Portable air conditioners have strong selling points

Tag : air ventilation kit

Seasonal installation of the Enstar is simple as you'd expect. Rollthe unit into position, open a window, then install the window kitand flexible exhaust hose. All this is easier than the seasonalpilgrimage back and forth lugging a window unit that we use onanother level of our house.
The Enstar is about as quiet as a standard dehumidifier, except fora surprisingly loud internal buzzing that developed whenever thecompressor came on. Exploratory probing revealed internal plasticparts that were responsible for the annoying sound. A couple ofwooden wedges wiggled into position stopped the buzz.
From the start, my main concern with a portable unit was itscooling power. With only a flexible, four-inch hose available totransfer heat outdoors, I had doubts that any portable coulddeliver enough cooling action to be useful. And direct comparisonproves that my fears were partially justified.
The KY-32U is rated at 12,000 btu/hr of cooling power. That'sexactly the same as the window A/C we've got on the lower floor ofour house. Trouble is, there's simply no comparison with the amountof cooling effect provided. The window model offers much more,despite the identical numbers.
This isn't necessarily a deal breaker, nor is it unique to myEnstar. I've heard similar stories about other brands of portableair conditioners in independent reports, so it's not an isolatedsituation. As long as you're prepared for less cooling action, thena portable might be OK.
Convenience is why I bought the portable, but I also got remarkabledehumidification. This is the pleasant surprise. The ability topull water out of the air exceeded my expectations.
Dehumidification always happens as a side effect when air iscooled, but it's particularly effective with this equipment. Ifyou're interested in making household air drier during the summer,then I don't know why anyone would consider a standard dehumidifiernow that a portable air conditioner is available.
The KY-32U consistently removes 80 to 90 pints of water from humidair every 24 hours. This is about twice as fast as the largestportable dehumidifiers, and it does the job without warming indoorair, as dehumidifiers do.
Since ordinary dehumidifiers don't have an exterior vent, all theelectrical energy they consume is converted to heat that staysinside your house. No one would willingly turn on a 750-wattelectric heater on a hot day when all the windows are closed, butthis is the equivalent of what's happening whenever you run adehumidifier. The only problem with the powerful dehumidificationof my portable air conditioner is handling all the water produced.The tiny, two-litre on-board reservoir is a joke -- it fills in anhour or two.