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List Price: $792.00
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I purchased two of these units. After running for two days, one unit leaked all over my hardwood floors. No water would come from the drain. On the third day, the other unit leaked and soaked the entire bedroom rug. I was quite upset, I was ready to throw both of them in the truck and bring them to the landfill. The next day, my temper cooled down some, so rather than shipping both of these back to soleus, I took one of them apart to see what the problem was. There is a small water pump in the front of the unit that pumps water up and over the condensor coils to help cool it and send the moisture out the exhaust. There is a small hose that leads from the water pump to the condensor coil. This hose was just laying in there, it was never hooked up. I re-connected it and I ran the unit for a week. Everything worked fine.No more leaks! I then proceded to take the second one apart to find the same exact problem. Both units have been in service now for about a month and I haven't had any other issues. I must say though that I was less than impressed with the quality of workmanship.
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Before buying a portable air conditioner, it helps to understand what you can expect and not expect from it. There is no way it will provide the cooling of central air, ductless air or even a really good window unit. I have owned all of these and speak from experience. However, when you move into a condo with all kinds of restrictions about what can be visible from the exterior or constraints on the architectural structure, then the portable is the best answer.
I have owned 4 of these and three different brands. My condo has three separate major spaces, 2 smaller for bedroom suite and office/den. The main living space is larger than the max recommended for any 120 volt unit, and that is where I now have the Soleus LX140.
The two smaller spaces are cooled with GE 10,000 BTU units that I have had for 5 years. HE quit making these units the year after I bought them They are quiet and have held up and keep the spaces in the upper 70s when the ambient temperature is in the mid 90s.
I used to have and Edgestar in the main space. I live in the Seattle area so only need the cooling about 2 months a year, and then not every day. The Edgestar was the worst unit I have ever owned. It was the noisiest unit and it quit in the middle of the second season. I called the manufacturer in Texas and they said it only had a 90 day warranty. They also said they had no service reps in the Pacific NW and couldn't help. After lengthy searching, I found one person who said they fixed them. After spending over $300, it still didn't work. The service tech said he would take it to the shop and return it in "New Condition." That was a year ago and I have never seen him or the unit again.
So I bought the Soleus. I found a dealer in Portland where I knew I could get to if needed. The manufacturer is in California, I can get there pretty easily too. Also, the Soleus has a 1 year warranty. I ordered the unit and it was delivered in 7 days. I set it up immediately but found that you had to use the remote to turn on the fan oscillator. It had to be the receiver or the transmitter, but I didn't know how to tell. I called the dealer, and within a few hours I got a call back from the manufacturer. They said they would send a new remote. If it still didn't work, they would send a label and an RMA. I got the remote in three days and everything worked.
The Soleus runs about 10 db quieter than the Edgstar. My main living space has 594 square feet and with partial cathedral ceilings about 5565 cubic feet. I am on the top floor, facing southwest with ceiling to floor glass across the entire space. Without any AC, the space has reached 110 degrees when it was 95 outside in the late afternoon. Also, there are no opening windows or sliding doors, so I am venting the unit up the fire place flu.
This week we had three days in the 90's. When it reached 98 degrees outside, the Soleus kept the space at 81. When the temperature reached 85 today, the Soleus kept the space in the mid 70s.
CONS: The only con I have at this point is that the fan oscillation is vertical instead of side to side.
The next test will be longevity as to how long it will hold up. However, at this time, the Soleus LX140 has proven to be the best unit of its type that I have used and I am very impressed with the technical service assistance of the manufacturer.
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If you are looking for a portable air conditioner/heat pump avoid this product and manufacturer. While the unit is satisfactory when running, once any problems develop that require service outside the warranty period, you may as well junk it. My unit lasted just 14 months and developed a leak that ruined my floor. Considering that I only used the air conditioning function during the summer, it only lasted one cooling season.
There is no local service network to fix even the most minor problem. I suppose that you could ship the unit back as was suggested by Soleusair for repair, but have you ever struggled with boxing and shipping a large unit that weighs 50 or 60 pounds, to say nothing about the premium shipping and repair cost. It is cheaply made and unreliable
Honest reviews on Soleus 4 in 1 Portable Air Conditioner
I just got the unit. It was easy to install and seems to work fine, both heating and cooling. I would like to know the actual BTU delivered to the room it seems a bit light for the rating. Its a bit noisy but that's understandable where all the functioning parts are in the room with you. There could be a more attention to vibration though.
