The world's ugliest air conditioner

[ssmith1627]

We have a separate building at our house that used to be my wife's grandparents apartment. Has a gravel garage space on the front and then about 5 rooms back behind it. Hasn't been lived in in over 15 years but still provides some good dry storage -- using it as a warehouse for a friend's business.

There was an old window unit air conditioner up there that looks like it's out of the early 70's. I had run some new circuits through the space for power and lights. With day after day of this heat and humidity in Knoxville, I finally just went up there and plugged the thing up. Blew out some dust and crud at first but wow -- it still worked and still cooled.

Wasn't quite sure what I was getting into but I tore away the surround and the bracing and caulking and somehow managed to get it in the back of my SUV to drive it down to my garage (shop). Was just about the death of us getting that thing up and into a window but I got it fairly well installed. Oh what a difference ! My saw/bench island is in a direct line with it and about 10 feet away so a mighty nice effect.

Now I have to think about what it might do to the wood stored in my garage -- but at least now I have a space I can work in during the summer heat !

Steve

[cabinetman]

You've got to be careful with a practice I've called by several names. Like "hazardous confinement" or "contained contamination". You'll have a "cool" so-to-speak work area, but subject to the dust and vapors due to lack of collection or ventilation. For health's sake, I can't emphasize the awareness of having a safe environment in which to work.



I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[ssmith1627]

Yes, my first quick step will be to find a new filter for this air conditioner. Is there anything more about it specifically that I should be aware of ?

On the dust side, I plan on my next "tool" to be the HF dust collector. I'm 37 but I still have high expectations for birthday presents ! I think that will go a long way to keeping the air quality high in my shop.

Is there anything else you were trying to imply that I'm not thinking about ? If so, please tell me ! Would love any and all feedback -- sincerely.

Thanks,
Steve

[vaking]

Steve,
One more factor to consider is the cost of running this oldie. Air conditioners today are highly efficient (EER around 10). The thing you found is probably half of that, so it will probably use twice as much energy as the modern AC would. Depending on the size AC today are reasonably cheap. Depending on how much and how often you plan to use it - do the math if it is worth it. Buying a new unit might pay for itself in a matter of one season.
Just my 2 cents.

[cabinetman]

Yep. The ole fresh air thing. The filter in the AC will be kaput in short time. Dust stays in the air a long time. The DC does not get it all. The AC will do nothing for ambient fumes. Let's see, there's got to be more...



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[ssmith1627]

Thanks Alex. That's a very valid point. Worth calculating for the hour a day I'd use it during the week plus a lot more on weekends.

Cabinetman -- so your suggestion for getting fresh air into the space is what ? What are you doing in your shop ?

My garage is certainly not perfectly sealed.....and on any day like today I'd have the two doors open and the garage door up. But on days like Monday where we had 96 here and Tuesday was 90, it was just unbearable.

Again, suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.

Steve

[cabinetman]

The point I'm trying to make is an obvious one in allowing as much outside air inside to ventilate the area. I don't work in a confined AC shop. If I knew 30 years ago how dangerous dust and vapors were I wouldn't have worked so unprotected. I have suffered from my stupidity. I have posted in other areas the actual dangers involved in our work, and agreed that some of us are more susceptible than others, but to work in a size of a 2 car garage enclosed with AC on, I wouldn't make any dust, or use anything toxic.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[BobSch]

The point I'm trying to make is an obvious one in allowing as much outside air inside to ventilate the area. I don't work in a confined AC shop. If I knew 30 years ago how dangerous dust and vapors were I wouldn't have worked so unprotected. I have suffered from my stupidity. I have posted in other areas the actual dangers involved in our work, and agreed that some of us are more susceptible than others, but to work in a size of a 2 car garage enclosed with AC on, I wouldn't make any dust, or use anything toxic.

Don't most window units offer the choice of recirculating the air or drawing in fresh air? If so, setting the unit for "fresh" should help, at least a bit.

[ssmith1627]

Yes, mine does have that option -- a selector knob to choose where the air comes from.

But from what cabinetman is saying, it sounds like a much larger issue. And all I've done is add a/c to the room -- it's cooler but nothing else has changed. Either it was bad for me before or it wasn't.

I'm certainly not challenging his statements. I'd really like to see the discussion continue. Clearly something we should all take more seriously. I'd just like to see more in the "solution" column -- how others are dealing with it, their shop conditions, air filtration, etc.

Again, look forward to the feedback -- this forum is my continuing education website. And to be clear -- I mean that sincerely, not with sarcasm.

Steve

[25]

Not everything your doing generates dust right? Just open the garage door when you are using power tools and turn the AC on for other non-dust activities(layout, glue up, most hand tools, etc).

[wwday3]

My garage is certainly not perfectly sealed.....and on any day like today I'd have the two doors open and the garage door up. But on days like Monday where we had 96 here and Tuesday was 90, it was just unbearable.

Not wanting to stray too far off-topic here, but I want to relay an experience of mine.

Last winter we had a couple zero degree days and had a pipe or 2 freeze up. These particular pipes run close to - but not in - an attic space above our "insulated" garage and laundry room. It was the last straw for me, and I decided to finally add the insulation in those attic spaces I've been threatening to do for a couple of years. So, I went to HD, bought 30 bags of loose-fill insulation, got the blower rental for free, and went to work. When I was done there must have been a good 2 feet of insulation above the laundry room and a 18-20 inches above the garage. (I did a few other things to protect the pipes specifically, but they don't really apply here

Winter benefit: No more frozen pipes and much more comfort in both the laundry room and garage.

Surprise summer benefit: On 90+ degree days my garage is COOL, even with the garage door open. I can literally feel a 10-20 degree drop when I walk from the outside into the garage. It's amazing. What was once a furnace of a garage is now "cool".

Since the question will likely come up - the loose-fill insulation cost less than $300.

[Ken Massingale]

Not wanting to stray too far off-topic here, but I want to relay an experience of mine.

Last winter we had a couple zero degree days and had a pipe or 2 freeze up. These particular pipes run close to - but not in - an attic space above our "insulated" garage and laundry room. It was the last straw for me, and I decided to finally add the insulation in those attic spaces I've been threatening to do for a couple of years. So, I went to HD, bought 30 bags of loose-fill insulation, got the blower rental for free, and went to work. When I was done there must have been a good 2 feet of insulation above the laundry room and a 18-20 inches above the garage. (I did a few other things to protect the pipes specifically, but they don't really apply here

Winter benefit: No more frozen pipes and much more comfort in both the laundry room and garage.

Surprise summer benefit: On 90+ degree days my garage is COOL, even with the garage door open. I can literally feel a 10-20 degree drop when I walk from the outside into the garage. It's amazing. What was once a furnace of a garage is now "cool".

Since the question will likely come up - the loose-fill insulation cost less than $300.

yep, insulation is the cheapest heat or cooling.

[vaking]

Wwday,
Granted.
Insulation should be installed before any heating or airconditioning. Airconditioning without insulation is equivalent to burning money in the stove to stay warm. It works only in Russian economy.