Air coolers, portable air conditioners?

4gotoIndia · Aug 25th, 2008, 16:26

Hi there,
Can anyone answer a quick AC question for me. Are the only options 1)Split 2) Window and 3) Air cooler?
I had an idea that a 'portable AC unit' existed... which was on wheels and had a big flexible pipe that you stuck out of a window. Does this make sense to anyone?
We want a unit, but want to be able to move it to different rooms. Does that leave us with Air coolers only?
If so, does anyone have any hints re which Air cooler to chose?
thanks,
Mrs4

Nick-H · Aug 25th, 2008, 17:32

Such a machine certainly exists --- but I don't recall if I have seen it in India! I think so.

However, it would be very far from perfect. You will need a big pipe going to the window, and a pipe-size/shape hole cut in the window; you'll need to do that for every room you plan to use it in. You'll need to close the holes that are not in use.

Also, that section of pipe is going to be radiating heat back into the room.

It is not just a case of opening the window and sticking the pipe out. When you are running AC in a room, it is important not to have open windows: it is the room you are cooling, not the neighbourhood! An open window is just letting the heat back in.

It is like keeping the draughts (or drafts? Hmm... drafts, I think, except for the beer drinkers!) out in an old house in London. Here it is the same, but it is the heat you are keeping out.

In my view/experience, the options are:

1. cheap --- position an AC where it will blow through the door way of the room it is in into another room. It will not be optimal for either room, but I made this work very well in my last place.

2. expensive --- buy AC units for every room you really need to cool.

Just to complete the 'only options' questions, for the sake of pedantry

---

Cartridge and Centralised systems are also both available here, but are unlikely to be suitable for domestic use as drop ceilings are not common. You could build in if you were designing a house from scratch.

There are also split AC units that support more than one inside unit. This is a very good idea, as often a family will not be using the bedroom unit and the living room unit at the same time, so why double up on the hardware? However, the Hitachi unit that we looked at coast more than two Samsung units that we bought. Also, the relative positioning of two units in our house would have been difficult.

Gametotravel · Aug 25th, 2008, 17:55

http://aviindia.in/html/why_avi_acs.html

For portable ac's.

shashank.aggarwal · Aug 25th, 2008, 18:56

I have seen such units in some banquet halls, not sure how they work, they are quite large.

Nick-H · Aug 25th, 2008, 19:00

Interesting looking company, dreadful website. Pity.

shashank.aggarwal · Aug 25th, 2008, 19:09

I was talking about this one..

http://www.in.lge.com/Product/Produc...oor%20Standing

But it seems, its not portable.

Aug 25th, 2008, 16:26	#1
4gotoIndia Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: TIruppur Posts: 87	Air coolers, portable air conditioners? Hi there, Can anyone answer a quick AC question for me. Are the only options 1)Split 2) Window and 3) Air cooler? I had an idea that a 'portable AC unit' existed... which was on wheels and had a big flexible pipe that you stuck out of a window. Does this make sense to anyone? We want a unit, but want to be able to move it to different rooms. Does that leave us with Air coolers only? If so, does anyone have any hints re which Air cooler to chose? thanks, Mrs4

Aug 25th, 2008, 18:56	#4
shashank.aggarwal The Fortunate One Join Date: May 2007 Location: Road Posts: 6,822	I have seen such units in some banquet halls, not sure how they work, they are quite large. __________________ Spineless Travelogue - Around India

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Aug 25th, 2008, 17:32	#2
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,217	Such a machine certainly exists --- but I don't recall if I have seen it in India! I think so. However, it would be very far from perfect. You will need a big pipe going to the window, and a pipe-size/shape hole cut in the window; you'll need to do that for every room you plan to use it in. You'll need to close the holes that are not in use. Also, that section of pipe is going to be radiating heat back into the room. It is not just a case of opening the window and sticking the pipe out. When you are running AC in a room, it is important not to have open windows: it is the room you are cooling, not the neighbourhood! An open window is just letting the heat back in. It is like keeping the draughts (or drafts? Hmm... drafts, I think, except for the beer drinkers!) out in an old house in London. Here it is the same, but it is the heat you are keeping out. In my view/experience, the options are: 1. cheap --- position an AC where it will blow through the door way of the room it is in into another room. It will not be optimal for either room, but I made this work very well in my last place. 2. expensive --- buy AC units for every room you really need to cool. Just to complete the 'only options' questions, for the sake of pedantry --- Cartridge and Centralised systems are also both available here, but are unlikely to be suitable for domestic use as drop ceilings are not common. You could build in if you were designing a house from scratch. There are also split AC units that support more than one inside unit. This is a very good idea, as often a family will not be using the bedroom unit and the living room unit at the same time, so why double up on the hardware? However, the Hitachi unit that we looked at coast more than two Samsung units that we bought. Also, the relative positioning of two units in our house would have been difficult.

Aug 25th, 2008, 17:55	#3
Gametotravel Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 757	http://aviindia.in/html/why_avi_acs.html For portable ac's.

Aug 25th, 2008, 19:00	#5
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,217	Interesting looking company, dreadful website. Pity.

Aug 25th, 2008, 19:09	#6
shashank.aggarwal The Fortunate One Join Date: May 2007 Location: Road Posts: 6,822	I was talking about this one.. http://www.in.lge.com/Product/Produc...oor%20Standing But it seems, its not portable.