Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E) – Review

Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E) – Product Description

The PAC A120E from DeLonghi features 12,000 BTUs of cooling performance to keep you comfortable in the summer.   Eco-friendly R410A refrigerant gas contains zero ozone depletion potential and is also denser, allowing for more compact components and units.

Features of the Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E)

  • Quickly cools any room in the house
  • Uses environmentally friendly R410a refrigerant gas
  • 24-hour programmable timer
  • 4 fan speeds
  • Electronic controls

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Review of the Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E)

The Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E) was reviewed by 17   owners, who gave it an overall rating of 3.26 stars out of 5 stars.  Owners are either very pleased with this air conditioner or very displeased, depending on whether or not they have had problems with water leaking from it.

Comments were  “working beautifully”, “works so well that I’ll buy another for the second floor next summer”, “So pleased”, “and am considering buying a second one for the downstairs area where there is a family room, 2 bedrooms, and bathroom.“, “excellent product”, “great product.”, “leaks bad”, “not worth the hassle”, and “problem with leaks.”

Installation

Owners describe this air conditioner as very easy and quick to set up.  One owner described the set up very well, saying “The setup and connection to the outside window was as easy as opening and closing the window on the included window bracket, attaching the hose to the unit, and plugging it in. I didn’t even have to remove the window screen.”

Functionality

Owners all agree that the Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E) does an excellent job of cooling.  They are also pleased that this air conditioner also works as a fan or dehumidifier and like the remote control with digital thermostat.  One owner, unlike the many who have complained about leaks, says “I have monitored to see if any moisture drips or collects around the unit, but it has stayed completely dry. All of the moisture is sent out the hose through the window and vaporized.” This air conditioner also has a “sleep” function night, which maintains the temperature and humidity while keeping the fan speed low, gradually shutting down over the course of the night so as not to disturb sleep.”  Another owner describes this air conditioner as quiet and efficient.

A significant number of owners reported problems with water leakage from their air conditioner units. One owner reports This unit does a great job of taking humidity out of the air… and then dumps it all over the ground. A simple much cheaper window AC unit with same power will be much less of a headache even with all the window mounting.”  Another owner says “Cools the room great, but leaks. Unless you want water damage, try another unit.”  Yet another owner says “I’d advise anyone who cares about their floors to avoid this unit. It leaks badly. I returned one because it leaked, thinking it was an aberration. It wasn’t. The second one leaks too.” One owner reports “I loved this unit, until it started leaking about 2 weeks into its’ use. Delonghi is no help…The service center says the blower motors that evaporate the water and send it out through the vent hose go bad, and it’s common.”

Maintenance & Lifespan

Contrary to the belief of many owners that this air conditioner doesn’t require any maintenance, it appears that some cleaning and unclogging of obstructed lines, is necessary in order to ensure that this air conditioner continues to function well without developing leakage problems. A number of owners had had their air conditioner  unit for a year with no problems, however one owner who has had his air conditioner for 2 years reports “The first year, it worked perfect; the second year, it started to leak”. This owner was very enterprising and, when not able to get a satisfactory answer from Delonghi, went online and found a solution.  He says:

“I took off the panel on the right side of the unit (back view) and there is a small hole where the water should be running into. You must put a small wire down that hole to remove any obstructions… Also, I never cleaned the filter because there was never any dirt on the filter, but when I took off the panel there is a filter on the unit that was collecting all the dust. I vacuumed that part of the unit, reassembled the panels, started up the unit and no more leaks”.

Another owner suggested checking to see that the plug in the back of the unit that is supposed to prevent leakage, had been inserted.

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Summary

You take your chances with the Delonghi 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC A230E). Owners either love this air conditioner or are very disillusioned with it for the leakage…there is no grey area.  Installation is quick and easy and this air conditioner can be moved to different rooms.  This air conditioner also functions as a fan or as a dehumidifier and comes with a remote control and programmable thermostat.  If you get one that doesn’t leak, you have a powerful, convenient, and efficient air conditioner.  Clean it out periodically as per the instructions above to keep the lines from obstructing and water spilling out.  If you purchase this air conditioner, install it initially in an area that water will not damage, until you ascertain that it is working property and not leaking.   If you get a leaker, first check that the plug in the back is inserted and there are no obstructions in the lines.  If that doesn’t work, then you likely have an air conditioner with a bad motor blower and it is best to return it and buy something else instead.  Bottom line: Purchasing this air conditioner is a gamble.

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Other Delonghi Models and BTUs available:

Delonghi 10, 000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (PAC C100)  Click here

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