Air Conditioners? window vs split?

Status
Not open for further replies.

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I have two small window air conditioners by Goldstar which I bought about 6 years ago and have operated like troopers.. One seems to be dying and I want another but all I am finding for sale are splits.

The rooms are small.. maybe the biggest is 12 by 15 .. and so I figure a 5,000 BTU would do? although I have to admit that I do not actually KNOW what a BTU is......

Is it a lot cheaper to RUN a split because they sure seem a lot more expensive to buy.

And does anyone know where there are little window air conditioners for sale here in SD?

thanks.
 

21yearsinDR

New member
May 29, 2013
115
0
0
Well, this is just my humble opinion: Why would you buy an old-fashioned window air conditioner if you can get a more modern and energy saving split air conditioner?? The split is much quieter too.
I have a small room and I bought a 8 BTU Carrier split at Corripio last year. It was a special offer and I think I paid around 23000 pesos included the installation. It is working perfectly and the room is getting ice cold without a problem.
I have not seen any window air conditioner anywhere. However they are getting a lot of the split air conditioners with Inverter system. They are more expensive, but they use a lot les energy.
Try Plaza Lama or Corripio - the often have special offers and they have the installation included in the price.
 

Serge1960

New member
Apr 2, 2014
145
0
0
If you can afford & implement a Split Ductless inverter Unit ( Variable Speed Compressor) then choose a 9k BTU unit , this is the smallest you will find, but since its variable speed the out put will drop down as low as the lowest rating published rating i.e. 3K to 9K BTU's range, the Evaporator ( indoor wall hung unit)have thermistor sensors, that watch return/room temps and adjust the units heat removal & you will see the inverters don't just turn on & off the AC continuously runs at very low speeds, making start/stop wear & tear almost non existant. Warning if you are on an INVERSOR ( Inverter) powering AC the Inversor has to be extreme high quality able to run near pure Sine wave power. -Serge
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
I have two small window air conditioners by Goldstar which I bought about 6 years ago and have operated like troopers.. One seems to be dying and I want another but all I am finding for sale are splits.

The rooms are small.. maybe the biggest is 12 by 15 .. and so I figure a 5,000 BTU would do? although I have to admit that I do not actually KNOW what a BTU is......

Is it a lot cheaper to RUN a split because they sure seem a lot more expensive to buy.

And does anyone know where there are little window air conditioners for sale here in SD?

thanks.

The split unit will pay for itself in energy cost savings over the life of the unit. These are much more effecient and effective than a window unit.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
well price is an issue.. 23,000 pesos is a lot of money for me.. I rent.. so there is that.. my little Goldstars have been fine for me for these 6 years.. they do not make it ice cold but that is fine because it is just the office and bedrooms and hall and living room are still steaming.. so i don;t have so much of an issue leaving the little rooms.

i think that the little ones were around 10,000 pesos each.. I will look around .. but thanks for the input.. La Sirena and others..

so the BTU is the same.. 9000/.

and it will be cheaper with the split.. that is what everyone is saying.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
that is a thought.. well it could be rust but i am not really sure that there are actually any metal parts... think it may be all plastic..
i did want another one for another room..

I looked in the online catagloges at Corripio and Plaza Lama.. but I suppose that is silly to think that those catalogues would be up to date.. i could just call them. I wish I found this sort of shopping more fun,.. But maybe PriceSmart.. if they will just let me in to see if they have them without re upping my membership.. I can probably talk them into that..

thanks.
 

Tim Smith

New member
Apr 28, 2014
76
0
0
If you have your old card for pricesmart they never check to enter only at check-out so you can go look without renewing. Check the regular AC places here in the DR as well. You may find a better deal with then but I don't think they sell the window-shakers only the split kind. There was a post here just yesterday or the day before for AC and had tons of information on it that would help you. Here is a simple link for a BTU Calc you can plug numbers into to know what you need for the size of room you are cooling.

BTU Calculator
 
Aug 6, 2006
8,775
12
38
I know that there is the possibility of a significant difference between the energy consumed by one AC and another. In ads, this seems to be represented by the EER rating, the higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. My question is this: how does the EER rating of a window unit compare with the EER rating of a whole house (I assume that this is what you mean by the term "split")

In the case of window units and refrigerators, an improvement in efficiency can pay for the unit several times over itrs useful life.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Thanks.. I got into the PriceSmart catalogue and they only have big units here https://shop.pricesmart.com/dr/sp/category/10000/11008/enfriamiento-tratamiento-de-aire#page=1

I don't quite understand your calculator.. maybe I did not fill it in right but for a 10 by 12 room with 8 ft ceiling it came out my needing 16000 BTU at 85 degrees .. My little Goldstar is only 5000 BTU and has been working fine.

The smallest split that I can find is 9,000 BTU. And will cost around 30,000 with ITIBIS excluding installation.

I think that there are some AC stores on Bolivar near here.. guess i will prowl. I am reading the other thread and becoming sorta an expert.. well enough to fake it for a bit.

of course, i stil think that the electricity is generated by mice turning a wheel inside the wall.

this, of course, is what husbands are for...
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
the eer rating of my 5000BTU goldstar is 9.7

I do not know if that means that it is comparable to a split or just HEY the best that I can do for a window unit?

One place I read said it would take 7 years to recoup the cost of a split over a window.. but they evidently had cheap window units.

I even priced out the little Goldstars at Amazon where they are under $200.. but they weigh 35 lbs. Maybe I will call Vimenpaq and see how much that wiould cost.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
no, the split is not the whole house.. the split is a different kind of AC,. the sleek little rectangular units that you see around that have the *invertor.?? compressor??? guts??? whatever?? outside..

my issue is that the smallest of them is for 9000 BTU when my 5000 BTU has been fine.

Won't that mean I will use more energy ? or just that I will keep it low?(I won't keep it low, i will keep it freezing and I will never ever ever leave the house, that is what I am afraid of , see.. that the outside will be EVEN MORE uncomfortable...) I just want a tiny little something here to take off the edge..

not movie theater freezing..

and i don't want to spend a grand when the $200 unit will do it..
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Not offering to be your husband, but I have installed many air conditioners over the years.
Der Fish

Ah thanks Fish... I have a Haitian handyman who can do that.. it is the deciding what to buy and finding it which is the husband part.. while I am supposed to just be having my nails done..

(plus, of course, the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, etc)...
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I'm in exactly the same predicament Annie. We have small bedrooms, and already have the metal security cages installed for the regular a/c's. I thought I only needed 5000 BTU too, and that an 8,000 would freeze me out. According to JD Jones, we can set the splits to a temperature, and the thermostat will keep us from freezing and from the unit running all the time.

We'll make a decision when we get back down there.
 

Tim Smith

New member
Apr 28, 2014
76
0
0
Der Fish... lol, you are offering a Honey Do... Honey do this honey do that. Thats very nice of you!

I came out with a 12,000 BTU unit with the numbers you gave Annie. 8 X 10 room I feel even a 10,000 is good. Only place I have seen the single unit here in the DR is Ferreter?a Americana. They can be $$$ at that store but might look. I feel the most important is having one that can be repaired if you need. Buying something that parts can be found is what I mean. And a unit that has a good rating/usage record. Lets not forget the energy consumed for your bills. Not trying to add to your thinking but it all comes into play.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Here is the BTU chart from Fridgidaire..


100 up to 150 5,000
150 up to 250 6,000
250 up to 300 7,000
300 up to 350 8,000
350 up to 400 9,000
400 up to 450 10,000
450 up to 550 12,000
550 up to 700 14,000
700 up to 1000 18,000
1000 up to 1200 21,000
1200 up to 1400 23,000
1400 up to 1500 24,000
1500 up to 2000 30,000
2000 up to 2500 34,000
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Yes, but AE you HAVE a husband!


From what I am reading about the Goldstar;s once they stop working.. one of mine has just stopped cooling.. they say to just throw it away.. that they really only have a five year lifespan.. Now that is the USA of course.

But I have the cages.. And only have 220 in one room. Maybe the little mini splits are all 110?

Maybe the compressors or whatever will fit in the old AC cages?

Filling in the windows with glass is no problem.

But the temptation to "emulate winter" will be.
 
Aug 6, 2006
8,775
12
38
Brands Mart in Miami advertises 5000 BTU units for under $100. They have units with a slightly higher EER for $120.

I have seen the split units in DR hotels. They have the advantage of being a lot quieter. I have not seen them in the US, only window units and the whole house things.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I think you should at the very least have a a/c tech look at it. It can be something as simple as a thermostat.

ok,, will do.. it still runs but the air is not cold,,, aargh,..

now only the little office room has a working AC in it and the dog and I are in it all the time. Thinking of moving the bed, the reading chair, and the TV in here as well. Ok crowded but comfortable

yikes it has been hot. I deal with it by sleeping too much.

I am going over to Mega Centro with friends so maybe they will have the cheaper units over on the otra lado...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.