smd wrote:
>
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into a
> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an air
> conditioner hanging out of the window.
>
> Thanks
i have neverr done one, but all you need is some cardboard taped
together with some duct tape on the back to get the hot air out...and a
pan to catch the water dripping from the bottom....i bet its more about
the electric use of the a/c or the draw on the current that will upset
the electric service than the a/c unit sticking out the window.....
smd wrote:
>
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into a
> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an air
> conditioner hanging out of the window.
>
> Thanks
While it can be done (NYC subway token booth units are field adapted
to operate in this manner, as were many older A/C units placed in
office buildings as backups units... using add-on side scoops), it
really depends on the units design. The ones with vents on the top
and/or bottom in addition to the back, are not suitable for this
purpose.
Having said that, you would be much better off getting one of those
"portable" units... where the only item in the window is a plastic
do-hickey with a flexible duct attached to the unit. They are more
expensive (though getting cheaper), and you must empty the water now
and again (they will auto shut-off). But can be rolled from room to
room and/or taken with you when you change apartments(flats?) without
much worry.
As a FWIW, I just purchased one of those potable unit for my attic
area (8000 BTU heating/cooling) for $399 US. I works as advertised!
HTH,
Charlie LegMan (remove 999 for eMail)
'When I was a youth' my father owned an appliance store.
One manufacturer came up with the novel idea of making a stand for a small
{at that time}a/c. The idea being to 'wheel' it into a room, or place it so
that the air would cool a specific area - such as a diningroom table for a
large family get together.
Basically, it was an open 'pipe-like' affair - sort of an elongated and
'squared off' letter 'C'. A set of wheels at the lower 'curve' and the top
'curve' actually flattened with holes to secure the unit. It was somewhat
adjustable for height, by the expedient of a 'tube within a tube'
construction and some holes for bolts.
Should be easy enough to make one from Sked 40 PVC pipe. Could then either
stain it to look like wood, or cover it with 'wood grain' adhesive backed
material.
A heavier weight 'cabinet' could be one of those 'entertainment centers' {as
used to 'hide' a TV} without a back.
Just a reminder . . . the original didn't remain in vogue for more than a
year or two. The cool air in FRONT of the unit may have felt good, but the
'blast furnace' coming out the back {the physics of HOW an A/C works, folks}
didn't feel so nice. Plus, it actually increased the ambient heat within the
room, apartment, etc.
Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
"smd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:oxRBc.814623$Pk3.454706@pd7tw1no...
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into
a
> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an
air
> conditioner hanging out of the window.
>
> Thanks
>
>
If you have a regular double hung window, the unit could sit on the sill
with its back in the plane of the sash. Then all you need do is close the
sides. Caution, some units have vents on the sides for taking in the air to
cool the condenser coil (outside, hot one). If so, then you must box in the
sides to keep that path open. Watch out that these vents don't suck in the
hot air going out the back.
Wilson
"smd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:oxRBc.814623$Pk3.454706@pd7tw1no...
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into
a
> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an
air
> conditioner hanging out of the window.
>
> Thanks
>
>
"smd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:oxRBc.814623$Pk3.454706@pd7tw1no...
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into
a
> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an
air
> conditioner hanging out of the window.
Haven't built one, but as long as there's tubing to exhaust and exchange the
air, I can't see why it couldn't be done. Have to admit, if it's set up
properly, it would be a damned site cheaper than the ones designed to be
portable.
smd wrote:
> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into
> a portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an
> air conditioner hanging out of the window.
Never built one--interesting idea though. Just remember that air
conditioners work by taking heat out of air in one place and adding it to
air somewhere else, so you need to make provision to give it plenty of
outside air to put the heat into. If you let it draw from the room for
that purpose it will suck all yoru cold air out just like an exhaust fan
would. If you let it exhaust into the room then you don't gain anything at
all unless you're sitting right in front of it.
Also, if there is any humidity at all in the air, you're going to get
condensation that you'll have to dispose of somehow. Even if you live in
Death Valley bathing, washing, and cooking will put some moisture into the
inside air.
I envision something that would sit in front of your largest window, that
has a shell that butts against the window frame, with a cutout and maybe
some rails to hold the air conditioner, and a hose going into a bleach
bottle or something (one local business does exactly that for the
condensation from the air conditioner that cools their office mezzanine) to
hold the condensation. Don't forget to check the water level periodically.
>
> Thanks
--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 07:50:44 GMT, "smd"
<[email protected]> vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
HAH! I have a unit that has a tube that you seal into the window. When
we bought it, the sales guy (one of those rare ones who probably lose
their jobs) told us it was a sucky idea.
We bought the thing _in spite_ of the salesman (customers really _do_
want to hear "NICE" stuff!), and it's useless.
It has a 4" tube about 10' long, and you stick that out the window.
The window has to be open 4", so they give you a piece of foam to seal
the heat from coming straight back in.
The tube gets very hot. So I used to hang towels over it to stop the
heat getting back into the room.
***********************************************************************
Someone actually said that someone sold a unit that moved cooled air
around the room. I would string the bastards that sold the thing up by
the nuts and teach them the principles by forcing them to piss! A
painful waste of time.
hullo! It's called a fridge with the door open folks! It heats the
room more than it cools (efficiency).
************************************************************************
OK.
An aircon needs somewhere to get rid of the heat. That's called
outside. Outside has to be separated quite violently from inside. But
the heat transfer needs to be _very_ rapid for effectiveness. Look at
an aircon in a wall or window. It has a 2' by 3' area, and in that
area is a _huge_ area of copper-foil exchanger. Not much fan needed,
because the radiator does the job. but if you stand near the outside
of an aircon, there is a huge draught anyway. Heat transfer involves a
lot of transferring.
OK. I have this useless tubed aircon that I am looking converting to a
useful one...your exact opposite.
Your problem is heat transfer. In the end, you need to hang a tube out
the window that is as big as the aircon you buy, with added air
movement (extra fan), to even approach the usefuleness of the cheap
aircon you buy but can't install.
I would estimate that the tubed version I have is maybe 1/5th as good
as a window or wall-mounted system.
>Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into a
>portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an air
>conditioner hanging out of the window.
Why not? Seriously.
Wilson, I think your advice is good. My recollection is that there are
some window units designed with both in and out vents on the back - i.e.,
nothing on the sides - so the back can be set even with the window sash.
So, OP could call the local stores that sell a/c units, but they may not be
much help, so OP will have to look himself. Or, he/she/it could try the
manuf's websites or their 800 numbers -- such as GE's.
If the plan is to adapt an existing window unit that has side vents, I
might try getting a plastic tub big enough for the job - including
clearance for the side vents - at a local Borg. If the bottom is cut out
the right size and the a/c unit is slipped into that opening, then the
plastic tub would slant right to drain the water to the outside, if that is
OK. FWIW
On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 14:31:02 GMT, "Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>If you have a regular double hung window, the unit could sit on the sill
>with its back in the plane of the sash. Then all you need do is close the
>sides. Caution, some units have vents on the sides for taking in the air to
>cool the condenser coil (outside, hot one). If so, then you must box in the
>sides to keep that path open. Watch out that these vents don't suck in the
>hot air going out the back.
>Wilson
>"smd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:oxRBc.814623$Pk3.454706@pd7tw1no...
>> Has anyone built a cabinet to convert a cheap window air conditioner into
>a
>> portable room air conditioner? I live in an apartment and cannot have an
>air
>> conditioner hanging out of the window.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
"Ron Magen" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> 'When I was a youth' my father owned an appliance store.
>
> One manufacturer came up with the novel idea of making a stand for a small
> {at that time}a/c. The idea being to 'wheel' it into a room, or place it so
> that the air would cool a specific area - such as a diningroom table for a
> large family get together.
In Tokyo, there's a part of town called akihabara. It's sort of an
electronics and appliance mecca. When I was there in 85, they used to
line up window air conditioners, set them to full-blast, then point
them out toward the sidewalks. Tokyo summers are hot and humid, like
florida. When you walk by, you would get a blast of arctic air
designed to draw you into the store.
brian
On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:54:29 GMT, "Ron Magen" <[email protected]>
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
In other words, it was fucked ripoff.....sorry. That is a really
...need I say it again.......idea.
>Just a reminder . . . the original didn't remain in vogue for more than a
>year or two. The cool air in FRONT of the unit may have felt good, but the
>'blast furnace' coming out the back {the physics of HOW an A/C works, folks}
>didn't feel so nice. Plus, it actually increased the ambient heat within the
>room, apartment, etc.
>
>Regards & Good Luck,
>Ron Magen
>Backyard Boatshop
>