Carson PA300 Portable Air Conditioner and Heater
VerifiedMPN: PA3002 reviews
An update again. My split system aircon - 30 years old mind you - packed it in last week. Local technician installed a Gree Alto split system a few days later . See another review. arson into use for a few cold days. The area heated is about 5 times larger than the bedroom it was in. Room temp was 14 when I turned it on, and within 45 minutes was up to 17, and then about 30 minutes after that, room temp was a cosy 19. This unit is a little noisy - but heck, it is very efficient. On checking my Origin Energy dashboard I could see it was costing just under $1.00 an hour (on my rates) to run. Pretty happy with this investment, and certainly recommend!!
Follow-up · A mild November in Bendigo so have not had the heater running much However the exhaust hose IS a bit of a problem, in as much as it heats up during the cooling phase and needs better insulation. I have been using bubble wrap covered with foil to some effect, but I think it needs a better insulator, such as insulating foam that has foil on either side. As far as the control panel goes, I have found it simple and intuitive to use, and have not had problems with the controls. I have not used the dehumidifier function, but expect it would be very effective. I base this on the amount of water that runs out the waste tube during the heating function. It really is necessary to run a length of clear poly tubing out the window opening where the exhaust vent goes. I bored an appropriate sized hole in the adjustable plastic window fitting, next to the exhaust outlet and just run the hose straight outside. There is too much water cleared from the unit to run the supplied short hose into a bucket/container - need to empty it frequently. In short, apart from the relatively minor problem of the exhaust hose warming up, I reckon this is an excellent unit for heating and cooling, and would recommend it. Hopefully the manufacturer reads this and creates a better insulated exhaust hose. It is possible to buy insulated air conditioning ducting that will fit into the plastic exhaust hose fittings, but this should be unnecessary if the manufacturer changes the hose.
- Home Insulation Level: Good
- Room Type: Living/Dining Area
Great cooler! – Bought from BigW at $474, but now selling at $494. Room 24 square metres with 3 metre ceiling, and only the floor is uninsulated timber and elevated, but is carpeted. Thermostat set at 24 degrees, room temp was 33 to start and dropped to 28 an hour later, and to 26 an hour after that, with fan only on low speed. 35 degrees outside. Consumed 1.8kw an hour, which converts to $0.51 an hour on my power tariff. Took less than 2 minutes to set up and get running, from unboxing. Window fitting is sturdy and simple to use, and unit is sturdy. Fan a little noisy but not more than a large pedestal fan on high speed. The exhaust tube sat on 40 degrees, but I wrapped it in foil, bubble wrap and more foil and it dropped back to 30 degrees. An excellent unit! Will have to wait for a cold Bendigo winter to see how it performs as a heater. Did not use the dehumidify function - no need here. I highly recommend this unit!
Hi there Jeff, We're so glad you're happy with your new AC! Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review and for sharing such detailed information about your experience. We appreciate you taking the time to highlight the quick setup, cooling performance, and even your clever solution for the exhaust tube. We hope it keeps you cool and comfortable for a long time to come!
Regards, Jay
Have now had a chance to see how it heats in a cold Bendigo winter. Room gets down to about 6 overnight - no underfloor insulation. On average it takes about 3 hours to go from 6 degrees to about 14, and another couple of hours to get to 17. Given the room is a tad larger in volume than the recommended capacity of the heater output., I am pretty happy with results. I would note that running on Heat with anything more than the low speed fan actually reduces the heat output. This may well differ in a room of smaller size than this room. I have also installed a clear poly drain tube from the unit to the outlet window as the unit accumulates water rapidly. Did have it draining in to a tub, but the tub needed fairly frequent emptying. This way I don't have to worry.
Hi Jeff, Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and helpful insights! We're really pleased to hear that the heater is performing well for you during the cold Bendigo winter — especially in a room slightly larger than the recommended capacity and without underfloor insulation. Your insights on heat-up time, fan settings, and the clever drainage solution will no doubt be valuable to other customers. It's great to know you're happy with the results, and we truly appreciate your feedback and support! Regards, Hana
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Hi there Jeff, Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed and thoughtful review! We're so pleased to hear you're happy with your unit. It’s great to know the system is performing well and proving to be a worthwhile investment. Your insights on running cost and performance will definitely be helpful to others. Thanks again for your recommendation and support! Regards, Hana