someone returning from town with the necessary parts to fix the main unit. Children/seniors/disabled people/etc. can’t be trying to lift and setup a window unit in an emergency-but the majority of them can definitely shove a hose into a window slat.
Fr, I use a portable bc I am not capable of putting in a window unit. I’ve tried several times. I’ve almost dropped it out of the two story window multiple times :( I wish I could tho bc I hate how much space my portable takes up, plus my cat likes to walk on top of it and change all the settings
@@cranbers I won’t give too much specific information on the “town” (for lack of a better word🤣) and the surrounding area-since there are fewer than 200 of us out here… But it’s one of the main agricultural zones in southern Arizona.
OK, now *that's* a good use for them. I couldn't imagine trying to fit a window unit in a hurry, even as a young, able-bodied adult. One of these would've also provided us with air conditioning when our old one died, as we hadn't yet figured out how to remove the window screens (we borrowed a window unit, but weren't able to use it because of that).
I miss the McDLT - worked at McD's (it was my first job) when they were introduced and it quickly became my very favorite from that point onward. It was the only sandwich McD's had (until it's demise) that actually had mayo on it.
@eggmanwi Uh eggmanwi - now you are showing your age... McD's hasn't used styrofoam for years in their packaging. Even if the McDLT came back, I don't think they would bring back the packaging it originally was in.
So, if you must go portable, say you're a renter and aren't allowed a window unit, try to get a two hose unit. Probably still less efficient than a window unit, but it should be much better than a mono hose.
Problem is, when you live in a country that has tilt-and-turn windows, window units are out of the question...and when living in a nation of renters (aka Germany), installing a split system in an apartment is pretty much out of the question as well. So, these are the only option.
@@AniviaS And where do I put the outdoor unit? Those are only an option when you have a place to put it, like a balcony or terrace...which I don't have outside my window.
@@kristianneitsch479 Right. I would buy this system in a heartbeat, if it wasn't for the fact that we are forbidden from drilling. Currently our flat is 31 degrees with a incredibly high humidity, it's sundown and it will start getting hotter this week. SEND HELP
Lool I was gonna say that. Germany is THE place to sell these portable acs. In my old building there is absolutely no way I could bring in a split unit. Landlord would go crazy, building administrator would go crazy, neighbors would probably go crazy. What I'm left with is a loud, expensive and very very energy inefficient thing. And oh my God my energy bill is going through the roof...
Yep an Englishman named Carrier invented it. And before anyone says he was an American stop typing. By Englishman I am referring to where his family originated from. He was not a Native American This I referred to him as an Englishman. So stop typing your angry retort. Cheers mates
Prepperjon that’s just not how Americans are referred to as though. You aren’t English if you aren’t from England. You can speak English and not be from England, but you can’t be English.
I love how youre to the point! Beginning of Video: "Are these any good? no" Other videos, id be scubbing through the video to just find to the conclusion. Now I wanna listen to see WHY they suck
@@ParkerGuy89 They are pretty bad (inefficient) but the video explanation was so clear that NOW I know that using my fridge with its door open as an AC will never work (since the heat outputs into the same room).
I stayed in an apartment as part of an internship once and the AC died in the middle of august. All we had for at least a few days was one of the portable units, and it was a godsend.
we dont have windows like that in the UK, they all open like doors on hinges not sliding, so basically makes it way more practical to get the portable one
They are classified as a “casement” window. Often with a crank handle opening on left or right side. If you see one open from bottom it’s called an “awning” window. But I always felt for the people who only have this one style throughought their home. I lived with a realtor for a short time and we found the best one and replaced it with a slider. Not that hard to do and extremely useful
@@Murakumo96 but the added cost really isn't worth it in a country where we have a week of really hot sun a year. So a portable solution really is the only reasonable one here in the UK.
@@jmbpinto73 yeah, it's a waste of money to replace the existing heating system just for the week of heat we get. Plus it would cost more to heat the room.
I’ve owned a Frigidaire for 10 years and it’s ice cold still. It saved us when our AC went out in 98 degree heat. It simply works awesome. Don’t let this post steer you away from a good name brand model.
Dude sleeping while the AC is on and making that sound is the best thing to fall asleep to imo, i literally close my eyes and fall asleep. Idk maybe its the humming noise that’s just so comforting
i live in indiana, my wall unit never shuts off. it is right above my bed, drowns out the sounds of people getting shot in the neighbourhood across from mine..
@@cageybee7221 White noise is a much more sibilant hiss... As an oversimplification, think 'more treble,' with equal power at every frequency. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_noise#Definition and maybe play the short audio clip example, which sounds like a noisy fan.
I found out that an air conditioner of this kind is priceless for someone who has noisy neighbours. When you turn it on, you stop hearing any outside noise.
I had to buy one of these single hose ones like a week ago. Arrived today and everything in this video has been the experience. I couldnt find a double hose unit in my country and no window units as well, I cannot have the money and the scheduling patience of the split installation, so single hose unit it is. 12.000BTU 1.4kW/h and 65db loud as hell, but I was melting and could not sleep at all. Temp in my room hit 29.8C 3 days ago and 2 fans running didnt help. So I ordered one and man oh man I am loving the cold air. I will stick a plug into my ears and call it a night. Despite many flaws I love it. In the long term, I am looking for a job in the Nordic regions. I wont make it otherwise. (I really cannot withstand the hot. I almost broke up with my s.o. because he wanted to hug me while sleeping.)
I'm surprised you didn't mention another serious disadvantage of portable ACs: dealing with the condensate. Many units try to "mist" the condensate out via the hose, but once it gets really humid you just end up with a rapidly-filling extremely noisy dehumidifier in the room.
Ya know, I didn't mention this because I thought this has largely been solved. I've never had my LG unit fill up with water, though it does say that's possible. I believe that newer units have some way to get the condensate onto the condenser so that it boils off and then gets exhausted. I don't know the specifics of that, but I figure that's got to be the ideal way to do it, especially because it would help increase the effectiveness of the cooling. I would think that the only times that wouldn't work would be on extremely humid and relatively cool days, where it removes a lot of moisture, but it doesn't run long enough for the condenser to get hot enough to boil off the condensate.
I live in the swampy areas of Kentucky, and let me tell you. Just running my "portable" AC for 8 hours a day produces more than a gallon of water. I have to let mine drain into a bucket.
@@TechnologyConnections My portable AC unit use to leak water everywhere, not just through the hose drain at the bottom of the unit. I found out the tiny hole of the small water trap that dripped the condensate onto the condenser was clogged. When the hole was clogged, I could generate buckets of water. Thanks for a great video!
This is the best video I've ever seen. Humorous, entertaining, insightful, great information and he spoke well! How rare! I won't be buying a portable a c for my in-laws. Rather, I'll get them a big hand-held plastic fan!Thank you for this very informative video! Cheers mate!
as someone who has lived in texas her whole life and always ran hot, the sounds of the condenser turning on is like an asmr trigger 😂 it always makes me think “oh thank god, the cold air is on!” i got shivers as soon as i heard it!
I installed one of these in Jamaica where it is always hot. I understood the inefficiency, so I did a little extra work. I used a shelf to mount the unit at window height, so the outlet vent of the unit is at the same height as the vent in the window. Then I cut the hose short, just long enough to work with, so that there is a minimal amount of hose in the room I am trying to cool. Prior to this change, with the hose stretched out, I could feel the heat from the hose several feet into the room and the hose itself is hot to the touch. Once I had it installed with minimal hose, I then reached behind it and wrapped the hose with bubble wrap then a piece of an old blanket. In the end, I could feel none of the heat coming off the hose and at least that heat wasn't transferring back into the room.
Great informative video. My 2 cents: Everything described here is accurate from my experience but the positives can't be understated. If your AC goes off and you need a room to be cooled or multiple rooms to be cooled until you can get someone out to fix it, these are awesome. Louder, inefficient, but SOOO easy to assemble and SOOO easily to move from room to room without a hassle. If you need to cool a room for an entire season and don't have central air you go with the window unit all day every day. If you need an "emergency device" similar to a backup generation or space heater, go with the portable. You can push it from living room to bedroom and it has been a pleasant surprise for us.
That's my current situation. AC died this morning and the service guy can't get to us til next Thursday so I picked one of these up to tide me over until then. I didn't want to, but I have casement windows so that narrows my options down significantly and literally everything is sold out in town. I lucked out just on finding the one I got and there were about 4 other people looking at it too.
My window unit is heavy and I need someone else to help me put it in and take it out. I never need anyone else to set these up or take them out come late fall. The inefficiency is unfortunate though, I am considering looking for a dual hose unit at least. Another thing is that I hate bugs and the hose creates less of a gap i need to seal to keep them out.
@@johnbaker7322 the bugs havent been an issue for me and you can seal pretty well with the foam and some tape from a store. However there is no question it's not as good as a window unit or dual hose for effectiveness.
Also in some situations you cant simply buy window based AC or static AC, my bedroom/office where I spend a lot of time dont just have bad air ventilation, but it gets really hot really fast even if its cold outside due to it being bellow a loft roof that is very well isolated. I cant install a static AC as its too expensive for me living in my bedroom just for a few more years. So I bought the most "effecient" portable AC unit I could find from electrolux, we also have a hole in the wall where we connected the exchaust pipe so I don't need to open a window to use it, which would void its iffeciency anyways. So it cools my room quickly and easily keeps it that way. The exchaustion also forces my room to be negative pressure making it easier for fresh air to ventilate into my room from outside, making it more bearable to stay in my room. So all of the "inneficient" negatives it causes is actually "features" that I use, dehumidifaction, forced ventilation and colder temperatures. I also live in a country that is primarily powered by hydropower, there is a huge hydropowerplant just a few min away from where I live, and we got solar array on our ceiling, so its climate impact isn't much to worry about anyways. Neither its electricity bills.
If you own your home, the best type of air-conditioning is the "mini" split type reversing ones (the ones that cool and heat), one external unit (expensive) can be used by two internal units. Here in Europe in our homes it is the most common type, beating central cooling.
Portable AC hose hack: use an (aluminium) insulating hose with a slightly bigger diameter than your AC output hose (like from a drying machine), put it around the non-insulated output hose, zip it on both ends with zip-ties, then connect the hose to your window and AC. Helped my attic room from being 30 degrees C with the AC on full blast, to 23 degrees C with the fan on its lowest setting.
To be fair, Home Depot does sell both portable and window units. It'd be more damming if he were to steer people away from ACs altogether, instead of just the portables.
@@PongoXBongo When he said that, I immediately thought about Walmart. Even though it's not a slogan, it fits them perfectly. "Save big money by buying cheap and low quality products." "Great value" as a name for the shittiest of the shit you can buy there... What a joke.
I actually work at HD and you wouldn't believe how difficult it its to convince people to buy window or two-hose units. You wouldn't believe how many people actually think swamp coolers (evaporative coolers) are just "hose-less" air conditioners.
Had one of these a few years ago, not long after this video was released. My solution to its issues was to have the unit right next to the window, minimizing hose length and hose heat transfer, and to have a strong fan sitting right next to its air output port, blowing the cooled air across one of the walls and creating a slow vortex in the room that circled the hottest air back to the unit.
When I needed one in an emergency while my main AC was getting repaired, I did the same exact thing except I also wrap insulation around the exhaust hose because it got super hot. It helped me in a pinch, and I still have it as a back up if it’s ever needed.
I have one I got on sale, 7000 BTU. I never use it except for working in the garage in extreme heat or when the central AC unit is broken. I've used it twice as an emergency backup in the living room to keep the family comfortable when it's 110 plus outside. It will keep the living room at 88 or so and cool if you're directly in the airflow path. The biggest thing I can recommend is insulating the hot hose, it improves things a fair bit.
This was the only type of air conditioner my college allowed me to have for accommodations and it worked perfectly. The sound of it at night also let me sleep and drowned out hallway noise from my residence hall. I've got nothing against these.
@@StewHeisenberg This was the model I bought. Pricey, but I tried to live in my dorm without it and I ended up in the emergency room. I like the settings and it has wheels so you can roll it. www.amazon.com/discover/BLACK-DECKER-Portable-Conditioner-Display/salp/B01DLPUWJ4/ref=asc_df_B01DLPUWJ4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198098764798&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17772208920142419175&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003521&hvtargid=pla-348315898733&psc=1
The one thing I’ve learned this summer after a few too many awkward conversations is that when people are considering buying a portable air conditioner, I should just keep everything I learned here to myself.
IKR!!?? In the past, I’ve tried preaching the “two hoses is best if you absolutely have to go portable” but no one cares 🤷♂️ how or why. I’ve learned to just shut up and help friends and family “install” their shitty single hose units. I have a 15k btu smart window ac that I turn on with an app, on my way home so…I’m happy! Haha
I agree with you except that if you live in a rental with a house that has crankout windows, a portable may be the only option. Not they aren't great but they are decent.
@@jeromemckenna7102 yes, a portable is sometimes the only option and can even be the best option…just make sure it’s a dual hose not a single hose, if available….that’s the point we are attempting to make
@@nahteo A single hose works just fine. Mine is single hose and I have enough problems slithering that six inch diameter, plastic, unwieldy monstrosity though the only single window I have as it is. To have two of those, stacked on top of each other as it's a side hinged window is utterly and completely out of the question.
@@vresi I feel you on so many levels. As I live in a rented apartment it is the only option. It looks ridiculous, noisy as hell, but no way in hell will I work from home in 35°C
While this is very interesting and valuable information, it's good to remember that portable ACs have a place too, particularly for disabled folk/emergency kits/anyone who rents a home with inaccessible or even no windows in the room they need cooling. So don't feel bad if it's all you can get! They definitely work well (depending on what unit you get), even if they're not optimized as well as in window units or central.
I modded my single-hose unit into a double hose unit with a bit of cardboard, tape and a dryer hose from the hardware store. Its only hot for a few months where I live so it's well worth it not sweating your ass off. Oh and Window Units aren't a thing here because we have these fancy german windows. And good luck installing a split system at a place you rent.
was it worth it? i mean, did you notice a difference? i just got one of these things (single-hose,) coz where i live, we all have bars on our windows. plus i'm on the ground floor, so if i take out the bars, i'll be lucky if the a/c is all they take.
did the same thing. works incredibly well. standard single hose does 5 degrees under outside temperature at best. dual hose mod made 24 degrees Celsius inside with 38 outside 2 weeks ago. would've been impossible to sleep otherwise. old apparent in the top floor, poorly insulated 100 year old house.
I ran two $500 single hose units and my house stayed over 80 degrees. Now I have a 15000 btu and a 6000 btu unit in my house, and it cools to 68 degrees on a hot day if left unchecked. That’s a full 1,200 square feet. Single hose units suck in the hot outside air. The BTUs were the same on the portable are they were on the replacement window units, only the window units worked.
I have trouble sleeping without noise. I love the sound of a fan, and the noise of that AC unit cutting on sounded so soothing to me. I cant be the only one.
My portable aircon made such a massive noise when the compressor switched on or off that it ripped me out of my sleep and my heart would race so much from the fright that I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. A split unit AC however is just pure heaven. I would love being in the starship Enterprise just listening to the hum of the life support system.
For me I'm the exact same way except for our heater system rather than the AC unit. While it doesn't have that compressor sound it has a deep, low hum that radiates through the house and is deeply relaxing.
These are pretty much the norm in Europe and most of the world, window mounted ones dont exist here at all. And they are all pretty much inverters these days so you can use them as heating as they are pretty efficient. Not to mention that 3.5kW (12 000 BTU) ones are around 350 EUR these days.
@@catalinsalcieanu4640 You have zero clue. The most "energy efficient" home air conditioners in the world are "Mini Split" Now some models are hitting 33 SEER. Mini Split as in outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor air-handling unit(s) (evaporator) (Heat Pumps)
I get your points, and they are all very, very valid. There's no window units available where I live. Actually, we don't even have the right kind of windows to put them in. Portable split machines exist, but at an eye-watering price of at the very least three times what n integrated portable costs. I got my portable for under 200€ and the cheapest portable split machines start at just under 700€. And those are for camping use. And I can tell you right away, these portables coolers are a whole lot better than no cooling at all, especially when your office - the place you are supposed to think in - approaches 28°C.
Very informative video. Thank you. The one major point you missed is about expelling the humidity. With portable air conditioners, when it gets extremely humid, you have to empty the reservoir by hand, as the unit is incapable of sending enough moisture out through the exhaust. This can be extremely problematic at night when you have to get up four or five times to drain it.
There are units nowadays which scavenge the moist air off the evaporator coil and blow out the hot humid air out. Naturally, this drops efficiency a scosh, but it makes it incredibly convenient.
i didn't understand having the unit drip into a bucket to empty. I put the stopper back in and just vent it out the window. i have moved it to the basement to keep the air dry in the summer.
Get an industrial fan. They're really good. I can handle 34°C just fine with one. For 1000 bonus points, learn to _sleep_ with one of them on :> (Done; haven't turned mine off for nearly a year since I like the white noise, even though it's technically winter........)
I've used portable units a few times, and I've had window units as well. The portable unit is great for a temporary solution, and can also be great for use on a rental property where landlord wouldn't approve of window unit installation or in an area where neighborhood rules don't allow traditional window units. It's also nice to be able to aim it around the room, something you cannot do nearly as effectively with a window unit. I find the portable units also sound a lot nicer than window units. Portable units can actually sound comforting (I had no trouble sleeping next to one), while window units are often more like nails on a chalkboard. Downsides of course are the lower efficiency, and you also have to deal with condensation, so there is either a drain hose you have to figure out what to do with or there will be a reservoir that you have to regularly empty out. I would say window units are better, but there's nothing quite like coming home to a hot house and positioning a portable unit right next to your face or chair; it's like giving life the middle finger for a short while when life is giving you a hard time (which if you life in a hot climate and don't have regular A/C in your place, life is probably giving you a hard time).
the sound factor your talking about is just down to quality of the unit. There's no real reason a window unit that puts the sound outside your home should be worse sound than a portable unit fully inside your room.
yeah life is definitely giving me a hard time. and I understand that on paper, my portable AC should be terrible but it was 108F yesterday and I'm way more comfy than I was with my window unit!
I agree. I live in a noisy area and the portable drowns out the outside noise completely. I set the timer on mine to come on a few hours before I get home so the room is very comfortable when I’m ready for bed. Admittedly, not a refrigerator mostly because the bedroom is on the second floor which gets beaten by the sun for pretty much the whole day.
@@Shpooky They were always able to cool the rooms, the issue is that they are less efficient at cooling, they consume more power to get the same result. The info isn't old because the science is the same.
These pretty much just exist for asshole landlords that ban the window units, and crappy windows that won't physically fit one (even with building a frame).
We have both a dual hose and single hose portable AC we use during the summer in our townhouse. The difference in cooling power between the single and dual hose is honestly astounding. The dual hose is put on the main floor at the front of the house, and manages to cool the entire floor, about 750 square feet if I had to guess. By contrast, the single hose is in our bedroom, and can't even manage to keep just our room cool when the sun is on that side of the building. To be fair, the two large, poorly insulated windows in that room certainly don't help. But the inherent weakness of the single hose setup is pretty clearly illustrated in that case. When the sun isn't beating down on that side of the building, it manages to keep that room cool to the temperature you want, but the rest of the floor still stays hot.
My company used these devices for a while. They would "work" if you were literally right in front of them, where the cool air comes out. But the net effect in the entire room was negligible. We ended up switching to portable fans. They move more air and provide the same feeling of coolness over a wider area at less cost both initially and energy-wise. But it was worth a try.
You probably didn't have enough tons of cooling for the room. That you say "Company" suggests to me that it's a pretty large space, and these dinky little coolers would not be enough for climate controlling anything bigger than a small office with one or two people.
@@brianreher3727 That makes sense. I think we were asking too much of them. Not only that, but the exhaust ducting leaked because they hadn't bothered to seal them properly.
Insulated sleeves are available to help reduce heat radiating off of the vent hoses. While expensive, they do significantly improve many of the mentioned problems and are perfectly compatable with dual hose machines. Hose in a hose units are noe available on the market which are a drastic improvement as well.
Thermometers are just speedometers for molecules.
I didn’t want this but I got it
Nailed the 100th like on this comment. 😎
Ehhh... sorta. Energy does not equal speed per se.
Ya gotta shake what your 'mometer gave ya'!
You are too woke.
You are dangerous.
You will be destroyed.
I worked at an auto shop, the boss lady loved an office as cold as her heart, so she used a portable unit pointed right at her, where did the heat pump out? That's right! right into the shop, right in front of the work computers!
What a wonderful woman.
Lol
@@ILOVECHICKEN698
🤣😂
I can feel your love for her from here ❤️
😂😂 I feel your pain
Lol... what a boss.. hey thanks for sharing it
Anyone who can talk about over 15 minutes about conditioning without being boring ... deserves respect.
Congratulations
Who was that? Certainly not this human sleep aid.
@@danmalec6823 you beat me too it
@@danmalec6823 Says the noncontributing mooch.
@@BuckRogers2000 what the hell are you putting up here? Do you have a dictionary? Look up mooch. You clearly do not know the meaning of mooch as it in no way makes sense the way you used it. Good boy though! Nice try.
What bro? i was falling asleep after 4 houra.
As 16 year veteran of the HVAC field I must say that was the best breakdown of the refrigeration cycle I have ever heard.
You heard of HVAC school on youtube check that out
Yeah I also watched many videos to understand how AC systems work, but none of them clicked for me. When I heard this guy explaining it, it instantly clicked.
thank you for your service
The way he condensed the information
I REALLY appreciated that part of his dissertation. Very informative.
I'm an HVAC tech and I really appreciate how simple you make a complex process. Great video! I'm going to share this with my customers!
Same here. I'm quite impressed with having the fundamentals right, and the information presented.
I’m happy that people can use his content in such creative ways
it goes very complex when trying to maximize the efficiency of the process, but the basics are not that complex, its simple thermodinamics
I like the combo system with the compressor on the poo utside of the building and the evaporator on the onside
HVAC tech here as well. FINALLY!! Someone explains this lol. Too bad the folks who use these wont ever bother to click on this video :(
Also, great job on diving into the specifics on how this stuff works. I'm so use to explaining refrigerant theory and how AC/heat works to "common folk" *cough* home owners *cough*, that its refreshing to hear a proper explanation.
I'm a 20 plus year HVAC tech, and you my friend, did an incredible job explaining the way air conditioners work. Doing so in layman's terms so people not in the know can understand it is really great. I agree with the premise of the video 100%. 👍👍
Literally about to say the same thing. It shows how much he understands the concept.
Also a HVAC Technician, and i agree. Hes on point. I want him to make more videos so i can show them to my customers lol
I also agree. I've heard instructors do a worse job explaining the refrigeration cycle
I thought the low pressure is the gas side, and high pressure is liquid side? He said the reverse, though. Am I mistaken?
@@jonsmith1259 Time Stamp where he said that?
I am a HVAC technician. I love your explanation of this. I always have a hard time explain to people how it works without getting too technical. You sir are awesome! 👍🏻
@C That's generally what I see people do, but you'll want an opinion from OP since they're an actual technician. Keep in mind sealing around the plywood and making very sure the plywood and AC unit are both safe and secure where they are, not to mention checking for any water leaks once it's installed.
If someone doesnt understand basic physics of phase change it is impossible to explain how it works.
And I'm a nasa engineer! Ah the internet... such a good place to RP
Its important to mention the two spurving bearings, aligned with the 2 reverse stating omni-solenoids.
Yes sir exactly the same here..
I am traveling back from the future to report that I am finally seeing dual hose models at my local Costco
I am traveling back from much further into the future and we simply use a thermodynamic law nullifier to simply move the heat out of the room and into the stove without having to deal with all those pesky laws of thermodynamics.
How do we do this? By simply extracting the energy from your time dimension into ours. Who cares about the energy in the universe back when you were trying to use it?
How much??
The good dual-hose models cost around US$450 to US$600 depending on the BTU level of cooling.
nice! i run a single hose currently, saves me in my small room! haha
LMAO thank god
As an old HVAC guy, you made this totally understandable for the consumer. I deal with trying to explain the operation all the time. Thanks for a fresh perspective.
Seumas Righ I totally agree man. He’s AWESOME when it comes to literally explaining ANYTHING.
As a new HVAC guy it felt good to understand and know how to apply what he is talking about.
The biggest downside we found with our window unit (and the reason we have a inside portable unit) is because of the massive issues we had with mold. Super humid climate + constant rain (south east US) = incredibly moldy unit which caused problems with family members who have asthma, etc.
If someone solves that I'll happily pay for a new window unit.
@dbltrplx I believe the Commentor was describing himself as being old, not the gentleman in the video.
@@Xteesy Xteesy The ac is a dehumidifier!!! if you have mold issues then your drain (slope of the a/c must be down as it goes to the outside) is clogged, dirty and recycling the condensation back into the room. Try two small A/c units instead of one and be sure to get one that drains the condensation to the outside. I put a hose and a filter to get "evap" (distilled) water which people pay for , into a small cistern (look it up) in the ground to keep cool. Blessings
Every person renting a home instead of owning one, knows that portable airconditioners are a blessing.
I refuse to rent any place that doesn't have central air. Window units are no good unless you have one in almost every room otherwise you will have to keep your bedroom doors open to get cool air in the room and even then the rooms further away from the main unit in the living room will be hotter.
Not in Texas. I deal with electricity and these things suck ppl dry!!! 200-300+ bills in a trailer
@@BartholomewSmutz Trick is to put the ACs in the bedrooms, so the open door cools the rest of the house during the day. And then when you go to sleep, you are cold and comfy.
Everyone renting is poor.
@@user-zu1ix3yq2w maybe you're joking but if you're not, that is a silly statement.
16 years in HVAC. You did a wonderful job on this video. ! Well done!
Are you ever gonna come out though?
I agree. People usually mess up explaining the refridgeration cycle but he did a great job at it.
Why are you inside a High Voltage Alternative Current network?
@@Helveteshit ...
@@Helveteshit 0/10 shitpost
As an American living in England, I can tell you that I own 2 of those portable a/c units, and thank God for them. Here in the UK we don't have traditional windows that could accommodate a window unit. Our summers are getting much hotter and so the upright portable a/c unit works perfectly for me, and they are not expensive to run either. I love my portables!
Have you got the windows that open out? If you have, is there some kind of attachment you use to block off the rest of the window opening?
I see so many Americans telling me (just get your house fitted with a whole Hvac system rather than buy a portable) last quote I got was like 12 grand... as opposed to 400 quid for a portable.
Hmmm. i wonder which I should get? lol
Try a double-pipe one. These theoretically does have exactly the same efficiency as split units or window units.
I have the same efficiency problem but in a reversed way. I have central AC because the property allows only one place for AC exterior unit. It's a 14 KW cooling capacity one. But when I turn on only one room it's going low efficiency...like you have to buy a whole bucket for one wing.
@@Dreadpirateflappy That depends on your property. Do you own your apartment/house or you just rented it? Former get the split ac, latter get portable.
Absolutely agree with you. I have a well insulated house in the UK. Perfect for winter but it can be a nightmare in a hot summer, which I agree we seem to be getting more of late.
It's easy to attach the window fabric and has made sleeping at night much easier. I no longer go to work looking worn out from no sleep in a heatwave and my work colleagues don't have to listen to me moaning!
I have been in the AC business for 40 years and this is a great video for the homeowner to explain how air conditioning works! Great job!
Only if he told the truth. Portable is just as good as a window unit.
he literally spent the entire video explaining why you’re wrong
@@jastekcameralive Jeezus JASTEK, did you even watch the video?
@@jastekcameralive portable units are only good for pushing around. Rest of the parameters are bad.
@@jastekcameralive Jealous he did a million times better job at explaining this then you ever could ? LOL
This clears up a lot of gripes I've had with my portable. Sadly because of regulations in my building I was forced to buy one of them. You're dead right when you say this should be the last resort.
th-cam.com/video/c9p8vJGc37E/w-d-xo.html have you ever tried one of these?
That blows
You could probably turn it into a 2 hose model by picking up another hose (like a dryer vent hose) and attach one end to where the air is drawn into the machine and stick the other end out the window so it doesn't suck out the air from your house.
@@jmad318 Yeah, I've seen videos of those kind of mods online. Would certainly suck less by sucking more ;)
I just hate the condensation drain part, major pain in the rear if you don’t have a good/easy outlet for it. Or the exhaust hose also, if your windows aren’t set up to where it’s easy to position the hose to vent outside.
Problem is, in my country (The Netherlands) window units literally don't exist. Split airco systems are available, but if you live in a rental home / social housing, you are prohibited from making any "permanent" changes to the house (i.e. making a hole in the wall to connect a split unit from inside to outside) so portable AC's are pretty much the only option.
Not necessarily true, you are allowed to make "permanent" changes if the home owner gives you permission.
The problem with window units is, Dutch windows open like a door (outwardly), not up and down like American ones. So, if you had a window unit part of the window would be always open.
The main reason I personally like portable air conditioners is because it's MUCH cheaper than an air conditioner you have to attach to the wall.
@@onee It's not that much cheaper to be honest. A cheap carvan split airco is probably way better, more efficient and stronger than an expensive mobile airco. But I still need a portyable one for my rental room, sadly
I live in Netherlands and sadly i cant have a window unit... I rent a home and company have strict rules for window units. (I hate you destion)
@@maxk880 From what I've seen those are usually a little more expensive than portable air conditioners. Portable ones are €200-500. Less powerful split caravan units start at €450.
Same in Switzerland.
Can you imagine how much money the dude would make, that can offer a split air conditionner, that can be easily installed and removed in every home ?
I liked my portable unit. There were really only a couple months in the year when I needed more than just a fan. What made it better than the window unit is I could easily remove it, close both panes of the window so I wasn't losing so much heat in the winter time. Removing and reinstalling the window units every year is much less practical.
Removing the window unit and installing each year will prolong the life of the unit. Yes, it’s a royal pain taking it out and installing it but it’s worth it. My dad had a window unit that he installed each year then wrapped up real nicely in the basement for the winter. Lasted over 20 years
@@grazz7865 Try that a tight one-bedroom apartment!
@@CathyS_Bx I know. I get it. I’ve rented apartments where you have to go outside to change your mind. I always put the AC in a closet on the floor. Not sure what your situation is. Best advice I have for now.
@@grazz7865 I wonder of there's a reversible window unit AC (meaning that it also has a setting to heat the room)? That would be usable during winter too, unless your winters get too cold.
@@m2heavyindustries378 there’s units like that. Motels use them all the time-especially the cheap motels……not that I spend much time in cheap motels 😂😂😂😂😂
As a Refrigeration Technician I am impressed with your technical explanation.
Im also a tech I was gonna say the same thing
Same here. I am thinking of making some of my new guys watch this.
It seems tech find this video more than homeowners lol. HVAC tech here too!
@TeefMah
Are magnetic fridges appearing yet?
@@avada0 I am not familiar with magnetic refrigeration.
As an HVAC person this is a very good explanation of how AC units work.
Very nice video.
As a non-HVAC person, I also confirm.
As an HVAC system, this is super accurate
As a person i support HVAC
its not really tho, he said 3 essential components. as a HVAC person you should know its 4.
Well presented and accurate. I have always found how the portable units operate to be poor and highly inefficient and in the early days when you had to drain the condensate by hand or through drain hose, it was even worse.
I owned one, and while it was loud, it still beat trying to sleep in a hot room even with a fan blowing on you. I mostly got used to it, and also set the temp higher so that it wasn't running for long periods of time. Sure, 78 degrees F/25 C doesn't seem "cold", but when it's 90 F/32 C outside and high humidity, it feels pretty darn comfortable.
You perfectly described my situation. Mine is loud but I don't care if it means I sleep in a cool room. And I live in the US Virgin Island. Summers are no joke.
Celsius stinks
Window units exist? That’s the whole point of this video.
If it could not fit, you probably should have mentioned it.
He said at the beginning of the video that if this is your only option, it does “work” but a window AC is much more efficient
I did too, in my defense, there was no way I could have used a window unit. Rented an apartment that had HORRIBLE windows that opened inwards slanting into the room, so they only opened a crack near the ceiling. Even routing the hose for the portable unit was a pain due to the terrible window design. So I had no other option.
I finally upgraded from a single-hose to a dual-hose portable for my apartment and the difference is night and day. The single-hose basically only cooled the room it was in, the dual-hose cools the whole apartment. As a bonus, it seems to use about half as much electricity. Plus, during wildfire season, it's not sucking smoke into my home. Well worth the extra hundred bucks or so.
What dual hose ac did you get?
@@littlebanshee it's a Danby inverter unit, model DPA100B9IWDB-6. Costco had it $120 off.
I was wondering how these machines worked and am so glad to learn this. One of my dilemmas during wildfire season is to chose between open windows (cool, polluted air) or closed windows (hot, clean air). I always just thought I would have to choose one and alternate between the two, but it seems like that's not the case if I get a dual hose or if my window shape allowed for a window mounted unit. Nice!
@@zacksstuffmy Central AC went up, cost 5 grand for a new one, just brought a Hisense 8000BTU dual hose with 2yr warranty. For 279$ , it should get here by Saturday...
😊
Great video showing the thermodynamic idiocy of exchanging 75 F air (you just paid for) to cool the condenser with 100 F outside air.
@@MrJoeBobSmith I mean, I've been seeing this around some time, the other day the air conditioner in the upper office busted and some geniuses took like four of these indoors... And it was like "you do realize the hot air is coming right back at us, right?"
7:22 "You can't just expel air from a room without it being replaced somehow,
otherwise you are in a vacuum chamber and I advise you leave as soon as possible" I thought this was kinda funny
is was FAN-tastic :)
@@RoelAdriaans BAHAHAHA
What would happen if you turned an air conditioner on in space?
@@frostamatus It will not function.
Technically we should'nt hear his advice, since there is no air
As an apartment renter whose central AC went out and isn't allowed a window unit, thank you for this video. I was lucky enough to find a 2 hose unit with 1 day delivery instead of getting a single hose unit from local stores.
It cost me a bit more but I'm beyond positive that it's comparative efficiency will save me money.
I found a dual hose unit at Costco with 8,000 BTU for $399 I'm debating on buying that before summer comes around!
Our AC went out a few summers ago and was gonna take 10 days to get a new unit. My buddy let me borrow one of those stand up machines and it saved my life while waiting on the new unit to be put in. It cooled the entire down stairs where we spend most of our time
PRO TIP - Adding insulation to that exhaust hose will greatly increase the efficiency, reduce operating cost and increase cooling performance on that portable air conditioner unit. It can also lower the exhaust sound by a few decibels.
Oh thats pretty ingenious. What material can be used for insulating it?
@cokomairena They sell HVAC insulated ducting in 6 inch at Home Depot. That's the size on most of these.
That's a great tip which we also employed a few seasons back. We have an 18 yo(!) portable ac for the bedroom. It's a noisy beast and quite inefficient.
So, wrapping the exhaust duct with insulation helped a lot with directing more of the heat outside, along with a lower overall noise level.
Before insulating, the machine would sometimes actually turn off due to the high ambient air temps, but now with the insulation in place the machine works as it should by (somewhat) cooling the room. Definitely not as good as say, a split system.
at which part of the hose? at the end or near the ac itself?
@@ablueprofilepic9876 around the entire length of the hose to stop the heat passing through it radiating back into the room
Mmm... Acoustics
not that bad tbh
Yeah sounds fine to me.
I only noticed it after reading this comment.
Your tape is hissing, you should use a chromium tape! :-)
Probably just the youtube compression
What a wonderful explanation of how a cooler works. Thanks.
I've had a Hisense portable down in my "cave" (finished, insulated room 15×24×8ft) in the highest part of my crawlspace, for FIVE (5) YEARS!!! It is a heat/ac/dehumidifier model. Summer or winter, no complaints.
Suprised it lasted more than a year, since it's a "hi" sense.
Who the hell has such a pitiful and miserable life that they DISLIKE a video giving them nothing but clear and reliable information about something you have to be interested in to watch it in the first place?
A great video with a clear, concise, and most important of all, informative delivery.
Probably people who sell these...
People who don't like to know they've just wasted money lol
All jokes aside, TH-cam automatically adds dislikes to videos to balance the ratio.
@@lilyflower6265 they do, it's a known fact.
@@lilyflower6265 I don't know, ask the CEO Susan Wojciki. TH-cam does it, not me.
As a air conditioning engineer of 21 years this is a perfect explanation of how a air conditioning system works in basic terminology.
Then maybe you're the perfect guy to answer an idea I just got for my singelhose ac after watching this. I'm always thinking about how stupid it is for sucking in warm air again.
So do you think the machine will work properly if I connect another hose for the air inlet with some modification to make it suck the outside air directly? The function of setting temperature will maybe not be usable but it's not a biggie, the biggest question is will it still be working okey when it sucking hot outside air all the time?
@@albert. perfect 👌
typo, there is no such thing, your a ''technician.''
I wouldn't call it perfect. There where minor errors.
@@richardformdal6631 I have the solution. Just use the unit in the winter, when the air outside is cold. No more warm air issues.
My friend had this in the windowless garage we would play DND in, with the air hose going through the outside doors dog flap. This is probably the best possible situation where a portable ac unit outshines traditional cooling. It doesn't have to be quite or efficient when it just has to periodically make the room tolerably cool for a bunch of already loud people.
When fictional combat concerning six or so IRL people sounds like REAL armed combat, you're obviously playing D&D properly!
...AND sometimes "making a little noise" really does have it's perks. ;o)
@@gnarthdarkanen7464 unless the room happens to be the kitchen table with screaming kids running around.
@@AuronFFX In the late 90's (if I recall correctly) "Vampire: The Masquerade" released a "Theatrical Version" of their RPG from White Wolfe Games... AND it was designed for kids and adults alike to dress up in costumes and run around acting like "real combat" except (of course) for actually wounding or killing anyone... they had rules for that... Still sounds like real combat with the jumping around and dramatic (over-acting) screaming and swearing and all... provided you're doing it right...
What's funny is kid's seem to instinctively know how to play an RPG (read "Play Pretend") correctly... It's us (adults) who actually have to sit down and read a book to find out how it works... to be able to do it...
AND many's the night I was up at the kitchen table with my friends, throwing dice and swearing like troopers... crunching up the combat numbers... AND the parent(s) in charge as such, were actually just glad their child was participating in something that was proving useful toward improved math skills...
Children making noise, generally speaking, are good news. It's when things get quiet that you better be worried! ;o)
@@gnarthdarkanen7464 This is called LARP. I used to be part of a VTM larp until I had disagreements with a referee (dm) I can answer some questions if you like.
@@oxybrightdark8765 I'm familiar with LARP... The Vampire Theatrical RPG reference is something I figured just about anyone can look up online (surely, by now?) and figure out with as little or as much reading as they care to do... to their satisfaction.
I'll continue to make my kitchen table sound like "real combat" and let the kids throw the dice and swear like troopers "theatrical license" as we call it... AND the parents can just learn to get glad that their precious is doing some serious math drills to keep up with the game. haha!
Thanks... ;o)
You are THE first person to successfully explain how ACs work to me Great job
This channel is CRIMINALLY underrated.
+Edim 108 Agreed! This Queen slays!
Just found it. The algorithm will find him also, just wait.
Almost half a million views and almost half a million subscribers! I wouldn't call that underrated! 👏👏
@@karl5874 The Queen indeed slays!
yes it is...
Thank you for that fascinating explanation, I'm 56 years old and now I finally understand the basics about this technology that I have taken for granted all my life!
Me: It's 3 in the morning, I need to get to sleep
Also me: Ah, yes... Tell me about these inefficient air conditioners!
Same lmao
Kuhwristchin P It’s not 3:00 Am anymore
@@-Name-here- it is in Hawaii
Richie Godsil - Lol
@@brawnbenson552 8PM in the Netherlands already Lls
Wow I actually find this funny because it's the complete opposite of my personal experience. I went through 5 window units for my bedroom and they all sucked. They couldn't keep up and the humidity in the room was always extremely high. So I ordered one of those large portable ones with the exit hose. That thing was a life changer! I regretted not getting it sooner. I still use it and always recommend it to other people lol
I've read so many good and bad reviews. From what I can make out, thy seem great for humidity.glad it works for u. I'm thinking of getting one but Idk. Using a warehouse fan in my lounge atm. So loud. But with one of these portable ads the fan would hopefully push the cooled air down my corridor. That be good.
I went out of my way last year to order a dual-hose unit and wait for my hardware store to get it. Great decision, still noisy as hell but it really cools the room well.
down in Australia [where dual hoses haver never existed and most houses have gap ridden glass shutters posing as windows]; we modded a single hose to a dual hose out of desperation. Also insulated the hoses with that heat resistant stick on stuff they use to sound dampen cars. Night and day difference! went from barely cooling one room to over half the house no worries. Still was a pig so we got a window unit as soon as the old windows were replaced, quarterly electricity bills went down by 40% following summer.
The dual hose ones are fine. The problem is with single hose ones.
Not all of them are a lot noisier.
@@raeitifraosi6247 "Still was a pig " what's that mean?
Very informative. This explains why 3.5kW split system turned my shed into a freezer, but a 3.5kW portable system made the shed the same temperature as outside, which my windows can achieve.
😂
I think a portable fan would work better lol
idk dude its 20deg inside and 32 out, im on the top floor, maybe not the most efficient way to do it but it works
@@retrocompaq5212 My best guess is that extremes play an important part in determining the viability of these units. Your summer temperatures in Canada are the same temperature as my mid-winter days in Australia. When it is 44 degrees Celsius in the shade in my summer, I really am not impressed by a drop in 4 degrees achieved with a 3.5kW portable unit in a small room measuring 21 cubic metres. My 3.5kW split system on the other hand, easily chills a 40 cubic metre room to 21 degrees in the same conditions. Perhaps these units work amazingly in cool climates, or maybe you own a product that has a performance well above the average. What I do know is that I am now one of the few Australian digheads that were dumb enough to buy one of these and find out the hard way why the only people who own these here are the people who tell you why you should never buy one.
10:03 I love the sound of A/C starting up... it means happiness will continue.
Compared to the sound of it not starting up and realizing you're too cheap to hire a HVAC professional. Good thing I left half the bolts removed to make things easier! ;)
😊
i have been an hvac service technician for 24 years. people ask why i say i love that sound... when it makes that sound my job is done...
It’s like, dude!
It means there's still summer and good weather!
ive never seen anyone hate on loud ac noises, they are truly one of my favorite noises and can make sleeping alot easier xP
First time I have an AC in 10 years today (I had to come back to this, mine is a cheap single hose lol). I will not need my fan to sleep... If I hd a quiet big system I'd probably have wind sounds coming from speakers... love a storm too. Used to have these 12 h videos of thunderstorms playing while I sleep.
I am a fairly light sleeper and while I love the "white noise" created by AC to sleep to...the abrupt cycling on and off is so disruptive for me that I need a second white noise maker (in my case a fan that runs the whole night) to get a good night's sleep. I really glad not everyone has this issue
you just need to find a model with sound defeaning insulation on the compressor which mine suprisingly has. and its sooo much more quiter
I am a mechanical engineer, and I hope I had more teachers like you. Explaining it as simply and precisely as possible !
The hose of my last portable AC finally broke apart after 3 years, so I was looking into a new portable AC because I had a decent experience with portables. After watching this video, I decide it's time for me to get a window AC to save energy. Very helpful video, easy to understand and interesting to watch
You could have bought a duel hose model they work like window models.
Duel hose portable is fine, single hosers need to be banned
Not an option in countries with winter.
@ Yannie: Yeah, I've used both, and the traditional window units are WAY better. And the portable ones, besides not actually cooling very well, take up a huge amount of limited indoor floor space. ☹
@@shooterrick1 it only takes 3 or 4 min to remove or install.
I re and re it every year cause we have winter.
Get one with Inverter technology you can Google what it is but it’s very worth it, cheaper to run and more stable temperature/more comfortable
4:37 that was an excellent panning shot. Entertaining and informative as always.
I want to see a 'making of' for that shot.
Came here just to talk about this shot.
It looks similar (though a "budget" version) to the shots MKBHD does with his fancy camera robot. But I doubt this guy has access to this kind of equipment, so it could be camera slider, or just took the shot from further away and used a lot of stabilization
My wife and I have one of these portable air conditioners and we love it! It cranks the cold air even harder than our window units. We've had ours for about 10 years now and it's still going strong.
Good, but still less efficient than an equivalent windo unit.
These are actually an extremely important emergency item for certain areas (especially rurally).
It often gets over 120 F. in the summer where I live and the nearest store is more than a 2 1/2 hour drive away (“next door” neighbors are almost as far away).
Every farm here has at least one of these.
Because in the event of an emergency in the summertime, they are a literal lifesaver for the children/adults/pets/etc. that might be stuck at home awaiting a repairman, parent to get home, or someone returning from town with the necessary parts to fix the main unit.
Children/seniors/disabled people/etc. can’t be trying to lift and setup a window unit in an emergency-but the majority of them can definitely shove a hose into a window slat.
That is why I own a portable... part of the Hurricane prep.
Fr, I use a portable bc I am not capable of putting in a window unit. I’ve tried several times. I’ve almost dropped it out of the two story window multiple times :( I wish I could tho bc I hate how much space my portable takes up, plus my cat likes to walk on top of it and change all the settings
wowa, where do you live where the nearest store is that far away and neighbors are?
@@cranbers I won’t give too much specific information on the “town” (for lack of a better word🤣) and the surrounding area-since there are fewer than 200 of us out here…
But it’s one of the main agricultural zones in southern Arizona.
OK, now *that's* a good use for them. I couldn't imagine trying to fit a window unit in a hurry, even as a young, able-bodied adult. One of these would've also provided us with air conditioning when our old one died, as we hadn't yet figured out how to remove the window screens (we borrowed a window unit, but weren't able to use it because of that).
Like the McDLT taught me, you wanna keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool.
Haven't had a McDLT in 25 years.... and now I want one. So thanks for that!
Really dating yourself there. Lol
Wow! That was a long time ago.
I miss the McDLT - worked at McD's (it was my first job) when they were introduced and it quickly became my very favorite from that point onward. It was the only sandwich McD's had (until it's demise) that actually had mayo on it.
@eggmanwi Uh eggmanwi - now you are showing your age... McD's hasn't used styrofoam for years in their packaging. Even if the McDLT came back, I don't think they would bring back the packaging it originally was in.
I'm an HVAC tech engineer and I really appreciate how simple you make a complex process! Thanks!
Are you a tech or engineer? Pick one
he builds techs obviously
@@Brekstahkid Did you know? You can be a technical engineer! Crazy innit
@gamesnic
People love to slap engineer at the end of things lol
Mmm not that complicated bro…
So, if you must go portable, say you're a renter and aren't allowed a window unit, try to get a two hose unit. Probably still less efficient than a window unit, but it should be much better than a mono hose.
I worked at sears and used to try and explain this to everybody, I felt like a madman
@ hurting cats is easy. Tuna
The average American is basically just a high functioning blob of cells.
@@starfox6335 oh dude to try explaining your trade to a residential client is always such a cluster fuck
NathansHVAC no way ur sucks!
Star Fox Because every other person in the world isn’t, right?
"Air conditioners are pretty cool". And that's 0:01 - We're in for a treat.
I internally groaned pretty hard.
At least until you get all heated over the electric bill! :D
People who don’t like puns don’t like them because they don’t understand them. I don’t understand them (the people, I mean, I love puns).
I somehow laughed at it and then immediately wondered why. There's something about this Technology Connections channel, I tell you…
Problem is, when you live in a country that has tilt-and-turn windows, window units are out of the question...and when living in a nation of renters (aka Germany), installing a split system in an apartment is pretty much out of the question as well. So, these are the only option.
You can buy portable split systems
@@AniviaS And where do I put the outdoor unit? Those are only an option when you have a place to put it, like a balcony or terrace...which I don't have outside my window.
@@AniviaS And how to connect them if not through a hole in the wall you're not allowed to make?
@@kristianneitsch479 Right. I would buy this system in a heartbeat, if it wasn't for the fact that we are forbidden from drilling. Currently our flat is 31 degrees with a incredibly high humidity, it's sundown and it will start getting hotter this week. SEND HELP
Lool I was gonna say that. Germany is THE place to sell these portable acs. In my old building there is absolutely no way I could bring in a split unit. Landlord would go crazy, building administrator would go crazy, neighbors would probably go crazy. What I'm left with is a loud, expensive and very very energy inefficient thing. And oh my God my energy bill is going through the roof...
Dude you have an amazing gift of explaining things in laymen’s terms!
Whoever devised air conditioners was a bloody genius.
That would be Willis Carrier, in 1902.
Yep an Englishman named Carrier invented it.
And before anyone says he was an American stop typing.
By Englishman I am referring to where his family originated from.
He was not a Native American This I referred to him as an Englishman.
So stop typing your angry retort.
Cheers mates
John Gorrie 1845 & American
Prepperjon American ***
Prepperjon that’s just not how Americans are referred to as though. You aren’t English if you aren’t from England. You can speak English and not be from England, but you can’t be English.
You sir, and people like you are Reason the Internet was invented.
INFORMATION!!!
Thank You
really it was for the military and porn
@Lybrith mostly for porn tho.
uh the military are the founders of the intranet, which became the internet...
@@brandonreal916 actually your completley right more so for porn
From air conditioners to porn in 3, 2, 1!! 🤣 Cat videos are the only thing left out here, so I'll give you all points.
I love how youre to the point! Beginning of Video: "Are these any good? no"
Other videos, id be scubbing through the video to just find to the conclusion. Now I wanna listen to see WHY they suck
To the point no BS, just the way I like it. :)
And some don't even come to a conclusion
You should probably start checking the end for the conclusion, because that’s usually where it is.
ᅚ depends on who you’re watching.
they suck
the air our of your room
We need more people like you to exist, brutal honesty goes a long way
As a HVAC guy, you did a nice job explaining the reason why the portable units are not energy efficient - good camera work too...! :)
I feel like new techs could learn alot from this video, this is basically half a semester of information crammed into one clean well made video
How terrible was that split ducted install but
I'm an HVAC tech too. Ever seen how much heat comes off that hose leading outside too? They're pretty worthless in my opinion.
@@ParkerGuy89 They are pretty bad (inefficient) but the video explanation was so clear that NOW I know that using my fridge with its door open as an AC will never work (since the heat outputs into the same room).
Currently going through training my self and i thought the same thing
I stayed in an apartment as part of an internship once and the AC died in the middle of august. All we had for at least a few days was one of the portable units, and it was a godsend.
I hope and pray the one we are encountering now get broken and died! Praying it wont work ever again!
we dont have windows like that in the UK, they all open like doors on hinges not sliding, so basically makes it way more practical to get the portable one
Then, if you have the space, go for a split system, they are so much better than both portable and window units.
They are classified as a “casement” window. Often with a crank handle opening on left or right side. If you see one open from bottom it’s called an “awning” window. But I always felt for the people who only have this one style throughought their home. I lived with a realtor for a short time and we found the best one and replaced it with a slider. Not that hard to do and extremely useful
@@Murakumo96 but the added cost really isn't worth it in a country where we have a week of really hot sun a year. So a portable solution really is the only reasonable one here in the UK.
Try to buy 2-hose AC
@@jmbpinto73 yeah, it's a waste of money to replace the existing heating system just for the week of heat we get. Plus it would cost more to heat the room.
I’ve owned a Frigidaire for 10 years and it’s ice cold still. It saved us when our AC went out in 98 degree heat. It simply works awesome. Don’t let this post steer you away from a good name brand model.
We have left the Toaster Era and are now entering the Air Conditioner Epoch.
We still need proof if you can or can not toast bread on the warm "grill" of a windows air condition.
Air conditioners: Automatic Beyond Belief!
@@TheAnkMan
Probably can not make toast with the new efficiency standards. But probably a hot car engine can make toast?
@@yosefmacgruber1920 Don't know about toast. But saw videos people frying eggs.
bread for the bread god
Dude sleeping while the AC is on and making that sound is the best thing to fall asleep to imo, i literally close my eyes and fall asleep. Idk maybe its the humming noise that’s just so comforting
He is saying that it bothers him when it turns on and off.
i live in indiana, my wall unit never shuts off. it is right above my bed, drowns out the sounds of people getting shot in the neighbourhood across from mine..
It is called "pink noise". Pink usually helps with sleep. ;)
@@YodaWhat fairly sure pink noise is drastically different, and a fan would be white noise?
@@cageybee7221 White noise is a much more sibilant hiss... As an oversimplification, think 'more treble,' with equal power at every frequency. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_noise#Definition and maybe play the short audio clip example, which sounds like a noisy fan.
I found out that an air conditioner of this kind is priceless for someone who has noisy neighbours. When you turn it on, you stop hearing any outside noise.
I literally turn on white noise when I don't have my DeLonghi Penguino on, so for me it works great.
I had to buy one of these single hose ones like a week ago. Arrived today and everything in this video has been the experience. I couldnt find a double hose unit in my country and no window units as well, I cannot have the money and the scheduling patience of the split installation, so single hose unit it is. 12.000BTU 1.4kW/h and 65db loud as hell, but I was melting and could not sleep at all. Temp in my room hit 29.8C 3 days ago and 2 fans running didnt help. So I ordered one and man oh man I am loving the cold air. I will stick a plug into my ears and call it a night. Despite many flaws I love it. In the long term, I am looking for a job in the Nordic regions. I wont make it otherwise. (I really cannot withstand the hot. I almost broke up with my s.o. because he wanted to hug me while sleeping.)
I have several of the single hose units and they are not very loud at all.
When it's 90 degrees inside I don't give a 💩 about the noise
Me either!! And fuck a light bill! You gon spend that money on something anyway - may as well be comfortable!!
I care about it. Im a light sleeper. My Haier unit that I got from a dumpster draws 3 amps under full load & is very quiet.
You're darn Pootin..I mean tooting
@@williscurry6557 my LG noise puts me to sleep
C or F?
Lol just bought a portable ac unit today and now I find this video recommended to me. Way to bum me out
Same man 🤣🙄
Same
Same
Friends love their portable ACs, I dont care what youtube says. I got one. 🤷♂️
same
I'm surprised you didn't mention another serious disadvantage of portable ACs: dealing with the condensate. Many units try to "mist" the condensate out via the hose, but once it gets really humid you just end up with a rapidly-filling extremely noisy dehumidifier in the room.
Ya know, I didn't mention this because I thought this has largely been solved. I've never had my LG unit fill up with water, though it does say that's possible. I believe that newer units have some way to get the condensate onto the condenser so that it boils off and then gets exhausted. I don't know the specifics of that, but I figure that's got to be the ideal way to do it, especially because it would help increase the effectiveness of the cooling. I would think that the only times that wouldn't work would be on extremely humid and relatively cool days, where it removes a lot of moisture, but it doesn't run long enough for the condenser to get hot enough to boil off the condensate.
I remember having one 12 years ago that had a tray to empty once it was filled with water.
I live in the swampy areas of Kentucky, and let me tell you. Just running my "portable" AC for 8 hours a day produces more than a gallon of water. I have to let mine drain into a bucket.
@@TechnologyConnections My portable AC unit use to leak water everywhere, not just through the hose drain at the bottom of the unit. I found out the tiny hole of the small water trap that dripped the condensate onto the condenser was clogged. When the hole was clogged, I could generate buckets of water. Thanks for a great video!
@@TechnologyConnections You run a tube from a port on the back of the unit to a bucket. When the bucket gets too full you dump it out.
This is the best video I've ever seen. Humorous, entertaining, insightful, great information and he spoke well! How rare! I won't be buying a portable a c for my in-laws. Rather, I'll get them a big hand-held plastic fan!Thank you for this very informative video! Cheers mate!
Also, as an HVAC/R student, I'm really enjoying this content!
as someone who has lived in texas her whole life and always ran hot, the sounds of the condenser turning on is like an asmr trigger 😂 it always makes me think “oh thank god, the cold air is on!” i got shivers as soon as i heard it!
"propane is becoming a more popular choice"
> hank hill liked that
My thoughts exactly. Lol
Isn't it butane that's starting to be used now?
My dad says butane is a bastard gas.
Lol😄😄😄😄
good ole C3H8
I installed one of these in Jamaica where it is always hot. I understood the inefficiency, so I did a little extra work. I used a shelf to mount the unit at window height, so the outlet vent of the unit is at the same height as the vent in the window. Then I cut the hose short, just long enough to work with, so that there is a minimal amount of hose in the room I am trying to cool. Prior to this change, with the hose stretched out, I could feel the heat from the hose several feet into the room and the hose itself is hot to the touch. Once I had it installed with minimal hose, I then reached behind it and wrapped the hose with bubble wrap then a piece of an old blanket. In the end, I could feel none of the heat coming off the hose and at least that heat wasn't transferring back into the room.
Great informative video. My 2 cents: Everything described here is accurate from my experience but the positives can't be understated. If your AC goes off and you need a room to be cooled or multiple rooms to be cooled until you can get someone out to fix it, these are awesome. Louder, inefficient, but SOOO easy to assemble and SOOO easily to move from room to room without a hassle.
If you need to cool a room for an entire season and don't have central air you go with the window unit all day every day. If you need an "emergency device" similar to a backup generation or space heater, go with the portable. You can push it from living room to bedroom and it has been a pleasant surprise for us.
That's my current situation. AC died this morning and the service guy can't get to us til next Thursday so I picked one of these up to tide me over until then. I didn't want to, but I have casement windows so that narrows my options down significantly and literally everything is sold out in town. I lucked out just on finding the one I got and there were about 4 other people looking at it too.
My window unit is heavy and I need someone else to help me put it in and take it out. I never need anyone else to set these up or take them out come late fall. The inefficiency is unfortunate though, I am considering looking for a dual hose unit at least. Another thing is that I hate bugs and the hose creates less of a gap i need to seal to keep them out.
@@johnbaker7322 the bugs havent been an issue for me and you can seal pretty well with the foam and some tape from a store. However there is no question it's not as good as a window unit or dual hose for effectiveness.
Also in some situations you cant simply buy window based AC or static AC, my bedroom/office where I spend a lot of time dont just have bad air ventilation, but it gets really hot really fast even if its cold outside due to it being bellow a loft roof that is very well isolated. I cant install a static AC as its too expensive for me living in my bedroom just for a few more years. So I bought the most "effecient" portable AC unit I could find from electrolux, we also have a hole in the wall where we connected the exchaust pipe so I don't need to open a window to use it, which would void its iffeciency anyways. So it cools my room quickly and easily keeps it that way. The exchaustion also forces my room to be negative pressure making it easier for fresh air to ventilate into my room from outside, making it more bearable to stay in my room. So all of the "inneficient" negatives it causes is actually "features" that I use, dehumidifaction, forced ventilation and colder temperatures.
I also live in a country that is primarily powered by hydropower, there is a huge hydropowerplant just a few min away from where I live, and we got solar array on our ceiling, so its climate impact isn't much to worry about anyways. Neither its electricity bills.
If you own your home, the best type of air-conditioning is the "mini" split type reversing ones (the ones that cool and heat), one external unit (expensive) can be used by two internal units. Here in Europe in our homes it is the most common type, beating central cooling.
Window units also had a really hard time passing EU efficiency regulations, so they're rare as heck. Split and portable is all that exists.
In the US, I just bought a mini-split system that is one outside unit for 4 inside units.
I live in the south of the USA the deep south and we all have central air units really big 1s...
Portable AC hose hack: use an (aluminium) insulating hose with a slightly bigger diameter than your AC output hose (like from a drying machine), put it around the non-insulated output hose, zip it on both ends with zip-ties, then connect the hose to your window and AC. Helped my attic room from being 30 degrees C with the AC on full blast, to 23 degrees C with the fan on its lowest setting.
You're a godsend
huh, so you're saying cover the plastic hose with an aluminum sheath? genius
Makes sense yes. How about a similar hack for a 2 hose config. From outside, taped/placed around the intake area on the unit
They should just make that a built in feature of portable ac units lol
How does this work (if it even works)?
i'm rewatching this years later because my mind was blown (no pun intended) by you explaining how ductless works which feels like magic
Technology Connections, slowly chipping away at Home Depot's profits, item by item.
Isn't "save big money" Menards?
To be fair, Home Depot does sell both portable and window units. It'd be more damming if he were to steer people away from ACs altogether, instead of just the portables.
@@PongoXBongo Yes it is
@@PongoXBongo When he said that, I immediately thought about Walmart. Even though it's not a slogan, it fits them perfectly. "Save big money by buying cheap and low quality products." "Great value" as a name for the shittiest of the shit you can buy there... What a joke.
I actually work at HD and you wouldn't believe how difficult it its to convince people to buy window or two-hose units. You wouldn't believe how many people actually think swamp coolers (evaporative coolers) are just "hose-less" air conditioners.
As an ac and heating tech of over 20 years I say wow.. you Really gave a good description of the units operation.
Had one of these a few years ago, not long after this video was released. My solution to its issues was to have the unit right next to the window, minimizing hose length and hose heat transfer, and to have a strong fan sitting right next to its air output port, blowing the cooled air across one of the walls and creating a slow vortex in the room that circled the hottest air back to the unit.
When I needed one in an emergency while my main AC was getting repaired, I did the same exact thing except I also wrap insulation around the exhaust hose because it got super hot. It helped me in a pinch, and I still have it as a back up if it’s ever needed.
Why not put ice on your condenser. Is way more effective🤣.
That’s a nice idea, but again, the word “portable “ goes right out the window if you’ll pardon the pun. 😂
I have one I got on sale, 7000 BTU. I never use it except for working in the garage in extreme heat or when the central AC unit is broken. I've used it twice as an emergency backup in the living room to keep the family comfortable when it's 110 plus outside. It will keep the living room at 88 or so and cool if you're directly in the airflow path. The biggest thing I can recommend is insulating the hot hose, it improves things a fair bit.
This was the only type of air conditioner my college allowed me to have for accommodations and it worked perfectly. The sound of it at night also let me sleep and drowned out hallway noise from my residence hall. I've got nothing against these.
Which air conditioner did you buy, if I may ask? I’m trying to find one that’s similar to your experience
@@StewHeisenberg This was the model I bought. Pricey, but I tried to live in my dorm without it and I ended up in the emergency room. I like the settings and it has wheels so you can roll it.
www.amazon.com/discover/BLACK-DECKER-Portable-Conditioner-Display/salp/B01DLPUWJ4/ref=asc_df_B01DLPUWJ4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198098764798&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17772208920142419175&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003521&hvtargid=pla-348315898733&psc=1
@@liv1848 thank you!!
@@StewHeisenberg no problem! Best of luck!
yes if, 1. you have free power 2. you can't use anything else 3. you don't care about efficiency
WHUT? I can't hear you over my portable aircon.
Lol
I smelled sarcasm here yeah it’s you,you lil s____
Butt hurt always gonna be butt hurt there’s no way around it 🤭
Oh no he has airpods
He hears you and lives three blocks away.
The one thing I’ve learned this summer after a few too many awkward conversations is that when people are considering buying a portable air conditioner, I should just keep everything I learned here to myself.
IKR!!?? In the past, I’ve tried preaching the “two hoses is best if you absolutely have to go portable” but no one cares 🤷♂️ how or why. I’ve learned to just shut up and help friends and family “install” their shitty single hose units. I have a 15k btu smart window ac that I turn on with an app, on my way home so…I’m happy! Haha
I agree with you except that if you live in a rental with a house that has crankout windows, a portable may be the only option. Not they aren't great but they are decent.
@@jeromemckenna7102 yes, a portable is sometimes the only option and can even be the best option…just make sure it’s a dual hose not a single hose, if available….that’s the point we are attempting to make
@@nahteo A single hose works just fine. Mine is single hose and I have enough problems slithering that six inch diameter, plastic, unwieldy monstrosity though the only single window I have as it is. To have two of those, stacked on top of each other as it's a side hinged window is utterly and completely out of the question.
@@vresi I feel you on so many levels. As I live in a rented apartment it is the only option. It looks ridiculous, noisy as hell, but no way in hell will I work from home in 35°C
While this is very interesting and valuable information, it's good to remember that portable ACs have a place too, particularly for disabled folk/emergency kits/anyone who rents a home with inaccessible or even no windows in the room they need cooling. So don't feel bad if it's all you can get! They definitely work well (depending on what unit you get), even if they're not optimized as well as in window units or central.
I modded my single-hose unit into a double hose unit with a bit of cardboard, tape and a dryer hose from the hardware store. Its only hot for a few months where I live so it's well worth it not sweating your ass off. Oh and Window Units aren't a thing here because we have these fancy german windows. And good luck installing a split system at a place you rent.
was it worth it? i mean, did you notice a difference? i just got one of these things (single-hose,) coz where i live, we all have bars on our windows. plus i'm on the ground floor, so if i take out the bars, i'll be lucky if the a/c is all they take.
Becareful not to crack the window with the heat from the hose. Otherwise you might pay more than your rent.
did the same thing. works incredibly well. standard single hose does 5 degrees under outside temperature at best. dual hose mod made 24 degrees Celsius inside with 38 outside 2 weeks ago. would've been impossible to sleep otherwise. old apparent in the top floor, poorly insulated 100 year old house.
got the info?
I ran two $500 single hose units and my house stayed over 80 degrees. Now I have a 15000 btu and a 6000 btu unit in my house, and it cools to 68 degrees on a hot day if left unchecked. That’s a full 1,200 square feet. Single hose units suck in the hot outside air. The BTUs were the same on the portable are they were on the replacement window units, only the window units worked.
I have trouble sleeping without noise. I love the sound of a fan, and the noise of that AC unit cutting on sounded so soothing to me. I cant be the only one.
You aren’t , I still use my fan during winter just for the noise
My portable aircon made such a massive noise when the compressor switched on or off that it ripped me out of my sleep and my heart would race so much from the fright that I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. A split unit AC however is just pure heaven. I would love being in the starship Enterprise just listening to the hum of the life support system.
My roommate last year was exactly like that he needed white noise from a fan in order to fall asleep. Always wondered why.
You’re not. For some reason I enjoy sleeping with the A/C on, even if it’s already a cold night! Lol can’t be good for the power bill 🤣
For me I'm the exact same way except for our heater system rather than the AC unit. While it doesn't have that compressor sound it has a deep, low hum that radiates through the house and is deeply relaxing.
Wall-mounted separated AC units are actually the best. It's super quiet and much more energy efficient. Especially the ones using inverter compressor.
These are pretty much the norm in Europe and most of the world, window mounted ones dont exist here at all.
And they are all pretty much inverters these days so you can use them as heating as they are pretty efficient.
Not to mention that 3.5kW (12 000 BTU) ones are around 350 EUR these days.
True in most countries. I'm surprised to see that the old-fashioned window units are still a thing in the US.
Mini-Splits ... is what we call them in the US.
@@SandySez no we are talking about split systems not mini splits, mini splits are kinda shitty and you pay what you get
@@catalinsalcieanu4640 You have zero clue. The most "energy efficient" home air conditioners in the world are "Mini Split" Now some models are hitting 33 SEER. Mini Split as in outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor air-handling unit(s) (evaporator) (Heat Pumps)
I get your points, and they are all very, very valid. There's no window units available where I live. Actually, we don't even have the right kind of windows to put them in. Portable split machines exist, but at an eye-watering price of at the very least three times what n integrated portable costs. I got my portable for under 200€ and the cheapest portable split machines start at just under 700€. And those are for camping use. And I can tell you right away, these portables coolers are a whole lot better than no cooling at all, especially when your office - the place you are supposed to think in - approaches 28°C.
Very informative video. Thank you. The one major point you missed is about expelling the humidity. With portable air conditioners, when it gets extremely humid, you have to empty the reservoir by hand, as the unit is incapable of sending enough moisture out through the exhaust. This can be extremely problematic at night when you have to get up four or five times to drain it.
There are units nowadays which scavenge the moist air off the evaporator coil and blow out the hot humid air out. Naturally, this drops efficiency a scosh, but it makes it incredibly convenient.
i didn't understand having the unit drip into a bucket to empty. I put the stopper back in and just vent it out the window. i have moved it to the basement to keep the air dry in the summer.
I fitted a condensate pump to the back of mine, no more cutting out due to float alarms
"...four or five times to drain it."? Seriously? Every night?
absolutely. it's a nightmare. in my case i didn't sleep with the a/c on, but in the few hours before bedtime, it was a lot of draining
Meanwhile, rocking out with just a fan.
(and melting alive)
you and me both
At least you're not boiling alive
@@omranpanda9304 Not exactly sure how that'd be worse, to be honest, but I'll take your word for it?
Get an industrial fan. They're really good. I can handle 34°C just fine with one.
For 1000 bonus points, learn to _sleep_ with one of them on :>
(Done; haven't turned mine off for nearly a year since I like the white noise, even though it's technically winter........)
At least you don’t hang out in your shed out back that is like 90°. With no fans
(My man cave)
I've used portable units a few times, and I've had window units as well. The portable unit is great for a temporary solution, and can also be great for use on a rental property where landlord wouldn't approve of window unit installation or in an area where neighborhood rules don't allow traditional window units. It's also nice to be able to aim it around the room, something you cannot do nearly as effectively with a window unit. I find the portable units also sound a lot nicer than window units. Portable units can actually sound comforting (I had no trouble sleeping next to one), while window units are often more like nails on a chalkboard. Downsides of course are the lower efficiency, and you also have to deal with condensation, so there is either a drain hose you have to figure out what to do with or there will be a reservoir that you have to regularly empty out. I would say window units are better, but there's nothing quite like coming home to a hot house and positioning a portable unit right next to your face or chair; it's like giving life the middle finger for a short while when life is giving you a hard time (which if you life in a hot climate and don't have regular A/C in your place, life is probably giving you a hard time).
the sound factor your talking about is just down to quality of the unit. There's no real reason a window unit that puts the sound outside your home should be worse sound than a portable unit fully inside your room.
@@aravindkancherla8668 Sorry but the window units are extremely noisy due to motor vibration resonating through the window frame and wall!!
yeah life is definitely giving me a hard time. and I understand that on paper, my portable AC should be terrible but it was 108F yesterday and I'm way more comfy than I was with my window unit!
YES, Thank you for that!
I agree. I live in a noisy area and the portable drowns out the outside noise completely. I set the timer on mine to come on a few hours before I get home so the room is very comfortable when I’m ready for bed. Admittedly, not a refrigerator mostly because the bedroom is on the second floor which gets beaten by the sun for pretty much the whole day.
This is one of those videos everyone should see.
2x the power consumption while only cooling at a rate of ~75% and more expensive to boot.
this info is old, with the newer models im able to keep a 150sq ft room nice and cool, along with a high end computer running at full load
@@Shpooky They were always able to cool the rooms, the issue is that they are less efficient at cooling, they consume more power to get the same result. The info isn't old because the science is the same.
@@chrismitchell6478 Have you tested a new model vs an older inefficient model?
These pretty much just exist for asshole landlords that ban the window units, and crappy windows that won't physically fit one (even with building a frame).
@@Lauren_C There are other reasons for using one of these units. Security comes to mind.
That was probably the easiest to understand explanation of how air-conditioning works that I know of - great stuff!!
I agree it seemed clear and logical but he still lost me.
He must be trolling because his explanation on how a traditional ac works made NO sense to me.
That makes more sense Thank you. Cute cat, btw.
Love the fact that this video showed up in my recommended feed two days after I bought a portable AC.
Lol
Which one did you get and how's it working for you?
Yes
LMAO same
👀
We have both a dual hose and single hose portable AC we use during the summer in our townhouse. The difference in cooling power between the single and dual hose is honestly astounding. The dual hose is put on the main floor at the front of the house, and manages to cool the entire floor, about 750 square feet if I had to guess.
By contrast, the single hose is in our bedroom, and can't even manage to keep just our room cool when the sun is on that side of the building. To be fair, the two large, poorly insulated windows in that room certainly don't help. But the inherent weakness of the single hose setup is pretty clearly illustrated in that case. When the sun isn't beating down on that side of the building, it manages to keep that room cool to the temperature you want, but the rest of the floor still stays hot.
Used to own one portable ac 9000 BTU didn't do much. Replaced with window ac 5000 BTU works much better and room stays cool after its turn off
As a small hvac business owner with a degree in this field i found this video, information, and understandable explanation of operation fantastic!
My company used these devices for a while. They would "work" if you were literally right in front of them, where the cool air comes out. But the net effect in the entire room was negligible. We ended up switching to portable fans. They move more air and provide the same feeling of coolness over a wider area at less cost both initially and energy-wise. But it was worth a try.
@OneDayAfterAnother thats probably the size difference between an office and a bedroom
You probably didn't have enough tons of cooling for the room. That you say "Company" suggests to me that it's a pretty large space, and these dinky little coolers would not be enough for climate controlling anything bigger than a small office with one or two people.
@@brianreher3727 That makes sense. I think we were asking too much of them. Not only that, but the exhaust ducting leaked because they hadn't bothered to seal them properly.
Insulated sleeves are available to help reduce heat radiating off of the vent hoses. While expensive, they do significantly improve many of the mentioned problems and are perfectly compatable with dual hose machines.
Hose in a hose units are noe available on the market which are a drastic improvement as well.
Hugs Window AC unit.
You ain't going nowhere baby stay with me my power efficient little cooling guy.