Question:
I need an air conditioner to cool a 320 sq. foot room during the few
months of 90+ degrees southern California, USA, heat. Based on
researches I have done, it appears portables (not swamp coolers, but
those portables that vent outside) are not regarded as being too
effective. Then I turned my attention to mini-splits (is there any
difference between a "split system" and a "mini-split"?) but it seems
that those seem to need professional installation, and the cost of
professional installation puts that technology out of our price range.
We consulted with a professional about cooling the whole house, and
have ruled out that option as well.
Anyway, can anyone recommend any brands I should consider, or sizes I
should require. I am thinking I need at least 10,000 btu's. I don't
think I need as many as 12,000, but Sears has a Kenmore 12,000 btu
model for slider windows they are selling for $500. I wouldn't mind
spending less than that, so if anyone can give me any advice in this
matter, I would appreciate it greatly! Can I get away with something
as low as 8000 btu, or is that just aasking for trouble?
Answer:
Must be near the coast, in SD, or LA..when I think of Southern Cali...I
think 120F and 2 months of less than 90F heat
And thats from several years in the desert there
Big difference a mini split is a ductless design, such as the Mr Slim
Mitsubishi, or other similar that requires no duct work.
A split system is a normal central air system, with a duct system, and an
air handler.
Personally, if you are in Riverside Cty, I would not consider a thing under
6500BTU for a room that size, since window units do not move that much air,
and the cycle time will be longer with a window unit than with a ductless
due to less air being moved..
But then....10,000 BTU is almost a ton of cooling....and thats a bit much
for a room that size, unless you have an old flat top..old single pane
glass, and a few other items that havent been used since Title 24 went into
effect...
Get a load calculation done, and look into the mini splits in a serious
manner
