Portable ACs are convenient to use for spot cooling or in small spaces. Most people tend to buy such conditioners for small, disconnected rooms, the attic, or home offices. The advantage of these conditioners is that they are easy to install, store, and move around. These ACs are also effective, and when you have a portable heat pump, you can use it all yearlong. Below, we’ll help you understand how portable ACs work and look into the different portable air conditioners.
What Is a Portable Air Conditioner?
A portable or stand-up air conditioner is an AC that you can easily move around. This self-contained unit can be set up anywhere besides a socket and a window. Most portable air conditioners have wheels at the bottom to make them easy to move from one place to another. A portable AC is considered a convenient option because of its easy movement and placement.
How Portable Air Conditioners Work
A portable AC works similarly to other air conditioners. The primary goal of the AC is to pull in the room’s air and condition it to the desired temperature. The AC, therefore, extracts the heat and releases cold air back into your room. A portable AC has four basic components: a fan, compressor, condenser coil, and evaporator coil. The fan moves air around when needed, the compressor raises the refrigerant temperature, the condenser coil cools down the refrigerant, and the evaporator coil cools the air.
The refrigerant plays a crucial role in the entire process since it cools down the air and acts as a heat exchange medium. The refrigerant is compressed and expanded, thus cooling your room. The cooled refrigerant absorbs heat from your house. When it’s being compressed, the heat is exhausted through the unit’s exhaust hose. Moreover, your portable AC can remove moisture from the air in an internal bucket, a gravity drain, or through self-evaporation.
For the internal bucket, water is collected in a bucket, and you manually drain it out. This feature is common in old, portable AC units. A gravity drain, on the other hand, pumps out the collected moisture through a hose. The new models use self-evaporation, where they remove moisture through an exhaust vent. The advantage of a portable AC over other air conditioners is that it combines everything in a stand-alone device.
Types of Portable Air Conditioners
The main types of portable air conditioners include self-evaporating portable air conditioners, split systems, and monoblock systems.
Self-evaporating air conditioners are small, lightweight, and affordable and can easily cool down small spaces. These air conditioners are designed to release excess moisture with warm air. Therefore, you don’t need to empty any drip tray. The downside of these air conditioners is that they are ineffective in large rooms and noisy. The units are loved since they offer an occasional cooling solution for small spaces.
Portable split air conditioners consist of two separate parts, a portable ventilation unit that’s placed in the house and a condensing and compression unit installed outside your house. These models are less portable since both units are placed close to one another. The major advantage of these air conditioners is that they produce less noise. Besides, the mobile interior unit is less bulky. Most split ACs offer dehumidifying and ventilation modes.
Monoblock portable air conditioners are available in two variations: single hose and dual hose. Single-hose air conditioners are the easiest units to use. The entire AC system is fitted into a single unit with wheels. They are easy to move from one place to another, and they do require exterior venting. The venting is done using a flexible 100–150-millimeter hose that you can easily feed through a window.
On the other hand, dual-hose air conditioners have two hoses, one for releasing warm air and the other for collecting outdoor air. This allows the AC to cool ambient air without using any hot air from outside. Besides, the process doesn’t use pressure that uses more energy.
Reliable Energy Conservation Experts
At Totally Cool Heating & Air, we aim to offer the best energy conservation services. That’s by improving energy efficiency one customer at a time in Austin. For over 35 years, we have been offering heating and air conditioning services. We are accredited with BBB, and all our technicians are certified. They focus solely on craftsmanship and service. We are also registered contractors of Texas Gas and Austin Energy. We also offer a myriad of other services, including preventative AC maintenance, AC installation, emergency AC repair, and ductless mini-split installations. When you need professional heating and air conditioning services, give us a call today.
