I recently purchased a used portable air conditioner for hot summer days (CHF 50 to take the edge off hot days? That's cheaper than lunch!). However, I'm a bit confused about the exhaust tube and it how it works in regards to the windows.
Naturally, I understand that the tube itself must go outside to exhaust the hot air. However, I don't really see how this can be effectively done with our windows: they're the common dual-action windows that either swing open like a door, or can be tilted open from the top. Either way, there's a lot of open space around the tube.
Coming from the US, windows typically slide up and down in the frame, so one could mount the AC unit in the window and use little "wings" to seal the gaps like so:
Here, however, the windows do not accommodate AC units or their tubes with the same ease.
As a temporary solution, I've used bits of cardboard and tape to seal up the window around the tube, but surely there's some sort of adapter that can fit snugly between the window and frame and which has an opening for the tube, right?
Do such adapters exist? Is there a particular name for them that one should ask for at Migro Do It, Coop Bau & Hobby, or OBI? Are the adapters reasonably universal (i.e., if our windows are a certain height and width we can buy an adapter that's approximately the right size and which has adjustable panels to fit more snugly?)?
If you go to OBI at Shoppyland, or Bauhaus at Niederwangen, or a large DIY shop you might see something suitable.
But I have no idea about an adapter, however I have heard of people pushing the exhaust tube up the ventilator shaft in the WC room. maybe an idea for you? It looks like summer is over for this year.
Indeed. Last time we were there we kept our eyes open but didn't find anything. Next time we're there we'll look more thoroughly and bring measurements of the tube diameter and the windows. Alas, I doubt my attempts at translating "air conditioning window tube adapter thingy" into German would get anything other than confused laughter from the staff!
Alas, the tube we have is not long enough to reach the vent opening in the WC. Good idea, though.
In regards to summer being over, let's hope so. I don't do very well when it is hot and humid, so I spend a lot of time in the lab which is kept at 18C and 45% humidity (+/- 5%) all year round to keep the electronics happy. It also keeps grad students happy. Still, coming home to a toasty apartment is never fun, hence my joy at finding a cheap AC unit.
Another possibility is to buy a piece of board large enough to fit just inside the open window space, and leave the window open, but the board in place. Then fit the tube to the board (I can lend you a saw)
The one downside is that the manual says that the efficiency is maximized by keeping the tube as short as practical (it's an accordion-type one, so it can be lengthened or shortened). They specifically recommend against getting longer tubes, but I don't mind living dangerously.
I had a portable a/c unit once and one of the attachments that came with it was a window gap filler.
It was a long, narrow two part plastic device, that works like a slide rule, to fit the height of the window gap, and at one end (normally positioned at the bottom) is a hole and shoulder where the pipe attaches.
Therefore, the pipe can exhaust it's hot air, with the rest of the gap of the open window being blocked by the piece of plastic, preventing warm air from outside from entering the room.
Hard to say if this is available separately, or always comes as an accessory with a unit.
That sounds exactly what I'm looking for, assuming it (or something else I could easily purchase) has some triangular bits at the top and bottom to seal off the ends of the window.
I could always take up Alan's offer of the saw and make it myself, but having an adjustable, purpose-built thing would be ideal.
Believe me, heypete's wife/gf will kill him if he installs such a long duct to his bathroom. It's technically possible, but not very practical as they won't be able to close/lock the bathroom door
He should look for something like this:
The latter costs Fr. 49.-- and the store is located in Nidau, east of Biel.
I know this is an old thread, but does not hurt to ask rather then open a new one: heypete, did you end up buying a new hose/extension? do you use it?
Anyone else, bought a new hose/extension? Up to how much, is it still ok to use and whats the worse that can happen from using it?
...I also, am preparing for summer and bought a unit today at Fust (LC 1250 A ) and the manual (no english) states not to use extensions... but without using one, its really not the best scenario for me... So, sales person said to go to bauhobby and buy a bigger one, that should not be a problem. so its just a sales pitch and FU... or I can do that and wont hurt the machine/catch on fire... lol
Also, can I have the hose going up to the top of the window for the air release, or it must stay level ?
The hose is the hot air exhaust, the longer tube will return some heat back into the room and add more air resistance. Air conditioners are not very energy efficient.
If you need to extend the existing tube by 1m or so then it won't make much difference, but if you plan to put the A/C in the bedroom and run a 16m length of tube out through the living room then you might as well just leave the A/C unpacked and burn some Banknotes on the balcony.
No reason that the hose has to be level or such, but you do want to make sure that rain won't get into it.
Put the Unit as close to the window as you can, if need be get some hose from doit/Bauundhobby etc.
The air coming out is warm enough that it will soften Ducktape (or even Duckttape), so you want to make sure that it isn't hanging, just use the tape to seal the joins.
JagWaugh thanks for your reply. I certainly do not want to burn notes...
So, I have two scenarios I can use.
1) not do anything out of the ordinary and use as intended. The con with that is that there will be a bit of "light" in the room, since I will have to have the blinds "open" for the hose part to come out... and its a long double window blind, so .. well. light.
2) other option I have is place unit by bathroom door, and instead of using the 1.50m hose that came, buy a 3.00 hose (or maybe 3.50) and have it go up to the ceiling from the unit, above the bathroom door and out to the window on the other side of the door that is opened in swing style down from the top. (i'll add a pix. later)...
So I was wondering if I do use a 3 or 4 meter hose, that is literally turning 90 degrees up from leaving the unit and then going up and 90 degrees (or close to it) down to go out the window a problem or not... (I would hang a sheet or something similar in the bathroom door to keep the light out of the room and make sure the air doesnt go to the bathroom either...)
Hope it makes sense... but I guess this explains +/- my dilemma... its not hot yet but when it is, I want to be ready and enjoying my new buy...
I didn't buy an extension, but I do have a second hose from an older, broken AC unit.
I use the first exhaust hose to blow the hot air out the window through the "hot air stop" covering that helps seal the window a little bit. The AC unit is right in front of the window so I don't need an extension.
The AC has two sets of coils: one is the coil that draws in room air, cools it, and then expels it back to the room. The second is the coil that draws in room air, heats it with the heat from the first coil, and blows it out through the exhaust tube. I cut up some cardboard boxes to fit appropriately, taped them around the "hot" coil's intake vents with plenty of room so the airflow isn't constricted, cut a hole in the boxes for the second hose, and ran both hoses out through the windows. This way the AC draws in outside air, passes it over the "hot" coil, and blows that same air back outside. So far, so good, and it seems to have increased the cooling efficiency a bit since it's not using blowing cool room air outside.
Using an extension will significantly reduce the efficiency of the AC unit. The tubes themselves get quite warm and will readily heat up the room they're in. You want to keep the hose length as short as possible. I try to keep my hose between the window and the curtains to minimize the amount of heating of the room air.
Try to keep the hose length as short as possible. Where practical, it's better to move the AC unit to be closer to the window than use a longer hose.
It doesn't have to stay level. I have my window opened on its vertical access (e.g. it opens on the side, not from the top) and the hose runs up from the bottom and bends over the windowsill. Running it all the way up to the top of the window and then down out the window won't harm it, but again, try to keep the hose length to a minimum.
I did something like this too, before getting a mobile split a/c which works 10 times better than these monoblock ones. You need to have an outside space for them or otherwise construct your own hot area with cardboard boxes.