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If you can figure out the thermostat dial for the automatic shut-on/shut-off, this product can make the affected room two degrees cooler (although it remains two degrees warmer than the rest of the house). Initially we got it figured out and were pleased, then it got knocked out of whack and took some tinkering to get it set properly again. Now it seems to be working its two-degree magic again. The key is to get it set so that it sucks in the cool air when the A/C is running, but does not suck in the warm air after the A/C stops running.
As for noise, it really is not bad. Even on the High setting, it probably is less noisy than the oscillating fan we already use.
Finally, it's not as ugly as I thought it would be, but it has a VERY bright blue light on it that you may want to cover with tape.
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First and foremost, I want everyone to understand that this is NOT an air conditioner or furnace, nor does it create colder or warmer air. All it does (and claims to do) is move a little more air out of a weak register. Another thing...do NOT expect this unit to be as quiet as your old register. Your old register didn't have 2 fans running...this register will. Anyone expecting to spend $35 and solve an entire room's HVAC problems has extremely unrealistic expectations.
That said, this unit has worked decently for my HVAC needs. I live in a 3-level condo, where the bottom floor will normally have a 10-degree difference from the top. Unfortunately, the top floor happens to be the bedroom, the one room that temperature actually matters. Rather than do some extensive modifications to the house, I figured I'd give this unit a shot.
It's a pretty cut and dry operation, with an on, off, auto-heat and auto-cool setting. The latter 3 settings all have low-medium-high fan settings. From the way some people were talking, I was expecting this thing to possibly sound like a box fan, though I was relieved to find it to be much quieter than that. It was, however, still noticeable when it was on. Airflow was maybe 50% better than without, although it didn't quite seem as powerful as I was hoping. I'm almost positive that these fans are almost interchangeable parts with a computer CPU fan. The Auto Heat/Cool functions are nice, but take a good amount of tweaking before you get them in the right place. Be prepared to have to make at least 3-4 adjustments, minimum.
After doing some other research, I found that many people have come up with an answer to the semi-noisy fans, and I figured that I would try it myself. If you turn the register over and cut the air grates off the backside, it will make a drastic improvement on noise. (See attached picture) I would go as far as to say it's a 50-75% improvement of overall noise. People also claimed a 50% improvement on airflow, although I personally found it to be maybe 25% better, if that. I would, however, HIGHLY recommend this modification if your primary complaint about the register is how much noise it makes. One word of caution though...this modification will likely void your warranty, and you will NOT be able to return the item. Choose wisely.
Lastly, I bought this as an open-box item and got it quite a bit less from Smarthome. When it showed up, I couldn't even tell it had been opened. It was probably from someone who didn't care for the noise and was a like-new return. If I were looking to pick up one of these, I would strongly consider an open box item.
Summary:
PROS:
-Works fairly well (4-6 degree difference on 3rd floor home)
-Quiet after modification
-Good value given other expensive options
-Auto Heat/Cool functions
CONS:
-Semi-noisy fans if left unmodded
-Somewhat short cord
-AC adaptor gets pretty warm
-Auto Heat/Cool takes some tweaking
Final Thoughts:
I would definitely recommend this for around $30. If you pay $50, it's getting a little steep. If you're afraid to cut off the rear air grates, you may not care as much for this product, as it yields a drastic difference in the noise level.
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This unit is very effective. I have it in a room that is the fartherest from the furnace/air-conditioning. It has made a noteworthy diffrence in the temperature of the room. The fan cycles with the flow of air very nicely and the noise level is not annoying. This unit was a great purcase and has performed better than I expected.
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I put this in my daughters room upstairs which typically reads about 5 degrees cooler in the winter than the rest of the house. On the low setting this really didn't make a difference, temp difference was less than 1 degree. When I put it on the medium fan setting though we were able to feel a difference it seemed. According to our portable thermostat the room was reading about 2-3 degrees hotter than it was before. I was really impressed it delivered that much, seeing how it doesn't create the heat, it just tries to pull it through the vent. Plus in a 2 story home, the upstairs typically is always colder anyways.
The only down side to this unit is the fan noise. If they put in quieter fans in this this would be awesome. Other than that, really I can't imagine anyone would use this higher than the medium fan speed because medium is not quite at all and high is just too loud for my comfort.
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I bought this item on May 4, 2010 to pull some extra air into a small bedroom without a return vent. It definitely improved the situation, particularly when used on the high setting with the door open. Unfortunately, the high setting is also rather loud, much more so than it could be if better parts were used.
The biggest problem, however, is that, today, after two years of use, the unit caught fire. I noticed a burned wire smell coming from somewhere in the house and just made it into the room in time to see it spark and ignite. I yanked the plug out of the wall (which was extremely hot) and covered the fan with a blanket until it went out, leaving a black mark on the carpet. Needless to say, I would not recommend using this unit.
