Well, it is a very known fact for us that, a portable air conditioner (PAC) can carry and move out easily, especially because being of a lighter and smaller version than a usual air conditioner.
For that, almost everyone chooses or wants to choose a portable air conditioner for cooling their home or office. But if one needs an air conditioner due to terrible heat, one will also need a heater to stabilize the cold temperature.
Now if you found that a portable AC can give you both advantages of cooling and heating, don’t it will give great vibes? You must read the whole article to know an amazing fact and to get the answer to an interesting question which is, ‘Can a Portable Air Conditioner be Used as a Heater?’
Can a Portable Air Conditioner be Used as a Heater? And How?
Along with being recognized as a cooling appliance, a PAC or ‘Portable Air Conditioner’ can be used as a heater also by overturning the flow of energy. Most portable air conditioners are created for both cooling and heating purpose. For this purpose, it has an option in its settings to ON the heat mode to work as a heater.
Air conditioners generally generate cold by the cycle of moving the generated energy from one place to another. But for being capable of heating a portable AC must have a specific unit to be able to generate the heat. PAC works like the heat pumps, by which the cycle of air can be reversed to heat mode from cold air.
There might be an option of both cool and hot temperatures in the settings of a portable AC. So that one can switch to any option based on their needs. By setting the settings the cold air can turn to heat.
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How Does The System Work?
The system of a portable AC, mainly runs by two sides, the low side creating low pressure and the high side creating high pressure. The energy of generating heat is carried by a chemical refrigerant to carry and move out the hot air from one part to another of the system and work as a heater.
To perform the heating action, four major elements of a portable air conditioner take part efficiently. Which are-
- Expansion Valve
- Evaporator
- Condensor
- Compressor
From the expansion valve by the low pressure, heat is transferred from inside air to refrigerant then the evaporator generates low-pressure gas which is cool in temperature. Then by the compressor, the low-pressure gas turned into the high-pressure gas where heat is transferred from refrigerant to outside air.
By condenser, it turned into high-pressure liquid and again moves to the expansion valve on the high side which provides heat. By this process, the cold evaporator coils become the hot condenser coils, and vent the hot air outside, it is the cold air that gets expelled while the heat is pumped into the room of a home or in any particular place.
To produce cool air, by switching the setting into cold temperature the whole cycle reverses and the expansion valve generates cold again. The summary of the process is about, taking the hot air from inside and transferring it to the other side of the outside of the system.
Is The Heating System Fulfilled Every Portable Ac?
To generate heat, an air conditioner is designed in that way and must have the heat pump in one unit. Not every portable AC is designed to work as a heater and doesn’t have the heating mode to produce hot air.
A portable AC must carry the electric heater wire to provide hot air, especially in winter. The air conditioners act like heat pumps that, have a heating mode inside of them. By the heating mode, the heat pump pumps heat from the outside cold air and executes the hot air inside of the system.
In the market, many portable air conditioners are designed for cooling purposes only. So, if you want a portable AC that can provide heat in winter, you should be known with the settings of the system before buying and let the shopkeepers know your requirement.
Will The Heat Stabilize The Temperature?
The heating temperature is quite enough to stabilize the cold temperature in winter. To get warmed and to have a comfortable environment, you must set the perfect temperature in the settings of a portable AC. Generally, the perfect stabilizing temperature is 22°C to 24°C to get a warm place. It will take a minimum of 3 or 4 minutes to heat the entire space.
The heating mode of a portable air conditioner is also known as the ‘Freeze Protection Mode’. The low heat of any PAC is run by 8°C. At this temperature, the AC functions at its minimum power. The total heat maintains a stable temperature and makes you warm.
To maintain the proper temperature, it must not go above 33°C, or else the high heat can conduct a short circuit in the system.
How Can We Adjust the Heating Temperature?
We must adjust the heat temperature according to the nearby atmosphere. In winter we need a heater badly. A portable air conditioner can be used as a heater by adjusting the heating volume.
The unit of a portable air conditioner must generate hot air to change the existing temperature of a room. For this, the temperature might be adjusted from 10°C to 15°C or to 25°C to get hotter air than existing air in the room. The higher volume of temperature will spread out the heat in the room.
The switches are the indicators of the volumes of temperature. One will adjust by using the options of the switches and will get warmed smoothly. The right adjusting of heat will ease the critical environment.
Is it Capable of Outside Use?
A portable air conditioner is very easy to move and carry so that one use it outside also. But there should be a proper electronic system available to run it.
The motor inside of the portable AC needs to circulate the air to heat. For that, it needs a plugging system and better running electricity. One can use a portable air conditioner outside of the home like, in offices, in the workplace.
But it is not suitable to use it on a tour or short-timed trip if there will no available charging or electronic system to run the portable air conditioner.
Read more: Can You Vent A Portable Air Conditioner Through A Screen?
A Portable Air Conditioner Without an Exhaust Hose?
Portable air conditioners can run soundly without using a vent hose or an exhaust hose. But using a type of flexible hose that is used to abstract the fumes from the inside of an appliance, is not a bad deal.
By an exhaust hose, toxic gases like carbon monoxide can be eliminated smoothly. It is also helpful to remove the exhaust fumes from any running vehicle and electronic device or system including a portable air conditioner.
The main purpose of creating an exhaust hose is to readdress the harmful exhaust fumes from a running system. During the heating process, to vent off the fumes harmlessly it might be crucial to add an exhaust hose for a portable air conditioner.
It will not harm to use an exhaust hose as it is so easy enough to connect and disconnect to a device. Exhaust can be permanently added to a venting point outside of a building.
While using the hose, the appliances must be able to move the hose and be fit with the system. Total costs of exhaust hose and also benefits are mainly, depended on the cost due to installation and required size.
If a portable air conditioner works as a heater, it will create more energy with fumes, so it will be safer to use an exhaust hose despite, a portable AC that can run without using it. Though it doesn’t do any harm, one should only add it in dehumidifier mode, and it will actually heat the particular space.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is great to use that kind of portable air conditioner since everyone likes to have something that gives a ‘Two in One’ service. If you get the two advantages with the same money, you can do benefit to your pocket. It is like both butter and jam in one bread.
According to the demand and need a portable air conditioner can cool the room or space in summer, and also make us warm by giving heat like a heater in the winter season.
But before buying it is essential to know about the heating efficiency and the quality of given services. It is also important to use wisely and set the perfect temperature to avoid the short circuit. As before mentioned not all portable air conditioners are not designed to work as a heater, so it is needed to be bought sensibly. Now, I hope you know, “Can a portable air conditioner be used as a heater?”
