Ok - Just bought a small Wen 2350 generator so I can run my fridge - small chest freezer (do not want to loose my venison).

Thinking I want a small portable AC - see that most have a evaporation and not a drain line - thinking I want a drain line.  

Just want to be able to cool off one room.

The neighborhood that I live in is all underground electric and we have never lost power more than 12 hours - I am tired of not being prepared.

Thanks,

Red



Then the next step is to harden the windows.

From what I read and reviews I've seen on YouTube,  those portable units on wheels are not very good or effective.  I'd try to find a small window unit. I don't know if someone makes one that's real easy to set up and take down, if they did I'd be interested in one too. I have a 4000 watt dual fuel generator as well a a 1000 watt inverter generator.  I can run the fridge , a fan and some lights. A portable ac unit is on my wishlist.

The first couple that I looked at are saying "the evaporate the condensate"  That is bad....you can cool the air - but if you do not take the moisture out - it is not going to be very comfortable.

I was orginaly thinking of the window unit...and still me go that route - thought that a more portable unit would be easier and more useful.

Red

I've been using a window shaker for power outages for years.  I have a medium size bedroom and bath area I cool with a 5000 BTU unit.  I run the fridge, the window shaker, lights, ceiling fans, networking, dish receiver and tv from 2 eu2000is.  The roughly 3500 Va combined is not taxed at all running this load.

The bedroom is comfortable and humidity free.  That little window shaker keeps the temp around 75 degrees.

I bought a Haier portable AC for our bedroom at Wal-Mart.  Mrs. Jones likes to sleep at 66 and it cost too much to keep the entire 2nd floor at that temp.  We run it at 69 from 09:00 - 20:00 and 66 the rest of the night.  This will be our third summer with it and no problems.  It has a tank that I empty every day or two.  You can connect a drain line, but to me emptying it is no big deal.  If we lose power, I'll run an extension cord to it from my generator.

@MikeJGA

Thank you for that reply - can you give details as to what model you have?

Thanks,

Red

The portable AC is a Haier:
Model # (no shit): QPCD08PXLW
SACC BTU/per HRU:  6,000
ASHRAC BTU/per HR: 9,500
8.8 amp

It is on wheels, so we just roll it into a closet during the winter.

It has a ~6" hose that goes out the window.  But it is well designed: raise the window, insert panel, lower window and slide sides of panel out to seal window, then snap connect the hose.


Or bed room (we combined two rooms) is 20'x25'

I have this "R2-D2" unit.  It worked great on the genny, but doesn't put much out there.  we pretty much kept it running in the bedroom, and it did do a great job knocking down the humidity enough so we could sleep comfortably.  But we definitely didn't need blankets.  

I have this one - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toshiba-10-000-BTU-7-000-BTU-DOE-115-Volt-Portable-AC-with-Dehumidifier-Function-and-Remote-Control-in-White-RAC-PD1011CRU/303408306

I got it when the storm last year was grinding on Marsh Harbor. We never lost power when it went by here but I set it up in the bedroom and closed the door for a couple hours just to check it out. Made it dam cold in there. Has a tank to catch the evaporator water. Easy peasy to roll outside and  drain. I think it beeps or turns off if it gets full, can't remember.

I also have a spare generator because the whole two is one, one is none thing. They only take a shit when you are needing it to run.

Both are 8550 surge units that can push my central a/c unit but I'm tired of keeping relays in stock at the house the contacts can weld closed sometimes. So last year I got the portable unit I linked above.

Hurricane windows are awesome, I still put some boards up over some of them because I already have rhe boards cut to size and it just feels weird not to.

Get a window shaker at lowes, etc.

Get some cheap rectangular (not mummy!) sleeping bags to close off doorways, windows, etc. and provide some insulation.  Make the space you are gonna cool as small as possible.

You can also make an AC unit kinda.  

Need a old cooler, LOTS of tubing, small fan, and ice/salt.  

Most of the tubing goes in the cooler zig-zagged back and forth, some sticks on on both sides.  One end gets a fan blowing into it (look at a small computer case fan).  Lots of ice, water, salt (make a slurry to really drop temp) or just plain ice-n-water (for drinking later).  Other end has cold air coming out.

Which Marsh Harbor?  If the one outside Mary Esther, we are neighbors.

The one on Abaco in the Bahamas.

I guess I didn't need to mention it other than there was huricane panics going on here when I picked up my portable a/c.
I'm central FL on the east coast.

I ended up getting a window unit, (6500 btu) to cool off my medium sized bedroom a few years ago.  The portable units are not as efficient and usually require more energy to run, in my findings with a watt-meter.   I can't remember how may watts my window units uses when the compressor kicks in--I think it was 700 watts, or so.

I have also found that older window units were built better (seem to last longer), but require more energy to run--when compared to the newer Energy Star ones.

I run my window unit a couple  of times a year just to make sure it works, etc.

I have a 10,000 BTU Stand up. I've had it for 7-8 years.I have used it a little bit in the garage but for Irma (we were dark for 8 days) I had a ~4500kw genny and I ran a cord to the fridge, and used the A/C in the Master BR and bath. Probably 500 sq ft. It was tolerable in the heat of the day (maybe 78-80) and would freeze you out at night. we basically lived in the Master. It got the job done. I never had to empty the condensation tray.  

I've been using a 120V window unit for years as well. Stays in the box in the closet until it's needed.

Any window or stand-up unit is going to be less energy-efficient and effective than a central A/C system, but they can make a difference. I think the important thing is to make sure you size it for the area you intend to cool (there are a lot of things online for BTU per square foot) and the ideas above about insulating the room are great as well. Be careful about sources of heat too - I'd pretty much abandon the idea of trying to cool our greatroom, for example, because it's not separated from the kitchen by anything except a counter and any cooking you do will severely hinder you on keeping things cool.

Also, be sure you get a good seal on the window,  whether it's for the whole unit or for the exhaust on the stand-up ones. Watch out for "evaporative" ones as those may be a different style of AC often called a swamp cooler that works a lot better in dry climates. Don't forget to empty the condensation bin or plumb the drain line out somewhere safe. That bucket gets pretty heavy and precarious to move through the house if you let it fill all the way up.

I use two 5,000 and one 8,000 window shakers and they run all day.  They keep daytime around 80 and night time at 72.  My 6K generator won't come close to running my 5 ton AC but 80 degrees and low humidity beats the heck out of August/September outside feeling.  I burn about 1/2 gallon per hour average in a 24 hr cycle.  I have a 55 gal. drum, three 5 gallon cans, and my 24 gallon boat tank full at the ready if something is spinning our way.

I used an 8,000 BTU portable A/C unit for Irma.  Portables are horribly inefficient, but it did the job if that is your only option.  8,000 rated will produce only around 4,000 actual of cooling(they actually state it on their required labels).  It worked, kept a small single room in the 70's, while also running the fridge on a 2200 watt HF generator at about 4 gallons a day of fuel.  Since they use conditioned air to cool their coils and then exhaust that air, they actually pull hot humid air into the rest of the home.  That's what destroys their efficiency.

I since have purchased a small window unit for backup A/C.  It will pull almost 1 amp less, and produce 10,000 true BTUs of cooling, while actually reducing the overall house humidity.  For a temporary use, it is not really any more difficult than a portable unit to throw in a window.  Easy choice for 2.5x the cooling, drier air, and using less fuel/power.  Plus, no need to camp out in the small office vs. a larger room.

I like the quietness of mini splits. Usually run 7.5 amps.

Maybe try making this ridiculous contraption if you want to go a little outside the box