Recommended Portable AC

[merisah98]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone use a portable AC for their chameleon? If so what ambient temperatures do you keep for your veiled & does your portable AC have an auto feature where it turns off once the set temp is reached?

I purchased a 8,000 BTU and right now the lowest I have my ambient is at is 74, 76, & 78-79 at the top. For some odd reason, the AC doesn’t kick back on until the room is sitting at 78 when I have it set to 75.. Am I doing something wrong here? Can anyone recommend a good 8,000 BTU portable AC that is a bit more on the quieter side?

 

[MissSkittles]

I have a free standing Hisense brand - no longer recall how many btu and chams are asleep so I can’t look right now. I bought it when my central ac died and I had to wait for replacement (mid summer of course) so I think it’s probably at least 10,000. I have it set to 74. During the day when all the heat is at its highest, it seems like it doesn’t even try to keep up. It’s a small room so it’s more than powerful enough. At night when the central ac has no problem keeping the room cool, it chills the room down to around 70. I give up trying to figure it out.

 

[merisah98]

I have a free standing Hisense brand - no longer recall how many btu and chams are asleep so I can’t look right now. I bought it when my central ac died and I had to wait for replacement (mid summer of course) so I think it’s probably at least 10,000. I have it set to 74. During the day when all the heat is at its highest, it seems like it doesn’t even try to keep up. It’s a small room so it’s more than powerful enough. At night when the central ac has no problem keeping the room cool, it chills the room down to around 70. I give up trying to figure it out.

Hi again! I may hold onto this one just a bit longer and keep monitoring Yoshi

I think what’s happening is that I’m not setting the AC low enough to where it can kick back on sooner instead what it’s doing is it won’t kick back on until it’s about 78 degrees in my bedroom which is pretty bad.. since temps/humidity keep fluctuating from 78 being the highest and 74 being the lowest in the enclosure, she will sit there and gasp for air ( not under her basking area)

 

[MissSkittles]

Usually ac units will also help reduce humidity levels. When I lived up north, one pleasantly cool summer I had to put the window ac in just because everything was so humid...was like a cold swamp.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

I would place the unit higher. That would force the warmer air higher leaving more room for cooler air.

 

[Beman]

I am in AZ and have a portable AC. Toshiba brand 8,000 btu it only is able to cool a 300 sq foot room. I have mine set on 69-70 in the summer to keep the room low 70's. Remember that your basking level should be getting temps of 78-80. It is lower in the cage where you want to see low 70's

In my experience they are all loud as hell.

And yes these reduce humidity as well because they are cooling air in the room and then expelling out the vent the exhaust. Vs a window unit that pulls in the outside air for cooling into the room.

 

[merisah98]

I have a free standing Hisense brand - no longer recall how many btu and chams are asleep so I can’t look right now. I bought it when my central ac died and I had to wait for replacement (mid summer of course) so I think it’s probably at least 10,000. I have it set to 74. During the day when all the heat is at its highest, it seems like it doesn’t even try to keep up. It’s a small room so it’s more than powerful enough. At night when the central ac has no problem keeping the room cool, it chills the room down to around 70. I give up trying to figure it out.

Are you able to connect hisense to your phone and does it have an auto setting where once it reaches a set temp, it shuts off?

 

[merisah98]

I am in AZ and have a portable AC. Toshiba brand 8,000 btu it only is able to cool a 300 sq foot room. I have mine set on 69-70 in the summer to keep the room low 70's. Remember that your basking level should be getting temps of 78-80. It is lower in the cage where you want to see low 70's

In my experience they are all loud as hell.

And yes these reduce humidity as well because they are cooling air in the room and then expelling out the vent the exhaust. Vs a window unit that pulls in the outside air for cooling into the room.

Hi Beman, how low can the ambient go in the enclosure? I bought a new portable AC and I noticed that it has a auto setting that cannot be removed & once the set temp is reached it blows less and starts raising the humidity & it doesn’t seem that the thermostat for it is working correctly..it genuinely sucks because I really had high hopes for it

 

[MissSkittles]

Are you able to connect hisense to your phone and does it have an auto setting where once it reaches a set temp, it shuts off?

No, not a ‘smart’ appliance. It’s supposed to shut off once it reaches the desired temp, but it’s making up it’s own rules I think.

 

[Beman]

Hi Beman, how low can the ambient go in the enclosure? I bought a new portable AC and I noticed that it has a auto setting that cannot be removed & once the set temp is reached it blows less and starts raising the humidity & it doesn’t seem that the thermostat for it is working correctly..it genuinely sucks because I really had high hopes for it

I do not let my lowest 8 inches get cooler than 68. It is a hard balance for me in the summer but has worked the last two years. Granted I have a hybrid enclosure so I can really control temps and humidity easier.

 

[merisah98]

I do not let my lowest 8 inches get cooler than 68. It is a hard balance for me in the summer but has worked the last two years. Granted I have a hybrid enclosure so I can really control temps and humidity easier.

Hey @Beman thank you so much for your help with everything! Unfortunately, I had to give up Yoshi as the bedroom that I was keeping her in just wasn’t good enough for her :/ I gave her to someone with all her equipment that lives about 10 minutes away from me so I’ve been just guiding her along with way with what I learned so far! She keeps her out on the patio now which I feel like it is definitely a lot better for her!

Once again, thank you for all your help! I am still going to continue to post questions in here as I’m still helping this girl out to give Yoshi the best care as possible… I genuinely didn’t want to give her up but had no other options as I live with my in-laws

 

[Beman]

Hey @Beman thank you so much for your help with everything! Unfortunately, I had to give up Yoshi as the bedroom that I was keeping her in just wasn’t good enough for her :/ I gave her to someone with all her equipment that lives about 10 minutes away from me so I’ve been just guiding her along with way with what I learned so far! She keeps her out on the patio now which I feel like it is definitely a lot better for her!

Once again, thank you for all your help! I am still going to continue to post questions in here as I’m still helping this girl out to give Yoshi the best care as possible… I genuinely didn’t want to give her up but had no other options as I live with my in-laws

Your welcome. You might give them the forum info so we can guide them... Depending on the patio there will need to be adjustments made. Females really need stable temps to control clutch size. Too hot and their metabolism speeds up. Also too much sun and they can dehydrate.