Building shade structure for home ac condenser?

I live in the Houston Texas area and my house is cooled by a whole house ac. I have an efficient unit but I think that it would run even better if the condensor didn't sit directly under the hot sun in the middle of the day. My thought is that I would build a structure to give it shade. I would be interested in hearing from people who have done this and suggestions of websites for possible designs.

Thanks, Al Kondo

Reply to
Al Kondo
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This is Turtle.

I don't see the great need for this to be done but I have seen it and done it for customer for years with the shade to the condenser and it is very easy to do and does not take any great thinking to do it. You only need to put a one side structure up to shade your condenser and don't need to enclose it. Go out at

1:00 P.M. in the day and stand close to the condenser and put your arms up in the air and shade the condenser at this time. This will be the hieghth of the one sided wall and just have it wide enough to cover the condenser till dark. Now some people prefer a 2 sided wall for looks and that is fine too. You can hide it this away too.

Now building the structure : Use 4 X 4 Lawn timbers for the post and board fencing boards for the cross member to shade with. Most Shade will have to be 6 foot or more to shade properly.

Now a good ideal is to keep the fence atleast 24" from the condenser coil to make sure it plenty of air.

I'm from Louisiana and do HVAC/R for a living , but i too will not object to the shade even when the hvac industry can show you of it's very small savings. It has got to save more than just a small amount like they say.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

I'm in NY, where this is less of a concern. YOu'll get an assortment of opinions, but I'm for shading condensors. I don't remember the specs for how far off the top, but figure three feet or so, and open on the sides.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Al Kondo wrote: : I live in the Houston Texas area and my house is cooled by a whole : house ac. I have an efficient unit but I think that it would run : even better if the condensor didn't sit directly under the hot sun in : the middle of the day. My thought is that I would build a structure : to give it shade. I would be interested in hearing from people who : have done this and suggestions of websites for possible designs.

FWIW my brother lives in Phoenix and his unit sits on the roof of his house and thats the norm out there.

Reply to
kmy

You'll get a million opinions and tons of pseudo-science.

Or you can examine a well-conducted study:

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Reply to
Robert Barr

According to TURTLE :

I should think you could cut that 24" down to much less (with a suitably lower overall height and less of an overall eyesore) if you arranged for _lots_ of side ventilation.

Ie: don't run the walls to the ground, leave as much of the skirting open as you can.

If you can find (or make) cheap louver panels, use them instead of solid panels.

Etc.

Reply to
Chris Lewis

We conclude that any savings produced by localized AC condenser shading are quite modest (

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I could be wrong, I have not done the numbers, but it would seem to me there would be very little to gain but doing it. The heat gain by the sun has got to be low compared to the heat gain from the coolant.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Take it for what you think it is worth.

A book on my shelf, published when SEER's were lower claims up to a 20% reduction in energy cost when the condenser is sheltered from mid day and late afternoon sun.

Based on what I have read since I would think that high but I throw it out for your consideration.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

Make the top 10 feet above the unit with all sides open. Otherrwise when the discharge air hits the underside of the shade, the air recirculates back through the condensor coil. This costs you more than the savings rou get from the shade. I have seen such shades and walls built around the outdoor units. I have measured air entering the condensors as much as 115 degrees on a 95 degree day. That is a heck of a penalty for shading your unit. Plant a TALL shade tree. It will shade the unit but not recirculate the air.

Stretch

Reply to
stretch

This is Turtle.

The Manufactor recommend minium 18" but would prefer 24" and so we can just take the installation instruction and throw them out and put as close as you want. Also the 24" is the space to work on that side without taking down the sun block to work on it.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

This is Turtle.

when I was a ked working on hvac/r stuff in my father's business late 1950's till 1990 the ideal of shading a condenser was a must , but now days all the engineers and tom ,dick, and harry will tell you it make no difference.

Country boy theory : The hotter the condenser coil run or gets the higher the head pressure will run and then will burn more electricity at a higher head pressure. Call me the unknowing but i think it makes a difference.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Shading the condenser will not make the slightest difference, IMHO.

If trees or other shade producing structures provide shade for the house, the house will not get as hot as when the house is subject to full sun. Therefore, substantial savings in energy can be achieved by shading the house.

However, shading a condenser is a totally different story. The cooling efficiency of the condenser is solely dependent on the temperature of the ambient air that is used to carry-off the heat generated by the condenser. A lot of air is pushed through the condenser fins and shading the condenser has no effect on the temperature of this cooling air. Just common sense.

Save your money.

Walter The Happy Iconoclast

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Reply to
Walter R.

Must me nice to be you know it all but still have time to answer questions on a news group! Now back up what you say!!!

Reply to
Raid

I moved mine inside a long time ago, where the air conditioning keeps it cool.

Reply to
Matt

Did the laws of physics change?

Your conclusion that it does not save much may be correct, but your reasoning is incorrect. The sun will cause the condenser and any exposed fins to pick up some heat. The sun has been doing that for many years now. The only question is how much heat is gained and how much can be saved by shading and is there a payback. .

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I think the report Stormy posted a link to says it all! Nothing like a good study to lay this question to rest. Before we discuss this further, everyone should read the report.

Stretch

Reply to
stretch

I'm with you about the higher temps. The desert dwellers have known this for years -- shade is cooler. AC guys have also known this, that lower head pressure is.... like you say.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Mine's in the walk in freezer.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Thanks, chief, but someone else posted the link.

I read the report, they only tried one house, and it sounds like they coulda done a better job designing the shade.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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