• Important! If you attempt to register and do not get an email within 5 minutes please check your spam box. This is especially true for Microsoft owned domains like Hotmail, Outlook, and Live. If these do not work please consider Gmail. Yahoo, or even AOL email which works fine.

Portable AC Unit

BirdOPrey5

Staff member
Administrator
VIP
I know it's near the end of the season but sadly too warm around here to wait a few days for central air to be fixed.

Mom is trying to buy one of these from a local PC Richards who claim to have it in stock:

Amazon.com Friedrich PH14B 13500 btu - 115 volt - 9.5 EER ZoneAire series portable room air conditioner with reverse cycle Heat Pump Home Kitchen



Good reviews at Amazon, hoping for the best.

Although we got the generator last year it always bothered me no good backup for the central air,, or heat, this could be backup for both. :shrug:
 

Ralph

VIP
Make sure it's a two hose, otherwise you lose all your cooling out the window thanks to makeup air.
 

BirdOPrey5

Staff member
Administrator
VIP


Literally the only window we could use that wasn't in a bedroom. My front windows all open out and the other window is kitchen. The dining room table is usually here but mom moved it into the "new" room we had converted from a bedroom last year. The temporary walls are up to keep the cool air out of that side of the house. No one really uses it.

The garbage bags were just something quick since we couldn't close the blinds. WT.

Put a towel around the exhaust to help insulate it a bit better, seen people say that helps.
 

Meh

Born-Again Hawaiian
VIP
We had one just like that my father-in-law brought over when the run capacitor went out on our condenser, and anybody who had the part wasnt selling to non-contractors. Damn thing never got lower than 86° and only in the room it was in. The rest of the house was high 90's. I think outside it was 106°IIRC.

I see Home Depot now carries kits that will work in a pinch; the dumbasses working there all said "naw, we ain't got nuthin like that here." I should get a job there slapping employees.
 

BrandonM7

MaMway Platinum Member
Staff member
Moderator
VIP
Ultra-Premium
We had one just like that my father-in-law brought over when the run capacitor went out on our condenser, and anybody who had the part wasnt selling to non-contractors. Damn thing never got lower than 86° and only in the room it was in. The rest of the house was high 90's. I think outside it was 106°IIRC.

I see Home Depot now carries kits that will work in a pinch; the dumbasses working there all said "naw, we ain't got nuthin like that here." I should get a job there slapping employees.
If you mean Home Depot having the capacitor, that's a relatively new thing so they may not have lied to you. They didn't have them last summer when mine died, but I noticed they did when I was looking for something else the other day. If you meant Home Depot saying they didn't have portable AC units, just pretend I didn't post anything because they've had those forever :mrwave:
 

Meh

Born-Again Hawaiian
VIP
No. The capacitor kits. I don't think they had those in-store, but I saw some on the website. They have these ridiculous swamp boxes, like you'd see on the NFL sidelines. No portables at the time, or I would've bought one just for the master bedroom. Oh the whining that went on all night. :D

And why should I have to wait for a $300 tech call when I can do it myself? Fawking BS. I told one parts house that I was a telecom contrator, but no HVAC cert no part.
 
Last edited:

serfur1

bici italia
VIP
I've always ordered start capacitors from Amazon with next day delivery.

Also had to order a thermopile for the gas water heater from Amazon.
 

BirdOPrey5

Staff member
Administrator
VIP
Sears looked at the Central AC. the Air Handler/Evaporator Fan Motor, estimate is $1000. $1000 happens to be the max my home warranty covers. And they don't have the part in stock. The guy who came was less than helpful. I'm going to try and see if there's anyplace else with the part in stock.

First real letdown by sears.
 

frank_c

lost in the jet stream
VIP
I have a Haier/Commercial Cool portable AC. Mom used it in their TV room, and when their landlord put in a new furnace he added central air. I ended up with it a few years ago, last summer the squirrel cage fan broke. Found a replacement on eBay but haven't fixed it yet. Good thing it didn't get that hot this summer.

And why should I have to wait for a $300 tech call when I can do it myself? Fawking BS. I told one parts house that I was a telecom contrator, but no HVAC cert no part.
The backflow preventer on my boiler started leaking. I called the local HVAC guy, they don't use the same brand (Caleffi is what the contractor put in after the gas fire) and quoted me about $600 to replace it. Found the proper Caleffi on eBay for $75. Didn't take long to swap it out.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Meh

themonk

ex-monk.
VIP
When you have a tiny budget, you have to do for yourself if you want it. Hence forays into appliance repair etc. Repaired my water heater before I moved in. Repaired my dishwasher too (it failed permanently a month or so later). Then I had to fix my washing machine. I've done most of the rewiring so far, I didn't do the new panel. I'll do the floor refinishing as I rip the carpet out.

I need to move a doorway in the basement, it goes through the stone foundation. But it's in a shitty place that wastes space. So I'll address that.

**** paying for shit if I don't have to.
 

Chite5e

VIP
Ultra-Premium
When you have a tiny budget, you have to do for yourself if you want it. Hence forays into appliance repair etc. Repaired my water heater before I moved in. Repaired my dishwasher too (it failed permanently a month or so later). Then I had to fix my washing machine. I've done most of the rewiring so far, I didn't do the new panel. I'll do the floor refinishing as I rip the carpet out.

I need to move a doorway in the basement, it goes through the stone foundation. But it's in a shitty place that wastes space. So I'll address that.

**** paying for shit if I don't have to.
**** doing things if I don’t have to. I’d rather spend time with my family. Especially the littlest of them.
 

John

Transplant
VIP


Literally the only window we could use that wasn't in a bedroom. My front windows all open out and the other window is kitchen. The dining room table is usually here but mom moved it into the "new" room we had converted from a bedroom last year. The temporary walls are up to keep the cool air out of that side of the house. No one really uses it.

The garbage bags were just something quick since we couldn't close the blinds. WT.

Put a towel around the exhaust to help insulate it a bit better, seen people say that helps.
Put that poor dog on a diet yet?
 

John

Transplant
VIP
:jump:

Even my rescue animals eat better than I do.

:thup2:
My dog only gets the top care and food as well, but there is a difference between that and animal abuse. It pisses me off what happened to his past dogs.
 
Top