Looking for 10k-12k BTU.
If they don't hang outside the window they'd have to hang inside the window, and would need a more complicated ventilation system to take air from outside, heat it up and vent it back outside. At that point you'd have a window mounted two hose AC anyway.
So yes, your next best option is going to be a two hose portable AC. One hose takes air from the outside to cool the condenser, one hose to throw that hot air outside.
Single hose works too, but they're less efficient because they take cold inside air, cool the condenser and vents it outside, which waste some of the air it just cooled for that and it creates negative air pressure inside which will bring hot air from the outside to replace it from any cracks and holes in the house.
I understand! So then given my limitation, a dual hose portable AC unit is my best option.
No question. We used a single hose one for years and it was way better than the window units in almost every sense (except for the above mentioned efficiency issue). Setup is simple, you can move/point it to a more desirable location, breakdown at the end of summer was simple, and ours was remote controlled (though this seems more common on window units too these days).
Get one that is a heat pump and not just AC for more efficiency.
A heat pump isn’t any more efficient than a AC only unit of the same SEER rating. They are literally the same system with the heat pump having a couple extra valves and parts to reverse the flow of the refrigerator.
That’s true, though since it is a reversing refrigerant flow system, it can act as a high efficiency heater as well. The high efficiency heating+ multifunction of the unit ( which negates the need for a separate electric resistive or fuel heater) make it’s overall performance more efficient in both energy use and spatial consumption, doesn’t it? It’s more efficient!
If the ‘window’ part isn’t a requirement. A mini-split fits the bill. They are efficient, aren’t a blight, and can be sized to service a room or so.
If you have a balcony or patio area (assuming you are in an apartment), you could opt for a split A/C. These have most of the A/C “guts” in a box that sits outside and a couple of hoses that hook up to the heat exchanger inside. The outside box chills water, pumping it through the inside heat exchanger. They’re more efficient than window A/C units, and get around rental agreements prohibiting window units.
The whole point of window A/c is to hang outside the window so the waste/extracted heat is outside and not inside (as it would make the A/c unit useless.)
It sounds like a portable hose units your only option. (even thought they are less efficient than in window units)
Don’t dual hose portable AC units follow the same principle of venting the waste heat outside? As I understand it, the window AC units are still much more efficient at this as they don’t have a hose to push/pull it through.
Not all the heat is removed as the machinery of the A/c also get hot and radiates heat and all that cannot be remove by the hose. That is why the machinery for in widow units is physically outside the area you are trying to cool.
I dunno, our single hose portable A/C does pretty damn well for whatever it’s worth. Granted it’s not the most efficient thing in the world, but it really does work alright.
How loud is yours? I’ve got one that I avoid using because it’s too loud, much more than a regular window unit. It doesn’t sound broken, so I’m wondering if mine is just a bad model or if it’s a common trait.
I wouldn’t say it’s very loud, but it does make the typically expected A/C compressor and fan sounds. It’s not annoyingly loud, unless it’s sat up over the winter and hasn’t been run for months, but even then it tends to settle out more quietly after 30 minutes to an hour of running.
Ours is a Hayer HPQ10XCR-P3, though I’m sure there are a many models and manufacturers out there of similar devices. I can’t speak for the sound qualities of all of them, but I would recommend running them at least for an hour every few months to sling the lubricating oils around.
You may be able to find a slim-profile window AC that sits within the window casing. They’re not very powerful, so plan on one in each room.
