How to Make a Portable Air Conditioner Work Better

Portable air conditioners are typically air-conditioning units that can be moved from location to location and installed easily through an opening in a window for proper ventilation. This allows flexibility in cooling homes, apartments, vacation homes or apartments and can allow users to cool only one room as opposed to a whole-home air conditioner or a window unit that remains fixed in one location. If the portable air conditioner is not working very well, some basic troubleshooting may help improve performance.

Instructions

- 1
  Plug the portable air conditioner into a grounded three-prong outlet for proper power supply and support. The unit may not have enough power to work correctly with other outlets.
- 2
  Connect the exhaust hose firmly to the air conditioner and place the other end in an open window for proper air flow and ventilation during use. While semi-permanent or permanent installation of the hose is possible if the unit will not be moved often, it is most important to keep the hose straight and free of obstruction and positioned firmly in a window each time the air conditioner is used.
- 3
  Avoid blocking the vents and grilles on the air conditioner during use, as restricted air flow will result in poor performance.
- 4
  Turn off and unplug the air conditioner if the water tank gets full or the control panel indicates that the tank needs to be emptied. Pull the water tank from the front of the unit, empty in a sink or other drain and replace in the unit before restoring power.
- 5
  Turn on the fan for improved air circulation and cooling when the unit is turned on and is operating. Set the temperature on the unit at least 15 degrees below the outside temperature for proper cooling.
- 6
  Contact the manufacturer of the unit if additional problems with performance or operation exist.

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