Many people think that portable air conditioners can be placed or installed anywhere. Although it is partially true, there are some factors you must consider before placing the portable AC. So, here we are going to discuss the best place to put your portable air conditioner to get the maximum benefit from the appliance.
Where is the Best Place to Put Your Portable Air Conditioner?
You must place the portable air conditioner near a window and a suitable electrical socket in the room you are using. The portable AC removes the heat from the room and exhausts it through a pipe. This vent pipe must go through a window or a suitable opening. Also, you have to attach a drain hose to remove the condensed water. So, you have to place the AC in a place that is suitable for venting and drainage.
Portable ACs can function effectively and efficiently when you place them in the proper place. You can put the portable AC in any room but there are some factors you should consider before placing it.
Factors affecting Portable AC placement
When you are planning to put a portable AC in a room, you must look for three things:
- Vent for Hot Air
- Drainage of Condensed Water
- Electrical Socket Availability
Vent for Hot Air
In a portable AC, you will be provided with a vent pipe or hose along with a window adapter kit. You have to fix the vent pipe to the window adapter kit and then install it into the AC exhaust.
The hot air removed from the room will leave the portable AC through this connected vent hose. Therefore the hose should exit through a window. If you don’t send the vent hose through a window, the hot air will circulate back into the house.
ACs work by sucking the hot air in the room which is then passed through the evaporator coil to cool and is circulated back into the room as cold air. The heat from the hot air is absorbed by the cold refrigerant in the evaporator coil. This refrigerant flows back to the condenser coil where the heat in the refrigerant is removed.
This heat removed is exhausted to the outside using a blower. This venting of hot air happens in all types of AC including the portable ACs. So, it becomes very important to place it near a window or a suitable opening and fix the vent hose airtight to avoid leaking the exhaust air.
Drainage of Condensed Water
Portable ACs have a system to handle condensed water from the unit. The portable unit manually drains the water using a small pipe. This pipe attached to the portable unit is short. It may or may not be sufficient to carry the water outside the window.
So, you have to attach a longer drain pipe and send it along with the vent pipe through the window. If you don’t drain the water properly, you may flood the floor with condensed water.
If the climate is hot and humid, you can find a lot of moisture in the air. When you use the portable AC in such climates, you can get a lot of condensed water when the heat is removed from the evaporator coil.
Therefore, you should choose a place that is easier to drain the condensed water from the portable AC.
Electrical Socket Availability
Portable ACs require a significant amount of power to run. You cannot simply plug it into a 5A wall socket. When the compressor kicks in, it requires more power to run, and plugging it into a 5A socket may not be sufficient.
Therefore, you will have to place the portable AC near a 15A wall socket for seamless working. It will be sufficient for the unit and it will not damage the appliance in any way.
You may also think that you can use a power bar or extension box to connect the AC. But it is not recommended to use such accessories. You should directly connect the AC to the 15A wall socket.
Therefore, before placing the portable AC in a room, you have to consider these three factors and put them in an appropriate place. You cannot compromise on any of these since each of them can affect the performance of the AC.
Conclusion
Placing a portable air conditioner in a proper place is very important. Even though portable ACs don’t need any installation, you have to make sure that they are placed properly near a proper opening to vent hot air and drain condensed water. Also, you have to place it near an electrical socket with suitable amperage to prevent circuit or appliance damage.
