G
Guest
Have any of you modified a window A/C unit to operate as a "portable" unit, to be run indoors without sticking out of a window? They're considerably cheaper than the portable units, and I don't really see any real advantages of the portables (unless you need to move it around, which I don't).
Wouldn't it be possible to simply build an enclosure for the unit, and run ducting to exhaust / draw air to / from the outside? Seems quite easy and straight-forward, but I'm asking because just about every single "money saving" DIY project I've done (which initially seemed like a great idea) eventually ended up costing more and performing worse than the more expensive, pre-built option. So in preparation / research for this project, I have a few questions:
Wouldn't it be possible to simply build an enclosure for the unit, and run ducting to exhaust / draw air to / from the outside? Seems quite easy and straight-forward, but I'm asking because just about every single "money saving" DIY project I've done (which initially seemed like a great idea) eventually ended up costing more and performing worse than the more expensive, pre-built option. So in preparation / research for this project, I have a few questions:
- How do most low-end (5-6k BTU, 110/120V) window A/C units work? Do they draw in and exhaust air from the outside? Or does it draw air in from the inside? In other words, is it more or less operationally equivalent to a dual-house portable unit? Home Depot didn't have any open units to check out, and I've never really paid much attention to them before today... A quick glance seems to indicate that the hot air is drawn from the inside of the room through the front (user control side), exhausted out the back, and the cooled air also through the front via different set of vents / grille.
- How do the "analog" controls work (Lo, Med, Hi, etc)? Are they controlled by a thermostat (i.e., Lo = 80F, Med = 70F, ...)? Those seem a bit cheaper than the ones with the digital LEDs. I've also noticed that the portable units have dehumidifying capability... how about the window units?
- Would this generate too much noise for an indoor, apartment situation? Are the portable ones any quieter? I'm trying to run this in a small studio apartment.