08-01-2009, 09:23 AM
The vinyl window is strong enough to hold the ac unit in it. I installed one in my old house with an aluminum frame, no screws. Master bedroom. The window "clamps" down on the ac unit and keeps it from falling out. I installed it from the outside in. At my mom's condo, her ac unit has a cage around it and must be installed from the inside.
Since your install is not on a ground level, you will need a ladder and can be installed from inside or outside . Someone(yourself) needs to be outside to hold the ac in place while someone inside(your wife) closes the window to keep the ac unit from tipping out. If the top window doesnt flex, you should be good without additional support(there shouldnt be a lot of pressure on the top window if the window unit is balanced on the window sill). The screws and little clip is to keep the window from opening up and the ac unit falling out/down. Here are some ac units balanced on the window sill, a lot of them are just plain wrong : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoneppink/2249515704/ One of them show a strap to the top. Hanging an ac unit with chain support is similar, but with two chains.
The bracket space time suggest requires screwing into the vinyl frame, which would probably void the warranty. If you can reach the window and eve of the roof with a ladder, you can install the ac with a chain hanging from the eve. But looking at the instructions, it is just supposed to be installed without any additional support.
EDITS: Sleepy and cant focus. Ha ha ha
Same as ground level installation. Two people required to install. If you cannot reach the window from the outside, you can install it from the inside, just dont push it out too much or bye bye ac. Instead of screwing the brackets to keep the window down, you can use a window security bar to keep the window down, some are spring loaded, others are slide and lock. You will have to put the side brackets with accordian window filler on the ac before you put the unit in. It will be easier to get them in one shot window closing. Also dont forget to balance your ac with some shims. Use composite shims or cut pieces of pressure treated or red wood lumber to level your ac unit.
Joe
Since your install is not on a ground level, you will need a ladder and can be installed from inside or outside . Someone(yourself) needs to be outside to hold the ac in place while someone inside(your wife) closes the window to keep the ac unit from tipping out. If the top window doesnt flex, you should be good without additional support(there shouldnt be a lot of pressure on the top window if the window unit is balanced on the window sill). The screws and little clip is to keep the window from opening up and the ac unit falling out/down. Here are some ac units balanced on the window sill, a lot of them are just plain wrong : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoneppink/2249515704/ One of them show a strap to the top. Hanging an ac unit with chain support is similar, but with two chains.
The bracket space time suggest requires screwing into the vinyl frame, which would probably void the warranty. If you can reach the window and eve of the roof with a ladder, you can install the ac with a chain hanging from the eve. But looking at the instructions, it is just supposed to be installed without any additional support.
EDITS: Sleepy and cant focus. Ha ha ha
Same as ground level installation. Two people required to install. If you cannot reach the window from the outside, you can install it from the inside, just dont push it out too much or bye bye ac. Instead of screwing the brackets to keep the window down, you can use a window security bar to keep the window down, some are spring loaded, others are slide and lock. You will have to put the side brackets with accordian window filler on the ac before you put the unit in. It will be easier to get them in one shot window closing. Also dont forget to balance your ac with some shims. Use composite shims or cut pieces of pressure treated or red wood lumber to level your ac unit.
Joe