Lowe's "Idylis" 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- (READ IMPORTANT 8/6/2013 UPDATE AT END)
I bought this at Lowe's to hopefully cool down a 250 ft² room that has sliding windows so a normal window air conditioner wouldn't work. It is supposedly good up to 450 ft². Very early impression is a well-built, solid unit that ran fairly quietly and cooled down the room from 83°F to 70° in about 7 hours. I'll be watching to see how often I need to empty the water and if the unit will just leak onto the carpet if I don't catch it in time. It was only 86° today, so I wonder about the main part of summer coming up with long stretches of days in the 90°'s and up. Will it keep up? If I find out anything over time I'll try to update this description or put something in the comments.
NOTE: I did find in the instructions where it says the unit shuts off if the water tank gets full. Problem: The drain valve is basically at floor level and WAAAYYYY too low to get anything under it to drain the water into, except maybe a cookie bake pan. I ended up finding a small platform to place the Idylis on which raises it up about 4" so I could fit a container under the drain plug. It's going to stay on that platform all the time. Also, the drain plug is on the back instead of the front where it would be more convenient, at least for the way I have it set up. I did try to auto on and off feature and they work fine. It does cool very well.
UPDATE: 8/6/2013: I was throwing out the box & noticed important information on the outside that could explain why I've never had to drain the water and why some people may be having trouble with their units running hot. It says that in A/C mode it uses the condensed water to cool the coils and then the water is blown out of the vent. Apparently continuous drain is for dehumidifying mode when the unit doesn't need to cool the coils. It doesn't say to not use the drain hose in A/C, so maybe you can though. Why this is on the outside of the box and not in the instructions is beyond me. I can only tell you my experience about this, you might have different results.
You can now read the instruction manual I uploaded 4/30/2015 here: • Lowe's Idylis 10,000 B...
Hey Dan I work at Lowe's and was really glad you have this up!! We sold a BUNCH of these this year, (2015). In regards to the Extended Protection Plan . I never believed in them but Lowe's is different. theirs includes a replacement plan, If during the plan it cannot be fixed they will replace it. And yes they come to you to fix it.!
ps I have the Air conditioner/heater unit
That is good information about the Extended Protection Plan. Thanks for sharing it!
Mmmm 2014 geeeze
Lxoxoxooe3
We have the 12,000 BTU model. We've never had to worry about draining condensation water. The unit is set up to evaporate it, unless you are living in a rainforest, perhaps.
I've owned one of these for a year and it started to run hot and didn't perform quite as well. There are two nubs on each short side of the unit, those are screw covers. Removing those two screws on each side loosens up the top panel with the air vent. You can gently pop it loose and pull it directly up. This will expose 2 more screws on each short side on the inside that loosen the back panel from the unit. It should be easy to gently remove the back panel. There is an additional radiator in there that will have made you a dustcake you've never seen before. Remove this dust (improvise a filter and plan on removing it as often as you would the top filter) and reassemble. This unit snaps together so well I didn't bother putting the screws back in. Now this thing purrs and bathes me in cold air like the first day I bought her!
+Preston Cline how and where do you put the water inside the thing? We have one and I was told u had to put water in it
Preston Cline TY for this info!
i have the model 530393. There is no access to the other grate like how you explain. I can see the other crate though from the plastic air gaps and it is caked with dust....just cant reach it.
If you know someone with a compressor, you can have them blow some high pressure air through the opening, which should clear the dust away. Alternatively, if you have an extension for your vacuum that you can fit through the opening and suck the dust up, that would be even better.
i had to actually dismantle the whole AC shell and clean the grate with a toothbrush. I put a filter in leaning against the grate but i still have to take it apart next time to get to the filter. Very dumb design. I left it with only 2 screws to make it easier next time. It took me a good hour to figure out how to take it apart without breaking any plastic. But now that i know how it comes apart it should be fine next time. I just dread having to do it once a year. You could in theory cut the plastic to get access if you dont care about how the back looks. I was debating it. And might still do it if i have to do it more than once a year
THANK you for the update about the draining. I moved into a new apartment this past March and one of these units came with the place (without a manual and certainly without a box). I've been trying to drain it every so often but to no avail, even dragging it into the bathroom and physically holding the monster sideways to get the water out of it since I assumed after 4 months of daily use, surely SOME water would have collected. This is the only place I found where the fact about the water evaporation was stated. Again, THANK you!
You're welcome!
I got one of these 3 years ago after the main A/C in my house went out and didn't have the money to repair it (and quite frankly didn't want to - cut my electric from $600+ in the summer months to around $125 without). Since I typically only stay in two rooms in my house (living room and bedroom) I got some of the room darknening/insulating curtains to section off the house, closed doors, and voila, this little unit cools both rooms excellently. The first summer I had this it worked flawlessly. The second it worked fine as well except this time I did have some issues with having to drain the water about once a week otherwise it was doing the auto-shutoff thing (I live in East Texas - humidity last summer was horrendous - seems to be the same this year so far). Close to the end of the summer the A/C stopped working - in fact, it blows cooler air on fan mode than it does on A/C mode. I didn't really think anything of it since it happened at the very end of the summer - the day before I stopped using it IIRC. So now, it's starting to get hot again and I fired it up and still no cool air. Suggestions for what to check/clean/repair/replace? Aside from the air temp it seems to be working fine - blowing plenty of air, no strange noises, no smells, etc.
Thank you so much for making this video! We have one of these in my "office" (a small trailer building) and the heat is already starting to get bad here. Of course it's been around for a year or so, so there is no manual for this 2wk employee to figure things out. Your video is the only thing on the internet I could find that was helpful!!! Soooo appreciate this!
You can use the supplied drain hose in the top connection for continuous draining straight to your floor drain. You won't need to use the bottom drain plug in that case. The bottom plugged drain is for manual draining if you don't use the top continuous drain.
I put it on a stand so it can be drained easy. Also, that stand enables you to make the window exhaust hose pretty short.
Doing that now! Thanks for the tip. Didn't even think of it.
Just bought this two weeks ago and was so glad to find your video on UA-cam. I like your idea about raising the unit to be able to drain the water easier. I'm with you about putting the drain plug on the front of this unitl in a future model. Thank you for taking the time to post this information. Very helpful.
I actually took mine off its little riser "stool" this year. After only finding a little water in it the few times I checked last summer, I ended up just letting it run without draining. It never filled up or shut off. So this year I didn't go through the trouble of elevating it.
Dan O'Connor Great news regarding draining regularity. I was wondering how often this unit would chain me to emptying it. Thanks Dan
i have the same unit in my mobile home. at first i used my window for drain n exhaust, but ended up punching a hole through an old floor vent and running the exhaust and drain right down the vent and under my trailer and out the side of my skirting. the drain works great cuz gravity is awesome. i never have to empty the tank and i keep it on cool and it keeps my room very cool. my bedroom is 10ft x 12 ft or so i estimate. it is very quiet, efficient and easy to use!
Excellent video. I've had mine a year now and needed a refresher course. It was easier to search for this video than go thru my file cabinet looking fir directions. Thank you for the video.
David Freeman You're welcome. And you don't need to look for the instructions anymore - I uploaded a new specific video of them: ua-cam.com/video/dRntY-_E-ss/v-deo.html
Dan O'Connor So Dan how cool is the room now sense you got the cooler? I know this is a late comment but hope you still look at these.
uhavemooface On sunny days when the outside temperature hits 90 it can't keep the room temperature at 72. It creeps up to 78, but is dehumidified. My large window facing south is the cause - the sun overpowers through the curtains. But on hot cloudy days, or as soon as the sun sets on sunny days it cools down quickly to as low as I want it, like 68. I probably only use it about 30 days throughout the summer. In 2015 I think I've maybe only used it 10 days so far.
Dan O'Connor When we get it I am going to have it set at around 77 or so. Its cooler then what it is now. So setting it at 77 is better then 90 so I will enjoy the much cooler temps lol. Great job though I want to see more of your videos. Let me know if anything changes and also do you think I should buy the one you have or get another one?
I talked with the parts lady the other day ordering some parts & she mentioned "do not drain the unit in the AC mode", evidently you can burn out a certain part & cant remember what it is. FYI
Kelly Elkins dam I just did that thinking that's the reason it's blowing out hot air ,smdh!
Thanks
Thank you, I just bought one at a yard sale so I had to watch your video to get all details. Thank you so much
I've had mine since 2013. It's still working well. I usually open another window in the same room so that I get fresh oxygen as well as cool air. It's actually really good for doing cardio workouts.
By the way don, that's self evaporating so it will evaporate all the water in the pan so it won't get full. The continuous drain is there if u use it in humid climates. Heat pump models also require the continuous drain hose connection.
I purchased the 10,000 BTU, and right out of the package, it functioned very well. Now less than 1 month in, the unit refuses to get colder than 68 degrees and it doing a crap job at removing the humidity from the room. Have not run it just in dehumidifier mode, as I do not want to be emptying the unit constantly. Agree with Frank about the LED...very bright. Wish I had read these reviews before purchasing the unit
Hi, Folks. I own three of these units. My central air (air handler) was always crap and when it broke three years ago, I had to buy something in the interim while I pursued GeoThermal. I bought one for the living room and was so impressed, I bought two more for upstairs. These things are nothing short of amazing. I run on AC to cool down the rooms and then set to humidify once the temp is right. I've never drained a unit, never had a leak and my house is TONS cooler than it ever was with my split system. Understand my situation may be unique from what you get but I think one $500 & two $400 units on a two story house that out-performs a $4200 system is a no-brainier. Also, I don't have to depend on the Air Handler in the Winter which is offensively inefficient and useless below 20 degrees F anyway. I live in Southwestern PA so winter can be mild or bitter but that's another story. I'm a fan of these units for sure.
No, there is no hole to get the water drain tube into the vent pipe and out the window. You have to point the drain hose down for the water to drain. You could place the hose in a large bucket, but you would probably have to cut the hose shorter first to keep it from curling up all over the place in the bucket. It was running 24 hrs/day. I don't drain it anymore, it doesn't get any water. I guess the dehumidifier doesn't work in AC mode. That might be a design, or mine might be defective.
Thank you so much for the link to the manual, you made my day!
The cooling chills have no filter to get rid of dust, This problem is what keeps them running to hot!
Bought this 2 years to keep for emergencies. Plugged it in, tested it, it worked. Now, 2 years later, we have an emergency and it will not power up. At all. Tested cord and reset, confirmed power is to the outlet, pushed the button, nothing. It is hot here.
I just bought this unit in the 12,000btu. I live in central Fl. Our central AC died. I have a 3 bedroom 2 bath "medium small" home. Just about 1000 sq. ft. under air. Was desparate as outside temp at 90!! Closed spare bedroom & both bathrooms. House was 88 degrees when I started unit. Down to 80 in 4hrs. USE CONTINUOUS DRAIN FEATURE IS BEST. Keep an eye on your catch pan. Mine filled up full in 4hrs due to humidity the unit removed from the air. Much better now. Buying another one tomorrow!!!
As an HVAC service provider with 15 years experience I have to say these units are ONLY somewhat efficient if you use a model that uses two hoses one for Exhaust and one for intake. If you use a model like this that only exhaust the hot air, then you are creating a negative pressure in your home and that exact same amount of Hot Humid air air will have to infiltrate back into you home to make up the air going out your window. So what happens is the room you have this in will get cool but rest of the house will start to heat up, eventually the hot air in the rest of the house will make it back to the room and heat it up too. These are a huge waste of money. It is a deceitful design that manufactures know most people are too ignorant to figure out. If you cant afford a Central Air unit then simply buy a Window AC Far more efficient and cost much less.
I live in San Diego where it's perfect most of the year, but there is usually about 3-4 weeks of hell, hitting 90's and 100. I live in an apartment with no central AC (or any AC for that matter), horizontal opening windows, and a rule from management about widow AC's anyway. Do these dual hose portables work at all in those temps?
+247lifted sounds like you need a new apartment. i can't imagine how old that apartment building is to not have AC. or a manager so cruel to not install one... however, if you must stay there i would get a two hose unit that one hose for intake and one for exhaust. get a big one
Yeah... is in the hood, so it's wicked old and crappy, but cheap. Looking at 10,000 BTU units rated for around 300 sq. ft. to put in a room 150 sq. ft. Was worried about those temps defeating it and only reducing temps like 5-10 degrees. At 100 outside, 90 inside doesn't really feel much different for that kind of money. THANK YOU for your response though buddy. Grasping at straws here...
you're right, I for one an ignorant of that, no idea, so is there a way to convert these units?
I currently own 2, (living room and dining room) (window shaker units in the windows of two other rooms) and my house takes a good while to cool. actually cooling is only in the
rooms with the units (4)
I'm on a crawl space house and I believe until I get the crawlspace vapor barrier' installed the humidity is going to cause my struggles to persist.
What say you Sir?!? I'm wide open to any instruction.
Thanks in advanced
I don't know of any practical way to convert a single hose to a dual hose type. Regarding the humidity I suggest purchasing an dehumidifier and placing it in your crawlspace, You can buy a small condensate pump for the condensate to run into, Then attach a 3/8" hose and run it outside, I did this with my own crawlspace.
Mine runs fine in the attic where my kid lives. My only tweak was to place the whole unit on a tall stand where the output vents would be near head level while I was standing up in the room. I figured the thermostat shuts off when it senses the appropriate temp so the higher the unit was,, then the more the room would fill with cold air,, like filling a bucket of water.
i purchased this portable A/C at Lowe's about a week ago. it supposedly cools 450 sq ft. my art studio is 360 sq ft. the temperature went all the way from 86 F degrees down to 82 degrees....! and stayed between 82 and 83 degrees F the whole day. i tried again a few days later -- same thing. what a waste of money and my installation time (for the tubing). i returned the unit yesterday.
Thank you for this video! We got one yesterday and so far it is quite lovely and easy to use. We've got it in a 600 square foot attic/office space... a space that can reach over 100 degrees in the summer. We've only got it down to 78 degrees, but it has completely taken the unbearable sticky heat out of our space. We don't run it really cool as we don't have AC in the rest of the house.
I'm impressed just thinking about the effort to get it up into your attic...they're not the lightest thing! 600ft/sq? You're having a very good result.
Dan O'Connor Oops. I've got the 12,000 BTU one. But still, works great. It took two of us to get it up two flights of stairs!
I have one made my Amana and it vents the humidity out through the vent tube, so there are no buckets to empty. Mine is for my basement apartment and it is 120,000 BTU and seems to do well. I had to put mine on a rolling platform so the vent could reach the window, but I'm happy with it.
I was throwing out the box & noticed important information on the outside that could explain why I've never had to drain the water and why some people may be having trouble with their units running hot. It says that in A/C mode it uses the condensed water to cool the coils and then the water is blown out of the vent. Apparently continuous drain is for dehumidifying mode when the unit doesn't need to cool the coils. Why this is on the outside of the box and not in the instructions is beyond me.
Dan O'Connor Z
The reservoir isn't good anything but 20 minutes (to see how it works I guess) On day 1, we closed that and put the drain hose in the upper location about 30" high. It drips water into a bucket 18" tall. You could leave it on the platform if you wanted to drip in a very tall bucket.
Okay
The low cool feature is more than enough. Very efficient. A little noisy, but not bad
If you use the continuous draining tube is there a hole or etc to get it through the window panels for the exhaust? Is it possible to just have a bucket there for it to drain from that tube? When you said in one of your comments you ran it for days and only drain 3 cups of water... how many hours were u running it for each day?
yea i bought this air conditioner a couple years ago and im still using mine,it does not need to be drained.The dehumidifier mode never worked very good in my opinion.
arlene guzman...after setting your thermostat to the desired temperatue, after a few seconds or so the display changes back to displaying the temperature of the room, it is actually trying to bring that down to your desired setting.
Hi Dan. Please answer a question for me. There are two drain outlets, so is the top one for the dehumidifier function only while the bottom drain outlet for draining condensation collected while using the cooling function then? Thanks.
Yes, but mine's bottom tank never collected anything. Any cooling condensate was blown out the window vent.
Thanks Dan for your reply. I have to wonder why this was never mentioned in the manual but it talks about the "Tank Full" alarm. Hmmm.
Hi, I need the back hose kit for this same unit, where can I buy it? I live in Phoenix Arizona. Thanks you
Please see my other comment, this is PART2>> When you set the temperature to say 75 for example, the on board thermometer jumps back up to current temp somewhere in the unit. The actual room temp will be a couple degrees higher. I'm using 3 different thermometers to determine this. I LOVE MINE!!! Buying the 2nd one because this one is doing better than expected. 2 units in my home should do it. We're very impressed so far. 2 units should help each other. USE CONTINUOUS DRAIN & READ MANUAL FIRST!
I'm thinking of picking one up today but the 2 drain hoses have me confused. Is it a either or thing? I can drain through the floor so would the top hose suffice or will I still need to drain from the bottom?
Some people have a good experience with it and others don't. For me, in a south-facing room in temperatures below 96 and typical mid-western humidity, it's been OK. But by the time the outside temperature gets up to the mid-90s the Idylis can't hold the room temperature at 70, it creeps up to 77 (still better than the mid-90s.) One more thing: it's hard to say exactly, but I think it has added $30/month to my electric bill. If you try it, remember Lowe's has a 30-day return policy. Keep the box.
Is the vent hose on this clockwise or counterclockwise?
With a single duct portable a/c, room air is used to cool the condenser coils in the unit and is then exhausted through the exhaust hose in the window. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that the air that is exhausted through the window must be replaced somehow. Usually, this will be air from nearby rooms or air from outside the home.
Thanks for posting. Im buying this unit today at Lowes since my apartment AC wont cool my apartment down past 85...its starting to make my 5 year old sick from sleeping with the fan on him, This video is perfect...I was worried about my horizontal sliding windows..but not now :c) thanks again!
I've let it run for days without draining it but the warning light and automatic shutdown never happens. I manually drained it once after 3 days but only got a couple of cups of water. I don't know how big the reservoir is. I don't know where all the water is going. It isn't leaking and it's still cooling great It does seem like there should be many times the water after reading reviews on the Lowe's website. I guess all I can do is keep an eye on it. Maybe the dehumidifier function is no good.
I just want to confirm with you that If your running ac mode all the time you don't need to use the hose? would you need to find a small pan as instructed for the water to drain. When you run it without the hose do you still need a small pan for it to drain in?
Just For Movies I can only tell you what my personal experience has been the last two heating seasons (getting ready for a third). I've never used the drain hose when in A/C, and I never run it in dehumidify mode. I've never had to drain the water. I used to check and try to drain any water into a little pan and didn't get much, so I stopped trying. I don't know where all the water is going, it's not leaking out onto the floor - I keep a good check on that. It might be blowing out the exhaust hose with the hot air like the box said. Your experience may be _totally_ different. You may need to drain yours a lot, I don't know. If you run it with the hose in place you'll need to catch the water in a bucket or down a drain. Good luck and stay cool!
Dan O'Connor I'm considering buying one next week how long has it lasted? there very cheap currently so im really trying to find out if im getting a great deal. for 180 do you think its refurbished or had some damage?
Thanks, but when you don't know what you are buying, this information would have been good. What exactly does a splint unit do that this one does not do? Can you explain more? Because I am thinking of buying another one for backup but I want to get on that can handle my small trailer.
I have this exact same unit and it worked well for a couple months each Summer (for two Summers now). Went to use it this Summer and the unit fills with water in literally 1 hour and has to be drained !! Any suggestions?
I just bought this Make and BTU but I believe model is different. It fills up an entire trash can in 8 hours. If we un-connect the drainage hose as you suggest in updated version of your video, will it stop the need to empty the drainage every 8 hours. It is in my son's upstairs bedroom and he does not check it often enough. Please help!
Amanda Stoneham I've never made an updated version of this video, so I'm not exactly sure what you watched. I've never used a drain hose. I have mid-western humidity. There was a picture on the box that showed the water being ejected as mist out of the window hose. Maybe you could do a _carefully_ monitored experiment where you don't use a drain hose for a few hours and see if the tank-full indicator comes on and the unit shuts off (be mindful of overflow leaks too). Keep an eye on it, maybe it will blow the water out.
I have one of these units and did a little research on it. I found out it is not as efficient as a regular window unit. The reason is the exhaust hose is removing much of your conditioned air along with the hot and air throwing it outside. This is a poor design
Dan, given your experience with this unit, would you recommend purchasing a extended warranty plan? I purchased one at Lowe's a few days ago and still have the option to purchase a 3-yr (or longer) plan. Have to decide w/in 30 days of purchase, of course. Thanks in advance.
It depends on the cost and what all it covers. If it's really complete and there's not an "out" for normal wear-and-tear and it's under $50, I probably would *IF* it offers in-home service and it wouldn't be gone for weeks. I'd hate to have to lug that thing to Lowe's, and since if it's going to fail it will probably be in the worst heat of summer I wouldn't them to say "we'll have it back to you in a month."
I inherited my daughters idylls and was wondering if you ever had to clean the blower fan? We have no manual or remote, they toss soon after my daughter used it for her trailer.
I purchased one yesterday and noticed a faint stale smell coming from the AC after a night of operation. Could this be due to the condensate evaporating? I read I can add AC drip pan tablets to prevent mold growth, is this something I can throw into the tank?
I've never smelled what you're describing, but you just might be more sensitive to odors. What I have noticed is that as the room re-gains its humidity after I've had the Idylis off for a while I'll detect that extra moisture in the air when I go in, but it's not exactly an odor. The instructions mention running the unit in "Fan" mode to dry out the interior of the unit after draining the tank, but I'm not sure that would clear your problem in an un-drained situation. I don't know of any easy way to access the tank to put those tablets in. A trained A/C techniciain may be able to help you more than I can, I'm just a consumer like you are. Sorry I can't help you more.
I have the 1200 btu unit. Working pretty well considering its 104 outside. I think the water draining issue is either or. You can drain the water via the tube or use the systems internal evaporation system. It would be working properly if your drain tube is filling a bucket or if you arent using the tube and rarely need to drain the system because of the internal evaporation system.
Dan-I have bought this model (#416709) -works great BUT where can I get a remote for same Unit ????? Joe
Hey bud... was wondering about an update for the concerns you raised about 90+ degree days.
Did it sill work in those temps? And if so, did it max out at any kind of reduction in heat? For example... if 95 outside, only reduced heat inside 15 degrees, or 10 degrees, or 5 degrees, ect.
Best it does is 13 - 15 degrees. Right now it's 91° outside. The room with the Idylis is 76°. The rest of the house is 84°. The Idylis room might go up another degree or two, sometimes it lags behind the outside temperature by an hour or so. I've seen the Idylis room as high as 82° when it's 95/96° outside. The room temp will start to drop once the sun sets and the room will get down to 72° by about 11:00 p.m. if the temperature drops to less than 80°, lower if I move the thermostat down from 72°. I've gotten better sun-proofing the room's south-facing windows over the last 3+ years. I've still never had to drain the tank! I guess it really does blow it out the hose.
Thanks for the reply buddy. I genuinely appreciate it.I'm currently shopping these types of units (dual hose tho) and your video was extremely informative. This new info is even more helpful now. Thanks again for taking time out of your day!
+Dan O'Connor Dan, does this have a dehumidifier? If so, how wdo you turn it on? I just bought one cheap but I don't have remote or instructions..
You have to press the "Mode" button on the front until you see two water drops on the screen. The mode button cycles through A/C (snowflake icon), dehumidify (water drops icon) and fan only (fan icon). It also dehumidifies while in A/C cooling mode.
Dan O'Connor Thanks so much for the info.
Thank you. Don't forget: you have to manually open the cool air louvers. Mine was so noisy in the video when I first started it because I hadn't opened them. I was used to the louvers opening automatically with a similar dehumidifier I have. Good luck.
In what universe can you get a mini split unit for a little more? I think your definition of "a little more" is a bit off. I had a mini split installed once and the installation was done for free by a friend in the HVAC business and the hardware alone was around $1300, even a smaller unit is going to be at least close to $1000 for a mini split. In other words you'd be looking at 2.5-3 times the cost, that's more than a little.
I have cleaned mine and everything and the fan isn't moving? it turns on and runs but just doesnt blow out air
That does sound a little noisy.... Does it automatically shut off when the desired temp is reached, or does the fan keep running?
The fan keeps running.
Dan, great info in the video and comments. I'm going tomorrow at Lowe's to pick one up myself. Question: are there any gaps in the window portion of it, where window meets extension? How well is that sealed? Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words. My installation isn't the tightest because I chose to not cut one of the panels down to fit better like you can do. I still have a couple of spots about 1/8" at the bottom and top that aren't sealed well. This year I carefully folded up some bits of newspaper and pushed them in really tight. It seems fine. Good luck with your A/C purchase this morning.
Im furious. The room I put this in is 144 square feet. There isnt a window so I had to drill a hole throught the door. It blows for 5 -10 minutes cold and 5-10 minutes in fan mode while on cool setting. I went to Lowes, exchanged the unit itself. Same thing.
dannynsk In that time when it blows cold does your room get down to the temperature you've set for it? Remember: the fan on this unit will *always* keep blowing, even after it reaches your preset low temperature. If you have it set to 72° and the compressor shuts off after getting it down to 72°, then the fan will continue to run until the room temperature goes up and the compressor kicks in again.
no it never reached those levels. I set it to 65 and couldn't get the room out of the 90s.
I am considering buying one from Lowes. Can you give me measurements for the exhaust hose length? The room I want to use it in is a converted garage and the windows are approximately 55 inches off the ground.
Let me know how it does. I bought mine roughly 2 days and it's been running for a total of maybe 6 hours and it is fairly hot to the touch, especially near the exhaust vent in the back. I am just curious as to if this is normal or if I should return it to get a new unit.
Set the temperature at 72 with the up/down arrows on either the control panel or remote. Watch the video from 8:45 to 9:20. Once the number stops blinking, that's the "set" temperature. BUT - the IDYLIS might not be able to hold that temperature because it's too hot outside so the room temperature shown on the screen might be higher than what you set. Let's say you set it at 72 but then the temperature on the screen goes to 73, 74, 75, the machine just might not be able to keep it cool to 72.
thank you so much for the video. any cons so far?
Mine just recently stopped blowing cool air and it just idles. Does anyone know what part may need replacing? I'm thinking it could be the compressor not kicking on? any suggestions would be appreciated
Question, does this AC unit needs to be refill with gas? If so where? and what type of gas would be suitable. Thanks in advance, great video.
erickufo It uses 15.5 oz (440 g) of refrigerant R-410A. If it ever leaked out of the internal compressor you would need to contact a licensed AC service company for refill. Interesting, now that I look at the instructions there is no mention of "low refrigerant" as a potential problem for no cooling. Actually there is no mention of coolant *anywhere* in the instructions, its only listed on the unit's rear label. They might not consider it a serviceable problem.
erickufo A little more research makes me believe this unit can't be refilled with refrigerant. It probably has a completely sealed compressor in it that has no method for refilling, but also probably wouldn't leak in general.
Thank you very much for your prompt response.
Hello Dan,
Good video.
I'm in Virginia and it is starting to get hot. Just discovered that my old portable a/c has given out. Saw that Lowe's has this unit and my wife can be at Lowe's this Thursday. One problem that I hope you will help me with. Can you tell me the diameter of the black exhaust hose (or the circumference, if that is easier to determine). Lowe's specs do not say.
Thanks.
Tom Chip Behrendt Mine is already hooked up to the window and it's a little difficult to unhook everything to measure the diameter so I just did the circumference. Remember, the hose is actually connected to a larger plastic coupler before it meets the window panel. The hose circumference (approx.) is about 16.25" and the plastic piece at the panel that it inserts into is about 17.25". I kind of eyeball the hose diameter at about 5.25". Good luck!
Dan O'Connor Thanks for such a prompt reply Dan. Much appreciated.
Divided 16.25 by Pi (3.1416) and got 5.17 so I am guessing 5.25' diameter.
Portable a.c. units have alot of issues you have to jerry rig it to make it work better. The first and best thing you can do is add a duct insullution sleeve to the exhaust hose. Touch it and see how hott it gets thats going into the room. Also if it only has one hose it is using indoor air to cool off the unit, get a two house system. Also the one house units suck air froom other rooms and outside since they cause a low presure. Also insulate the plastic window part attachment.
Does the compressor suppose to cut off, although the room never reached desired temperature? The unit blows cold for a minute then blows hot air....
That doesn't sound right. The compressor wouldn't be stopping if it can't cool the room down all the way, like on a really hot day. Mine's compressor keeps running as it tries to cool it all the way down, even when it can't. It doesn't switch to fan mode like yours sounds like it's doing. Is your exhaust hose blocked? Check that. Or it may have a serious problem that requires professional help. Good luck.
after storing my idylis portable air conditioner for the winter, I set it up for summer and find that the vents on top are jammed shut. I don't want to persist too strongly because I fear I might break them. Am I forgetting to do something to start up the unit for the summer that frees up the top vents? As I recall, they seemed to move very freely last year...
sherri martin I don't think there's anything special about the vents for opening. Mine are actually very "sticky" in their third year too. They still and close and open at least, but not as easily as they used to. I wonder if the plastic is warping somewhere.
I bought one of these units today, it was a floor model with the cord end cut off. It is missing the remote window panel and a manual. I haven't been able to find a manual online. Can you tell me if there is a manufacture listed so I can contact them and get one? Thanks
Interesting. I had this one running for about 36 hours straight. I only handled it a few times during that stretch while moving it a little to check around the base for leaks (found none). I wasn't thinking about heat problems but I didn't feel anything alarming. I only handled it around the sides though. It's been off since then; the outside temperature has dropped a lot. I'll keep an eye out for excessive heat when I turn it back on. That might be a while...expecting a cool week. Good luck.
Is this a good unit? I'm looking into possibly getting one to replace a unit that is no longer cooling anymore myself.
Thank you. Your written update above answered the very question I had. Thanks so much for posting!
Ptrston, thanks for telling me how to get the back off, it's been driving me crazy. I can see all that junk in there and can't get to it. A design flaw, should have some sort of filter. I'm think of duck taping screen over it. What do you think?
I love our Idyllis 10,000 BTU, except that I have the dickens of a time attaching the exhaust tube to the unit and to the window part. It doesn't screw in, it is difficult to attach and falls out easily. I'm wondering if we are missing parts or something, because it seems like everything else is fine.
It has a locking latch on the air conditioner.
I just purchased one yesterday, do you have an issue with the fan running even when the compressor is off? It would appear that the cold air in the house is being sucked out.
Poor Person It's that way on purpose. What you and I might call an "issue", Idylis calls a "feature" meant to keep air circulating in the area, a practice many AC specialists would recommend.
Well I let it run all day at 72 on high and it cut on and off like it should and I have to say I have had no problems with the temp it is working in a 300 ft.² room that was always warm about 4 or 5 degrees and with the central unit plus this new idylis it is perfect. I think I'm going to use it full time but I don't know what it will cost I initially thought it would lower the electric bill because the central would not have to work as hard but I guess time will tell.
Hi, how do you clean out the intake area on the back. mine is all clogged up with dust and dog hair. the unit is not able to work like this and there is no panel to take off to get to it to clean. I have even tried to take the whole back off , was not successful . I also try can air , didn't work . any help would be appreciated . Thanks , Loraine
You must be talking about the air intake for the condenser because the air intake for the evaporator has an easy-to-open area and removable filter. There have been several other people comment over the years about how they had to take the back off to clean the condenser area. It involves removing various screws and unsnapping the back plastic panel. You might need to take some time and read down through the past comments to get their detailed description of how they did it.
unless im mistaken...cuz it even says "can take off pipe attached to window for heat mode" which i did
Thank You! I guess I'll give it a try if for no other reason than there is a Lowes close to my cabin. Wish it had a intake and exhaust hose though. Seems that would be a way better air exchange system.
i bought the same one from lowes as a gift to my dad and so far its ok, how do u make the temp stay at one temp. he permantely wants it to stay at 72, i type 72 in the degress thing and every 30 second it like goes up.... how do i make a "set" temp?????
I just bought an Idylis 10,000 and it turned off but wont turn back on. the red warning sign keeps flashing. do not have the manual. can anyone help?
In the manual, the only condition I can find that displays STOP is a full tank that needs drained.
Lol I got this unit at my work for $80, the customer said it doesn't blow cold air but it does...anyways I got two issues.1- it's pretty loud, kinda how you started yours, it sounds like a leaf blower ( on high) on the lowest setting, everything else works good like the fan mode...issue 2- the unit has no manual, I don't know how to change the water out or the type of setting the system has. I've been looking for a digital manual but I couldn't find one.
thank you so much for responding!! How do I get to those areas?? not sure how to open the machine up...Can you give me some tips on finding the pan? most appreciated, really need to get it fixed up.
I don't know about the pans, but you might try running it on fan mode for a long time and see if that helps dry things out inside.
So I have had my Idylis 10,000 btu unit for over a year and it has worked perfectly. However, about a week ago it started running very loud. I knew it was the compressor, so after reading the comments about cleaning the unit internally, I did. (Now I understand what Preston Cline means by a "dust cake"! OMG! I used an old toothbrush, blower and vac to get it all out.) So after cleaning everything I could reach and blowing it out, the compressor is still running too loud to have a conversation in the same room. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Brea Kings For those of you who are experiencing the same problem that I described above; after disassembling the unit once more, I discovered that the blower wheel had cracked beyond repair. The blower wheel housing had also cracked at each screw mount (which hold the compressor in place also). The blower wheel can be located on-line and replaced, but no where could I find the housing for the blower wheel (of course, this is the grand plan in the production of these units, the parts are not replaceable.) Good luck to everyone who buys this unit!
+Brea Kings How did you get the plastic case off the unit? Where are tabs that hold the panels together after removing all the visible screws? How you can fill me in on this. I am planning on replacing the blower wheel which has completely come apart.
At Lowe's right now and I found your video very informative! Just gotta make sure I don't throw my back out right now before I load this up into the cart...
Hi Dan. Thanks for the video.
I own one of this things but I have an issue that I've just find out. When I shut the door in my room, this thing will make the outdoor air come inside the room even if windows are closed (not sealed) but if I keep the door open(not all the way, maybe like 3 inches) this won't happened. is it normal tho,? Or is it there something else I can do? Could these affect the temperature in my room?
The unit needs make-up air so leaving the door open is doing it. That's why people recommend a two-hose unit instead of a one hose unit.
I have been trying to figure out why the AC comes on when I'm using only the dehumidifying feature in my basement. Does anyone know anything about that?
Good night who is your portable air condition 10,000 BTU Lowe's ldylis" going on for 2019
7 hours?! To cool the room?! And it's super loud! Mines loud & gets the room ICE cold in 2 hours. But it's way too loud so I'm looking for something else.
Thank you, I went ahead and purchased one. I found your review pretty helpful and I am replacing a 7 year old Amana 7000 btu unit. It will be more of a supplemental to a well working HVAC system. The reason I need a room one though, is sometimes one particular room in the house I am in gets hotter than the others. While those rooms are comfortable, this room gets too hot and it is just silly to turn the HVAC on just for one room so this portable A/C unit should work nicely.
You've never had to drain nor use the drain hose but do you still need to run the tube outside window?
badwx25 I run the large diameter heat exhaust hose out the window. I don't have the small water drain tube connected to the Idylis.
Thank you for your video. How often do you need to drain the water tank?
How does the heating work?
I have one and it leaks like a bastard. but some nights the water will stay in the tank. it drips from the bottom. I have to put it in a concrete mixing pan to collect all that water over night.
what can i do if my drain gets clogged up ,what can i do if..the water is not draining out right..can anyone help me out on this..thank u
You can use a regular vertical type window a.c. unit in a csement type window. The thing is that you will have to cover up the places where the unit is not covering the window. Also you can be crazy like me and actually stack two units on top of each other. It works very well. The window a.c. work much better then the portable. It has gotten 109 here in a 40 year old house with little insulation and I have been able to keep the room 800 sq ft about 75 or so. That is a 8000 and 12000 btu unit.
Mine doesn't cool a small room AT ALL. I have to point it directly at me if I wanna feel the cold air. All my windows and the door are closed, but still the room is super hot when the AC unit is on, and the thermostat in its little screen never goes under 81 F. Either I'm doing something basic REALLY wrong, or this thing doesn't work.
+Carlo Toribio -- I live in las vegas, nv. I assume you have it vented correctly. I use this in a grow closet that without gets into the 90s easy. I got this thing set up in there and it keeps a 4x8 closet at 75 and the room at a comfy level (with regular HVAC). I did have this outside before and the room would get around 85 because of the closet heat. This unit still would drop the room to 73 in a few hours. You should go back to lowes and get another...something not right
I haven't run it since the first day-and-a-half because of cool temperatures. So no cons; no pros either except I didn't notice any water leaks during that time.
Where can i buy a hose for this ac whats the size of the hose