Garage Workshop Cooling

[Carlos Alvarez]

For my previous applications I specifically wanted a single-hose unit that would also exchange air from an otherwise well-sealed space. But it's something to consider and be aware of. I don't know which is better for a shop.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

[...]

So I am curious about how you guys have solved the garage cooling problem. I would love to hear your solutions. Preferably as cheap as possible as wifey is getting uptight (as am I) about the startup expenses for the shop. Plus every dime spent on cooling is one less dime to spend on new tools.

I live at the tropics, actually our home is slightly more than 10 km South from the Tropic of Capricorn.

My solution was to construct the garages and my small 104 square foot workshop under the house (basement). The temperature is reasonably constant all the year, around 20-24 degrees Celsius inside (10-30 degrees Celsius outside). Very convenient.

Regards,

[Marc Jeske]

For my previous applications I specifically wanted a single-hose unit that would also exchange air from an otherwise well-sealed space. But it's something to consider and be aware of. I don't know which is better for a shop.

Your single hose unit exhausted your shop air, and sucked makeup in in from your shop air "holes" from the hot ambient around your space outside.

Overhead door gaps, loose fitting doors/windows, It HAD to come from somewhere is my point about one vs two hose.

W two hose, the incoming goes ONLY to remove the internal heat collected by the machine.

It is contained within the "loop"

W one hose, you suck in hot outside air into your SPACE.

Usually, generally speaking, "Portable" hose units are EXTREMELY EXTREMELY inefficient.

Marc

[Charlie Hinton]

I thought about the one hose/two hose designs for the portable units.
The two hose units certainly have the potential to be better, but they are less available than the one hose units.
This is the one I bought https://www.costco.com/De'Longhi-Pin...100398718.html and if it really comes down to it Costco will take it back for 90 days.
I am trying to decide how I will vent the unit.
The options are to cut a hole in the metal garage door or to cut a hole in the ceiling and vent into the attic.
The exhaust run would be very long if vented to the attic but I am leaning towards that solution.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Yes, exactly, I needed it to bring in outside air so I got single-hose units. And like I said, neither use was in a shop. I've used them a few times in small server rooms, and once for a mid-size cabin cruiser boaI don't know which is better for a shop.

[Marc Jeske]

OK, so what I'm sayin is... it's like a HOT 94F sunny summer day in Texas, and you decided to cook a 10 lb frozen Pork Butt in your oven for dinner.

So, yer AC was already runnin big time cause it's 94 F outside, and NOW yer gonna run yer Oven in the house duhh for 5 hours at avg 325 F to cook that rock solid FROZEN roast close to 200F internal for "Pulled Pork".


We did it last night actually.

This is the SAME thing as a one hose port AC.

You are ejecting heat, BUT you are incoming heat.

Physics 101- Energy NEVER disappears, it only transfers.

We REALLY need to soak that up.. totally understand that...Fascinating actually.

When you run your tablesaw, whether it is 2 hp or 7.5 hp, the energy is dissipated (transferred) in your shop.

$$$ is being spent.

A technically (only to make a $ point) smarter way would be for me to thaw said pork roast on table at least overnight,( food safety issues are a separate matter) thereby contributing to house cooling...........Only after that, then to cook for a shorter time... injecting LESS heat energy for my AC to remove.

Marc

[Carlos Alvarez]

I think we all understand basic heat exchange. In some cases you may want one or the other. It's good that you pointed out the choices to be made.

[Marc Jeske]

I talk too much.

Thank you for your post.

Marc

[Marshall Harrison]

A technically (only to make a $ point) smarter way would be for me to thaw said pork roast on table at least overnight,( food safety issues are a separate matter) thereby contributing to house cooling...........Only after that, then to cook for a shorter time... injecting LESS heat energy for my AC to remove.

Marc

The real smart thing would be to get a Big Green Egg and smoke that thing outside at 225 degrees until it gets to an internal temp of 203 - 205 deg.

[Charlie Hinton]

I have been piddling around this morning with the garage door up.
The weatherman says it will get up to 96 degrees today.
I figure today will be a good day to try out the portable AC unit.
At 11:00 the temperature in the garage is 83 degrees.
For the first test run I am just venting it under the garage door.
I will post late afternoon garage temperature.

[Peter Christensen]

I thought about the one hose/two hose designs for the portable units.
The two hose units certainly have the potential to be better, but they are less available than the one hose units.
This is the one I bought https://www.costco.com/De'Longhi-Pin...100398718.html and if it really comes down to it Costco will take it back for 90 days.
I am trying to decide how I will vent the unit.
The options are to cut a hole in the metal garage door or to cut a hole in the ceiling and vent into the attic.
The exhaust run would be very long if vented to the attic but I am leaning towards that solution.

We have a couple Delonghi units that we used in the last house. One has the pair of hoses (11,000 BTU) and the second a single hose (10,000 BTU). The dual hose unit exhausts the excess water out of the exhaust hose and with the single you have to deal with the water it condenses in a big bucket, a floor drain or a hole in the wall. Keep an eye on that bucket. I had the dual one setup with both hoses going through a single window with maybe 10" between them and it seemed to work fine. I didn't have an instruction book for it so don't know if it is supposed to have a lot of separation. I may use one in the new shop if it gets too hot this summer.

[Charlie Hinton]

The outside temperature got up to 94 degrees today.
The garage got up to 85 degrees and was reasonably pleasant to be in.
I had the portable AC venting under the garage door that was raised 6-8 inches.
All in all I think it's going to work ok.
I guess the next thing to do is to blow some insulation into the attic and glue some foam onto the garage door.
I am still trying to decide whether to cut a hole in the garage door to vent the unit with the shortest hose possible or to vent it into the attic with an oversized duct.
Anyone have thoughts on that?

[John Stankus]

My current setup is a a Mitsubishi minisplit. I self installed, purchasing from ACWholesalers in Florida. Works fine with the high-temps we get in San Antonio. I did insulate the garage and the attic above.

At a previous house, I bought the biggest 110V window unit I could get. I built a low wheeled platform for it. I would open the garage door slide it out with the back end sticking out and close the garage door to the top of it. I took a canvas drop cloth and made a curtain to keep the cold air in. I also did a canvas curtain at the top of the door where the door was coming away from the opening on its tracks. That worked ok, but you had to give it a little time to catch up and cool things down.

John

[Ray Newman]

Marshall Harrison: the unit you posted link to in post #27 is a refurbished unit. Check the guarantee.

[Dan Henry]

A friend of mine has a sinigle duct ac/heat pump that he ran a duct through the cieling of his garage vents it close to roof turbin and has a insulated door and cieling insulation is very conformal in north Texas winter and summer