ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

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So all of my life I've lived in the Pacific Northwest, where it mostly rains and people immediately put on shorts and bikinis if the sun is visible for longer than two minutes. I've never considered getting an A/C before, but this summer is looking to be a killer. And something about my apartment really seems to trap in the heat. Last weekend, we got the first really hot day of summer and I could barely sleep at night.

I found that there are some really cheap units at a nearby store--between $100 and $150. I only need to keep the bedroom cool and if the thing goes kaput after the summer is over, I won't be mad. With the randomish weather here, the thing will probably be turned on half of the days. I think it's probably a good idea to go cheap.

My main concern is that I've got to install this thing in the bedroom window. I live in an apartment and have to avoid damaging the property. I might have to uninstall the beast on my way out. Also, I can't irritate my neighbors who live in adjacent apartments.

So, not having any experience with these things, does anyone out there have any advice or warnings for me? I want to know things like: is the unit going to drip all over the side of the building or make a smell that will bug my neighbors? Are there any particular disadvantages to the cheaper A/Cs that I should think about? I don't trust the salespunks at the store.

-Erik

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mrimer
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Well, every other window in our complex has an air conditioner put in the window. One of those 5000 BTU $100 models should cool a room just fine. In general, they fit well into your window frame, should last several years, and I don't think there are any unnatural smells. Just don't run it on high for a prolonged period of time so you don't ice over the coils (you can tell if the amount of cold air coming in has reduced to a trickle), otherwise you'll have to run the fan for awhile, and the melted ice will then drip out the back and on to innocent bystanders :~) (that's the water dripping on an innocent bystander)

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Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

ErikH2000
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Just the info I needed. Thanks, Mike!

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

eytanz
Level: Smitemaster

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A note about dripping - some models will drip even if no ice develops, since they dehumidify the air as well as cool it, and they need to outlet the water somehow. At my parent's house, the drip from the airconditioners was so heavy that my father installed a pipe that caught the water and collected it in a bucket - on hot, humid, days, he could collect over 30 liters (which he used to water the garden).

But as far as I can tell this more likely to happen in the bigger, more heavy-duty models (my parents have a really powerful unit), so a small model shouldn't be so bad; I know that friends of mine that have window units here don't have similar problems.

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zex20913
Level: Smitemaster

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Whatever you do, don't cut the red wire...NO!!! DON'T!!! *runs away fast-like*

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Malarame
Level: Master Delver
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What's grey, hums, sits in a window, and mysteriously dies 31 days after you buy it?

An air conditioner with a 30 day warrenty

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Webb Institute
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Scott
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Registered: 02-12-2003
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One thing about window mounted air conditioners is that they are noisy. I mean really noisy. I had one in an apartment when I was in Sydney and I used to run the thing for short periods cause it was so loud. Theres no way you could sleep with it going.

The split systems cost more but are very quiet. They only require a small hole probably half a normal brick to be made in the wall.

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

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Malarame wrote:
An air conditioner with a 30 day warrenty

Ain't that the truth!

Speaking of which, I learned in my statistics class that this is exactly how they determine how long to make product warranties. Find out how long it takes until a couple percent of your product units stop working, and set it there. All the remaining >95% of the units will fail after that amount of time.

I guess they set the dungeon exterminator's life insurance policy limit to 30 moves in the rooms with tar mommas.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.