For cooling and heating the premises, not only stationary split systems are used. Indoor floor air conditioners, which have a special design and several different types, are very popular among summer residents, tenants and offices of small companies.
What floor air conditioners exist
To avoid confusion, you should immediately determine the concepts that apply to floor-standing devices. A common man in the street may not distinguish between floor (floor-ceiling) split systems, floor monoblocks, mobile split systems and floor air conditioners - all of these devices belong to different types of climatic technology and differ in their principle of operation.
Floor-ceiling (console) split system
This kind of cooling device is one of the types of two-component air conditioning systems. It has an outdoor (condensing) and indoor unit. The first is hung outside the building. The indoor unit can usually be placed either on a wall by lifting it slightly above the floor, or on the ceiling by attaching it to studs. It is a stationary device with a large number of modes, functions and additional options.
Modern air conditioners of this type are manufactured by manufacturers with improved technical characteristics. They work quietly, efficiently and economically. The power range for cold / heat, as well as the variability of operating temperatures have extended boundaries.
Floor standing mobile air conditioners
Device and principle of operation
These systems are also called monoblocks due to their design. In a floor-standing mobile air conditioner, all the components of the main unit are located in one device, that is, the outdoor and indoor units are combined. There are models with and without condensate trap. In the second case, the condensate will have to be removed manually from a special sump. To do this less often, when choosing, you should take models with a container for collecting a larger volume.
Some manufacturers supply mobile floor standing units with an automatic evaporator that removes moisture itself as it accumulates.
The principle of operation of such a device is that the air taken from the room is divided into warm and cold streams. The first goes into the room, and the warm air that cools the condenser is thrown out through the corrugated hose into the street. Usually, the heat sink pipe is passed through a window or a special hole at the bottom of the window leaf (with plastic double-glazed windows). In the kitchen, it can be taken out through the ventilation shaft. Sometimes it is allowed to lead a hose sleeve into a technical hole in the wall ceiling.
If the floor air conditioner is planned to be installed in the country, then it is better to take the flexible sleeve into the subfloor through the technological hole, from where it will be removed by means of ventilation openings in the basement of the building.
Such devices are capable of cooling / heating a room with an area of up to 40 m². Among the modern variety, there are still devices that work only for cold. Power characteristics in terms of productivity are limited - up to 3 kW, then the efficiency of work decreases.This technique is completed with an electronic unit, can be controlled from the remote control or from the instrument panel, is equipped with a variety of biofilters and has a rich functionality that is as close as possible to equipping split systems.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of mobile floor air conditioners is portability. They easily move from room to room, as they are equipped with convenient wheels, they can be transported from apartment to dacha, and when you move, you can take them with you. Dismantle only the outlet pipe.
The mobile air conditioning unit is a completely ready-to-use unit that does not require communications and complex electronics settings.
An important advantage of movable indoor floor air conditioners is self-assembly and the price of the device itself. The only difficulty during installation is the selection of a place for the outlet of the corrugated hose. You cannot leave even small gaps between it and the plane of the window, otherwise the monoblock will work to cool the street. All connections require careful sealing. The cost of a "bedside table on wheels" is much less than the price of a split-system with the same technical characteristics.
Among mobile air conditioners, there are mini-floor models, the dimensions of which are similar to those of a small suitcase, and the weight does not exceed 9 kg. It is convenient to place them in small rooms or in rooms with a non-standard layout, where there are many niches and ledges. Such a mobile device is not difficult to carry with you to the country.
Basically, the production of small floor-standing air conditioners is carried out by such brands as BALLU, SLOGGER, BIMATEK, DESA and ELECTROLUX:
- BALLU has a model only 76 cm high and 36 cm deep. The compactness of such devices does not affect their performance in any way, and many can be used all year round;
- The company has GENERAL CLIMATE there is the smallest floor-standing air conditioner, which is also equipped with a self-diagnosis function and temperature control without human intervention;
- ELECTROLUX equips small air conditioning devices with additional programs to the maximum, with which it becomes possible to set day / night modes. All devices are equipped with an automatic evaporation system. This relieves the user of organizing condensate drainage;
- BIMATEK produces the quietest mini-floor air conditioners that can be installed even in bedrooms and children's rooms.
But they also have enough shortcomings. First, there is a lot of noise. With equivalent power indicators for wall-mounted or console room splits, the sound indicator will be in the range from 19 to 37 dB, while for a mobile-type floor air conditioner these values exceed 50 dB.
So that this feature does not come as a surprise after the purchase, it is necessary, when choosing a floor-standing air conditioner, to arrange a test drive of the noise characteristics in the store and listen to how the device works in different modes.
High humidity can be another nuisance. This is due to the fact that the condensate discharge is directed under the compressor, which evaporates the water. Some manufacturers are trying to compensate for this disadvantage by the presence of a drainage pump.
As already mentioned, the mini-floor air conditioner will solve the problem of dimensions, but the interior can be disturbed by the heat-dissipating hose, which does not look very attractive.
Mobile split systems
When the features of the room allow only mobile air conditioners to be installed, but there is a need for a power of more than 3 kW, then they purchase mobile split systems. Their main difference from monoblocks is the presence of an external unit, which is connected to a mobile internal electrical communications and a freon pipeline.At the same time, the compressor is not included in the main unit of the outdoor unit, it is located in the room unit.
Such a device does not make them less noisy, but at the same time, portability is partially preserved. Movements of the mobile unit are possible relative to the length of the duct. The options for its output do not differ from those already described above regarding monoblocks.
These split systems can handle indoor air up to 60 m². In most models, they have two dampers on the room unit, with which you can adjust the pressure of the outgoing streams. And the front panel can be easily removed, which makes it easier to care for the module.
The functionality and software were not affected in any way. Modern mobile split has:
- disinfecting filters;
- on / off timer;
- turbo power mode;
- standard modes cold / heat / ventilation / dehumidification;
- comfortable night sleep function;
- built-in ionizer;
- temperature adjustment relative to the location of the remote control.
This is not a complete list of modes and programs that support mobile split systems of well-known brands.
Floor standing air conditioners without duct
Of course, the absence of a duct in a floor-standing air conditioner gives it a lot of advantages in terms of placement. But, in fact, this device cannot be called a full-fledged air conditioning device. A vaporizer - yes, a humidifier - is also quite real, but not an air conditioner. (For ease of understanding, the article will use the familiar name for everyone.)
Externally and in terms of price characteristics, the floor air conditioner without a hose is very similar to a mobile monoblock. But its main difference is the lack of a compressor.
In such a device, heat is not removed outside, because it simply does not exist. Cooling occurs due to cold water, which is poured into a special container. The lower its temperature, the more intensively the room cools. For some manufacturers, floor standing air conditioners without an air duct are equipped with an ice tray.
The principle of operation consists in the following sequence of processes inside the device:
- water enters the sponge filter by pumping it with a pump;
- there it evaporates due to the air stream coming from the fan;
- heat is absorbed and air is cooled.
The room is not only cooled, but also humidified, and this makes the device in demand among people with problems of the ENT organs and the respiratory system.
The main advantages of floor-standing air conditioners without a hose, in addition to humidification coupled with cooling, include:
- compactness;
- gradual decrease in temperature;
- lack of refrigerant;
- low noise level;
- low energy consumption;
- high efficiency;
- simple installation.
Any floor-standing air conditioner without duct is equipped with the same functions and programs as a mobile monoblock or a simple split system.
The main thing is to ensure the flow of fresh air through a window or door, since this technique is not used in completely enclosed spaces. Also, it is not allowed to install it in areas with high humidity. When buying, be sure to pay attention to the power characteristics, since the main part of the airless floor stands can handle a maximum of 25 m².
Reviews of outdoor air conditioners
User reviews of floor-standing air conditioners, when it comes to mobile systems, are divided in half. Some of them are unhappy with the presence of an air vent in the form of a wide and long hose, which is not always convenient to place in a window or wall. Some more buyers note the inconvenience associated with using such a device when there are children in the family. A small child can easily shove an object into the distribution grids. Of course, no one likes the noise either.
Other buyers give positive feedback on floor-standing air conditioners, considering them to be the best air conditioning option for a temporary home or a country house. The price is more than satisfactory for everyone. It turns out to be an inexpensive acquisition with good functionality.
Whether or not to buy an outdoor air conditioner is up to each user personally, but in order to make the purchase happy, you need to watch a video on how to choose an outdoor air conditioner for an apartment or office:
