Hello,
I'm looking for a cooling unit to use in a garage "wood shop" that
will make things comfortable this summer. This garage doesn't have
windows, so a window unit isn't a viable option. I am entertaining
the thought of getting a portable 12000 BTU unit (such as an Amcor)
and installing a dryer vent fitting on the side door of the garage.
Noise isn't much of a concern as I typically have hearing protection
on anyhow. I've got several dedicated circuits as well. So, what is
the general feeling on these portable units in terms of effectiveness,
longevity, etc.?
Thanks in advance.
It's a small, ductless, two piece air conditioning system (Heat Pump models
are also available).
The indoor unit hangs on the interior wall. It's connected to the outdoor
unit via a small hole in the wall to run the line set and control wiring.
Then you have the outdoor unit.
If you go to Goggle and type in "mini split", you will find as much reading
as you'd ever want on the subject. Like the link listed below.
http://tinyurl.com/2judcw
Do not listen to stormy, he was recently released from the HVAC mental
institution and is delusional. Sorry Chris, I didn't want to have to let
everyone know, but you have been a very bad boy lately!
its you Barry. you're probably unaware of the huge number of wood
framed homes that have an inch+ of stucco covering the exterior of a
home / garage. I'll bet you also dont know that the stucco is applied
in three seperate coats, a scratch coat, a brown coat & a color coat.
personally, I thing a portable is the perfect application for this
situation.
I can't see what the Stucco covering has to do with the installation of a
window unit. If you can't cut the hole close enough without needing to redo
the Stucco, you better get somone else to do the job!
Hmmm most resi garages are framed w/ studs 16" on center, meaning
you're going to cut at least one. Now, to do the job right, it has to
be headed out. You do realize that with stucco, there is no exterior
wall sheeting, it consists of tar paper & chicken wire thats nailed
right to the studs. Ok, now that you've used your masonary blade in
your skill saw to cut the stucco/chicken wire mess, just how do you
plan on re-attaching the stucco covered chicken wire back to the
new headers you framed in? You did back cut the studs 1-1/2" to allow
for the depth of the headers, correct? I suppose you'll remove the
sheet rock in the inside so you can nail the new headers to the
existing studs? Then maybe you plan on drilling thru the stucco so
that you can secure the cut edges of the stucco to the new headers
around the hole you just cut? What?? You have no intenions of
re-attaching the stucco to the new headers?
I would venture a guess you've never seen stucco in your life and have
goose-egg for experience in cutting / and or patching it.
Oh by the way, who is paying to do all this wall surgery?
Ok, so now you got a hole in your wall. I guess we get to run some
surface mount conduit & tie that back into the panel for a dedicated
wall plug.
That portable is looking sweeter & sweeter by the moment.
Hi,
I'm wondering if a 12000 BTU portable A/C unit would be capable of
making a 3-car garage tolerable in 100 degree weather. I'm looking at
the Amcor portable 12000 BTU unit with the dryer-style exhaust duct.
I'm not expecting to bring the garage temp down to the high 60s or
anything. But if I could get it into the high 70s or low 80s that'd
be fine.
Any other info regarding these portable units would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I own a 9000 BTU Royal Sovereign single hose unit. My experience is that
the single-hose portable unit seems like it has the half the cooling power
of a window unit with the same BTU (who knows, maybe less than half the
cooling power of a 9000BTU window unit). Problem with the single-hose
portable units is that they exhaust the hot air from the condenser out of
the room. This creates negative pressure in the room, and if installed in a
house, the room will draw air back into it from other rooms and ultimately
from outside the house. The BTU rating of single-hose portable units does
not factor in the warm air that is ultimately being drawn back into the
house.
If I were a betting man, there is no way you are going to get upper 70s or
low 80s in hundred-degree weather by installing 12000 BTU portable AC if it
is a single hose unit. Maybe if it were dual-hose there might be a chance.
You can get dual-hose units which solve the negative pressure issue by
having an additional intake hose that uses outside air to cool the
condensor, but I'm told that the manufacturers tend to warn against keeping
the intake hose connected if the outside temp is above 90 degrees because
there is a chance the condenser could overheat. If I were getting a
dual-hose unit I would make sure it is okay to keep the intake connected
hose up to 100 degrees outside. (I'm not sure I understand higher outside
temps would be problematic for keeping the intake hose connected...after the
condenser on window units and split systems are subject to those high
temps.)
Please keep the group informed what you decide to go with and whether or not
it worked to your satisfaction.
Jay
Problem I see is sawdust......
Here is a cheep way. Buy to identical outside units for a heatpump. (The
thing with the compressor in it.)
Mount one outside. Put one inside the garage. Take the reversing valve and
compressor out of the inside unit. Pipe up the inside unit to act as the
evaporator for the outside unit. It should be easy because it will already
have the expansion valve in place. All you will have to have going through
the wall is the vapor and liquid refrigerant pipe and drain pipe.
Put a pan under the inside unit with a drain pipe running outside. The
condensation from the coils will drain into the pan and out side through the
pipe.
You will have a abuse resistant evaporator unit on the inside. And you will
be able to wash it out with a simple garden hose when it gets plugged up
with sawdust.
Temperature control will be a thermostat on the wall.
I have often thought about using a outside condenser/heatpump unit for an
inside portion of an air conditioner in a workshop. It's as close to a
ruggedised unit as you can get for cheep.
It will withstand the impact of an occasional 2x4 without problem. And it's
coil is in full view for easy cleaning. And it will be simple to put
together.
On 24 Apr 2007 13:03:33 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:
For a seasoned professional wood worker this is a no
brainer!!!! Weather it be stucco, aluminum, or brick siding. The
cost of a stand alone unit verses a window shaker trumps everything.
Barry
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