Real BTU Check product guide
BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT Portable Air Conditioner
A small to mid-size room with a 20.5 to 59 inch window opening
A single-hose 10,000 BTU ASHRAE unit that also dehumidifies and runs as a fan, with R32 refrigerant, a washable slide-out filter, castor locks and MIST evaporation that usually leaves nothing to drain. Its manual gives a usable 64 to 95 degree Cool range, but published DOE capacity figures for it vary from 5,500 to 6,300, so check the EnergyGuide label.
Listing checked . Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Published specifications
- All sources: 10,000 BTU ASHRAE 128; DOE figure published variously as 5,500, 5,550 and 6,300
- Manual: Cool 64-95 F and Dry 64-95 F room temperature range
- Manual: window opening 20.5-59 in; 12 in clear all round, 12-36 in from the window wall
- Maker pages: R32 refrigerant, 15.3 x 14 x 24.8 in, 47.3 lb (the manual's own table differs)
- Manual: MIST evaporation, ft full-tank stop, drip pan and drain hose included
- Manual warranty: 1 year labour, 1 year parts, 5 years compressor part only, via W Appliance Co
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Wide 64 to 95 degree Cool range in its own manual, unlike the larger BPACT12 and 14 pair
- MIST evaporation means draining is normally an end-of-season job, with a drip pan supplied
- Five-year compressor coverage and a broad 20.5 to 59 inch window range
Caveats
- Published DOE capacity ranges from 5,500 to 6,300 depending on which source you read
- Single hose, so exhausted air is replaced by air drawn in from the rest of the house
- Warranty excludes transferred, refurbished and as-is units, and the model is not sold in California
One ASHRAE rating, three different DOE numbers
Everyone agrees on 10,000 BTU under ASHRAE 128, and the maker's support page publishes that figure alone. The DOE-side number is where it falls apart. The Amazon title says 5,500 BTU SACC. An Amazon bullet on the same page says 5,550 DOE. Amazon's spec table carries both a SACC Rating of 6,300 BTU and a SACC/CEC rating of 5,550 BTU. BLACK+DECKER's own product page titles the model "5,500 BTU (10,000 BTU ASHRAE)".
ASHRAE and SACC come from different test procedures and cannot be converted into each other, so we report all of the published figures rather than choosing one. What the spread tells you is that the number to check is on the yellow EnergyGuide label attached to the unit or its carton, not in a listing field. If you are weighing this against another model, compare DOE-side figure to DOE-side figure, never DOE against ASHRAE.
The 450 square foot claim comes from the listing. The maker's support page does not state a room size for this model, and the manual only says to use the unit in the recommended room size without printing a table for the 08 and 10 pair. Against a DOE rating in the mid five thousands, 450 square feet is an optimistic ceiling rather than a comfortable target.
Single hose, and what comes in the box
This is a single-hose unit. The manual's parts list is one air exhaust hose with separate hose inlet and outlet pieces, a window bracket that doubles as the hose connector, a foam seal, two metal locking screws, a drip pan, a drain hose and a remote control. Castor locks are fitted as well as four castors, which is a small practical plus on a hard floor.
Hose fitting is threaded rather than clipped: the inlet and outlet each push over the hose end and thread on counter-clockwise, the window bracket connector clicks onto the hose outlet, and the hose inlet locks to the hook on the back of the unit with a counter-clockwise twist. The exhaust hose and hose inlet stay connected in Cool and Auto and are disconnected in Dehumidify and Fan modes. The manual says the hose can be compressed or extended moderately but should be kept as short as possible with no sharp bends.
The maker's support page lists a slide-out washable filter, a large front vented outlet, a 24-hour timer and sleep mode, cord and plug storage, a top-mounted LED control panel and casters. It does not mention Wi-Fi, and neither does the manual; the Follow Me feature the listing advertises is a remote-as-thermostat function, not app control.
Where it fits: 12 inches all round, and a window between 20.5 and 59 inches
The safety guidelines ask for an air path of at least 12 inches all around the unit from walls, furniture and curtains. The installation guide adds that you should allow 12 to 36 inches of space from the wall with the window in it, for efficient operation. It needs a firm, smooth, level floor and must sit within reach of a properly rated grounded socket.
The window slider kit covers openings from 20.5 to 59 inches, and Amazon's table matches. A plastic locking pin holds the kit together in the box and has to be removed before you set the length and fix it with the supplied metal screws. If your opening is under 20.5 inches, the manual says to cut the panel that does not carry the hose hole, from the end opposite the hole, and never to cut through the hole itself. Adhesive foam seal is cut to length for the sash and the top of the window, and again to close the gap between the top and outer window frames.
Size figures do not agree between sources, which matters if space is tight. The manual's specification block, written for the BPACT08 and BPACT10 pair, gives 11.5 inches wide by 16.5 deep by 26 high and weights of about 52.9 and 57.3 pounds. Both the maker's support page and its product page give 15.3 by 14 by 24.8 inches and 47.3 pounds for BPACT10WT, and Amazon repeats those. Measure against whichever is larger in the dimension you care about and confirm on arrival.
A wide operating range, and the three-minute rule
This model's own manual gives Cool mode a room temperature range of 64 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and Dry mode the same 64 to 95, noting that performance may be affected outside those temperatures. That is a normal, usable range, and it is worth saying clearly because the sibling manual for the BPACT12 and BPACT14 models prints a much narrower 64 to 76 degree range for Cool. Do not read one family's table across to the other.
After the unit stops, the compressor will not restart for about three minutes, and operation resumes automatically after that. If you switch modes or cycle the power quickly, that pause is the design working, not a fault.
The manual's energy-saving advice is the usual list and is worth following for a single-hose unit in particular: keep blinds and curtains drawn, keep doors and windows shut, keep the filters clean, and place the unit where furniture cannot block the airflow.
MIST drainage: usually nothing to empty, until the panel says ft
The manual describes MIST technology, which it says means the water tank nearly never fills, so drainage is generally needed only at the end of the season. There is a fail-safe: if the tank does fill, the unit stops completely and the control panel shows ft for full tank, and neither compressor nor fan will restart until it is drained.
Intermittent draining means switching off, unplugging the drain cap and letting the water run into a pan. The manual warns that your pan may not hold the full tank and several fills may be needed, and that you should tilt the unit slightly up at the front to get the last of the water out. Restart in Cool or Dry, and expect the compressor about three minutes later. At end of season you pull the cap and empty the internal circuit completely into a basin before storing.
One quirk to ignore: the drainage section says MIST does not operate in Heat mode and the tank may still need emptying in Heat. BPACT10WT has no heat mode. It is shared text from a family manual, not a hidden feature.
Filters, power rules, California and the warranty small print
The evaporator filter lives in the intake grill and the manual asks you to clean it every week of operation: vacuum the dust off, or if it is very dirty immerse it in lukewarm water and rinse several times, then dry it fully before refitting. Never run the unit without filters in place. The cabinet is wiped with a slightly damp cloth and dried; no petrol, alcohol, solvents or insecticide sprays near it, and never wash the unit with water.
The listing gives 115 volts, 1,220 watts and a 70-inch cord. The manual is explicit: do not cut or remove the grounding prong, have an electrician fit a proper grounded three-prong receptacle if you do not have one, and do not use an adapter or an extension cord. The cord has a current-sensing plug with TEST and RESET buttons which are tested by pressing TEST then RESET, and which are not to be used as an on-off switch; a damaged cord cannot be repaired and must be replaced with one from the manufacturer. The maker's support page gives R32 refrigerant and the listing's refrigerant field agrees, although the same listing also carries a contradictory "Core Material: Environmentally Friendly R410a Refrigerant" field. That support page also notes that BPACT models are not available for sale in California.
The warranty is administered by W Appliance Co and runs one year for labour, one year for parts and five years for the compressor part only, which is longer than the listing's flat "1 year limited" field suggests. The exclusions are the ones that bite on a marketplace: units transferred from the original owner, products bought refurbished, like new, second-hand, as-is or final sale, commercial or rental use, service calls for improper installation, and shipping costs for a replacement. You need dated proof of purchase and the model and serial numbers, and service starts with a phone ticket rather than a return to the store.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- BLACK+DECKER brand product page for the exact model BPACT10WT
- BLACK+DECKER appliances support article with specifications for BPACT10WT
- Instruction manual for BPACT08 and BPACT10 supplied on the listing
Primary sources checked .
Compare with
- Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
A 500 sq ft room with a dedicated 15-amp outlet near the window
- Whynter ARC-122DS Elite Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
A humid 400 sq ft room with a drain point for the upper gravity port
- BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air Conditioner
A moderate room you cool before it gets hot, not a room already at 90F
- Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
A small room where 31.5 inches can stay clear front and back
- Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL Hose-in-Hose Portable Air Conditioner
A 450 sq ft room where the unit can stand 10 inches off the wall
- Midea MAP05S1AWT EasyCool Smart Portable Air Conditioner
A bedroom, home office or cabin of roughly 100 to 150 sq ft
Side-by-side pages, this model next to: Whynter ARC-122DS Elite Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner, BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air Conditioner, Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner, Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.