Thursday, August 20, 2009

drip & dribble A/C



Does anyone have solution to drip and dribble under A/C units. The majority of condos in my building have the in-the-wall A/C, the majority leave it on while they are upnorth. Some buckets fill once per day and overflow. I do not wish to spend my time emptying buckets.
There are several problems: People who are home but cannot lift buckets; people who tip buckets dowsing walkway beneath; people absent - slimy walkways. For frail people in residence is there a siphon system?
I think our primitive, ugly, noisy A/C is one reason for low property values.

Posted by Picasa
......................................................................................................................
Your BLOGMEISTER responds:
-
Believe it or not there is a solution to this nasty little problem. It is called a "drip-less" AC unit. The following is from an ad for such a unit, These units are portable, insofar as they can be rolled around the house. It should be noted that 12,000 BTU is equivalent to one ton cooling capacity, thus most of our units would require purchase of two of these systems. The extracted heat and condensate is exhausted through a flexible tube, like that used in clothes dryers and is removed from your unit thru a hole in the wall or window. The condensate is in effect in the form of vapor.
-
Dave Israel
...............................................
-
Product Overview

This portable air conditioner is a low-maintenance way to cool, dehumidify and filter the air in your home. In addition to being a 12,000 BTU performance air conditioner, the Pinguino PAC C120 also functions as a dehumidifier and air purifier. The built-in dehumidifying function keeps the air dryer – an important component of summer cooling. The internal air filter helps control particles such as dust, pollen and other allergens from circulating around your home. All three modes (cooling, dehumidifying, fan only filtering) can be used independently or together. The low-maintenance features of this air conditioner begin with DeLonghi’s patented drip-less technology, meaning that there are no water buckets to empty. Water that is collected is removed through the exhaust hose which can be easily mounted in a nearby window. Additionally, the unit is equipped with an adjustable thermostat and 24-hour programmable timer -- two more ways which this unit can control the environment with little input from you. Quiet and energy efficient, the PAC-C120 is a value-oriented way to easily cool, dry and clean the air in your home.

16 comments:

Mike said...

People should not wait until the drip bucket gets full and they can't lift it.

Anonymous said...

I am sure that once a day would do the trick. It won't fill up that fast.

Anonymous said...

Instead of worrying about the drip pans, what about all the garbage that doesn't get put in the dumpsters?

That attracts everything from rodents to raccoons. It also looks terrible.

don4060 said...

Why exactly DO people leave their ac units on when they are upnorth? My father is adamant about this, to the point of going to Lowes and buying a timer and setting it up in my house so that one ac runs for two hours each day. He says that this "exchanges the air" and prevents mustiness. I argued that our neighbors let the exterminator in once a month and air the place out, making this whole air exchange thing uneccesary. Plus I don't want the electric bill. Needless to say, Father wins argument and Donald pays bill, but I would like to know what other residents think about this.

About the slimy walks- doesn't Seacrest hose the walks every week?

Anonymous said...

Seacrest has stopped watering the floors and walls in my building. Seacrest just plants more bushes and trees and cut the grass every day it seems.

I am sure they do other things, but everytime you turn around there is someone cutting grass and using the blower. It sometimes seems like they do this every day.

Anonymous said...

Re: Seacrest. They work for your building and are just doing what your president says, so yell at him/her.

elaineb said...

Mike, Mike, if we had common sense I would not have to ask ? on blog. Pls answer allowing for terminal helplessness and absence.

Mike said...

Elaine , Elaine , Please forgive me . lol

elaineb said...

I emptied the green container last night it is already overflowing in less than a day, these absent people are serious about keeping their place dry! Like Don’s dad.
Thx for shopping info Dave.

don4060 said...

But Elaine, do you think it works? Does running these ac units keep it dryer inside? Or is it another CV old (sorry) wives tale, like saran wrap on the toilet bowls.

Another thing, those pails are mosquito larvae magnets. Up here in Nassau County, Code Enforcement and Pest Control officers are giving out tickets for standing water because of West Nile virus- the biggest culprits are goldfish ponds and swimming pools fallen into disuse.

Seacrest Contract said...

All catwalks --stairs etc are to be swept 2x weekly, and hosed 1x per month. Unless water restrictions by PBC.

elaineb said...

Don - my personal opinion after 10yrs in 2-story bldg.
For 5 yrs I saw friend leave her upstairs unit every summer with no A/C and a few tubs of DampRid, she never had any odor or mold problem.
I am upstairs wimp, I leave my central air set on humidistat 60% and 80 degrees temp when I am away in summer, a couple of times the a/c failed for a couple of months, no problem.
All our closed up ground floor units with no A/C stink of mold, their leather goods get visible mold, some people leave louvers cracked open they have mildew as well.
Termites love units with no a/c, probably other critters too.
Yeah A/C keeps the place drier but my upstairs green tub people are way overdoing it.

Rocky Racoon said...

If there were no bowls of water under a/cs where would I wash my food and paws.

don4060 said...

Now that I am thinking about it, the tubs of water prove out what you are saying- that water would be INSIDE the apt if the ac wasn't on and condensing it out of the air. The one left on the timer in my place is in the back bedroom and, I guess, drips onto the patio so I am not sliming up the front walk. I suppose your neighbors could do the same but good luck trying to tell them.

elaineb said...

Don, Make your Dad pay the electric bill, Mr&Mrs Green Bucket just got a one month $70 bill, that and phone calls, and friends have modified their a/c while absent.

don4060 said...

nah Elaine, it turned out the bill was like 15 dollars a month, and my parents place is about the same. The trick is the timer turning on the unit for only two hours per day. Last year I turned it off in July and when I came back in Nov everything was fine no mold. I am going to try the damprid though, I should have thought of that- I've been using it for yrs.