Big Workshop Gloat!!!

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Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member


12,000BTU Amana dual hose A/C+Dehumidifier+Dust Filter ~$350 at BJ's Warehouse.



Hot air goes out the top hose. Pipe wrap makes sure the heat goes outside. Make up air to cool the condenser comes in the bottom from outside. Rigged up dust filter with a reusable prefilter/dust/pollen filter sandwich helps keep the ambient dust down because the fan runs continuously while the unit is on.



2 Dryer hose vents, a little caulk, a few sheet metal screws, a 3" hole saw and a little luck I didn't cut into the 110V live romex feeding the freezer:oops: !!!



AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! in a 22X24X10 tall ceiling shop with minimal insulation.
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
I've had it running for a few weeks and it was tested pretty well yesterday when the temp got up to 93. It was able to maintain a set temp of 79. The tall ceiling was the unknown factor when I tried to calculate how much cooling I needed. The calculators had me in the 12,000 to 14,000 BTU range with normal height ceilings and insulation. I did not want to over do it as the dehumidifier function was important. If the unit is too powerful, it cycles too often and results in cool and damp air. I also use a few fans in the shop and the combination has kept me comfortable so far. If I'm doing aerobic activitees I can turn it down a few degrees.

The dehumidifier part of it works very well. The unit has a pump that circulates the condensate back up from the bottom tray and it assists in cooling the condenser when it vaporizes and is exhausted outside. If the condensate accumulates faster than it can be vaporized, the overflow runs out a 1/4" Tygon hose I was able to squeeze through the weatherstripping at the bottom corner of the back door.

I had researched these and the Mini-Split units and this was about 1/4 the cost after installation. If it holds up for a couple of years I'll be happy. There are 14,000BTU dual hose portable units on the market but they were in the $700 range and not available locally. If this doesn't work I can return it for my money back. BJ's works like Costco...they will take back anything...well dirty Pampers may not work:roll:... but this will be no problem.

Mark
 

kota62

New User
Gary Noble
That looks great...
Do you have to crank her up early in the morning to stay ahead of the heat...
I need one of those things so badly, the temp was over 100 in my shop earlier this week
Gary
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
So far leaving it set at 79 has worked fine. It still has capacity to cool a few degrees below that when it has gotten to 90 outside. After I insulate the garage door, ceiling and outside wall it should be no problen. Just getting the humidity down is a big help. No bugs flying around with the garage door open is nice too.
 

thrytis

New User
Eric
How hot does it get in the shop when not using the AC?

You'll probably see a big gain once you insulate. My garage used to get unbearably hot, but after insulating the door and the ceiling (the walls were already insulated), it stays mid-seventies or below without AC.
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
The garage door is facing southeast and the long outside wall is facing southwest. I couldn't have positioned the house better if I wanted it to collect solar energy:lol: . It got at least as hot as the ambient temp by ~12pm most days and ended up ~5 or so degrees hotter than the max temp of the day at ~6pm.
 
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