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Many people love fashionable goods, in addition to the practical functions, everyone also likes the beautiful appearance.

In summer or tropical areas, air conditioners are used a lot, among all kinds of air conditioners, portable air conditioner attracts more eyes due to its unique design and modeling.

Most commonly we use a wall-split air conditioner in the bedroom, floor standing or central air conditioner for the big size space like the living room.

But now things are progressing, as portable air conditioner brings us more convenience and different experiences.

What Is Portable Air Conditioner(PAC)?

It is a kind of air conditioner, all-in-one, portable, movable, and mobile, without outdoor unit. They are good choices for cooling or heating a single room. Normally they are positively placed on the ground, connected to their backs by hose (single or dual), and use the hose exhausting heat outside, to achieve cooling or heating function. Every unit has wheels (see below ↓)  to move randomly for “portable” purposes.

PAC Wheels

Why People Choose PAC, Not Others?

PAC is movable easily compared with other air conditioners, especially it can focus on functioning a small region to achieve cooling or heating in a short time. For example, switch on one portable air conditioner with cooling mode on the bedhead, you can feel the cooling performance in several seconds, other air conditioners can’t be so fast. Meanwhile, some places have no space to hang up an outdoor unit, like kitchen, school dormitory; some places forbid to install an outdoor unit, such as a rented house (host forbids install Air conditioner), server room, etc.

Meanwhile, PAC is lighter (roughly 40% lighter) than the same capacity wall split air conditioner, and easier to install.

What Are The Disadvantages Of PAC?

1) For some people, they are noisy

PAC is equivalent to assembling indoor & outdoor unit of the whole set air conditioner together inside the room. Although the noise level is not as large as the outdoor unit, the noise generated by the components, including the compressor, can be obviously felt during the operation.

Meantime, many PACs use fixed-frequency compressors, which will produce relatively obvious noise when switch-on & off. If putting in the bedroom, it will feel noisy when you sleep at night.

As, it is necessary to install a fixed exhaust hose in the window, the window’s ability to isolate outdoor noise is also reduced, which will bring more noise interference, especially when sleeping at night.

Normally seldom suppliers can produce PAC lessen than 45 dB(A). So if you are sensitive to a noisy environment,PAC is not a good choice for you. According to the survey, some people have a strong tolerance to noise, but not most people.

Tips: There is a botton named “sleep mode” on the panel, which means when you choose it, the noise level can be a little down. But at the same time, the air volume will drop, which means the cooling effect will be reduced.

Sleep mode

2) The price of a PAC is not cheap

some manufacturers produce PAC with many features (wifi function, smart control, etc), so its price is higher than the ordinary air conditioner.

But if you wholesale purchase, I believe you can get a satisfactory discount from the supplier.

3) Destroy the beauty of the room

The heat generated by PAC at work needs to be discharged from the window through the exhaust hose. So although the PAC can move flexibly in multiple rooms, the existence of the exhaust hose obviously limits its flexibility, and the exhaust hose only allows the PAC placed near the window, meanwhile inevitably destroying the overall aesthetics of the rooms.

Which Size PAC Matches Me?

Depend on your room size.

Generally, PACs have 5,000-14,000btu (BTU measures capacity of cooling performance, 9000btu=1 Horse Power). For a single room less than 10 square meters 7,000-9,000btu are good choices, 11-25 square meters we recommend 10,000-14,000btu, more than 30 square meters we advise you use wall split air conditioner, PAC doesn’t match more large space.

How to Install PAC?

Key Installation steps:

1. Connect the adapter to the exhaust hose, then install the exhaust hose to the back hole of the PAC.
2. Fix the adjustable window slider kits in the window, and mount the window exhaust adapter into the slider kits.

See the specific installation schematic below ↓

 

 

Any Cautions When You Move PAC?

Because of the refrigerant ( liquid, flammable and explosive) filled in the compressor, you can only move it horizontally, can’t invert, drop, or punch.

All the wrong movements will leak the refrigerant resulting in operational risk.

Why PAC Can Work Without Outdoor Unit?

For wall split air conditioner, the core of the whole system—Compressor is located at the outdoor unit, exhaust heat from outdoor air vent. But for PAC, compressor exists inside the room, uses exhaust hose to discharge heat, so no need outdoor unit at all.

Does It Safe to Use PAC Without Exhaust Hose?

Absolutely safe but not efficient, because the heat can’t be discharged outside and all stored indoors. That means the cooling generated by PAC and the original heat mixed together, the room can’t be cooled for a long time, and can’t achieve the effect of cooling; when heating the same.

Another drawback without an exhaust hose is: PAC will be noisier because the exhaust hose can reduce the noise level.

What’s The Difference Between PAC and Air-conditioning Fan?

PAC likes ordinary air conditioners, also need to be cooled by refrigerants that are filled inside of the compressor. While air-conditioning fans are just fans, no need compressor at all. In addition to the similar appearance, the refrigeration capacity, price, and refrigeration principle are completely different. Air-conditioning fan is a kind of new concept fan, which has many functions, such as air supply, cooling, air purification, humidification, and so on. With water as the medium, it can send out wind equal to the water temperature in a short time, both cold and warm. Its coolness is mainly due to the water and ice crystals (The water is added to the box and freezes) inside the water tank.

Air Conditioning Fan Structure

PS: I guess you heard air cooler, room cooler, or (standing) air cooler fan as well, actually they are the same product.

What Is Different From AC/DC PAC?

To my knowledge, most PACs are AC type, which uses fixed-speed compressors. DC portable air conditioners use an inverter compressor, but for now seldom suppliers (LG) can provide it.

Meanwhile, their prices are much higher than AC portable air conditioners.

How to Wash PAC?

For simple cleaning, open up the back, you will see the filter, and back cover, you can wash them by yourselves. But if you want to clean the evaporator or condenser, we advise you to ask a professional service company. Some people find the documentation on the internet and follow those steps to clean the evaporator/condenser by themselves, we really don’t recommend, as you have no experience, that is very easy to damage the machine or cut yourself.

We suggest at least every 2 years cleaning once for the main parts (like evaporator, condenser, electric board, etc) with dust. Because of static electricity, they are easy to accumulate dust.

What’s the Differences Between PAC and Window Air Conditioner?

Well, both of them are all-in-one unit, but still have some differences:

1. Mobility

PAC can move in a large scope when it fixed onto the window; but window AC can’t move at all when fixed inside the window.

Movable PAC

Fixed window AC

2. Weight

Based on the same capacity, PAC is lighter by 35-45% than window air conditioner, which means PAC is more easier to carry out and install.

3. Capacity scope

PAC normally maximum capacity is 14,000-15,000btu, minimum capacity is 1,000~2,000btu ( for battery-powered PAC, minimum capacity can be 1,500btu); While window air conditioner normally minimum capacity is 7,000btu, maximum capacity is 36,000btu.

4. Price

The price of PAC  is only 70-80% of window air conditioner ( for same capacity), so PAC is more competitive price than window air conditioner.

For wholesale orders, believe you can get more discount for the price.

How Many Types of Refrigerants PAC Use?

Generally, PAC uses R290 and R410a, both of which are called eco-friendly refrigerants.

The heats transfer and flow characteristics of R410a are better than R22(forbidden now), which is conducive to improving the operating efficiency of air conditioners and saving energy, and now is widely used. R410a has ODP(Ozone Depletion Potential )=0 and is not ozone-depleting. However, R410a GWP=1730 (for comparison, CO2 has GWP=1) and contributes more to global warming, so R410A is not the ultimate environmentally friendly refrigerant solution.

R290’s ODP=0, GWP=20 has very little contribution to global warming, it is a natural organic material and can be obtained directly from LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) at a low price. R290 has good thermal performance, large latent heat of gasification, less liquid filling in the system, and the exhaust temperature is 20℃ lower than R22 under the same working condition, which is conducive to extending the compressor’s life. Since R290 neither damages the ozone layer nor causes the greenhouse effect, it will replace R410a as the mainstream refrigerant for PAC in the long run.

Could You Make Panels In Other Colors?

Yes, but depend on your quantity.

For a normal white panel, we can send you sample quantity without issue, but for black or other colorful panels, we need evaluation the input-output ratio and market potential, because the investment of capital is not a small amount.

Could We Use PAC to Heat the Room?

Absolutely yes!

PAC also has heating function to heat the room, especially for a small room, which can heat it quickly.

But please remember PAC is not a good choice for heating the room in very cold areas, normally >-5°C, otherwise the PAC will stop working.

In so cold areas like North Europe, North Russia, etc, we recommend radiator which is more efficient and economical.

Radiator  for colder area

How to Drain Out the Water Manufactured When a PAC Works? Why Sometimes Leak Water?

The water comes from dehumidifying or evaporating when PAC works, stored in the self-contained tank, usually drains ONCE each half month.

Sometimes the water leaks, reasons as:

1. Tank is full but doesn’t drain timely.

2. Heat exchanger drops water.

3. Installation is incorrect.

4. Drainpipe blocked.

5. Dew on the piping.

Depending on the different situation, DIY solutions or ask a service and maintenance company for help.

How Could We Use a PAC Outdoors or Camping?

Actually, now have PAC can work by DC battery, which can be called real PORTABLE. No need on-grid power supply at all. However, due to battery-limited usage time per charge(3-5 hours), this type of portable air conditioner is only suitable for temporarily used outdoors, meanwhile, its cooling capacity is small (less than 3,000btu), so only can match small spaces, and of course, cooling performance is just so so,  that’s why their usage places are limited.

Battery-Powered PAC

What Are the Single-hose And Dual-hose Model PAC?

Single-hose PAC has only one exhaust hose. Dual hose has one air INTAKE hose, and one air EXHAUST hose. Any cracks around the installation hole will suck in heat from outside through a single hose. However, intake and exhaust air for dual-hose are separated, so dual-hose will be more efficient when working. Single-hose is frequently used in small rooms, big rooms use dual-hose is better.

Dual-hose PAC

Dual-hose PAC installation kits

How About the Energy Consumption for a Portable Air Conditioner?

For 115/220V power supply, frankly speaking, its energy consumption is a little less than a split air conditioner of the same capacity.

Inverter PAC can save some more energy, but the price is higher than normal PAC.

Does PAC Hose Length Is Enough For Me?

Depend on yourself.

Usually, a portable air conditioner factory supplies 5-6 feet in length for the hose. If you need longer, of course, can be customized, but need to pay the additional cost.

Please note the longer hose, the worse performance. Because PAC will have more cooling losses for the longer hose.

Conclusion

Well, we believe you have a comprehensive understanding of Portable air conditioner. It’s a good companion for you to keep cool and happy. Please share with your friends or beloved, if you care about or love them.

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