I guess you don't have any other option as they won't allow air conditioners that are fitted on exterior walls. But the problem is that the units are heavy and are difficult to be moved even on casters. Apart from the water and hose issue there are some problems too like some of the air inside the room is sent out through the exhaust hose and outside warm air is sent back in. But then portable air conditioner are easier to install and are cheaper.
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Portable Air conditioner
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Kloofvreter
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RAS?
gfmalan
Expert Member
Start at the service agents for your brand product.
Lategan & van Biljoens would be able to help in Pretoria, let the JHB guys help you with a closer place.
Kloofvreter
Honorary Master
You should be able to use aircon ducting as well. Strangely, I've seen car styling places sell these.
PsyWulf
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If you don't come right,I actually had the same issue and couldnt find replacement so macgyvered a solution using tumble drier hosing from merkado and duct tape
Kloofvreter
Honorary Master
If you don't come right,I actually had the same issue and couldnt find replacement so macgyvered a solution using tumble drier hosing from merkado and duct tape
Probably the same stuff I'm talking about?
PsyWulf
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Mayhaps,but the tumble drier hose is half the diameter of the AC hose,so I made a double barrel to not strain the AC (more detail if you will)
The "portable airconditioners" work like normal aircons, i.e. with a compressor, radiator and refriginant. This works well at the coast as well as inland. The evaporative coolers and misting coolers don't work in high humidity areas.
You need to insulate your space though. If you hang the extractor pipe out the window the draft will take all your cool air as well. Most of the units come with a foam panel that has a cutout for the pipe. The idea is to use the foam to insulate your window opening. Doesn't work very well.
An aesthetically acceptable alternative to the foam is to buy a sheet of plexiglass to fit your window and then use some kind of wedge or latch to hold it in place in the window frame. Then cutout a hole in the plexiglass for your exhaust and you're set.
Unfortunately to get the most of your portable aircon you need to do some DIY.
These things are very noisy but if you're prepared to go a step further you can build a small box lined with aucustic foam in which to keep the aircon. Just make accommodations for airflow, etc.
If you can get away with it I think you should just keep the aircon outside on the balcony and reverse the whole shpeel by blowing the cool air inside rather than extracting the hot air outside
Assuming you an rig something up for the blower
You can get up to 150mm flexible ducting at most big hardware stores. If that's too small just google for flexible aluminium hose. Plenty of places that sell all sorts of sizes.
Edit: Wow. Didn't realize the thread necro there.
You need to insulate your space though. If you hang the extractor pipe out the window the draft will take all your cool air as well. Most of the units come with a foam panel that has a cutout for the pipe. The idea is to use the foam to insulate your window opening. Doesn't work very well.
An aesthetically acceptable alternative to the foam is to buy a sheet of plexiglass to fit your window and then use some kind of wedge or latch to hold it in place in the window frame. Then cutout a hole in the plexiglass for your exhaust and you're set.
Unfortunately to get the most of your portable aircon you need to do some DIY.
These things are very noisy but if you're prepared to go a step further you can build a small box lined with aucustic foam in which to keep the aircon. Just make accommodations for airflow, etc.
If you can get away with it I think you should just keep the aircon outside on the balcony and reverse the whole shpeel by blowing the cool air inside rather than extracting the hot air outside
Assuming you an rig something up for the blowerYou can get up to 150mm flexible ducting at most big hardware stores. If that's too small just google for flexible aluminium hose. Plenty of places that sell all sorts of sizes.
Edit: Wow. Didn't realize the thread necro there.
Last edited:
Kloofvreter
Honorary Master
I can tell you now I stick mine through the open window and it works just fine. I even leave the door slightly ajar for the hond. Probably makes the unit work a bit harder, but that's ok.
marhsava
Expert Member
how did you do this to reduce the noise, got some pics ?
Nah, scrapped my portable aircon years ago.
I did build similar boxes for my compressor and dust collector. It's the same build just with extra intake and exhaust ports and mufflers like this or this.
Actually, it might look exactly like a generator silencer.
1/2 diameter = 1/4 area so you've only got a pipe half as big as the original one.. Might still be straining the AC.
PsyWulf
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Possibly
The single hose you could hear the strain,doubles sounds like it did previously,temp solution but working at least
