Air cooler

[what..the?]

It is far too hot a home and in the office as they both get the direct sun all day. We have used fans for a long time now but proper air con would be good - one of those portable units.

I have no clue how they work as I have never used one. They often have very basic descriptions with the products on the web and in mag's so that does not help. They mention putting water and/or ice in it which must cool the air - so does a big water capacity make the unit easy to use/upkeep. They also seem to have dehumidifiers and ionisers? Which I dont think we really need.

It has to be well priced as we need to buy 3 units I have seen one product ''challenge air cooler 415/7825'' on argos.co.uk for around �44?

If anyone knows what I should be looking for, it would really take the 'heat off!'

Thanks
Hot stuff

[Catso]

Things involving ice or water aren't really air conditioners in the usual meaning of the words.

The water-based ones cool the air by evaporating water into it (which takes heat out of the air to do so). The downside is you end up with damp air! Not nice when it's hot and humid. They also aren't very effective, althought they are cheap to run.

Dunno how ice ones work. Blow air over ice?!

A real air con is more like a fridge. It cools and dries the air. It is more effective, but costs more to buy and run and is noisier.

Pay your money - take your choice.

[what..the?]

Thanks catso I will look into proper 'air con' as apposed to 'air cooler.'

House already has damp problem so do not want damp air too!!

[qapmoc]

A ''real'' aircon unit must have a way of taking the heat from inside the house and moving it to outside, therefore if it is a portable one it must have a pipe which you put outside through a door or window for it to blow the hot air out, any kind of aircon/cooler unit which just stands inside is really just moving heat around from one place to another to give the feeling that it is doing something, but if one part of a room gets cooler the other parts will get hotter.
The type which contain ice do actually cool the room but you have to manufacture the ice with your freezer first, and then you will still have the same problem with more moisture going into the room.... and also your freezer will be making more heat in the house while it is making the ice.

[what..the?]

Great thanks for that, I know which ones you mean with the pipe to the outside - a bit like tumble driers have. i will look into it cheers.