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Single hose or dual hose?
Updated
Every portable AC has to throw heat outside through a hose. A single hose unit uses room air to cool its hot side and blows it out the window. That air gets replaced by warm air pulled in from the hallway, under doors and through gaps. A dual hose unit pulls that cooling air from outside through a second hose, so less warm air leaks into the room.
What the makers and the DOE say
Whynter's FAQ puts it simply. A single hose unit pulls air from the room and is less efficient in large or sunny rooms. A dual hose unit brings in outside air through one hose and exhausts through the other, and Whynter says it cools faster and helps keep the room's air pressure balanced.
The DOE SACC test counts that leaked-in air. It measures the heat carried in by infiltration air as part of the rating. So the SACC number on a listing already includes the single hose penalty. That is one more reason to compare SACC, not the box number.
The picks by hose type
| Model | Hose | SACC / DOE | SACC fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midea Duo 12,000 BTU | Hose-in-hose (intake and exhaust) | 10,000 | About 450 sq ft |
| Whynter ARC-14S | Dual hose | 9,500 | About 400 sq ft |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT | Single hose | 10,200 | About 450 sq ft |
| Whynter ARC-122DS | Dual hose | 7,000 | About 300 sq ft |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT | Single hose | 5,550 | About 150 sq ft |
| Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 | Single hose | 5,500 | About 150 sq ft |
| Midea 8,500 BTU | Single hose | 5,000 | About 150 sq ft |
Dual hose is not automatically better
The single hose BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT has a SACC of 10,200, higher than the dual hose Whynter ARC-122DS at 7,000. A strong single hose unit can still out-cool a weaker dual hose unit. Compare SACC first, then use the hose type as a tiebreaker.
- Midea Duo. A hose-in-hose design: one wide hose with intake and exhaust in separate channels. You get the dual hose effect with one hose to route. The caveat: it is heavy at 72.8 pounds, and some owners had trouble with sliding windows.
- Whynter ARC-14S. Two separate hoses. Good for hot, sunny rooms. The caveat: its 9,500 SACC is only 68 percent of the box number, and owners are split on noise.
- Whynter ARC-122DS. Two hoses and a quieter low speed per the maker. The caveat: 7,000 SACC fits about 300 sq ft, not the 400 on the title.
When single hose is fine
- A small bedroom with the door mostly closed.
- A room that is not in direct sun.
- You mainly run it at night.
In those cases a single hose unit with enough SACC, like the Midea 8,500 BTU for about 150 sq ft, does the job with less to install.
Size your own room with the SACC calculator, or compare all seven picks on the roundup page.