Portable Air Conditioner - No window? No problem! Vent exhaust thru wall, stealthy magnetic cover.

Рет қаралды 179,824

Күн бұрын

AC vent hose too short? No window? Extending the exhaust hose can overheat and ruin these expensive coolers. Steve from Uncharted DIY shows step by step how to vent through the wall. This solution features a stealthy magnetic interior cover for when the AC isn't hooked up. **See NOTE below for a new detail not in the video.**
• Make a simple magnetic cover to hide the vent hole when not in use.
• Insulate the passage to eliminate drafts and heat loss.
• Keep bugs and critters outside with a louvered exterior vent cover.
You don't have to suffer with a hot room!
Steps in this video:
00:00 Intro and How it Works
02:38 Cut hole inside
07:08 Build a duct box to go through wall
11:02 Cut hole outside
12:07 Install covers
Check out my review of a portable AC from Keystone with heat! • Keystone 4 in 1, 13,00...
This project uses a Honeywell MN10CESWW 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control. Amazon link: amzn.to/3YO0awF The Honeywell and the Keystone (review link above) are fantastic air conditioners, but MUST be vented to function. Problem solved with this project!
This expands on Chris10077's project • Ventilating A Portable... by adding exterior cover with screen, magnetic cover for inside, and insulation to seal it for winter.
***NOTE: Viewers/commenters "Microwaved Soda" and "Stacks 600" brought up a concern about moist exhaust air eventually rotting out the wood in the wall. The way the tunnel is made and mounted, the exhaust air cannot get to the inside of the wall, but the MDF (medium density fiberboard or particle board) the tunnel is made from IS exposed to the air. I am going to paint the inside of the tunnel with a couple of coats of polyurethane (but not water-based poly) to seal the wood. If you seal or paint the tunnel before installing it, you'll save some time, but it can be done pretty easily with it already in place. Thank you Microwaved Soda and Stacks 600 for bringing this to my attention!
If you found this video helpful, please Like, Comment, Subscribe and Share! And, if you have ideas, questions, comments, or images of YOUR project, you can post them on the Uncharted DIY article page at uncharteddiy.com/portable-ac-...
See UnchartedDIY.com for more how-to information, videos, details and links to resources.
Intro music by monkeyman535, freesound.org/s/466981/
If you purchase from one of the provided product links, Uncharted DIY may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Пікірлер: 108

@stacks600 2 жыл бұрын

Mold and mildew will spread in your walls and your going to have a very expensive job to fix

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

That's a totally legit concern, Stacks. Unfortunately, KZfaq doesn't allow me to alter the video, but I added notes to the video description and on my website addressing this issue. The new duct needs to be sealed and coated with either polyurethane or exterior paint. I'm also going to pin this comment so it shows up first, so if people don't see the note in the description, maybe they'll see it here. Thanks for the great feedback.

@DankRevolution 10 ай бұрын

Is this because of the ac unit?

@UnchartedDIY 10 ай бұрын

It's due to the moisture the AC removes from the air and exhausts outside. The duct should be sealed or painted to keep that moisture from causing problems. It's a simple preventative measure.

@shane4956 2 ай бұрын

Would caulking the "duct box" where it meets the drywall and lining the inside with foil tape work?

@UnchartedDIY 2 ай бұрын

That would probably help, but I don't know if it would work as well as simply painting it. Or, you could be really safe and, caulk and paint it, THEN apply the foil tape 😁

@MathewMkay 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing video. I have been searching for a solution for my windowless garage gym. This has been a huge help! I will post on your website my results when I tackle this project in the late spring. Thank you so much!!

@MathewMkay 3 жыл бұрын

Do you also think this could work with a dual hose setup? I do hear those are more efficient and do a better job with cooling and heat dissipation

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mathew! I think this same technique would work very well for a dual hose setup. I am looking forward to seeing your project!

@zeezeewhy 3 жыл бұрын

well thought, good speed and well structured presentation. thank you.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you zeezeewhy! I appreciate the feedback.

@cornfedlife Жыл бұрын

Love this! Thanks, Steve!

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

I'm happy you liked it!

@PANYAZFL56 3 жыл бұрын

Great idea.

@bosanovaboy 2 жыл бұрын

What a beautiful job you did, excellent 👌

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@jimmusch1124 3 жыл бұрын

Very nicely done! Liked the way you thought out every little detail. That’s the way you should go, and not through the window, I think.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jim! I wanted to make sure every detail was covered before poking a hole in the wall 😀 I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

@cristinaw.267 3 жыл бұрын

This is so freaking cool. Really thoughtful and well done!

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and commenting, Cristina. And, great play on words!

@rzin2007 13 күн бұрын

Great work

@UnchartedDIY 12 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching, Roman 👍

@ikechicoreralation 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing!

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I hope it helped you.

@carmenlindsey7552 2 жыл бұрын

Steve, You da man!

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@Lyn620 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for posting this!

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

I hope it helps you and thanks for watching! I'd love to see photos of your project - you can post them on the site at uncharteddiy.com/portable-ac-vent-through-wall/

@stevejuststuff2779 2 жыл бұрын

In the winter just put some loose batts of Pink Panther insulation in there. Good video.

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Good idea.

@davidlukas7866 3 жыл бұрын

I had been planning to do something similar using a standard 5" duct exhaust outlet (eg., for a bathroom fan) which would have required cutting the original fitting off my AC exhaust hose and semi-permanently duct-taping it to the outlet. However, your video inspired an idea that combines your approach and mine for something I think will be an improvement on both: I want to use the standard outlet on the outside of the house as I originally intended; the original window bracket on the inside, as you did; and 3D-print a custom fitting to connect the two inside my wall.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

That sounds like a GREAT plan, David. One thing to consider though: if you have an FDM printer, you may need to seal the print. I notice that some of my prints are not 100% solid, due to nearly microscopic gaps between layers, especially in the corners. My concern would be moist air, under pressure, passing into the wall interior and causing mold and rot. Easily fixed with a coat of paint and primer though. I'd love to see your solution though! While we can't post photos here on YT, you can post images in the comments sections at UnchartedDIY.com.

@davidlukas7866 3 жыл бұрын

@@UnchartedDIY yes indeed, it will definitely need some post-processing to seal. I like Rustoleum spray-on primer-filler + a spray-on enamel coat for that purpose.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

@@davidlukas7866 that sounds ideal. Pictures, pretty please? 😁

@davidlukas7866 3 жыл бұрын

Will do :)

@mavrosyvannah 3 жыл бұрын

That was cool no pun intended.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mavro!

@FamilyLifeComC 3 жыл бұрын

WOW, this is what we are looking. I have a question can we dig a hole between 1st & 2nd floor?

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

I don't think I can help you with that one. So much is dependant on the structure of your floor, the location, etc, that it would be irresponsible for me to try to advise you. Is there a reason you can't go through the wall where the AC is located? Also keep in mind that most ACs don't tolerate extending the hose much, if at all.

@salihergun5875 Жыл бұрын

very good

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

@microwavedsoda 3 жыл бұрын

I assume the humid air exhaust will eventually rot that wall out

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting comment, Soda and I appreciate the feedback! Due to the way the tunnel is mounted through the wall rather than inside of it, the inside of wall itself is never exposed to any humid air, so it should be in great shape. However, the tunnel itself might be an issue, so before I start it up this season, I think a water sealing treatment for the MDF wood would be a wise precaution. The tunnel is large enough I can get my hand inside there, so brushing on the treatment would be easy to do with everything in place. I am going to add this precaution to the description and to the article page at uncharteddiy.com/portable-ac-vent-through-wall/ I will attribute this smart precaution to you, so thank you!

@mavirek 2 жыл бұрын

Do you believe it could be "vented" into the bathroom exhaust, or maybe just positioned in the bathroom door to cool the bedroom but exhaust its heat into the bathroom with the bathroom fan running?

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

I think that would work just fine. Of course, the exhaust will be moist, but the bath fan is meant for those conditions.

@edgararcega3046 9 ай бұрын

Looks very nice. By the way ive seen some people online say that i could exhaust the portable ac unit into my attic space. Basically just cut a hole in the ceiling and let the air blow into my attic. Seems like a odd thing to do for me but what do you think about this?

@UnchartedDIY 9 ай бұрын

I've heard people say that too, but I wouldn't do it. Portable AC exhaust contains potentially high humidity which could cause mold and a whole host of other issues.

@ShawnMenchaca Жыл бұрын

They do make a coupler... although I'd still install it through the wall.

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

If you mean a coupler that allows to connect a longer exhaust hose, I would personally steer clear. It will void the warranty. It also makes the AC work too hard, which might greatly reduce the life of the unit. So, I agree the wall is the way to go 👍

@emilygraves_ 3 жыл бұрын

i need to know where to get that 4" tube...i have a push up window and only has about 3.8" or 4" clearance...the amazon kits show rounded tubes, measuring 5" or 5.9"....did that tube come with your airconditioning unit....which unit is that?

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

It did come with the AC unit. I don't have the Honeywell model number handy, but there's a link to the actual unit in the description for the video. Hope that helps you Emily.

@jonlee5642 2 жыл бұрын

I really like your idea! I had no clue how to vent my 6 inch AC out the garage. The stubs are 5 inches apart and i didnt want to use a reducer

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

I'm happy it was helpful!

@brianmulligan7611 Жыл бұрын

In the second photo it looked like u downsized the vent pipe, where did you purchase the reducing coupler?

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

I'm guessing you are talking about the thumbnail image for the video where the hose is going through the teal colored wall. If so, that fitting came with the AC unit and is designed so the round exhaust hose will fit into a rectangular window while maintaining the same air volume. Most portable ACs come with a fitting like that. If yours didn't, there are universal kits like this one: amzn.to/3Uu7U5r for instance. This one comes with the exhaust hose, while some kits don't. I hope that helps, Brian!

@thebulldoglife1236 3 жыл бұрын

Question: We have a rental that has a brick exterior wall where the exhaust hose will go (this is a garage/man cave with no windows). Can I position the hose to release hot air just into the wall and not vent through to the outside of the house? Option #2: Vent straight up into the attic. Thoughts?

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, my thoughts are not good news 🙁 The problem is that the air in that exhaust will be quite moist, so venting into a small, trapped air space such as the wall or attic can cause mold and rot. I'm not sure what else you can do since it's a rental. I'll keep thinking about it though...there has to be a solution!

@debidee5548 Жыл бұрын

I would use a hygrometer and check the humidity that comes out of the exhaust before assuming that. I believe the hot air coming out is pretty dry & any moisture is collected into the tank or into the machine that's why there's a drain hose.

@trauma50disaster1 10 ай бұрын

what did you end up doing?

@thebulldoglife1236 10 ай бұрын

We use a stand-alone AC/fan with a hose to carry out the condensation. The hose runs down a side wall & out a small gap under the garage door. The hose then turns & runs down the brick wall about 10' & that's where the moisture is released.

@alexanderbravo993 2 жыл бұрын

where do you buy the exhaust hose or is there a replacement one that i can buy off the internet my original exhaust fan is messed up

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Mine came with the AC, but there are universal hoses available on Amazon. Here's an affiliate link to one that gets great reviews and is reasonably priced. amzn.to/3vxA6JP Hope that helps!

@freecleets 3 жыл бұрын

How do you know you're not going to be drilling through wiring/piping?

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

That's a great question, free cleets. It was based on educated deduction, eliminating possible sources of what might be in that wall. Because I was going through an exterior wall just above the foundation, and there are no outlets, switches or anything else anywhere on that wall, upstairs or down, I knew there was no electricity in that wall. I also used a voltage detector to scan the area just to be sure. I know where the plumbing comes into the house, and where the hose spigots are, again, not on that wall. Finally, I know where the gas line enters the house. I also used my FLIR camera to see if there were any temperature variations that might indicate something hidden. Yeah, it was overkill and not necessary, but I have a thermal camera, so why not use it? That all said though, I first drilled a small hole and looked around inside the wall before opening it up to full size for the duct. Living in this house for a couple of decades helped too! Thanks for watching!

@Jalyn830 Жыл бұрын

Can I use a regular dryer vent hose to vent my portable ac unit instead of the horrible hose that came with the unit? I think it can be done.

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

Great question, Jackie. Unfortunately, I don't think it would be a good long-term solution since dryer vents are only 4 inches vs 5 inch. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but the 5 inch flows a lot more air. Forcing that much air through a smaller hose will reduce the efficiency and possibly shorten the life of the AC since it has to work much harder than it was designed to work. I would recommend looking for a third party hose meant for a portable AC.

@NBPostman 2 ай бұрын

Could you rig a vent down into the basement and out a dryer style vent, instead of the window?

@UnchartedDIY 2 ай бұрын

Technically, it would work...but there can be serious downsides. The problem is adding a bunch of back pressure to the AC exhaust. Dryer hoses are only 4 inches, while ACs are 5. It doesn't sound like a big difference, but a 4 inch hose has a cross-section area of 12.5 square inches, while a 5 has 19.6 square inches. Lengthening the exhaust hose or decreasing the diameter can make a portable AC work much harder than it was designed for, likely shortening its lifespan.

@NBPostman 2 ай бұрын

@@UnchartedDIY Interesting, could work. Just looked at Amazon and they do carry 5" and 6" outdoor vents. Would mean that I would have to put a 5: hole in my floor. How long can you have the hose?

@UnchartedDIY 2 ай бұрын

I wish I could give you a definite answer... I guess that depends on how risk-averse you are. The manufacturers will tell you not to add any extension to the hose. Whether or not it would significantly affect the AC would probably depend on a lot of factors, such as how much the back pressure would increase from extending the hose, amount of heat, humidity and so on. You'll need to weigh the potential gain in your comfort level vs the potential pain in your wallet😄 Either way, I'd love to know what you decide!

@MatHelm 3 жыл бұрын

Those things suck at cooling, and use double (or more) of the wattage of a window unit. I've recently found out that the way to go is a mini split with inverter tech. My 5k btu portable uses nearly 1000 watts, and still can't cool the back of the house. My new Mr Cool 12k btu mini split has so far only reached a little over 700 watts in Turbo mode, but most times, when it's running the compressor, it runs at between 150 and 300 watts. Total Kilowatt hours for a given day was 2.89 Kwh, whereas the portable used 6.93 Kwh for a day that was 2 degrees F cooler (83 vs 81). And the mini can actually turn the back of the house into a cooler if need be. Plus it heats as well. The thing about "Inverter Tech" is that it can only run the compressor as hard as it needs to. Unlike most AC's which are at full power or off. WHat this means is that when I would usually take advantage of cool nights by opening a window, watching the power usage via a smart plug I can see it's compressor running at 30 to 50 watts (fan alone = 11 watts, Unit/fan off =3.6 watts with wifi control), which means it's basically just acting like a water cooled radiator setup while only drawing the power of a window fan. I can't recommend them enough. Pro Tip, check out the scratch n dent section at Ingrams. My outside unit is banged up a bit, but works perfectly. And they had it at my house via UPS in two days. Only issue was that my order page show it as still processing so...

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Those are nice units. The heating capability and energy savings are great features. If I didn't already have this one, and portability wasn't a factor in my situation, I'd definitely look further into one of these. Thanks for the tips Mat!

@gir1258 Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to install a mini split or has a window that can accommodate a window unit. Average quotes to install a 14k btu single mini split are $4k, and can’t DIY as a renter

@MagicNegro1 3 жыл бұрын

Very creative, well planed, well executed, but the materials choice was lame. That particle board won't survive one good wetting... Good luck!

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Merican. You're right, and that's why I sealed mine with polyurethane. I added that note to the description and website.

@officialhardnox 9 ай бұрын

Yea but what if your renting a townhouse? Doubt I can drill 😢

@UnchartedDIY 9 ай бұрын

Yeah, I'm guessing they'd frown on poking holes through the wall!

@GawrGurasBathTubPizza 3 жыл бұрын

Its cool and all but i assume the idea is for professionals only and not amateurs who can't see themselves cut through the wall of their own house, i wonder if you can just get very long narrow tubing duck tape it to the large tubing that goes into the portable aircon then take the small exhaust tube and lead it out the door to where ever you want. Less cleaner, less professional work but no holes into the wall. Still a nice video and creative p.s i said long narrow tubing so you don't have giant ass tubing all over the place

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

I originally thought of doing exactly what you are suggesting. Unfortunately, adding an extension can quickly burn up the AC unit due to increased back pressure. Even if it didn't harm the portable, it would drastically reduce the output, especially with a smaller hose. Imagine trying to drink a really thick shake - a large straw would take less suction to get the shake to the top. A small straw would be extremely difficult due to resistance. Air flow works in a similar way. That's why I chose to go through the wall. The project looks much scarier than it actually is, but I wouldn't consider it a job for someone that has never done any sort of DIY. That's when you need a handy friend or relative 😃

@maprilganhao8117 3 жыл бұрын

how far up from the floor can the vent be installed

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for asking, Mapril. It depends on the length of hose you have and where it attaches to the AC unit. The exhaust on my AC comes out at about 16" (centered), and my hose is 48" long, so my vent is 46" off the floor. If you attach the hose to your AC and then allow the hose to bend naturally, you be able to tell how high it can be installed.

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

If the hose doesn't go high enough, you could build a simple, but sturdy platform to raise the AC up a bit.

@ACAIDC Жыл бұрын

Great solution, unless your house houses is built of brick….

@UnchartedDIY Жыл бұрын

That's true. But, the big bad wolf can't huff and puff and blow your house down, so that is some consolation! 😀

@KINGDUCEY 3 жыл бұрын

Great video but Has anyone ever told you you , you look like back in the day head writer of the WWF Vince Russo? Not even a wrestling fan. Its funny i just got finished watching a documentary that vince russo appeared in right before watching this video lol

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, the wrestling career was not exciting enough, so I switched to DIY instead! Thanks for watching, King!

@SamiullahWeesa 4 ай бұрын

But if you live in a rental house where it's not allowed to make a hole in window or walls

@UnchartedDIY 4 ай бұрын

Unfortunately, I haven't seen a workable solution for this scenario. However, you mention a window. If you have one, you might be able to put the AC on a platform to raise it enough to reach the window. Good luck with this, and I would love to hear if you are able to make this work 👍

@brandons9536 2 ай бұрын

Throw it away theyre fking ridiculously obnoxious in a room. The hose is such a pain in the fking ass

@jc4792. 2 жыл бұрын

What would happen if I just leave the hose in the bathtub????

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. The exhaust air needs to go somewhere outside of the room you are trying to cool. Having it in the same room would just make a lot of noise and use a lot of electricity, while doing nothing to cool things. Since the hose is so short, and extending them can burn up your AC, I can't picture how this would work.

@johnalexander4513 2 жыл бұрын

My exterior wall is brick

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

That complicates things! Most brick is a facade, rather than structural, but cutting into it is not as simple as what I showed with my 50 year old siding! If you end up going through the brick, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks for watching, John.

@RashmiSaid 2 жыл бұрын

Why didn’t you just put the unit on a stand so that the hose reaches the widow…

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Good question, Rashmi. My desk covers the whole wall where the window is, so it would have had to sit on the desk. That would leave no room for the computer, and I'd have to work sitting on the floor!

@terryunderwood6742 11 күн бұрын

Maybe it's my old eyes but go back and watch this video where you were working on the outside hole. It sure looks like a snake under your gas meter up against the slab.

@UnchartedDIY 11 күн бұрын

I never noticed that before! It looks like a rattle snake, which we do have around these parts. Upon inspecting the high res footage, I could see that it was some dead leaves. Good thing so I could live another day and keep making videos 😁

@barrytipton1179 2 жыл бұрын

Great but ok for wooden houses in Uk we have brick to protect the three little piggies from the big bad wolf . But good idea

@UnchartedDIY 2 жыл бұрын

That certainly makes things harder!

@tiggarhill7269 3 жыл бұрын

Couldn’t you just use a dryer vent instead of all that work?

@UnchartedDIY 3 жыл бұрын

Here's the "short" answer, Tiggar! 😉 I'm assuming we are talking about a new vent installation, since tapping into an existing dryer vent has a whole bunch of reasons against it. I can provide detail to explain why if needed. A prefab dryer vent CAN work with some caveats. The vent can't be smaller in diameter than the exhaust hose of the AC since it adds back pressure that will void the warranty and make the AC work much harder. Most readily available vents are 4" and most ACs are larger. The AC doesn't have enough air velocity to push open the vent flap(s) so it must be modified to be only a screen. The spring loaded types are especially problematic. Converting from the often odd size of the AC hose would require some type of adapter, likely adding bulk and potential sources of leaks if not well sealed. I wanted mine to be completely flat on the wall so I could use my "stealth" cover, so I didn't want any sort of adapter. For those reasons on top of additional cost and having to order parts, it was easier for me to make my own "duct", but your situation may be different.