Before i start, there are some technical terms or jargons used in air conditioning which u all should know abit beforehand.

BTU = British Thermal Units. This is a unit for cooling capacity. A higher value means higher cooling power. There are 9000btu(10000btu), 12000btu(13000btu), 15000btu(16000btu), 18000btu, 22000btu(20000btu), 24000btu(26000btu) and 30000btu. * Some people like to use Hp to define the cooling capacity. Nothing wrong with that but try stick to BTU or kW as both use more commonly in Singapore.

Outdoor Unit = the big rectangular stuff u placed on air con ledge or mount on a stainless steel bracket. Some people call it 'compressor' but actually the compressor is part of the outdoor unit.

Indoor Unit or Fan Coil or FCU (fan coil unit) = this 'air con' inside your home.

Compressor = the main component for your air conditioner. It is mounted inside the outdoor unit.

Refrigerant = the working fluid for air con. There are R22 and R410A currently in use for residential. People always tends to say 'Gas'…Dun do that!!! Caused it is not always Gas…it is at times LIQUID..! Use 'Refrigerant' instead.

Class 1 & Class O = Fire Propagation Test Standards for insulation. In simple terms, the insulation inability to burn.

Grade = Actually it should be Gauge. It is an industrial term to describe thickness of metal. In our case, thickness of the copper pipe. 'Grade 23' means 0.61mm thick.

Insulation = the foam or rubberly 'layer' covering the copper pipe. Its function is to prevent heat gain.

System 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5) = The figure means number of indoor units to 1 outdoor unit. For example, a System 4 will be 4 indoor units to 1 outdoor unit.

9+12+18 ( or any other number combinations ) = Using 9+12+18 as an example, it means a System 3 with one 9000btu indoor Unit, one 12000btu indoor Unit and one 18000btu indoor Unit.

Single Split = this also means System 1. Therefore it will have 1 indoor unit to 1 outdoor unit.

Non Inverter = the conventional air conditioner or 'fixed speed'.

Inverter = the more energy efficient and expensive air conditioner or 'variable speed'.

Manufacturer or Agent = the manufactuers like Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, etc.

Dealer = the retailer or installer

R410A refrigerant is CFC free (environmental friendly) and has a operating gas pressure of 1.6 times higher than R22 refrigerant. R410A also has a higher condensation rate due to its slightly higher cooling of the refrigerant as compared to R22. On average, 30% of energy can be saved by getting an inverter airconditoner as compared to non-inverter airconditioner provided the airconditioner is being serviced regularly and cooling capacity of the fancoil is not undersize. R22 refrigerant is used in Non-inverter aircon and has a lower operating gas pressure

BTU is known as british thermal units and is a unit of measurement of thermal energy Conversion from Kw to BTU. 1 kW= 3412 BTUs. HP stands for Horse power. 1 HP is the power input equivalent to 746 W and can produce approximately 9000 BTUs Typically fancoil units are available in 9000 BTUs (2.5 kW) 1 HP, 12000 BTUs (3.5kW) 1.5 HP, 18000 BTUs (5kW) 2 HP and 24000 BTUs (7kW) 2.5 HP. 1 HP = 746 w, 230 V at 50 Hz To find out what is the sizing of the aircon required for the area you can take area size in square feet multiply by 65 or area size in square meters multiply by 650. Example 140 square feet area size will require 140 x 65 =9100 BTUs In this case you can select 9000 BTUs for the room as there will be furniture like built in cabinet or wardrobe occupying the space.

It depends on the electrical loading of the flat. Flats with 40 Amps main switch and flats upgraded under Main Upgrading Programme (MUP)

根据外形不同，空调也被分为

• 中央空调：分体式空调
• 柜式空调：分体式空调
• 挂壁式空调：分体式空调
• 窗式空调：一体式空调
• 移动空调：一体式空调

分体式空调的特点是压缩机或者制冷设备和房间内的空调出风口分离，而一体式空调顾名思义，就是压缩机部分和出风口处连为一体。 一体式空调相对分体式来说，造价低、安装容易，也不会出现制冷剂泄漏的事情，看起来是比较不错。但是噪声确是一体机不能解决的问题，因为是一体设计，无论怎么样也不能很好的分割压缩机和最后吹风部分，使用的时候也就不能控制噪声和震动问题。由于很多朋友都在睡觉的时候使用空调，所以现在一体机基本上在市场上已经见不到了。

Portable air-conditioners are not as effective as a window unit. They are a bit noisier than other types of units and can typically cool rooms under 500 SF No doubt, buying the right kind of air-conditioning unit can still make a difference in the temperature of your room.

Below are the features that would aid in getting the right portable room air conditioner for your specific purposes:

Remember that you need more BTUs in a portable air conditioner than you would in a window unit for the same size room.

• An area of 100 to 200 square feet needs 7-8,000 BTUs
• An area of 150 to 250 square feet needs 8-9,000 BTUs
• An area of 250 to 350 square feet needs 9-10,000 BTUs
• An area of 300 to 400 square feet needs 10-12,000 BTUs
• An area of 350 to 450 square feet needs 12-14,000 BTUs

Pay close attention to the floor plan and insulation to know the right BTUs.

If a portable air-conditioner has a higher BTU rating than needed, the unit will cycle off too quickly and will not properly remove humidity from the air.

However, insufficient number of BTUs will not adequately cool a room.

2) Casters, Wheels & Handles

Look for a unit with casters or wheels and handles for easier transport.

3) Noise Level

Note that you CANNOT find a totally silent portable air conditioner. They can’t be totally silent because of the motorized fan and compressor system that cools and circulates the air.

Nevertheless, the amount of sound varies considerably. Even decibel results can be misleading because many things can affect sound level such as position of the unit and the carpeting. So, just find a sound level that you are comfortable with, or getting a unit with that will help you to minimize the sound (timer, multiple fan speeds, etc.)

4) Oscillating Louvers

An air-conditioning unit with oscillating louvers or multidirectional airflow will circulate the air and cool the room faster.

5) Digital Controls

Experts prefer digital controls which allow you to set the temperature and control the timer.

6) Venting/ Exhaust Hose Needed

Never buy a portable air conditioner without them. If you don’t want to empty water buckets, search for one with an optional water-drainage hose. An ‘auto-evaporative’ unit is ideal if emptying tanks is inconvenient but if hot air is exhausted into an attic or drop ceiling you wouldn’t want any moisture to be exhausted with the hot air.

Dehumidifying: Most portable air conditioners dehumidify as well as cool, although some will do this as a separate function. If you are venting your warm air to the attic or a dropped ceiling, get a self-evaporative unit to prevent moisture issues. Self-evaporative units will save you trouble dealing with draining the unit as well, at least day-to-day. For dehumidifying and high humidity situations, you will need to check the bucket regularly. Some units have a “full bucket” indicator.

7) Sturdy Window Adapter Kit Needed

The unit is vented with a window adapter kit. The window adapter kit keeps the hose in place and provides insulation to the partially opened window, drop ceiling, or wall.

8) Handy Duct Tapes

These help to seal gaps during the installation of the exhaust hose. Portable Room Air Conditioner - BTUs Requirements Compile the following requirements to determine your area’s BTU requirements:

9) Ease of Maintenance

Portable ACs are designed for easy maintenance, but filters need to be washed or replaced, and even with self-evaporative units, you will need to empty the bucket or drain the unit. Look for ACs with easy access to these areas.

Calculate your room’s square footage by multiplying its length by its width. Verify the size of the window opening for venting. Check the plug type and electrical requirements of your room. Exceptions You will need to increase the size (power) of the unit you purchase (from your earlier calculations) if you:

• Have lots of windows
• Have heat generating appliances
• Have second story homes (Add the BTU amount by 10%)
• Have each additional person over two persons in a room (Add 600 BTUs)
• Reside in a warm, humid region
• Are planning to use it in a kitchen (Add 4,000 BTUs)
• Are cooling a poorly insulated garage
• Unordered List ItemHowever, reduce the BTUs by 10% if you are planning the use the portable air-conditioning units in shaded areas.

Well, you have it! Now you have what you need to know to help you purchase your portable aircon. In Singapore, you may go to any of the appliance outlets, such as Courts, Best Denki, and Gaincity.

But the next question is once I own one, what do I need to do to keep it clean and cold?

Do I ask an aircon serviceman to come clean my portable unit or do I do it myself?

Next » Cleaning Your Portable Aircon

1. Daikin is a leading aircon specialist in Singapore that provides cool comfort for residential and commercial purposes. It has been in Singapore since 1968. Daikin inverter aircon units are designed to excel in quality and performance and feature the latest technological innovations. They are user friendly in nature and offer high comfort levels and energy saving operation for any living space.

2. Mitsubishi aircons also feature latest innovative technologies and energy saving and silencing technologies in order to provide optimum performance and room comfort control. Their aircon units are touted to enrich your lifestyle and lessen the environmental impact.

3. Panasonic: This reputed company offers a wide array of aircon for all your needs. This brand implements some cool features like Econavi and Autocomfort, where almost anything can be set including the horizontal louvers that provide you the freedom to set what best suits your comfort level.

MITSUBISHI SYS 3 - INVERTER

  MXY3A28VA
  2XMSYGE10VA
  1XMSYGE18VA

Gaincity: S$3,059.00 http://www.gaincity.com/product/mitsubishi-sys-3-inverter-1

Curts: 3499/3589