See details about international shipping here. help icon for Shipping - opens a layer Visit eBay's page on international trade. Wed. Oct. 12 and Wed. Oct. 19 Seller ships within 3 days after receiving cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab.PACs typically fall in the middle ground compared with the costs of other cooling options. Portable air conditioners offer a distinct alternative to complex HVAC systems and basic cooling fans. These self-contained, mobile systems cater to spaces ranging in size from dens to garages, provided you have a nearby window through which to vent hot air. Like any electric cooling solution, however, the benefits provided by PACs come at a cost. The impact your PAC has on your electricity bill depends on the size of the unit, your utility provider's rate and other factors. Energy Estimates Portable air conditioners range from compact, rolling boxes to mini-fridge-size towers. Likewise, they vary greatly in energy ratings, which are measured in British thermal unit, the amount of energy needed to cool or heat one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

This measurement translates to how much heat your PAC can remove from the room each hour. Especially compact PACs cool about 150 square feet and feature a BTU rating of about 7,500. 3.5 ton air conditioner btuMid-range models cool about 300 square feet and output 10,000 BTUs while the largest PACs cover roughly 500 square feet and run at 14,000 BTUs. car ac repair burleson txConverting Energy to Cents Converting BTUs to kilowatt-hours, a measurement equal to one kilowatt of power consumption per hour, you'll find that a 7,500-BTU PAC consumes about 2.2 kWh, a 10,000-BTU unit 2.9 kWh, and a 14,000-BTU unit 4.1 kWh. hire air conditioning units aucklandAs of 2014, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that one kilowatt-hour of energy usage costs about 16.18 cents in California, for instance.

At this rate, running a small, medium or large PAC for eight hours a day would cost roughly $2.84, $3.75 or $5.31, respectively. For 30 days of use, these figures come to $85.20, $112.50 and $159.30. Considering the Variables In addition to BTU ratings and hours of use, location plays a major role in PAC operating cost; for example, the EIA estimates that electricity costs 21.75 cents per kWh in New York, 9.78 cents in Tennessee and 12.74 cents in the District of Columbia, with a national average of 11.88 cents. A longer hose causes your PAC to use more energy, as it diverts hot air through the length of the hose. Similarly, MSN Real Estate estimates that a 10-year-old air conditioner is only about half as efficient as a newly purchased unit. In Comparison According to 2013 reports from the “Rapid City Journal,” running a portable air conditioner uses as little as one-eighth of the electricity required to run a central air-conditioning unit, which roughly translates to one-eighth of the cost, as well.

Unlike central cooling, which cools the entire house, PACs cool only one room at a time. In 2013, Home Energy Pros -- “Home Energy” magazine's website -- noted that PACs offer roughly half the cooling power of window air conditioners. Duke Energy estimates that ceiling fans consume about 23.4 kWh per month, placing them at an average operating cost of only $2.78 per month, according to EIA's 2014 national averages. However, ceiling fans only provide a breeze; they do not actually cool air. References Sylvane: Knowledge Center: Portable Air Conditioners Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)U.S. Energy Information Administration Independent Statistics and Analysis: Electric Power Monthly: Table 5.6.A. Average Retail Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, February 2014 and 2013 (Cents per Kilowatt-hour)Rapid City Journal: Is a Portable AC Unit Cheaper Than Central Air?Duke Energy: Electric Appliance Operating Cost ListHome Energy Pros: Warnings About Portable Air ConditionersMSN Real Estate: 27 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Cooler Photo Credits Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images Suggest a Correction

Looking for a Portable Air Conditioner? BTU Makes a Difference in Decorating on April 14, 2010 by Staff Writer Portable air conditioner BTUs make all the difference between whether you’ll have a unit that cools your room well or one that works poorly. You might be tempted to go with the cheapest unit that you can find at the store. Let’s face it, these units can be expensive and cost more than what many renters can afford. However, you can make up the costs later in the savings you get from using less energy than a heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, central air conditioning and some window units. If you get a unit with insufficient BTUs though, you won’t enjoy any savings in your electricity bill. British thermal units (BTUs) indicate how fast an air conditioner can cool a room. It measures the amount of heat (how many BTUs) that the air conditioner removes from the air. Portable conditioners with BTUs that are too low for a room’s size won’t cool all of the room, because it can’t.

The higher the BTUs, the larger the room size it can cool. If you purchase a portable air conditioner that has too many BTUs for the room, then you’ll be using much more power than you need, which results in higher bills from your electric company. Your goal when shopping around for a unit is to find the air conditioner with the right number of BTUs for the room size. Each air conditioner lists the BTUs in its product description online or on the box, which corresponds to a maximum room size. 5,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner Expect a portable air conditioner with 5,000 BTUs to cool a room that’s no more than 175 square feet. Try to find one with a dual hose to cool the room even faster. Variation in temperature control settings is also key, and you should make sure that the portable air conditioner that you’re considering has one. If you want to cool a room that’s 200 square feet, then you’ll need a portable air conditioner with 8,000 BTUs. If you have enough money to buy one with a self-evaporative system, that’s even better.

You won’t have to worry about emptying out trays every day, which is the case with non-evaporative units. Living room areas or large bedrooms that are around 300 square feet will need a portable air conditioner with 10,000 BTUs. Some units include a built-in shut on/shut off thermostat to help you conserve energy. You can also set it to come on minutes before you come home from school or work. A portable air conditioner with 12,000 BTUs can cool a room up to 400 square feet. If you need to heat your room as well, consider a 2-in-1 air conditioner and heater combination. However, if you experience severe winter temperatures, it’s not the best option for heating your apartment. 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner A portable air conditioner with 14,000 BTUs is capable of cooling a room up to 450 square feet. Some units come with a remote control that makes them convenient to use. You can also buy one with a built-in dehumidifier. A portable air conditioner with BTUs to match your room size can be the best solution for cooling any apartment you rent.