Air Conditioner, which one to get?

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303

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Summer is coming and I need to get a AC unit. There are 'mini splits' and 'portable ACs'. Can someone explain which is better and for what reasons? I like the portable one for the fact I don't need to mount a compressor outside. The portable AC would be ideal since I currently just pull air from outside in to cool the room, and another exhaust that exhausts out the room so that existing ducting could just go to the AC easily. But I'm afraid of the odor being exhausted. They don't specify the diameter of the ducting on the Portable AC either. The mini split apparently is precharged, but I am no hvac tech I don't want to fry my unit by not having the correct charge. These are my options I'm considering.
Portable AC
12_000_BTU_Air_C_4e28813734962-500x500.jpg

OR Mini Split
Aura_Systems_12__4eb471c326485-500x500.jpg

Which one and for what reason?
 
mini split is made for a grow room and they are pretty easy to install. No odor, can run a sealed room with full environmental control including c02

portable, well it's portable and you will have to deal with the odor, the duct is 6 inch on those.
 
chuck estevez said:
mini split is made for a grow room and they are pretty easy to install. No odor, can run a sealed room with full environmental control including c02

portable, well it's portable and you will have to deal with the odor, the duct is 6 inch on those.
Click to expand...

It appears theres 2 hoses. on the portable AC, is one a intake and one a exhaust? IF the system is air tight wouldn't i pull fresh air in thru the system and the exhausted air is the air from outside thus no smell air to exhaust?
 
Some dual hose portables don't let out smell, some do. They're all very inefficient however. Of all AC designs (window, min split, full split) portables are about the least efficient.
With a mini split, the air handler (indoor unit) is connected to the outdoor unit only by a wire and two copper lines. A 3" hole is required...
Mini splits with inverters are super energy efficient. I run two myself, an Lg in veg and a Mitsubishi in flower. Both rooms sealed and co2'd. Best $$$ ever spent. They even have DYI models if you don't know how to use gauges and a vac pump. Here.
 
Portable is junk (maybe if you used it in a 4x8 tent or something), not very efficient. If it's in a bed room or something just use a window unit (should be able to get by with up to 2400 watts). If you want to run more than 3000 watts, I'd suggest a mini split (a cooling only model will work fine). Just figure out how many btus you need.

There are some new mini splits that have a higher then normal SEER rating. Which means, they got REALLY efficient all of a sudden. They were already better then window units but now they are better then ALMOST all other cooling options.

my 2 pennies, peace
 
Sencha said:
Portable is junk (maybe if you used it in a 4x8 tent or something), not very efficient. If it's in a bed room or something just use a window unit (should be able to get by with up to 2400 watts). If you want to run more than 3000 watts, I'd suggest a mini split (a cooling only model will work fine). Just figure out how many btus you need.

There are some new mini splits that have a higher then normal SEER rating. Which means, they got REALLY efficient all of a sudden. They were already better then window units but now they are better then ALMOST all other cooling options.

my 2 pennies, peace
Click to expand...
Inverter technology...but the really high seer is from the heat pump side of things
 
Mitsubishi has a 32000 BTU cooling only model (no heat pump) with a SEER rating of 19. I shit you not. It's BAD ASS!!
 
thecoolman said:
Nothing breaks faster than a Chinese inverter mini split if you go invertor korean or japanese is it.
Click to expand...
Thats why I went with non inverter old school. Not as efficient but has been reliable and dependable...And alot less upfront outlay Itsa a Toshiba compressor, 5 year warranty
 
thecoolman said:
The only problem is those non inverters and even a lot of Chinese inverters don't work when cold outside.
Click to expand...
Mine is good down to 15F. There are ambient air modules for both that will allow it to run to -20f outside ambient

soxwhat do you run?
 
An interesting note on may of the Chinese units as they are very deceptive and they claim to work at low temps
but usually when you look farther you discover that that is only for the heating function when ordered
as a heat pump version but not for the a/c function.
 
thecoolman said:
An interesting note on may of the Chinese units as they are very deceptive and they claim to work at low temps
but usually when you look farther you discover that that is only for the heating function when ordered
as a heat pump version but not for the a/c function.
Click to expand...
I live at 7300 ft and it has gotten to 0F a few times...see the outdoor unit is in my tractor shed where the grow room is also housed....it got to 18F in the shed and the ac unit worked fine...what units do you run?
 
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