Portable air conditioners are self-contained appliances. Many portable air conditioners will require a window to redirect the unit's exhaust system. Each unit differs by venting configuration, maximum cooling square footage, and special features. Some of the special features are remote control operation, unique operating modes, multiple fan speeds, oscillating louvers, specialized air filter systems, and programmable timers. Some units can be operated by using a dehumidify-only mode. This specialized feature allows a unit to operate as a stand-alone dehumidifier when it is not being used to cool the air. There are many portable air conditioners that feature heaters, fans, and air purifiers. In the early 1900s, the first electrical air conditioning unit was made by Willis Carrier. This air conditioner used steam technology in a reverse process to remove heat and humidity from the air. Instead of producing heat through hot coils, Carrier sent air through cold coils that were filled with cold water.

Fans that blew air over the cold coils cooled the air, and it could thereby control the amount of moisture held by cold air. Air conditioning technology was initially used to increase productivity in working environments, and air conditioning companies were formed to meet the rising demand for this new invention. Over time, air conditioners were adapted to improve comfort in both automobiles and homes. The cooling of air through the evaporation of water is now known as evaporative cooling. It is imperative to choose a unit that is the right size. A unit that is too small will not meet the demands of the room's environment. The table below roughly estimates the BTUs needed for the square footage of a room. It is important to note that if the room is poorly insulated, a larger, more powerful portable air conditioning unit will have to be chosen. Extremely humid environments may also dictate the need for a larger unit. Part of the cooling process of a portable air conditioner is to vent hot air out of a room.

The hot air is usually moved out of the room by using an exhaust hose. The hose should be vented through a window, into a wall connected to an unused space, or into a drop ceiling. Many of the portable air conditioner models have special drop ceiling panels and window kits that can be purchased separately. Some portable air conditioning models include this apparatus along with the unit. The requirements to set up the exhaust system will vary with each model. Although many portable air conditioners come with their own window or drop ceiling kits, they are not one-size-fits-all. Adjustments will have to be made so that it will fit into a certain space. There is probably no need to remove a window screen when choosing to vent the air out of a window. This is because the exhaust hose will not extend very far out from the window. Crank windows do not work with the exhaust kit; however, some consumers have created a solution by replacing the glass in these windows with Plexiglas. A hole can be cut into the Plexiglas for the discharge hose.

Exhaust hoses come in a standard length. It is not advisable to lengthen an exhaust hose. This can void the manufacturer's warranty. If there is a need for a hose that is longer than the standard hose, you will need to consider a commercial grade air conditioner.wall mounted heating cooling units Many consumers have the need to cool multiple rooms. how to wire an air conditioning unitWhether this will work in a particular environment will depend on several factors. how much does a 6 ton ac unit costRoom temperature is one of the factors that dictates how well a small portable air conditioning unit will work. A portable unit may not be able to efficiently cool a room that has an extremely high temperature. Examples of this would be a very poorly insulated room or a room that has many windows that allow a lot of light to come in during the hottest part of the day.

Climate is another factor that will influence the efficiency of a portable air conditioner. High humidity levels can reduce the effectiveness of a unit. Room size is a very important factor for consideration. An accurate estimate of the room has to include the ceiling height. Most charts use an eight foot ceiling height to calculate the BTUs needed for a room. Many new homes have higher ceilings, and they will have to be accounted for when choosing a sufficient portable air conditioning unit. When a portable air conditioner cools air, it simultaneously removes water from the air. There are several ways that portable air conditioners handle water. Many portable air conditioning units have a container that needs regular draining. Most units have a plug that will need to be removed so that the unit can be drained properly. A sophisticated unit can evaporate most of the moisture into the hot air exhaust system. Therefore, there may be little or perhaps no water to be emptied from the unit.

Some units evaporate moisture internally. These units never collect water. Self-evaporating units are desirable when a consumer wants the option to leave the unit running while unattended. All portable units will have an option of a permanent condensation drain hose connection. This will allow the collected water to drain continuously out to a nearby floor drain through the force of gravity. Condensation pumps are available to help pump water through a drain hose. These pumps direct water through a hose in the window. Most portable air conditioning units use a household 110/120 volt outlet, and they require no special wiring. Because air conditioners use a large amount of energy, precautions must be taken to not overload a circuit with too many high-energy appliances. For example, having a refrigerator on the same circuit as a portable air conditioner will overload the circuit. There are some models that require a dedicated 20-amp outlet or 220-volt wiring. Read the product description and the specifications to determine the power requirements for the unit.

Sound will exist with every portable air conditioning unit. They cannot be completely silent because of the internal motorized compressor systems and fans. Even though these units are not completely silent, the amount of noise they produce varies. If someone cannot stand noise in a bedroom when trying to fall asleep, a good solution would be to get an air conditioning unit with a timer. The timer can be set to turn on after they are in a deep slumber. Conversely, many people enjoy hearing background noise, and some may find that the sound of a portable air conditioner helps lull them to sleep. Some portable units list the decibel level on the system. Compare these ratings to other appliances. The sound of a regular floor fan or the hum of a refrigerator will provide a good reference for how loud the unit will sound. Many factors can influence the sound level of a portable air conditioner. Some of these factors are the position of the unit, carpeting, furniture type, furniture distance from the unit, and the unit's fan speed.

Maintaining a portable air conditioner is easy. To get the most out of the unit, it must be maintained regularly. The air filters should be cleaned every summer. If ice builds up on the coils, the unit must be completely defrosted. Many portable air conditioners include an automatic defrosting mode to defrost the internal components. Properly maintaining a portable air conditioning unit will ensure that it lasts for many years. Portable air conditioners may last for as long as 15 years when they are regularly maintained. To buy a portable air conditioner, go to the eBay homepage. Start by opening the All Categories tab and clicking the link for Home Outdoors & Decor. Type "portable air conditioners" into the search box, and a selection of units will be displayed. Any specific model can be entered into the search box for a specialized search of an air conditioning unit. Additionally, if an air conditioning exhaust kit or a filter is needed, they can be found by simply typing the needed part into the search box.