Floor standing portable air conditioners: features and choices

Air conditioners are an integral part of a modern interior and are practical devices that cool room air in the heat. They have come a long way from monoblock windows to modern floor-to-ceiling split systems. The latest "squeak of fashion" - portable portable split air conditioners. But monoblock models are not going to leave the market - they have become only its niche offer.

Floor air conditioner is a replacement for a window unit or a “cut-in” split-device that has become a new tradition. In addition to stationary (for example, columnar), mobile, portable floor air conditioners are also common. Their work is no different from any refrigeration unit: the monoblock contains 2 compartments isolated from each other with equipment:

• In one there is a compressor that compresses the refrigerant to a pressure of 10 or more atmospheres, located at the rear of the monoblock.
• In the other there is an evaporator - it completely converts the refrigerant into a gaseous state.

Heat is generated from the compression of the refrigerant on the compressor and in the outer part of the circuit, which is removed by the fan. In the evaporator, the refrigerant takes heat from the room during evaporation, and the resulting cold is blown into the room with the help of another fan. Both the external and internal coils are connected by a common annular circuit - the refrigerant in it follows a circular path, changing its states and helping to bring heat to the street, and to generate cold for the room.

Superheated air is discharged not through the outdoor unit (which does not exist), as in the split system, but through the “exhaust” hose or corrugation. Cooler air is blown into another hose (or corrugation) to cool the compressor - also from the street. The cooling system of the compressor block is served only by outside air, and the evaporator is blown only by air from the room itself, and not from the street.

The advantages of a floor-standing air conditioner are as follows.

1. Ease of transfer from room to room. The built-in split system cannot be carried away from the kitchen-living room just because a child suddenly caught a cold in the family. Or the room contains newborn kittens, for whom the cold from the air conditioner is fatal, and the person is hot.
2. No need to make a major cut-in, make several holes in the wall. You can make 2 cuts in the window for the hoses, providing for hermetic seals for the winter. In the simplest case, the hoses of the outdoor unit are simply “thrown out” into the slightly open window - but such a “temporary” solution significantly reduces the efficiency of the air conditioner.
3. For renters of rented apartments, rooms and houses, mobility is a plus: obtaining special permits for the installation of the air conditioner is not required.

There are also disadvantages.

1. Low energy efficiency. The best air conditioner is still a stationary split system.
2. Increased noise. The compressor makes much more noise than the evaporator - by 20-30 decibels. The noise is about the same as, for example, from the old Soviet refrigerator "Orsk". In a split system, the compressor unit is removed from the building or structure. An alternative is semi-mobile split systems, which are easier to disassemble subject to a number of rules, but even there the problem of losing freon is not completely resolved.
3. The need for self-removal condensed and accumulated water in the sump.

Floor air conditioners there are several varieties.

• Mobile split system has all the advantages of a stationary split air conditioner, which cannot be removed quickly.

But the outdoor unit is stationary, that is, it is rigidly and permanently fixed on the outer side of the outer wall.

• Portable air conditioners, whatever they are, must necessarily discharge the superheated air outside the building or house. Crafts from China, assembled from a wet rag and a fan, have nothing to do with air conditioners: their cooling capacity is so small that they do not carry any practical benefit, they only harm. Due to waterlogging of the air in a room or other room, mold forms on the walls and objects, and people working there sweat even more. Finding a truly portable air conditioner is very difficult.

• Floor standing mobile air conditioner - type of cooling unit for rooms and other premises. It actively maintains its position in the air conditioner market - the efficiency and reliability of such devices increases, heat leaks into the room (and the associated efficiency factor) are reduced due to the use of non-heat-conducting air ducts, reducing their length.

The list does not include "air conditioners" without an air duct. Take a closer look at the following models:

• Delonghi PAC N81;
• Electrolux EACM-11CL / N3;
• Zanussi ZACM-12 MS / N1;
• Aeronik AP-09C;
• Royal Clima RM-M35CN-E;
• Ballu BPAC-09 CE-17Y.

The complete list of portable floor standing units is not limited to this list. - there are dozens of similar models on the market. These models have an optimal ratio of price and quality - with an eye to the indicator of energy efficiency. An alternative to them is a stationary mini-split air conditioner at a price of 1.5 times less (these "floor units" cost from 22 to 28 thousand rubles).

Recommendations for choosing a mobile air conditioner are as follows.

1. Consider the area of ​​the room in which the air is cooled: mobile air conditioners, even with an air duct, will not "pull" a room over 25 m². For spacious, spacious rooms, only split systems of any of the varieties on the market are best suited.
2. The functionality of modern types of air conditioners can go beyond cooling or heating the air. So, drying, cleaning, ionization are possible, there are even air conditioners with an ozonizer function. The air conditioner can be turned on and off by timer. Many models are equipped with a remote control without fail.
3. Some models, where it is difficult to drain the condensate to the outside, have a special tray or container that collects condensation water.
4. Energy efficiency class from A to D is important for people who are used to saving on electricity (for example, in the northern regions of the country it is expensive). The best option in this case is A +++.
5. Noise background. The less noise in a room, the easier it is to live and work in it. You are unlikely to like a model that is not as quiet as a reading room, but noisy, like music from a neighbor in the car under your window. 55 and 40 decibels per room is a significant difference.
6. Dimensions and weight. There is definitely no need for a mobile air conditioner weighing more than 25 kg and half a person's height - these are already bordering on column models.

Buyers are mixed in their ratings of mobile floor-standing air conditioners. Therefore, it is still worth listening to different opinions before making a purchase, the choice of a particular model will depend on this. An important plus for many is an affordable price and optimal energy efficiency. As a rule, the cooling and drying of the air works well.

The difference in temperatures outside the window and in the room should be no more than 10 degrees. For example, at a temperature of 32 degrees outside, you should not set the temperature below 22 degrees: this can adversely affect the operation of the air conditioner.

Such a split system serves a large room or 2 separated rooms of a small footage perfectly, quickly cooling the air in the room. For example, after 20 minutes, the temperature drops by about 3 degrees. As a positive point, users also note the ease of cleaning most of these products.

Some buyers have noted rattling when the compressor is running, which is due to poor quality assembly. In such a case, it is worth taking the unit to a service center so that the defect can be eliminated there quickly and free of charge (if the unit is under warranty). Some systems are very noisy, but other functions tend to work properly.

Of the additional options, it is worth noting the ability to turn off by timer. For example, if it is too warm at night, it is enough to program the device to maintain a comfortable temperature, and in the morning you can put the shutdown option. In general, users are satisfied with the work of portable air conditioners and often purchase them for offices, workplaces or rental housing.

Most users, along with this air conditioner, purchase special dampers for the air duct, which allow to delay the flow of hot or cold air from the street.

An overview of the Ballu outdoor air conditioner is waiting for you below.