Introduction
Living in a house without central air, I’ve dreamed about getting heat pumps and mini splits installed. Until I can pull the trigger on that large project.
Types of AC Units
I’ve made peace with considering window AC units, which come in two main styles:
- window AC: They sit in your window sill. Part of the unit is inside and part of the unit is outside.
- portable AC: They sit entirely inside your home. With one or two hoses that run to a window.
Typically, window AC units are more efficient and better overall. If one is forced to use a portable AC unit, a dual hose model should be preferred.
I decided that I specifically wanted a window AC unit, and was fortunate enough to stumble upon a new style known as “Inverter AC Units”. These units leverage an inverter, which allow a variable amount of power to be employed by the compressor. This means that the unit can operate quieter and more efficiently. This is the same technology that is used by the Champion Power Equipment 100520 8750-Watt portable generator that I discussed in this post: “How I Survive Power Outages”.
Midea Product Line
After looking into inverter AC units, I learned that the company Midea makes a well regarded line of products. Having happily owned their 50 pint dehumidifer for some time now, I was pretty confident in their brand.
To save you the hassle, I’ve broken down their product line for you:
| Model Number | BTU | Alexa | Matter | Heater | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAW08V1QWT | 8,000 | Yes | Yes | No | No | link |
| MAW10V1QWT | 10,000 | Yes | Yes | No | No | link |
| MAW12V1QWT | 12,000 | Yes | Yes | No | No | link |
| MAW12V1QWT-M | 12,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | link |
| MAW12HV1CWT | 12,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | link |
I ended up picking up their 12,000 BTU MAW12V1QWT-M unit, and found their “U style” to be interesting. See this photo:
and pay attention to how the window sits in between two parts of the unit. This is where the “U style” name comes from.
Installation
The installation process for these units is a bit unique from other AC units, as they come with a frame that has support legs that hang out the window. For your convenience, I recommend watching this installation video, or referencing the official manual. For context, it took me perhaps two hours to set it all up. I imagine most people will achieve this quicker than me…
Conclusion
In conclusion, this AC unit appears to operate well. Moving forward, I’m interested in setting this device up with Home Assistant, and seeing how I can automate the control of it. That very well may be a future blog post ;)