# Can a window a/c be installed on its side?



## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

no you can't and have it run..first the compressor oil is dedicated to the base of the compressor and the condensation drain off works on the idea it will be installed on the horizontal and drains from the bottom base area.if you google "Casement window ac units" thats for that type window.if you can remove the glass sections of the actual window and cut a sheet of 3/4 plywood to replace the glass then cut the window unit in at the highest point and lock it in with some 2x4 across the bottom and top will hold it....Caution: make sure the condenser inlet fins on the sides are on the outside of that wood wall


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## secutanudu (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks, Biggles.


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## The Engineer (May 4, 2010)

I have one of those portable on wheels air conditioning units in my bedroom because the windows open sideways. I can tell you, these types of air conditioners are not very efficient, they take room air to reject the heat (as opposed to a window unit that uses outside air to reject the heat)and blows room conditioned air across the heat reject coil and outside through a 4 inch diameter tube that you have to install and seal in the window frame. Since my window is not a standard size, I had to custom make a plexiglass window panel with a hole that would fit the tube. I installed the plexiglass window where the screen would normally go, snap in the tube and it works, but it was a big headache. Also, since these units create negative pressure in the bedroom, the machine draws hot humid air in through other places in the house such as other windows or under the door and runs 24/7 since its not re-circulating the already air conditioned air like a window unit does. It also has a small quart sized container to collect the condensate water, and on a hot humid day, the container can fill up in like 4 hours shutting off the machine when the water level gets to the top of the container. Waking up in the middle of the night to empty the container in a major PITA, so I had to makeshift a stand for the unit to sit on with a 5 gallon bucket under the unit so it can run through the night without shutting off. Now this whole contraption takes up like 6 square feet of floor space so its in the way all the time. I would do whatever you can to use a regular window unit installed in its normal horizontal position.


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## houseinthewoods (Jan 17, 2010)

We bought an A/C designed for those kinds of windows at Sears. Our cabin has sliding windows, and a regular A/C just wouldn't fit. This is very narrow, and has the filler strip at the top. It works very well, and seals the window opening completely.

Unfortunately, it was very expensive for the BTUs. I think we paid around $350-400 for a 12,000 BTU unit. And that was 6 years ago.

Here's one of the current models from Sears web site:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04275063000P?prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=
$400 for 6000 BTUs.

I wish we had done a 'thru the wall' or mini-split system. We only have two windows in the cabin, and the A/C blocks one of them when it's in.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

The Engineer said:


> I have one of those portable on wheels air conditioning units in my bedroom because the windows open sideways. I can tell you, these types of air conditioners are not very efficient, they take room air to reject the heat (as opposed to a window unit that uses outside air to reject the heat)and blows room conditioned air across the heat reject coil and outside through a 4 inch diameter tube that you have to install and seal in the window frame. Since my window is not a standard size, I had to custom make a plexiglass window panel with a hole that would fit the tube. I installed the plexiglass window where the screen would normally go, snap in the tube and it works, but it was a big headache. Also, since these units create negative pressure in the bedroom, the machine draws hot humid air in through other places in the house such as other windows or under the door and runs 24/7 since its not re-circulating the already air conditioned air like a window unit does. It also has a small quart sized container to collect the condensate water, and on a hot humid day, the container can fill up in like 4 hours shutting off the machine when the water level gets to the top of the container. Waking up in the middle of the night to empty the container in a major PITA, so I had to makeshift a stand for the unit to sit on with a 5 gallon bucket under the unit so it can run through the night without shutting off. Now this whole contraption takes up like 6 square feet of floor space so its in the way all the time. I would do whatever you can to use a regular window unit installed in its normal horizontal position.



I bought a portable one and I can echo this. It works, it does cool the room, but very inefficiently. Mine actually evaporates the water so there is no drain pan but I am not sure how. I would like to think it evaporates out the big tube, but I have a feeling it just evaporates it indoors. The room is cool, but it just does not feel like the same type of cool you get with a window unit. It seems muggy. The instant I turn it off, I almost need to turn it back on.

As for installing a window unit sideways, they do make window units that are designed for that. They are called vertical units. The are higher but less wide.


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