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Message |
    
Ken Zeidner
Citizen
Username: Blackflag
Post Number: 73
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 8:37 am: | 
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Went to Lowes and got a Frigidaire 8000 BTU window A/C (rated best buy in CR). Installed it on Sunday in our bedroom (not so easy in these old houses with nonlinear sills)--decided to test it yesterday. Didn't seem to cool as I was hoping. The air coming out is cold, but it just seems to dissipate before it reaches us in bed. Did everything according to the book--calculated room size, window area and direction, ceiling height, shade amount, appliance wattage, occupancy, attic status, etc., and it came to 7000 +/- 400 BTUs. The window it is installed in is on the northeast side of the house across from the foot of the bed. Should I move it to the southwest window directly next to the bed? Would an oscillating fan help move the cold air? Do I need a larger unit? Or am I just expecting too much. For comparison, we have an ancient Quasar through-the-wall unit (I think 18,500 BTU) that cools off the whole downstairs in about 5 min. Thanks for any help you can provide. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2814
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:07 am: |
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Sounds like you did all the right stuff. Could be that your room is at the upper limit of what the unit can handle. I know that the nature of the walls/ceiling material can make a difference. We did the same, 3 years ago, and went to Sears and made out OK. Do you have the fan set high enough? The little vent tilted in the direction you want? I can't speak to the window/ac orientation, but you could consider calling Lowes or Frigidaire for advice.
We have ceiling fans in virtually every room, and I can tell you that it makes considerable difference in moving the air around, with the a/c units going. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 1978
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:15 am: |
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You might doublecheck your BTU calcuations with this worksheet --
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/air-conditioners/reports/sizing-wo rksheet/index.htm
8,000 BTUs would seem to be plenty for a bedroom. That said, if the room is on the 2nd floor -- are the attic vents open? If not, the load could be drastically increased. The attic in my house can get fiercely hot if the vents are closed and the fans are not running.
/p |
Camnol
Citizen
Username: Camnol
Post Number: 361
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:29 am: |
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Did you check the fan speed? I've been known to forget to boost the speed to max, and then wonder why I'm still warm. Also, I know some of our units have an air exchanger setting, or some such thing. It's either supposed to be set to open or closed, depending on if we have the unit set to cool, or just to circulate air. |
Ken Zeidner
Citizen
Username: Blackflag
Post Number: 74
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:32 am: |
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Thanks for the advice. Will get an oscillating fan for the room and check the attic vents/fans. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11659
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 10:11 am: |
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Especially at night an 8,000 btu unit should cool almost any normal bedroom around here. I note you have a south west exposure and that might effect the daytime operations. Does it work better at night? If not the unit may be defective.
Also, check the fan speed, as mentioned, and make sure you removed all the packing material. Now a days there is a lot in these units because they take a long sea voyage before making it to the stores. |
Ken Zeidner
Citizen
Username: Blackflag
Post Number: 75
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:12 am: |
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Bob K:
Now that you mentioned it, I can see styrofoam lining the cabinet when I look in the vents, but there was nothing in the instruction about removing it. Could this be a problem? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11661
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:18 am: |
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If the vents and or the condensor plate are blocked this is probably the problem. Look at the instruction manual. Their are usually illustrations that show the unit in an exploded view and a list of parts. If the styrofoam doesn't show in the drawings and isn't on the parts list, this is your problem. If it comes out easily (not glued) this is also a good indication that this is your problem.
I don't think I have ever seen styrofoam insulation in a window AC unit, but their is a first time for everything.
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kevin
Supporter
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 716
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:35 am: |
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The walls in your room might have stored heat so it will take a while for the air conditioner to actually feel like it is working. It sounds like you get a lot of radiant heat throughout day since you mention both the East and West sides of your room.
I have the same 8000 BTU Frigidaire unit. I have not played around with the settings, but the default high speed fan setting is very loud. It cools much better than a 6500 BTU Daewoo unit that I bought at Costco last year. That unit struggles to cool the 8x6 room that it is in.
but...
We have an old Westinghouse 5000 BTU non-energy star unit in the bedroom which cools better than all of the other units. I am wondering if the energy efficient units don't cool as well as the older units. Maybe they use different coolant (freon)?
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kevin
Supporter
Username: Kevin
Post Number: 717
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:39 am: |
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Air conditioning units are cheaply made. I notice that most of the new ones contain visible styrofoam. Perhaps this helps it achieve its efficiency rating? |
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