Air conditioning units?!

Adam_151 · 27 Jul 2006 at 20:50

Dolph said:
If you're handy with DIY, B&Q have fixed aircon for much less than that (starting at under £200 for a 9k BTU unit)...

B+Q are not neccesaly the best place to get airon from, I beleive their units are non inverter driven, also is £200 for the DIY install version, they do two versions, one DIY install, one pro-install (though if you are getting a pro in, imho you'd be a fool to have B+Q airforce kit)

see here: http://www.airconwarehouse.com/airforce_climate_control.htm

VIRII · 27 Jul 2006 at 22:34

dark_shadow said:
Looking to get a 12k BTU one tomorrow, which would be the best one to buy for a budget of £250, the shop below all are slightly similar.

Which one to buy? The ones at Focus DIY, Hombase or B&Q?

I think it unlikley that any of the places that you have listed will have any stock whatsoever.

i know nothing · 27 Jul 2006 at 23:06

Virii,

If I recall you're pretty handy with DIY, why not consider one of these?

Hell of a lot quieter, no buggering about with water, hoses etc. You could fit it within a couple of hours.

I've got several of these "split types", they're really not difficult. Just make sure you have space outside for the compressor unit.

Doonhamer · 27 Jul 2006 at 23:15

I mentioned buying an air con unit weeks ago but my other half in her wisdom told me it would be "a waste of money", used for a couple of days and then thrown in the loft. Well, naturally today she turns round and moaned because I didnt go ahead and buy one as she is fed up not sleeping due to the heat! So surprise suprise everywhere is now sold out unless I spend big bucks. :rolleyes:

Women!

VIRII · 27 Jul 2006 at 23:24

i know nothing said:
Virii,

If I recall you're pretty handy with DIY, why not consider one of these?

Hell of a lot quieter, no buggering about with water, hoses etc. You could fit it within a couple of hours.

I've got several of these "split types", they're really not difficult. Just make sure you have space outside for the compressor unit.

I could go with a split type or even a multi split but they are more expensive and are fixed - so can only cool one room down per unit.
I could go for a multi split with ceiling cassettes too, but now is a bad time to spend lots of cash with a baby due mid august.

The other reason I haven't gone with the DIY split type is that I have a basic knowledge of refrigeration plant (par for the course for environmental test engineers) and have some technical concerns with the DIY type.

At work I have a dozen or so chambers that can go to -50 celcius (one can go to -70 celcius) that range in size from "fridge" size to something you could easily park a large car in.

If the units do not have a full "charge" of gas and air gets into the system the compressor oil can become acidic and wreck the compressor in pretty short order. Typically our compressors (most of the chambers have 2 as single stage compressors struggle below -40 celcius) would be left on vac overnight to ensure that the system is utterly devoid of air and also that there are no leaks and then recharged with fresh gas.

Furthermore a lot of the cheaper split type DIY units use really cheap and nasty compressors.

That said I have had a few discussions on the subject with a couple of refrigeration engineers that we use for our plant repairs who would be happy to vac the system and recharge it for me if I do go the split route. It won't be with the airforce units from B&Q though

The units you linked don't sound too bad and use decent compressors, I'll get the fridge chaps to take a look at them.

VIRII · 27 Jul 2006 at 23:29

Doonhamer said:
I mentioned buying an air con unit weeks ago but my other half in her wisdom told me it would be "a waste of money", used for a couple of days and then thrown in the loft. Well, naturally today she turns round and moaned because I didnt go ahead and buy one as she is fed up not sleeping due to the heat! So surprise suprise everywhere is now sold out unless I spend big bucks.

Women!

Get her to spray you with a garden spray thing on fine mist setting and to fan you down with a large piece of stiff board.
You'll be your own evaporator.
Women ...grrrrr

I have a lovely supercool airconditioned office, I can stay there and keep cool. Sometimes wonder why I don't.

i know nothing · 27 Jul 2006 at 23:54

VIRII said:
Furthermore a lot of the cheaper split type DIY units use really cheap and nasty compressors.

The units you linked don't sound too bad and use decent compressors, I'll get the fridge chaps to take a look at them.

Most of the aircon gear I have seen in the UK is the usual Chinese rubbish, even the people out here where I live shun them. It's not just the compressors, the ball bearing races in the fans normally give up the ghost pretty quick as well.

I should perhaps clarify what I wrote earlier, I do have several split type units, but not one of the ones I linked to. If you can get someone to gas it for you then you've got far more options. Having seen the UK prices and having read this thread, I'm half tempted to ship a container load from here! I've got National (Panasonic), Hitachi and Mitsubishi split types as well as LG, Toshiba, National and Hitachi Window types. FWIW, I would strongly avoid Sanyo and General (if they exist in the UK) as they are notorious for the compressors clapping out and if I had a choice for a split type I would go for Panasonic or Mitsubishi (again, if you can get them).

richieboy · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:08

Zildjian said:
My room is seriously hot, today it reached 28C and I think it was around 24C outside? God knows what it will be like later this weak, last year it reached 33C!!!

Pfft. My room reaches 33c every evening, and by the time i go to sleep i am lucky if it reaches 31c. I seriously need to get an aircon unit, this fan is'nt cutting it anymore.

Oh and in the winter it gets to 11c in here, central heating? Yup...just doesnt seem to do much...

The Old Man · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:21

This topic is making me jealous! In my loft (loft conversion for a computer room) it got to 38C last week! Usually around 30C-34C. At the moment 0020hrs its 24C with a cool breeze though the window.

I wondered though if these portable ones are like the ones in cars in that you have to run them every week for 20-30mins (in the winter especially), or they stop working, something to do with oil/coolent in the elements? My new car (a Landrover Freelander) has aircon, my god I couldn't do without it now. Its actually a pleasure to go to work!

We have a portable aircon in work and jesus its noisy. You can't stand it after 30mins so they fitted a roof cassette system that is the coolest room in North Wales!

I priced up a portable from Argos, cheaper thank B&Q.

VIRII · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:25

i know nothing said:
Having seen the UK prices and having read this thread, I'm half tempted to ship a container load from here! I've got National (Panasonic), Hitachi and Mitsubishi split types as well as LG, Toshiba, National and Hitachi Window types. FWIW, I would strongly avoid Sanyo and General (if they exist in the UK) as they are notorious for the compressors clapping out and if I had a choice for a split type I would go for Panasonic or Mitsubishi (again, if you can get them).

I don't know if you've perused the refrigeration-engineer forums but they make for interesting reading about the self fit stuff available here.
Everyone seems to have their favourite units but LG seem to have a poor reputation amongst that particular forum.

VIRII · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:27

richieboy said:
Pfft. My room reaches 33c every evening, and by the time i go to sleep i am lucky if it reaches 31c. I seriously need to get an aircon unit, this fan is'nt cutting it anymore.

Oh and in the winter it gets to 11c in here, central heating? Yup...just doesnt seem to do much...

My bedroom is reading 28 right now at half past midnight and that is a relatively cool evening as we've had some good storms the last 2 evenings.
Too hot for a newborn baby though.

i know nothing · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:39

VIRII said:
I don't know if you've perused the refrigeration-engineer forums but they make for interesting reading about the self fit stuff available here.
Everyone seems to have their favourite units but LG seem to have a poor reputation amongst that particular forum.

I haven't found those forums. I have a LG window type that runs ok, but I don't have any split types from LG. The window types are essentially sealed units anyway, they come gassed up, you just chuck them through a wall

richieboy · 28 Jul 2006 at 00:42

VIRII said:
My bedroom is reading 28 right now at half past midnight and that is a relatively cool evening as we've had some good storms the last 2 evenings.
Too hot for a newborn baby though.

I feel for you matey, i can't imagine trying to keep a baby happy at these temps....currently 12.45 and temp reads 32.6c...no sleep for me tonight

Overlag · 28 Jul 2006 at 01:23

one main problem ive had with my homebase portable is the exhaust tube... it may be too short, and too stiff to direct properly, but the main problem is the amount of heat it gives off (hence its short so i understand the reasoning).

However, today i got a double bed sheet, folded in half and wrapped around the tube, with some ties to insulate it...and the cooling of the room is MUCH faster now, as i not got as much heat leakage!!!

VIRII · 28 Jul 2006 at 12:37

Overlag said:
However, today i got a double bed sheet, folded in half and wrapped around the tube, with some ties to insulate it...and the cooling of the room is MUCH faster now, as i not got as much heat leakage!!!

I suspect that you'll kill the compressor doing that as it can't lose its own heat as well now.

richieboy said:
I feel for you matey, i can't imagine trying to keep a baby happy at these temps....currently 12.45 and temp reads 32.6c...no sleep for me tonight

We don't have to yet as the baby isn't due for another 19 days.
Heavily pregnant women don't like the heat though ....... and tired, hot, pregnant women are no fun to live with.

i know nothing said:
I haven't found those forums. I have a LG window type that runs ok, but I don't have any split types from LG. The window types are essentially sealed units anyway, they come gassed up, you just chuck them through a wall

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.com/forums/

Richard_16v · 28 Jul 2006 at 13:24

I cannot find anywhere with stock

A pipe burst in my house and flooded the place so it is now REALLY humid and hot, for the last couple of days we have had dehumidifiers going but I so need some A/C to cool it down!

danceMB · 28 Jul 2006 at 16:18

Tell me about it!

The computer room is the hottest room of the whole house, even with the fan going at full whack, its basically a heat trap and it is always hot, any day of the year, and if any room needs air con then this is the room for it to happen!

There is only 1 place to get Air Con units, and thats fleaBay unfortunatly.

DarkShadow · 28 Jul 2006 at 17:10

VIRII said:
I think it unlikley that any of the places that you have listed will have any stock whatsoever.

Just been to a fair few shops and they're all out of stock!

A friend works at Focus DIY, and said they are likely expect a few units next week, might try to nab one as soon as they arrive.

VIRII · 28 Jul 2006 at 20:03

dark_shadow said:
Just been to a fair few shops and they're all out of stock!

A friend works at Focus DIY, and said they are likely expect a few units next week, might try to nab one as soon as they arrive.

Best of luck, if you have a friend on the inside then nab one when you can

Nab 2 infact and fleabay one ..... you should see the markup on the bay..... prays for rain and snow

Overlag · 28 Jul 2006 at 23:23

VIRII said:
I suspect that you'll kill the compressor doing that as it can't lose its own heat as well now.

the heat is still going out the tube at the end like its supposed to, its just not radiating through the tube and heating the room up.

i don't know how this would kill it, it might even help it as the intake is cooler as its not recirculating any hot air through the radiator type things (evaporator's?).