Show All ItemsDo you get sick of your cheap piece of crap AC unit making things too cold, like I do?--but when you turn it off, the room gets too hot; dumb thing doesn't have a decent thermostat.In this tutorial I will show you how to make a device that automatically regulates temperature, or that activates a device when the temperature reaches a certain point. This could be any device, but for example, I will be using an air conditioner in an upstairs bedroom. Step 1: Gathering supplies Show All ItemsFirst things first. You will need some parts to get this project going, so head to your favorite electronics website and purchase the following:1. Arduino--Doesn't need to be an Uno, but if you use a different board, some of the pins may change; I will cover that later.2. Cheap arduino-compatible relay module--almost any type will work.3. DS18B20 Temperature Sensor--A cheap ebay version will work just fine!4. 96" i2C 128X64 OLED display (optional)--Make sure it is i2C and not SPI serial// Not used -->> 6.C945 NPN transistor (Depending on the relay module used)

Is an attractive window air conditioner an oxymoron (where is Dieter Rams when we need him?). I thought so until I spotted a Friedrich Kuhl series window unit in a project by Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory member Messana O’Rorke, who spec’ed one in a lower Manhattan loft. Here’s a roundup of five we could live with. Above: Spotted in the window in a West 22nd Street loft by Messana O’Rorke: a Friedrich air-conditioning unit. Above: The Friedrich 5,700 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner is $659 from AC Wholesalers. Above: Coming in spring 2017: the 5,000 BTU Noria air-conditioning window unit, which raised almost $1.5 million to go to market via Kickstarter. According to the developers, “window air conditioners have always been big, ugly, loud, and difficult to install.” The team behind Noria plans to improve the experience with a low-profile, easy-to-use unit with smart features. Above: LG Electronics 7,500 BTU 115-Volt Window Air Conditioner is $399 from the Home Depot.

Above: The first product from the Quirky+GE partnership is the 8,000 BTU Quirky + GE Aros Smart Window Air Conditioner, with features like remote scheduling, is $234.50 from Amazon.window ac unit lockWritten My first thought was, "Why would they innovate?  new ac unit financingHas there been a radical shift in the construction of windows?  air conditioning fan running not coolingWould the exteriors of houses built today be barely recognizable to someone from the '80's?"  Of course not, so why change?Then I thought about it more.  The reason you see no "innovation" in the window AC is because it is an entry level product for that market.  If you live in an apartment or small house without A/C, your first step is a box fan.  Your second step is a window A/C. 

When you have the funds, you either move up to central air, a minisplit, a PTAC or some other permanently installed device.Therefore, the key to selling window A/C units is to make them cheap.  Similar to what I wrote in the question: Why are window air conditioning units so loud?, they could make a fashionable, quieter...whatever you want but in the end if it is $40 more expensive than the competitors, the majority of the market will buy the competitor's unit.My second answer is that you are simply wrong.  There have been major changes in the manufacture of these devices, its just happened gradually over time and mostly internal to the case.The biggest innovation has been the increase in efficiency of the units.  Of course, most of this was mandated by the DOE.  Even so, many window units rival central air in energy efficiency.  But this isn't seen from the outside.The other big one is in refrigerant selection.  Many units have traditionally used R-22.  Since 2010, that has been phased out causing a radical re-design of the refrigeration system. 

Again, something you can't see from the outside.There are many subtle changes you don't catch, as well.  Believe it or not, those units have gotten smaller.  Or maybe the cabinet is the same size but the refrigeration capacity has increased significantly.  So it can cool more space.The weight has dropped significantly.   In the spring I help my folks put in two units.  The first is a dinosaur from the 80's.  It takes two people and a lot of grunting.  The second is less than 10 years old and can be hoisted into place by just myself.Finally, really think hard back to the 70's and 80's unit.  On the inside, it probably had some sort of fake would paneling that would flip up to reveal the controls.  As you showed, there aren't many of those on the market.  They are all now the "sleek/industrial" look, which is of course cheaper to produce than the faux wood panel look.Written There has been innovation over the years with the SEER (energy efficiency).. Are you referring to the design of it?

: Quirky + GE Aros Smart Window Air Conditioner: Home Improvement). The AC world is innovating every year. I just bought this mini split unit with a crazy high SEER and works with my smartphone (GREE Crown 9,000 BTU Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump System - 30.5 SEER (208/230V) Smart-home tech is becoming more popular every year. You will start to see AC units will be more and more popular.Have you finally had enough of the Boston heat this ovenlike summer? Here's a great list of places in Boston to cool off indoors with free AC. But if you've already read all the books in the Boston Public Library and spent all of your money at the Prudential Center in an attempt to escape the heat, you may be ready to buy your own AC unit. Forking over approximately $150 for a brand new AC unit, and cooling off in your own home, is definitely the more economic choice if you've been holed up in the Prudential or at Copley Place. So here's a list of the cheapest AC units (new ones at the top and used at the bottom) that I found while scouring the internet for my own personal air conditioner:

General Electric 5,050-BTU Window Air Conditioner AET05LQ Suitable for 100-150 sq. ft. rooms Alternative to a portable air conditioner Cooler works by drawing air in and cooling it with a water-saturated wick Cools 100-300 sq. ft. room by up to 12°F Rolls easily from room to room Free shipping when you spend $50 Frigidaire 5000 BTU Window Room Air Conditioner Cools up to a 150 sq. ft. room Free Parcel Shipping (1-3 Standard Business Days GE 5,000 BTU 115-Volt Window Air Conditioner Buy Online, Pick Up In Store Today. Closest Store: 75 Mystic Ave, Somerville, MA02143 |  Cools room sizes up to 150 sq. ft 2-way air direction control Anti-bacterial mesh filter type, side-out filter access Qualifies for FREE Super Saver Shipping Best Buy - $169.99 Frigidaire 6,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner 216 sq. ft. cooling capacity Store Pickup: Available now at 401 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215 (Fenway) 617-424-7900