Air Conditioned Shop????

[Gilbert Vega]

Does anyone have any experience with using a portable a/c in the shop? I previously had a 10,000 BTU portable in my 400 sqft garage but it didn't cool sufficiently during the S. TX summer. Our neighbor-hood association does not allow window units to be installed.

What are your thoughts on my using a window unit around 24,000 BTU and enclosing the exhaust portion and ducting it to the outside, thus converting into a portable unit. Any thoughts?

Gilbert

[Mike Cutler]

Gilbert

In theory it could work, but your roll around unit has a fan to boost the exhaust air, which is full of condensation. If the window unit was set up with sufficient exhaust plenum flow, and it didn't interfere with the way air flowed through the unit, I can't see why it wouldn't work. You could lose some efficiency though.
I don't think you'll be able to exhaust it through 4" flexible ducting without a booster fan.
Build an enclosure around the unit out of 2" foam board, as if it were in a window, trap and exhaust the heat and humidity and you may be in business.

[Lee Schierer]

One house we rented had a window unit that was mounted on a shelf inside the house and the back was flush with the surface of the outside wall. It looked like an air intake. They had piped the condensation from the evaporator to a drain inside the house with 1/2" pvc. You could make a new opening in your wall, install it flush with the outside and technically it would not be window mounted.

Unless you insulate your garage and it has a ceiling, it isn't going to make a lot of difference for cooling. Before we added central air to the house, I used a large ceiling fan over my work area and it made it pretty cool in my shop for working.

[Robert Parrish]

Take a look at a split system. I have a Mr Slim from Mitsubishi and it works great. Pricey tho!

[Jerry White]

Gilbert,

No experience with a portable A/C, but I sympathize with you on your heat problem. Prior to installing a window air conditioner in my shop, it seemed impossible to work in the summer without dripping sweat profusely, fan or not. It didn't hurt me, but it was sure tough on the cast iron machine surfaces.

Have you considered a split unit A/C? You might get one of those OK'd by your homeowners association. I was looking for a good buy on a split unit for a while and finally just went ahead and installed the window unit. Luckily, my window is to the back of my property where no one sees it (except for a coyote now and then). No HOA hassle.

My concern about using the window unit inside and attempting to duct the heat out is that it would probably be extremely difficult to capture and duct away all the heat and humidity generated by the A/C unit. Is your shop insulated?

[Bill Huber]

I think Lee has the best idea going, just mount it inside and have the back side of the unit flush with the outside wall, no one would even know it was there.

I would make a box a larger then the unit so that when you put it in the box you would not be pulling the air out of the shop to cool the unit.


117912

[Dell Moore]

I always thought air conditioned shops were filed under "pipe dreams". :D

[Keith Outten]

I have a self contained heat pump that sits on a concrete pad that provides both heat and air conditioning for the (2 car) shop at CNU. Everything is inside one outside cabinet including the filter, there is a rectangular duct that runs from the unit through a hole in the shop wall at the floor level. The duct provides a recircilating system for delivery of conditioned air and return air.

Something like this may be worth investigating, you could build a small fence around the unit and it wouldn't be an eyesore and it isn't a window unit.

Dell, air conditioning may be an option in some areas and not in others. I could say the same for heating......it all depends on your location and an individuals particular comfort zone for working. In July and August here in Virginia when the temps get over 95 and the humidity is over 90% for weeks at a time I doubt I would visit my workshop very often much less try to work on a project. At 57, I'm not as good as I once was :)
.

[Glen Blanchard]

I agree with Robert. I bought a Mitsubishi split system and it handles the north Texas heat wonderfully!

[Kent E. Matthew]

I switched the house over to central air a few years back. I still have the old swamper that someday will go on to the shop.

[George Cooke]

OK ...FOR YOU GUYS THAT ARE USING A SPLIT SYSTEM ! JUST WHAT SIZE SHOP ARE YOU USING THE UNIT IN? ? ? ? i AM REALLY THINKING HAD ABOUT INSTALLING ON IN A 3 CAR SHOP ONLY SPACE THAT IS COMPLETELY INSULATED.

[Robert Parrish]

George, My split system is cooling the 2 car portion of my 3+ car garage about 600 sq ft. I have a wall between the two sections and if I open the door it will cool off the whole area. The garage door and attic are insulated. The temperature right now outside is 90 and my shop is 76!!

[harry strasil]

do a search for Haier Portable AC's, I had one to cool our house before I got central air. All you have is a hose to a window and the spacer for the partially open window is included. and they are reasonable. I gave ours to my SIL who uses it to cool his small blacksmith shop in Texas.

And of course Insulate sides and ceiling if you want the unit to be efficient.

[Jason White]

Here's my "central AC" for the shop (picture)...

$100 at Harbor Freight. 30" and 3 speeds of pure LOVE!!! :D

I built a mobile base for it which really helps my achin' back.

Jason

[Jason White]

You're better off with a "mini-split" system. No ducts and no window-mounted unit. The compressor sits outside and the air-handler mounts on an interior wall. Several manufacturers including Rinnai, Mitsubishi, etc.



Does anyone have any experience with using a portable a/c in the shop? I previously had a 10,000 BTU portable in my 400 sqft garage but it didn't cool sufficiently during the S. TX summer. Our neighbor-hood association does not allow window units to be installed.

What are your thoughts on my using a window unit around 24,000 BTU and enclosing the exhaust portion and ducting it to the outside, thus converting into a portable unit. Any thoughts?

Gilbert

[Steven DeMars]

You can not block the side ports on a typical "window unit . . . . Flush mounting the back with the wall alone will not work. You have to build a "tunnel" large enough to match the opens on the sides of the unit . . . .

If this does not make sense, PM me and I will explain it to you . . .

Steve Living in Prairieville, Louisiana . . .

It's nice and cool today . . .

Baton Rouge Current Conditions
Temp:
87° F
Heat Index:
88° F
Sky:
Partly Cloudy
Pressure:
30.01 in. Hg
Wind:
South at 9 mph
Dew Point:
66° F
Humidity:
48 %
Last updated: 5-10-2009 15:15

[Lee Schierer]

Take a look at a split system. I have a Mr Slim from Mitsubishi and it works great. Pricey tho!

I don't know the price, but you can buy a unit that is made in the USA from ECR International (http://www.ecrinternational.com/products.asp?type=Ductless) I've visited their factory in upstate New York.

[Don Selke]

Jason:

Here in the Phoenix area where the temperatures during the summer months can get up to 120, putting a fan in the shop is the same as placing a fan behind a furnace or blow tourch.
My shop has a 24,000BTU A/C unit mounted in the wall behind the yard gate not to be seen from the front. (HOA also) I simply shut down the shop during these months as the cost of A/C is not warrented. :(:(

[John McCaskill]

I always thought air conditioned shops were filed under "pipe dreams". :D

It all depends. I don't need a heater in my shop, the few days it's cold enough here to need one don't make it worth it. A/C on the other hand isn't a pipe dream, it's a necessity. The heat/humidty together mean that even fans can't make it comfortable.

My A/C is worth every bit of the $400 the unit cost me when I converted the garage (room finished) to my wodshop 10 years ago.

John

[Jason White]

At least it's a "dry heat!" ;)

Maybe it's time to move up to Flagstaff. :D



Jason:

Here in the Phoenix area where the temperatures during the summer months can get up to 120, putting a fan in the shop is the same as placing a fan behind a furnace or blow tourch.
My shop has a 24,000BTU A/C unit mounted in the wall behind the yard gate not to be seen from the front. (HOA also) I simply shut down the shop during these months as the cost of A/C is not warrented. :(:(

[Joe Jensen]

I'm another Phoenix area resident. I had a 24,000 BTU Sanyo mini-split installed last summer. I have a 3 car garage, well insulated above and the doors are well insulated, the walls are not. The mini split units are great to hide, and super quiet. Mine has a SEER rating of 18 or 20. I did the math, and it will cost me a couple bucks for each day I use it. If I start it in the morning, it can keep the shop about 80 no matter how hot outside. If I don't start until it's over 100 outside, it will take hours to cool down. I have 36 four foot 40 watt bulbs, and I can tell that when they are on, the unit struggles more.

I'm not totally happy so I may have foam blown inside the three walls that are uninsulated (one long wall is connected to the house. I put 2" of high density foam on each panel of the garage door.

[Gilbert Vega]

Thanks. You have given me a lot of information to digest. The split system sounds very interesting. I may look those up. Thanks again.

Gilbert

[Mike OMelia]

Funny.. I would not have expected to see the same topic I just posted earlier. For me, I am torn between the split unit and the portable.

Sorry for duplicate threads.

Mike

[Joe Jensen]

Funny.. I would not have expected to see the same topic I just posted earlier. For me, I am torn between the split unit and the portable.

Sorry for duplicate threads.

Mike

Mike,

Mini-split pros
- quiet
- attractive
- highest efficiency
-
Mini-split Cons
- Expensive
- requires pro installation

Portable (Window unit) Pros
- Much cheaper
- Self Installation
- Lots of choices
Portable (Window unit) Cons
- Unattractive unit, not allowed by most HOAs
- Lower efficiency, especially for cheap units

[Dell Moore]

Actually, I live in the mountains, and my shop has a decent size wood burning stove in it, courtesy of the previous owner! Cold is a bit more of an issue.

Of course, this discussion got me thinking, I DO have a small window unit I could install this summer if I need to.....:D

[Greg Crawford]

Gilbert,

Being in the Houston area, I know what you're facing. I too have the neighborhood nazis, so I mounted 2 of the cheapest units from the BORG below my fence line. It's been about 8 years, and no complaints. My neighbor mounted a window unit high on the back of his garage under an awning he made for his pool equipment, so his is very hard to see. We both have woods in the back, so there are no prying eyes from that direction.

Have you thought about putting a window unit in your entry door? If they made you remove it, at least all you'd have to do is replace the door. It also wouldn't be permanent, so it may get around the deed restrictions.

My restrictions also state that any request for a variance must be placed with the HOA, annd if you hear nothing back within 30 days, it's automatically approved. It doesn't state it has to be certified mail or anything else that proves they got it. If I do something and they ever say anything, that's my out. Of course, I would NEVER suggest you do anything on the sly ;-)

[Mark Fogleman]

Here's a write up of how I installed a dual hose portable A/C in my 2 car shop in the Charlotte, NC area 2 years ago:
http://ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/big-workshop-gloat-8868/

Works great after 2 full cooling seasons. The absolute best $350 spent on my shop as I would not work there between June and October d/t the heat and humidity.