Ambient Air

Can You Turn a Single-Hose Portable AC Into a Dual-Hose Unit?

coil duct hose
Can-You-Turn-a-Single-Hose-Portable-AC-Into-a-Dual-Hose-Unit_Air-Ventilator-White

Single-hose portable-ACs tend to be the most common portable air-conditioner. They are reliably-consistent and cost-effective units that can cool specific areas of your home. However, dual-hose devices are known for their additional portable-air-conditioner tubing that allows these units to work more efficiently. Dual-vent portable-air-conditioners feature an intake hose in addition to a typical exhaust-hose. The intake hose draws air from the outside in order to cool the unit’s internal machinery. Using air outside of the room that the device is cooling balances the pressure gradient inside of your home. This makes the dual-hose portable-AC more productive than a single-hose, as the two-hose system does not have to combat negative air-pressure in order to cool its condenser. Before we dive into the topic of converting your single-hose portable AC into a dual-hose unit, we first must explain the benefits of using a two-vent system. Once you understand the “why,” you will understand the “how” of converting your single-hose unit, and if it is even worth it. You may be wondering:

• What is the benefit of a dual-hose air-conditioner?
• Are dual-hose portable-AC units better than single-hose?
• How can I make my single-hose portable-air-conditioner more efficient?
• Can you convert a single-hose portable-air-conditioner to a dual hose?

“PVC Flexduct General Purpose Clear”

$24.36$442.50
Lead Time 4-6 Weeks Some Sizes Out of Stock Temperature Range: +20°F to +160°F Sizes I.D. (in.): 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 12

“Air Ventilator White”

$146.50$550.50
Temperature Range: -20°F to +180°F Sizes I.D. (in.): 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, & 24

“Air Ventilator Yellow”

$146.50$550.50
Temperature Range: -20°F to +180°F Sizes I.D. (in.): 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, & 24

“PVC Flexduct General Purpose Blue”

$24.36$442.50
Lead Time 4-6 Weeks Some Sizes Out of Stock Temperature Range: +20°F to +160°F Sizes I.D. (in.): 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 12

What Is the Benefit of a Dual-Hose Air-Conditioner?

The main benefit of a dual-hose portable air-conditioner is that these units extract outside air in order to cool the internal machinery of your device. This combats the negative pressure-gradient that is typically created when single-hose units use air inside of the room in which it is working to cool the device’s coils and condenser. The main difference between a single-vent and a dual-vent portable-AC is that, obviously, the dual-hosed unit has an additional hose—a portable-air-conditioner intake-hose, to be precise. Like the single-hosed AC, the two-duct portable-AC uses a portable-AC exhaust-hose as well. For the two-tube portable-air-conditioner, the intake hose takes air from outside of the room and uses this to replace the air that is vented out from the air-conditioner exhaust-pipe. The two hoses of the portable AC create a cycle of air that flows in and out of the room you are cooling in order to increase the efficiency of your unit. This may sound counterproductive, as you would think bringing warm air inside would affect the temperature of the room you are cooling down. However, this outside air is used solely to cool down your condenser. The air is brought inside of your unit, which is full of hot coils and processors. The air from the intake hose blows through your device, cooling down the machinery. Single-hose units, in order to cool their condensers, will draw in the air inside of the room they are cooling. The air is then exhausted from the unit, outside of the room. This creates a negative pressure-gradient inside your home, where the pressure outside of your room is greater than the pressure inside. Air naturally flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure, meaning that air wants to move into the room you are cooling with your single-hose unit. Warm air will be pulled from cracks in your doors, windows, or vents, heating up your area. Negative air-pressure is also a problem, as your single-hose portable-AC will have to work harder to oppose the air pressure. A negative pressure-gradient acts almost like an invisible barricade, making it difficult for your portable-AC hose to ventilate air outside of your room. Negative pressure-gradients lower the productivity of your portable AC. Luckily, the 2-hose portable-AC unit sucks in air from outside the room you are cooling, restoring the air pressure inside back to a tolerable level. This is the main benefit of the dual-hose portable-AC: super-efficient cooling!

Are Dual-Hose Portable-AC Units Better Than Single-Hose?

Air Ventilator Orange_Flex Shot

Dual-hose portable-ACs are better than a single-hose if you are looking for a powerful and efficient unit that can cool large areas with ease. A single-vent portable-air-conditioner is not nearly as productive as a dual-hosed unit. A 14000 BTU dual-hose portable-AC works better than a 14,000 BTU single-hose unit because of its increased efficiency. This is because of the quick exchange of air—all thanks to the cyclical processes of the dual-hose system! One of the few drawbacks of the dual-hose unit is that it tends to be more expensive than a single-hose unit due to its additional portable-air-conditioner tubing.

However, people typically agree that this expense is worth it in the long run. Investing in your hosework—especially if it is good-quality—is always worth it in the end. Portable-AC units with durable ductwork benefit from increased efficiency and longevity, as these hoses will not break down as easily as the hose that comes with your unit. For a portable-AC unit with two hoses, there are twice the number of opportunities for your hosework to fail. Whether it is through cracks, leaks, or kinks, because you have an additional duct for your portable AC, you must be doubly diligent in taking care of your hosing. With hosework from Ducting.com, you will not have to worry about any harm that might befall your portable-air-conditioner vent-work. Our portable-air-conditioner hoses are composed of excellent-quality materials from PVC to PET-film to plastic-coated fabric, just to name a few.

2-hose portable-air-conditioner reviews also commonly report that these larger units tend to create more noise than their single-hosed counterparts. If you are sensitive to loud noises, or perhaps you just do not want white noise permeating throughout your home, this problem can also be partially resolved with an insulated, portable-AC hose! An insulated, portable-air-conditioner hose is composed of materials that are designed to maintain the air temperature inside your duct. Whether you are ventilating hot air or cold air, insulative layers function as a barrier to heat—keeping heat in or heat out of your hosework. Insulation also doubles as a barrier for noise as well!

PVC Flexduct General Purpose Blue_Coil Shot

For example, Ducting.com sells a wide number of insulated, portable-air-conditioner vent/hose-work that can reduce the amount of sound your dual-hose unit produces. The HVAC Ventilation-Flex is an insulated, flexible duct for portable air-conditioner units that is composed of PVC, aluminum-foil, and PET-film. The PVC-external layer of this hose makes this hose extremely durable against flex-fatigue and abrasion. If you plan on flexing your hose, or hauling it around, the HVAC Ventilation-Flex is the perfect insulated hose for you! The layers of aluminum foil

and PET-film are the main insulators, reflecting heat as well as acoustics. Air—while it moves through your ductwork—will make noise just like how blowing through a ribbed, plastic straw will make a sharp sound. Acquiring an insulated-AC vent/hose for your dual-vent portable-AC will help reduce the amount of noise your unit is making. If this is a chief concern in your consideration of a dual-hose unit, then utilizing an insulated hose like the HVAC Ventilation-Flex will make a world of a difference! Dual-hose portable ACs are better than single-hose units, especially if some of their deficiencies can be solved with superior portable-air-conditioner tubing.

How Can I Make My Single-Hose Portable-Air-Conditioner More Efficient?

You can make your single-hose portable AC more efficient by using good-quality ductwork. Many of your portable AC’s issues can be solved by replacing your current portable-air-conditioner tubing with superior-quality ducting. If your unit suffers from low air-flow or only produces hot air, there could be a problem with your portable-air-conditioner exhaust hose. Perhaps your current hosework is cracked or compromised, or perhaps it is not properly insulated from outside temperatures. This is why you need a flexible—perhaps insulated—portable-AC vent/hose! As mentioned beforehand, Ducting.com offers insulated air-conditioner hose-work that reflect heat. The HVAC Ventilation-Flex is a cost-efficient and generally-excellent, insulated hose that can out-perform any non-insulated duct in conserving air temperature. However, for a higher level of heat and acoustical insulation, Ducting.com also offers the HVAC Insulated-Flex. This hose features two, double-ply layers of aluminum-foil and PET-film surrounding a layer of fiberglass. The increased number of insulation featured on the HVAC Insulated-Flex will ensure that the heat from your exhaust hose does not affect the temperature of the air inside the room you are cooling. For a single-duct portable-air-conditioner—and a dual-duct unit, for that matter—the portable-AC unit exhaust-hose removes heat and moisture. Because the hose is managing heat, the exterior of the portable-air-conditioner hose gets hot. A portable-AC unit tube hot to the touch can affect the temperature of the room that the AC is cooling, counteracting the efforts of your unit. This is why your portable-air-conditioner tubing can benefit from insulation—so that the heat warming your hosework does not escape into the room you are cooling. It is a good idea to purchase an insulated hose if your portable-air-conditioner hose gets very hot.
If your portable AC does not suffer from hot portable-air-conditioner tubing, your unit can still benefit from flexible, durable ductwork. Ducting like our PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear Duct Hose is composed of resistant and flexible materials that will increase the longevity of your hosework. The PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear Duct Hose is an all-around, fantastic piece of flexible hosework that can be utilized for your portable air-conditioner. You can even acquire two lengths of this hose for your 2-hose portable-AC! The PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear is composed of durable PVC, perfect for resisting the moisture and heat that your portable AC handles. Portable-air-conditioner tubing that is composed of materials that are susceptible to water will degrade over time, as a portable AC produces water vapor during the cooling process. This is why having a hose made of PVC will be beneficial for you and your unit! PVC is also flexible and can withstand flex fatigue. Because you have to ventilate your portable-air-conditioner tubing, having a hose that can flex and bend allows you to navigate your ducting more easily throughout your home. If you are thinking, “I do not want my portable-air-conditioner hose near me or my bed,” but you are situated between your unit and the window you wish to vent out of, then you could simply circumvent any obstacle entirely. For these reasons, having a flexible, resistant portable-AC air-pipe like the PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear will save you money in the long run—you will not have to repair or replace this hose due to damages!

Can You Convert a Single-Hose Portable-Air-Conditioner to a Dual-Hose?

You can convert a single-hose portable AC into a dual-hose unit if your device has two intake vents. If you do not mind building or otherwise acquiring an adapter to connect your portable-air-conditioner tubing to your intake port, you can convert your single-hose AC to a dual-hosed one. Adding an additional hose to your portable air-conditioner necessitates the use of outside materials and you will also need to do it yourself (DIY). Dual-hose portable-air-conditioner units that are the result of homemade innovation can function better than their original, single-hosed

Air Ventilator Yellow_Flex Shot

configuration, but will they last as long as a typical dual-vent portable-air-conditioner? Reviews say most likely not, as these units were not intended to support a secondary piece of hosework. Is this the best dual-hose AC for you? No. However, if you are simply attempting to modify an existing unit to work more efficiently and do not particularly care about the longevity of your unit, installing dual-hose portable-air-conditioner parts onto your single-hose unit is a plausible route for you. In order to modify your single-hose portable-AC, you will have to create an adapter to connect your intake hose to your vent. You need something that will block the port so that the air flow can be directed through a hose. You can use a piece of cardboard, foam, or metal to block the vent—anything that you can cut a hole through in order to put your duct through. The sheet will block the air flow so that it is forced into the mouth of the hose. Once you connect your hose to this adapter, you will have successfully added an intake hose to your single-vent portable-AC. Again, converting your single-hose unit into a 2-hose air-conditioner is not something that should be done to every inefficient portable-AC. Typically, you can improve the productivity of your unit by simply changing out your portable-air-conditioner tubing. Converting your unit is a last resort that—while achievable—will also void the warranty of your device on the condition that you have a warranty in the first place. If your portable AC happens to break down due to this configuration, you will not receive any sort of compensation. There is also no guarantee that whatever material you use to block your condenser vent can withstand long-term usage. The most cost-effective way to increase the efficiency of your single-hosed portable-ACs is to just opt for a portable-air-conditioner hose replacement.

It is perfectly plausible to convert your single-hose portable-AC into a dual-hosed system. However, the modification of your unit will come with risks, so it is more convenient and cost-efficient in the long run to replace your portable-air-conditioner tubing if your portable AC is not working productively. Replacing your exhaust-vent for portable-air-conditioner units with flexible, durable, and insulated hosework ensures the longevity of your hosing, and therefore your unit! Even for a dual-hose portable-AC, using an insulated hose reduces the amount of noise created by your unit. Many of your portable-AC problems, whether you have a single-hose or a dual-hose system, can be solved with superb-quality ductwork. Dual-vent portable-air-conditioners are more efficient than single-vent units due to their abundance of hosework. These systems feature an intake hose in addition to their exhaust hose, cycling air in and out of the room it is cooling. This process, only made possible with two hoses, does not produce a negative pressure-gradient. It is easier for your portable AC to function with two hoses, especially when these two hoses are composed of flexible, durable, and insulative materials!