In modern times, air conditioning is one of the most important luxuries that can be directly associated with the quality of life. Whether in cars or homes, it is something many of us rely heavily upon every day. Air conditioning these days is installed in most homes and offices, albeit in different forms.
Air conditioning aims at regulating the temperature of an environment, whether by cooling or heating. ACs, however, are most commonly used for keeping a room cool, especially during hot weathers. Air conditioners come in different types with varying operating mechanisms.
These days, there are two major types of air conditioning systems available; single-hose and dual-hose air conditioners. Although they work on the same refrigeration principle (that household refrigerators also use), they differ in the number of hoses they have (as the name already suggests).
Single-hose units have been in use for a very long time. However, dual-hose air conditioners are becoming all the rage these days. In this article, we will discuss how you can use dual-hose ACs to get rid of the summer heat.
What is a dual-hose air conditioner?
As the name might suggest, single-hose systems have one hose that takes the hot, exhaust air away from an area in order to keep it cool. Based on the same principle as your home refrigerator, this system works well and indeed has been working well for many years now. There is, however, a problem; taking exhaust air away from an area is an energy-intensive process and it causes an AC to heat up pretty quickly. You may not notice this sitting in your cold room, but your AC is actually getting pretty hot. This heat can decrease an AC’s energy efficiency, performance and durability.
To overcome these problems, people are now switching over to dual-hose air conditioners. Dual-hose ACs have an additional hose; while the primary hose exhausts out hot air, the secondary hose draws in cool air from the surroundings and cools down the AC itself. This increases the AC’s performance, efficiency and durability in the long run.
When compared to single-hose ACs, dual-hose units have a much higher performance. However, dual-hose units are not often portable considering their high-performance needs. They’re usually used for cooling large areas such as server rooms, halls etc since they’re not as portable owing to the extra intake requirements.
That does not mean dual-hose ACs aren’t portable. There are lots of great options available on the market.
Best portable dual-hose ACs
With hot seasons approaching, you might be tempted to install another air conditioning unit in your home or office, or you might be looking to replace the old units. Here are some good recommendations you can take a look at:
1. Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU
This is one of the best portable dual-hose ACs money can buy today. The Whynter ARC-14S has earned a name for itself in the industry and promises to consistently cool a 500 square feet area. Here are some of its major features:
- Built-in dehumidifier
- Comes with a remote control
- Easily portable
- Carbon filter that is easy to clean and replace
- Programmable timer
- Fan, AC and Dehumidifier modes
- Designed for home usage
- Great value for money
2. Whynter ARC-143MX 14,000 BTU
- Auto turn-off
- Auto drainage
- Consistent cooling even for large rooms
- Environment-friendly coolant
- Ideal for commercial applications (server rooms etc)
3. Honeywell MM14CCS Portable Air Conditioner
Honeywell is another reputable name in the market besides Whynter, well known for their high-performance air conditioners. The MM14CCS has a sleek and compact design that makes it quite portable. Its major features include:
- Dehumidifier
- High quality dust filters
- Washable filtration system
- LED display
- Remote control operation
- Designedto keep a 700 square feet room cool
4. Whynter ARC-12SD 12,000 BTU
Whynter pretty much dominates the portable dual-hose AC market, and consequently our list as well. They have many different models for different applications in mind. Here are the ARC-12SD’s major features:
- Very portable and easy to set up
- Auto-restart
- Self-evaporation
- 24-hour programmable timer
- Environment-friendly refrigerant (CDC and lead-free)
- High quality filter against dust, allergens and other contaminations
- Easy maintenance
- Remote control operation
- Designed for use inside offices
5. Ivation 12,000 BTU Portable Dual-Hose AC
Last, but not the least, is the Ivation 12,000 BTU portable dual-hose AC. Relatively lesser powerful than the rest of our selection, this portable little AC is designed to work in smaller rooms up to 450 square feet in size.
- 5 modes of operation: cool, fan, dry, auto and sleep
- Easy installation
- Remote control operation
- Leakage warning system
- Silent operation
- Auto-restart
Stay chill, always!
These were some of the best options for portable dual-hose ACs out there. If you need to look at some more awesome products, or want to read in-depth reviews, then head over to DotBeasts.comfor conducting your research more effectively.
It is important to note that the AC you want to buy fits the requirements at hand. A few features you need to consider when buying a dual-hose AC include:
- Energy efficiency
- Portability – Is the AC portable or does it require permanent installation? Does your home or office space allow for a permanent installation?
- Thermostat control – Manual or automatic? Can it shut off automatically when temperature gets low? Can it auto-restart?
- Loudness – Does the AC operate quietly? Do you sit or sleep close to it? What if it is too loud for you?
- Auto drainage
- Dehumidifier – Is there a built-in dehumidifier? Do you need moderate or high dehumidification? Is your climate tropical? Is your room well ventilated?
- Filters and maintenance – Are the filters easily cleaned or replaceable?
These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself before buying a dual-hose AC. Each specific environment has specific air conditioning requirements, and you first need to decide what features are important for you before even looking at available options. You will be able to make a much more informed decision once you have done your research well. Good luck, and stay cool in an air conditioned room!
