My shop AC is making a horrible noise!

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  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    My shop AC is making a horrible noise!

    The squirrel cage fan that blows the hot air out, seems to have blown a bearing. It runs fine for a few minutes, and after about 5 minutes or so, there is a loud clicking / squealing noise.

    I would like to look into / fix this if possible, but I am not sure how to even access this assembly.

    The A/C unit in question is a Royal Sovereign ARP-1400WW.

    Has anyone here had a portable AC apart to fix the fans? How hard is it to get the covers off?
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  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    Are you referring to a real portable ac or a window shaker? I've replaced the motor in window shakers before, shouldn't be anything different, use the same principals. They use 1 motor with a shaft out both ends, and a fan on both ends, pretty hard to get everything off and get out but is doable. Most of the time it is easier to replace the motor than replace the motor bearings.
    capncarl

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    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      I forgot to mention, if my ac started making unusual noises I would be looking for its replacement quickly. If it was an easy fix, ok, but if it was a problem it is going to the dump. Click image for larger version

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      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #4
        It's an actual 2 hose portable unit. I have had it about 4 years or so I guess. Not super impressed with it.

        If I have to replace it, I am seriously considering going with a mini split system.
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        • capncarl
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 3564
          • Leesburg Georgia USA
          • SawStop CTS

          #5
          I have never seen a 110v portable ac that I was impressed with. We used a lot of them on our Marine base as back up when the office ac's were down. Mostly psychological because they never cooled much, probably put as much heat into the room with the compressor and fan motor as it removed.

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          • dbhost
            Slow and steady
            • Apr 2008
            • 9209
            • League City, Texas
            • Ryobi BT3100

            #6
            Originally posted by capncarl
            I have never seen a 110v portable ac that I was impressed with. We used a lot of them on our Marine base as back up when the office ac's were down. Mostly psychological because they never cooled much, probably put as much heat into the room with the compressor and fan motor as it removed.
            The HUGE problem is the hoses. I worked around that using 5" insulated flex duct hoses in place of the stock stuff. I also wrapped / spray foam insulated the tubes / pass through vents for the AC.. It could certainly work better though!
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            • TB Roye
              Veteran Member
              • Jan 2004
              • 2969
              • Sacramento, CA, USA.
              • BT3100

              #7
              I have a small window AC,120 sqft shop. I take it out in the winter have had for 7-8year cost $109 at HD when starts acting up go HD and get a new one. Not wroth the effort.

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              • capncarl
                Veteran Member
                • Jan 2007
                • 3564
                • Leesburg Georgia USA
                • SawStop CTS

                #8
                As good as a mini split air conditioner is, (refered to as a ductless system) is they are ductless and do not have any facilities for make up air, bringing in outside air. For a workshop this is probably ok but in a dwelling it can have odor problems. Cooking, smoking, smelly feet and pet odors could linger a long time. Even most window air conditioners have an outside air feature.

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                • dbhost
                  Slow and steady
                  • Apr 2008
                  • 9209
                  • League City, Texas
                  • Ryobi BT3100

                  #9
                  I've got, if I recall my dimensions correctly, ~400 sq/ft to cool. I have no windows in my shop, as it is an attached windowless garage, so I opted instead to replace a piece of bad siding with good, and put holes for 5" dryer vent type ducts for the portable AC. Due to the brick, not to mention security concerns, and HOA restrictions, a Window unit isn't an option for me. I actually kind of wish it was.
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                  • dbhost
                    Slow and steady
                    • Apr 2008
                    • 9209
                    • League City, Texas
                    • Ryobi BT3100

                    #10
                    Well, I finally had some time to fiddle with it. I have been working doubles, and due to contract restrictions I can't put in overtime, so they made me go home... After I caught up on much needed sleep I did a little bit of housework, and went to the shop.

                    It was 100 deg F and about 90% RH in the shop two hours ago. I turned the AC on, it ran for 5 minutes, and returned to the horrific squirrel cage fan noise, including stopping the fan entirely and throwing a breaker. Reset the breaker, disassembled the ducts, checked for obstructions, cleared God only knows what sort of dead thing it was from the grate that keeps stuff from crawling into the house via the duct, re set the ducts being very careful to double check the angle. Ran the AC for about 15 minutes with no duct attached, no noise. Attach intake duct, no problem, attach exhaust duct, NOISE...

                    Further investigation shows...

                    #1. The molded plastic housing for the fan is integrated to the main assembly cover of the unit.
                    #2. The fan housing bit of the cover is somewhat warped, and when everything is hot on the exhaust side, with the exhaust hose installed at a certain angle, it creates pressure that makes the fan rub the housing, and the hotter it gets, the worse it gets.
                    #3. I found I can alleviate this pressure and rubbing by once the exhaust hose is installed, pushing the top of the hard coupler of the house as if to rotate the assembly downward, and push a shim into the gap, this pulls the housing far enough away from the squirrel cage fan to give it room to operate freely.

                    The AC now has been operating for a bit under an hour before I stepped in to post this. When I started temps in the shop were like I said, 100 Deg F, 90% RH, last known readings were at the man door to the house, which is the hottest part due to the proximity of the freezer, it was 85 deg F, and 70% RH.

                    I know it is a bit of bubble gum and bailing wire engineering, but it seems to have the immediate problem solved.

                    Long term though, it is painfully obvious my portable AC solution is just NOT going to be reliable enough to not cause me expensive headaches far too frequently. So I need to find another, affordable, effective, and RELIABLE cooling solution for the shop.

                    A few years ago on another WW forum, I saw somebody had rigged a kind of manifold box for a window unit AC, that allowed him to mount that AC close to the ceiling corner, and pull fresh air from one port in the soffit, and blow hot exhaust air out of a separate port. He was using something like a 15K BTU 115v LG Window Unit. I might give some serious consideration to going that route, except doing the box floor standing, and ducted out my existing ductwork so I don't have to poke any more big holes in the house...
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                    • capncarl
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 3564
                      • Leesburg Georgia USA
                      • SawStop CTS

                      #11
                      You could use the the VW forum guys idea for a window unit with the hose you have going outside but I would put a squirrel cage fan in line to boost the intake air. Earlier houseboats and cruisers had window air conditioners that were slid into a box inside the cabin. That way nothing was protruding outside. They worked great. I've even used this concept on several pop-up campers except the box with the AC was on the floor with a louvered. wall panel.

                      What happens to your condensate water now? Do you leave your AC on full time? It needs to run full time to benefit from its humidity removal. It takes a lot of ac to cool 100 degrees /90 rh to a comfortable temp.
                      capncarl

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