u/NameGreedy4242 — reddlx

Portable AC units - is there much point in a dual hose unit if the inside is hotter than the outside?

As a lot of people in the UK are, I'm looking to get hold of a portable AC unit (of course they are sold out everywhere). All I want is to make the very hottest nights OK for sleeping when using a fan, I don't need it to be 18 degrees or anything like that. Plus, we have loads of fans!

For example, if it's 29 degrees in the house and 24 degrees outside at night then trying to circulate air through windows only helps a tiny bit. If I want to use an AC unit to get the bedroom down to 22 degrees, say, then am I right that there seems to be little point in getting a more expensive dual hose system, or modding a single hose system?

For a single hose system, I'm just thinking that for much of the time the unit is running the outside air will be cooler than the air in the room or landing area. So, if the unit causes the pressure in the room to drop it seems like leaving a small gap in the window somewhere (nowhere near and below the outflow pipe) may be better than air getting sucked in from inside somewhere?

I realise that this would all be different if I was concerned out the day, but we've found it OK on the ground floor and it's really only sleeping that is the issue.

reddit.com

u/NameGreedy4242 — 6 days ago

▲ 2 r/thermomix

TM31, error 52 (connectivity of mixing bowl to base) - this is the end?

Hi, we've had a TM31 for many years and now get error 52 every time the lid is attached. This means that the bowl isn't connecting to the base.

Everything is clean and dry so it's a fundamental issue. I found a Youtube video where a guy tested the five connection points at the bottom of the bowl with a multimeter, and I'm getting massively high resistance (ie virtually no connectivity) where I should get a small amount of resistance - so something has blown I guess. I can't see how to open things up, and I don't have enough skill to fix anyway especially when it's mains voltage.

Vorwerk don't sell replacement bowls now in the UK. They do in some other countries but the cost would be high and barely less than buying a second hand unit. Maybe a reasonably priced bowl appears on eBay now and again but other than this I think I'd just have to sell as is (maybe someone out there has a couple of bowls)?

Given how old it is I can't complain I guess, but it's still annoying!

reddit.com

u/NameGreedy4242 — 9 days ago

▲ 0 r/AirConditioners

I want a portable AC unit, can I do much with this window?

I live the UK and think it's time to get a portable AC unit if I can. Ultimately I'll need to switch to an air pump for heating so I'll look into options there, but this will be years away. I'm not looking to get a room at a perfect temperature, just to reduce to something more manageable for the 20 odd days a year when it gets very hot at night here.

Ths issue I have is that all upstairs rooms have windows like this. It can also open sideways, but it doesn't fix into a position that way and you still have the issue of the small gap between the window and the edge. The gap at the top is only about 4cm. Looking at the length of outflow pipes (seems like 1.5m is standard), the top of the window may be on the limit but I could put a unit on a desk or small stand. I understand that you can get insulating covers for the outflow as it gets hot.

Most AC units come with a sort of flat window adaptor, but this would be a bit too thick and I'd ideally have something that fits into the gap and hangs over so it sort of wedges into place. I think I'm right in saying that an outflow pipe suddenly reducing in size is bad given the heat, but if the area of the cross section doesn't reduce then could I find an option that works? I do have a 3d printer, so I was thinking I could potentially have a very wide but narrow end (something like 30cm wide by 4cm at the narrowest point). I think I'd have to print in two parts and stick together if it's that wide and use a filament that can take some heat (PETG?). I'm actually bad at 3d printing but I could potentially do this.

This sounds like it may work but I'm not really sure so any advice would be great? For example, with a set-up like this would a slightly more powerful or less powerful machine help? I'm worried about any build up of heat in the pipe.

Edit - the picture was a bit crap so I've added some others in a reply. For some reason I can't see how to add an image here.

u/NameGreedy4242 — 11 days ago