Air cooler

[mercurial]

Okay, so my room is fooking hot. I mean, you really have no idea. This makes living in it so damn hard, plus it can't be good for my PC. So I'm wondering if there are any good brands that anyone can recommend? Should I get an air cooler or pay more for a portable air-con? The air cooler is pretty portable and I've felt the lovely cold air it puts out. Suggestions? TIA.

 

[rpm]

An air cooler is junk - you will waste your money. A portable aircon is somewhat better - but does not match a standard split unit...

 

[Claymore]

An air cooler is junk - you will waste your money. A portable aircon is somewhat better - but does not match a standard split unit...

Seconded. Air coolers are next to useless when it's really hot.

 

[PeterCH]

Air cooler only works as long as the air isn't humid. You evaporate water - that cools the air down. Once you evaporate enough water the air in your room becomes humid and the air cooler isn't effective anymore - plus your PC will get the moisture. You could get rid of the humidity by opening the window but that will let in the hot air from the outside.

A portable air-con is good but,
1. It's noisy.
2. It will collect water at the bottom, so prepare to empty that out 3-4 times per day.
3. You'll need a perfect seal at the point the pipe exits outside. Unless you get some customs solution - a plastic or plywood plank to fit tightly over your open window OR
bust a hole in the wall the size of the exhaust nozzle, you won't find happiness.

Why not buy a portable aircon from Makro and take it home for a few days. Makro offers a 7 day return policy.

 

[Peder]

a air cooler will bring the air down a max of 5 degrees i have found that a air cooler works for me...

If you want to know what a water cooler feels like try a fruit and veg... or any shop that has a big brown free standing "unit" on the roof.

or

 

[mercurial]

An air cooler is junk - you will waste your money. A portable aircon is somewhat better - but does not match a standard split unit...

Thanks for the advice rpm

Air cooler only works as long as the air isn't humid. You evaporate water - that cools the air down. Once you evaporate enough water the air in your room becomes humid and the air cooler isn't effective anymore - plus your PC will get the moisture. You could get rid of the humidity by opening the window but that will let in the hot air from the outside.


Why not buy a portable aircon from Makro and take it home for a few days. Makro offers a 7 day return policy.

The problem is that my room is adjacent to a carport type of roof that is kinda like a stoep for the yard. This thing absorbs all the heat from about midday and the heat can be felt all the night through.

Good idea. I was planning on making a turn there tomorrow, so I will take a look.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[BigAl-sa]

I wouldn't go quite so far as rpm to say it's junk, as Peder mentioned it does bring the temp down. A problem I've found, as mentioned by PeterCH, it can make the room pretty humid on a hot day, negating the cooling effect. It helps to switch the unit to fan only periodically to keep the humidty down. I definitely would not use one on the Natal coast.

 

[mercurial]

Do the portable air conditioners use a lot of electricity?

 

[Defib]

both portable AC's and aircoolers are utter junk!!!

Split unit FTW

 

[Peder]

Do the portable air conditioners use a lot of electricity?

depending on the size of the aircon... its got all the same parts inside as a split unit.

Thats the big advantage of a air cooler... Is it uses soo much less power.

 

[Serqet]

we bought a portable air-con and the electricity bill went up by a couple of hundred. i'm sure it's due to the aircon. we always have it on and i've been pleasantly surprised, it really works and the place is quite open plan but it does cool it down.

 

[mercurial]

Okay, thanks guys.

 

[Slootvreter]

Seconded. Air coolers are next to useless when it's really hot.

True. It makes the room terribly humid.