Mini-air conditioning in the summer is an affordable solution with a limited budget or the inability to install a conventional split system at home - a rented apartment where the owners do not allow holes in the wall for communication. An obstacle is the old wiring in the house, which can hardly withstand the most necessary electrical appliances, not to mention a powerful air conditioner. To avoid a fire, you must first repair and replace the wiring, and then acquire a stationary wall device.
The advantages of small air conditioners
Compact climate systems have several advantages. They can be selected according to the type of construction - window, table, floor. The power is lower than that of wall-mounted domestic air conditioners, but still the risk of getting sick is less, since airflow is not so intense.
Positive aspects of mini-systems:
- No installation required. In the summer, queues are formed at the brigades that establish stationary models. A compact air conditioner can be connected independently and not wait for the arrival of the masters.
- Safety - the device is made of environmentally friendly materials, and coolant circulates in the circuit, which does not affect health and well-being.
- Reliability. It depends on the price of the device, but if you wish, you can purchase a high-quality device and use it for a long time.
- In summer, you can take the air conditioner to the cottage, and in the fall you can transport it to your apartment and use it for heating, because mini systems, unlike wall split systems, can be turned on at sub-zero temperatures. The models do not have an external unit - the entire air conditioning is in the room.
- A wide selection of units: selected according to the functions - basic and additional, noise level, power, type of construction and control, design qualities.
- The size is selected depending on the area of the room, but can be moved or transported from one room to another.
- Some models work both from the outlet and from the battery, which allows you to take them with you to the car, to nature.
Cons are also available, but they depend more on the configuration of a particular model:
- noisy loudly;
- short corrugation for display in the window;
- a short power cord does not reach the outlet;
- no wheels for moving on the floor - for floor models;
- low power.
In order for the device to meet the needs, it must be correctly selected according to technical indicators and the type of design.
Varieties of compact climate devices
Depending on the installation options, choose:
- Window models in which half of the device is on the street, half - indoors. Such air conditioners are installed in a window or a specially made opening in the wall according to the size of the device to ensure tightness.
- Floor standing. Made in the form of a monoblock. There is a corrugation for removing warm air to the street, it is moved from room to room using wheels.
- Board. The smallest devices. The dimensions of the air conditioner are from 25 - 30 cm in width and depth.
There are flat mini-models that take up little space, but work with high performance - up to 1.5 kW, which is comparable to low-power wall split systems. Narrow air conditioning can be hung on the wall.
The smallest device was invented in the United States for prison inmates whose life was valuable to the justice system.They were inserted into the window opening and created comfortable conditions in the chamber with an area of 10 square meters. m. The dimensions of the device are 18x18x30 cm.
New air conditioners for a small room have the following set of functions:
- three-stage fan;
- on timers;
- adjustment of cold air flows;
- remote control capability;
- the possibility of ventilation;
- dehumidification function;
- heating and cooling;
- air purification using a filter system.
The main manufacturers of miniature models are the USA, South Korea, Japan, Russia.
Window Mini Air Conditioners
By type of construction, it is a monoblock, one part of which is located indoors. When installed in a window opening, it is quite noisy, because during operation the windows begin to vibrate. Larger devices restrict the access of light to the room. If the house has metal-plastic windows, then installing such a mini-device into the window will not work - you need to break through the wall.
From the positive aspects of work:
- ease of care, since it’s easier to reach the device in the window than to the external unit of the split system located on the wall of the house;
- It simultaneously performs two functions - cooling and heating; it is switched on at any time of the year, even at subzero temperatures;
- at a high degree of cooling consumes little electricity, especially class A air conditioning
The price of the device will depend on its power and feature set, as well as on the brand of the manufacturer. With a limited budget, you will have to buy a Chinese air conditioner, the service life of which is difficult to predict, since only manufacturers know the service life of internal parts.
Mobile air conditioning
If noise at work is an important indicator, then you should not choose such a model, since a mobile air conditioner for a small room will work loudly. The most noisy part - the compressor - is in the room, and the device itself is made in the form of a monoblock.
For effective cooling, it is necessary to provide for the presence of an outlet in the wall or window for the corrugation. Many, buying a mobile mini system, simply open the window and throw the corrugated hose out into the street, but with this approach, warm air enters the room and reduces the efficiency of the air conditioner.
In modern models of indoor mobile devices, condensate is discharged to the outside in the form of steam. This is a convenient novelty, as in older models it was necessary to periodically pour out the accumulated liquid manually.
Split system
Compact split systems with a small indoor unit are distinguished into a separate category. The external unit is mounted on the street, the internal - in the room. Operation in rooms of 20-30 m2 is possible. As a rule, the smaller the body, the lower the power. The set of functions is the same as for conventional installations. Manufacturing countries: Japan, Switzerland, China, Korea.
How to make a mini air conditioner with your own hands
A mini-device made by yourself is worth a penny. Components are bought at any supermarket, and the benefits and energy savings are significant. Mini air conditioning is adapted for cars - they work from the cigarette lighter and do a good job of setting the task: to cool the interior of the car.
What is needed for the production of "artisanal" mini air conditioner of small sizes:
- 2 plastic coolers - can be computer;
- 6 - 8 liter plastic container;
- tubes for air exhaust - you can use it from the plumbing department, but not straight, but bent at a right or obtuse angle - you need 2 pcs;
- power supply 12 W;
- plastic containers of 0.5 l 3 - 4 pcs.
Tools for work:
- glue - silicone and “Moment”;
- knife;
- insulating tape.
Work Stages:
- Connect the coolers to the power supply. If everything is done correctly, when plugged into the outlet, they will begin to spin.
- Cut a hole with a knife in the lid of the plastic container to the size of the cooler, fix with small screws and seal with silicone glue so that the air does not come out. If 2 fans are used, one is superimposed on the second and secured with screws. It’s easier to install powerful, cooling will be stronger.
- On the side of the plastic container, a hole is made for the outlet tube. One end of the tube is inserted into the hole and secured with sealant. The second end goes up.
- The second pipe is mounted on the first, without fixing with glue, in order to be able to direct the air flow in the right direction. Put on the lid with the coolers, plug it into a power outlet and check if there is any air or leaks. If there is, pour silicone.
- Freeze ice in plastic blanks half a liter, remove them from the freezer and put in a plastic container. You can include a mini model.
The ice melts in about an hour and a half, so the workpieces must be changed periodically. But time and money to create an air conditioner will need a little. If you do not change the ice, the air will be less cold - you get something like a fan. Creating a more complex model of home invention will require more time and knowledge.
