using a portable A/C as a heat pump to heat a house?

ecomodmonster · 09-05-21, 04:39 PM

Hi

I have a portable air conditioner that i want to use as a heat pump has anyone done this?

i will mod it for dual hose and send the cold air out side. and duct the hot air in to my living room. will put vents in doors for the return hot air. the unit will sit in my garage which shares a wall/ceiling with 3 other rooms.

I think its doable. my main concerns are the unit freezing up in cold weather and the ducting chokeing air flow.

any thoughts?

Daox · 09-05-21, 10:36 PM

We have had a few guys use window units, but I haven't seen any portable A/C units made into heaters. However, I'm sure its quite possible.

I've heard a lot of those portable ones are noisy though. How is the one you have?

ecomodmonster · 09-06-21, 01:18 PM

its noisy but it will be in the garage so hopefully won't hear it.

i can sleep through my fan and a dehumidifyer so should be able to sleep through this.
I've got a sprinkler system in case of fire and lots of alarms.

i couldn't sleep through washing machine spin cycle or tumble dryer tho. so will have to see.

jeff5may · 09-13-21, 04:21 AM

I called mine the howler. It was a ching Chong brand, Royal something. 12kbtu capacity. I saved a few hundred dollars a couple of winters in a row using it to heat a two story saltbox I was renting. Main idea is just exhaust the processed air you don't want. Unless you have a tiny house or something airtight, the thing will do as well as it can.

Ecomodded started a thread on this a few years ago:
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5430

ecomodmonster · 11-23-21, 06:11 AM

I thought i would post an update on my heat pump home heating system.
i've made a few youtube vids incase anyone is interested.

tour of my £300 heat pump system

calculating heat pump efficiency

heat pump defrost test

heat pump cheaper than gas

09-05-21, 04:39 PM	#1
ecomodmonster Lurking Renovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: England (stoke) Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	using a portable A/C as a heat pump to heat a house? Hi I have a portable air conditioner that i want to use as a heat pump has anyone done this? i will mod it for dual hose and send the cold air out side. and duct the hot air in to my living room. will put vents in doors for the return hot air. the unit will sit in my garage which shares a wall/ceiling with 3 other rooms. I think its doable. my main concerns are the unit freezing up in cold weather and the ducting chokeing air flow. any thoughts?

09-05-21, 10:36 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,521 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	We have had a few guys use window units, but I haven't seen any portable A/C units made into heaters. However, I'm sure its quite possible. I've heard a lot of those portable ones are noisy though. How is the one you have? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-13-21, 04:21 AM	#4
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,427 Thanks: 430 Thanked 618 Times in 516 Posts	I called mine the howler. It was a ching Chong brand, Royal something. 12kbtu capacity. I saved a few hundred dollars a couple of winters in a row using it to heat a two story saltbox I was renting. Main idea is just exhaust the processed air you don't want. Unless you have a tiny house or something airtight, the thing will do as well as it can. Ecomodded started a thread on this a few years ago: https://ecorenovator.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5430 Last edited by jeff5may; 09-13-21 at 06:54 AM.. Reason: Information

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09-06-21, 01:18 PM	#3
ecomodmonster Lurking Renovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: England (stoke) Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	its noisy but it will be in the garage so hopefully won't hear it. i can sleep through my fan and a dehumidifyer so should be able to sleep through this. I've got a sprinkler system in case of fire and lots of alarms. i couldn't sleep through washing machine spin cycle or tumble dryer tho. so will have to see.