It’s barely April, but temperatures are already beginning to average more than 80 degrees daily. Last summer, I was caught with the misfortune of not being able to grab the portable air conditioner (PAC) I wanted. It was a single hose model, which are highly inefficient due to drawing in outside air via the negative pressure effect AND using inside air to cool down its compressor and condenser, killing your energy bill and the longevity of the unit, and in Fresno, this is a no go. Thankfully, this AC ended up breaking down just as the cooler fall temperatures set in, giving me a simple return process.
No longer single
This time around, I got to researching and purchasing the perfect air conditioner for our living quarters with my boyfriend. We have a weird window, so window units are a no go, and a mini split AC is a bit much of work, so yeah, PAC it is. Dual hose, or dual exhaust units are a must for efficient cooling when it comes to PACs. Just like with how larger air conditioners work (HVAC and mini splits), outside air is used to cool down compressor and condenser of the PAC via the intake hose, with the exhaust hose simply exhausting that heated air.
The perfect Duo
The Midea DUO offers a unique twist on the hoses, having a hose in a hose ! This makes setting up more easy, since you technically only have one hose to manipulate. It’s worth noting that the hose seems to also quite insulated (at least compared to the single hose models I’ve had), which helps for reducing heat leakage. The included kit works for both vertical and horizontal windows, and offers plenty of insulating foam to help create an excellent thermal barrier between inside and outside. This offers efficient, rapid cooling, alongside a powerful fan for excellent ventilation. But there’s more to this AC than being dual exhaust: It features an inverter driven compressor, and is Matter (a smart device standard) compliant.
Invert your energy bill!
Most air conditioners that exist, including your fridge, water coolers and ice makers, have duty cycles (on and off periods) that run at fixed speeds that cannot be adjusted it runs at full speed or doesn’t run at all. You always know when a cycle ends or starts, as there’s dimming of lights, obvious noise, and sometimes a noticeable vibration (my fridge’s cycles tend to move loose things I have on top of it!). The Midea Duo, aa does most mini split systems, have an an inverter driven compressor. These reduce duty cycles, as they simply lower their operation speeds when there’s less demand. Less cycling also means less energy wasted, since it takes a significant amount of energy to start a compressor back up. These can be very quiet, and are much more gentle on the grid since they reduce the starting amps required to start. This technology claims up to 40% in energy savings.
What’s the Matter?
Finally, the Smart part of this AC. As if a PAC being dual exhaust and having an inverter compressor wasn’t good enough, the Midea Duo is also a smart air conditioner. Once connected to the internet, it can be controlled from anywhere. The app to control it by default is SmartHome (by Aideology), but of course it can easily interact with Google, Alexa, and Siri. But it’s also Matter compliant. Matter is a smart device standard that makes it widely compatible with many services and brands, as well as allowing for local control, which means that if somehow Midea’s smart device servers were wiped out of existence, it can still be controlled wirelessly anyway. Those of you that are smart home connoisseurs can definitely appreciate this.
