[at-l] off topic, air conditioning

[gaudet@mediaone.net (Arthur Gaudet)]

I've been looking around for an answer to this question for a week or 
so, no real progress so I thought I'd try here, tapping into 
everyone's off-trail home care experience perhaps.

I need to put an air conditioner into this apartment for the month of 
august so I can go hiking. The place is a damp basement type and last 
year my closet filled up with mildew. Trouble is the windows here are 
narrow and vertical.

Vertical air conditioners come in widths down to 14 inches, I need 
something 13.5 inches or less. Horizontal air conditioners come in 
heights down to 12 inches so I'd like to use one, turned 90 degrees 
on it's side. The Amana, GE, Fedders people all say I can't turn the 
unit and have it operate properly. None can tell me what will happen.

It's ok with me if I just shorten the life of a unit, as long as it 
will run for a month or so. I can guess that the compressor might 
burn out prematurely but I don't understand why it would depend on 
the direction of gravity. I don't know if these units have 
regenerator bottles, they might be direction dependent.

A third alternative is to purchase what's called a "portable" ac. 
This unit rolls around, with a flexible vent that goes to the 
outside. Not sure how condensate is removed... They cost $600. I can 
get a cheap window unit for $150.

A fourth alternative is to remove an entire window unit, replace it 
with appropriate horizontal windows. A wall unit can't be done, the 
foundation here is solid granite.

Thanks in advance for any advice. --
-- 
Arthur D. Gaudet         	"Is walking down called hiking, too?"
(RockDancer)  	                 -heard at the top of Mt Washington, NH