Air conditioner enclosure

[gcotterl]

I have a 3-ton air conditioner unit at the side of my house.

Is there an enclosure or screen that will keep leaves, twigs, sprinkler water, etc from getting into the unit year-around (not just off-season)?

[RicodJour]

Sprinkler water won't make a big difference as the units are designed to live outdoors and the water would probably improve heat transfer.

The units also need to breathe and any enclosure that would prevent leaves and twigs from getting into it would interfere with that breathing. Any other type of enclosure might reduce the amount of leaves and twigs, but it would make it tougher to clean out the ones that did get by.

R

[krw]

Water isn't going to hurt it at all. It's meant to be outside. This unit is transferring the heat from inside your house to the outside air. Any enclosure will restrict its efficiency significantly. Clean it once a year, if you must, but otherwise leave it alone. You can put a cover over it in the fall but be sure to let air circulate (leave a space at the bottom) so you don't trap moisture (think mold).

[Ed Pawlowski]

"RicodJour" wrote

Unless, of course, the water is very acidic or hard. Acid will corrode the fins, hard water will leave mineral deposits behind and result in lost heat transfer capacity.

[gcotterl]

I had to buy a new air conditioner unit because, on the old unit, the condenser fan had stopped turning but the condenser kept running to compensate until it burned out. Also, the base of the old A/C unit was rusted out (from the water from the sprinklers).

Because R-22 refrigerant is no longer legal, the evaporator also had to be replaced to run with the new R-410A refrigerant.

[RicodJour]

Wouldn't the uber-soft rain water clean off the fins, my hair- splitting friend? ;)

The real answer, as far as the sprinkler water, is to adjust the sprinklers so they don't drench the AC unit. I think the OP is likely to do more damage with respect to AC efficiency and possibly longevity by interfering with the air flow.

R

[The Daring Dufas]

That's odd, we've been installing new R-22 condensing units and the only difference from the previously available units is the factory no longer fills them with R-22. They are called "dry" systems and there is quite a demand for the replacement units. If a customer's R-22 condenser is beyond repair, we install a new dry unit, pull a vacuum then fill it with R-22. We don't have to replace the line set or evaporator and it saves the customer a great deal of money.

TDD

[RicodJour]

How old was the condenser when you had to replace it?

R

[Ed Pawlowski]

Not from my experience. Come to work with me tomorrow and I'll show you a coil that is a mess from sprinkled water.

[RicodJour]

I was mostly joking, Ed. I feel for people who have issues with hard water, but like I said in the part that you cut out from the quote, the sprinklers should be adjusted so the AC unit doesn't get sprayed.

R

[HeyBub]

???

Water won't bother it. Leaves and twigs can't get into the unit, unless they somehow manage to navigate through the fan blades.

Even so, the only thing that MIGHT happen is a leaf gets sucked into the fan when it first starts up in the spring. The leaf will be instantly shredded and you'll never know it was ever there.

I guess the sticks will just accumulate in the bottom.

You're really looking for a non-existent solution to a non-existent problem.

[hrhofmann]

The fan in my unit blows out the top, sucking air in thru the coils on the 4 sides. Leaves could get pulled onto the outside of the condensing coils if they fell while the unit was running. But when the unit shut down, the leaves would fall to the ground.

[GFretwell]

I am seeing a lot of expanded metal enclosures these days but it is not about "leaves" it is about your AC "leaving" (off to a scrap yard).

[The Daring Dufas]

Me and my friend who service AC systems have to use a shop vac to clean the leaves, pine needles and twigs out of AC condensing units all the time. The higher efficiency Trane units have a flat top with vents out the sides of the top cover and I've never had to clean much in the way of debris out of those particular units. I'll have to post some pictures of the units we mount on platforms 6 feet or more in the air that rarely get any trash in them, the coils even stay reasonably clean for long periods of time.

TDD

[aemeijers]

Nah, the whole damn box fills full of LITTLE leaves, around here. Tarping is a bad idea- promotes rust from condensation, and makes box a dandy home for the little animals in winter. Experts I have known recommended an open-sided carport to set over the unit in the off season- four corner poles, and a piece of weather proof something for a roof.

A note for anyone installing a new one- set them at least a rake's width away from house, and if possible 6-8 inches off ground, to keep the grass out of them, and to keep underside from being an animal haven. Some builders even bolt a shelf to house wall, but I have always found a solid concrete block at each corner to work well.

[Malcolm Hoar]

Yeah, at least that far to allow for airflow and avoid reduced efficiency.

In addition, I covered the surrounding dirt with course stones to try and reduce the amount of dust and crud that gets sucked into the vents.