Home heating and cooling thoughts and ideas.

[YJ02]

so..A/C

now we have three, fairly new, researched before the purchase, very good and effective window units

our home, like so many its age in PA does not have central air

we do have excellent insulation which helps keep the heat in the winter and helps keep the nighttime cool from outside inside for a bit i n the morning

now one of these ac units is finally going bad. this particular one,I mounted in the wall by cutting through the dry wall and ext siding/backing boards for a year round install.

works out well

and, my wife and i are committed to buying replacements that are just as well made and well reviewed (by actual users!) before we buy just any piece of junk

we were gong to replace this unit with this wall mounted unit that pumps in cool air from an outdoor cooling plant

https://www.lowes.com/pd/MRCOOL-Do-...-Split-Air-Conditioner-with-Heater/1000254341

a bit on the expensive side but:

though i could mount it myself and install the cooling unit outside, i would need to bring in someone to do the electric. its a 220v and Ted is not messing around with that. I would have to leech off an exiting 220 line. of course anything 220v, it is highly recommended, be on its own circuit. this would share with the water well pump, which doesn't run continuous, so it would work, but still...

then the cost--willing and able, but are there no other options?

so, looking into these indoor units

first so them in korea 30 yrs ago. older korean buildings, many of them, do not have windows large enough, some stores and bars,etc, do not have any windows

so these indoor uprights are extremely popular and extremely efficient producing a lot of cooled air (Also, tankless water heaters have been the norm there and many other places for years and years. a american style water tank is nearly unheard of/seen in korea)

now, they are available i n america (have been for awhile) and the price keeps going down and the reviews keep going up

and they are 110v. since i already have a cut through in our wall, it will be easy to adapt it to fit the intake and exhaust hoses

many can also be used as dedicated de-humidifiers as well

we are leaning towards the Whynter model on this page. it goes for $452 on amazon

THOUGHTS??????

https://bestreviews.com/best-portable-air-conditioners

 

[Lord Ba'al]

Unfortunately I have no experience with AC to offer you Yongjin. Where I come from, AC is kind of a rarity, especially in the lower income class.

 

[Tripler]

I am a retired HVAC guy so upgrading window shakers to a ductless is the bomb . I have installed hundreds of those things from Mitsubishi to Carrier to Goodman, Fugitsu .
So yes , a lot of them are now 110v but if it is also being used as a heat pump it may be the 220v. Some can be heatpumps. Of course the heating side of it will increase the price .
Now as far as doing the refrigeration lines you are going to need a flaring tool, rubitex insulation to cover both lines ( supply,return) . Some weather proof or protected 3 wire plus a ground control wiring from the outdoor unit to the indoor head .
Keep in mind , you have to remove all moisture from the insulated copper lines your running from the condensor to the evap coil in the indoor head . I also flushed the lines with nitrogen and soap test the joints under around 100 psi. Then release the pressure and attach a vacuum pump to the lines to evacuate all moisture from the system . Then you have let it sit for 20 mins or so under vacuum and have a micron gage to measure any loss of vacuum .
So as you can see unless you have all those tools which will add up into the $1000+ , there’s a lot to do when installing a ductless .
My Vacuum gages alone were $1200 but they are super higtech latest greatest from 5 years ago . The vacuum pump around $600
So it might be easier just to have a contractor do the whole install . They would also do the wiring as I did the whole install from start to finish .
Good luck

 

[Lord Ba'al]

I am a retired HVAC guy so upgrading window shakers to a ductless is the bomb.

yada yada yada

So it might be easier just to have a contractor do the whole install . They would also do the wiring as I did the whole install from start to finish .
Good luck

Ooooooooor....

You could help a brother out and install it for Yongjin.

 

[Tripler]

I don’t think we live very close lol ... North America is a pretty big place .

 

[YJ02]

So it might be easier just to have a contractor do the whole install . They would also do the wiring as I did the whole install from start to finish .
Good luck

yea....

soooo going with the indoor unit.

defin. can be installed without issue and much cheaper...no contractor needed

thanks trip

 

[YJ02]

I don’t think we live very close lol ... North America is a pretty big place .

dude you are like 3hrs, tops..away! its like a straight shot from the niagara/buffalo crossing then straighton south on us 219---eazzy peazzyyy man

get here now and you can enjoy some fresh mulberries and black raspberries!

 

[YJ02]

Unfortunately I have no experience with AC to offer you Yongjin. Where I come from, AC is kind of a rarity, especially in the lower income class.

but,but,but...Euro-socia..er

nevermind

 

[Overmind One]

I use a Della 8,000 btu unit to cool my studio apartment, and it works perfect. I have to put it on my kitchen counter to make it so I can compact the tube which goes out the window. I am going on two years with it and sitting here in comfortable 70 degree temp while it is about 85 outside. Tomorrow and Friday will be over 100 degrees here, so I am prepared. It cost me about $250, and manages to cool my whole place. That window is my kitchen window, and the tube is compacted so the heat coming from it does not heat the room. Cheap and effective.

Amazon product

 

[YJ02]

I use a Della 8,000 btu unit to cool my studio apartment, and it works perfect. I have to put it on my kitchen counter to make it so I can compact the tube which goes out the window. I am going on two years with it and sitting here in comfortable 70 degree temp while it is about 85 outside. Tomorrow and Friday will be over 100 degrees here, so I am prepared. It cost me about $250, and manages to cool my whole place. That window is my kitchen window, and the tube is compacted so the heat coming from it does not heat the room. Cheap and effective.

View attachment 34214

Amazon productView attachment 34215

the one we are looking at has 2 hoses; a intake and exhaust..maybe because it is for a larger area and/or it is also a dehumidifier?

btw, you are near the coast there, right? what is the humidity like? here, the normal humidity for this time of yr is between 80-90%

 

[Overmind One]

the one we are looking at has 2 hoses; a intake and exhaust..maybe because it is for a larger area and/or it is also a dehumidifier?

btw, you are near the coast there, right? what is the humidity like? here, the normal humidity for this time of yr is between 80-90%

Humidity can get very high, but it isn't the same as inland humidity. It usually comes in the form of fog or cloud cover at the coasts. Inland, it makes everything feel hot and you get all sweaty. My unit also is a dehumidifier. But your dual hose unit you are looking at has a much higher btu rating, yes?

 

[PussyGalore]

One word: Geothermal.

 

[Tripler]

Believe it or not but we got a portable AC in the garage for the ZR-1 . Just running it whilst the temps are over 100f . Once it’s back into the 70’s and 80’s we will turn it off .Humidty can do a lot of damage to a car .

 

[YJ02]

But your dual hose unit you are looking at has a much higher btu rating, yes?

yes 14k

 

[YJ02]

Believe it or not but we got a portable AC in the garage for the ZR-1 . Just running it whilst the temps are over 100f . Once it’s back into the 70’s and 80’s we will turn it off .Humidty can do a lot of damage to a car .

that sounds a lot like wha we would tell officers about our survey vehicle the second time around in saudi

it was a chevy blazer with the PADS (position azimuth direction system elevation too) and it had a bunch of sensitive parts (gyros, inertial measuring unit, CPU, power supply, fans) mounted in a frame wit h springs that made up for cross country issues and maintain survey accuracy

thing is it was never designed to be mounted in a fully enclosed vehicle like a blazer but rather 'soft skin, vinyl top' things like the Jeep and Hummvee for good ventilation

so, some slick surveyor the rotation before us, got his unit to take that checy downtown riyahd checy dealer and had a AC installed and the back windows tinted!!

"yes sir, that is air conditioning sir...the PADS needs it not us"

 

[Lord Ba'al]

Humidity can get very high, but it isn't the same as inland humidity. It usually comes in the form of fog or cloud cover at the coasts. Inland, it makes everything feel hot and you get all sweaty. My unit also is a dehumidifier. But your dual hose unit you are looking at has a much higher btu rating, yes?

When we were in Laguna Beach last year, the dampness was rather high as far as I'm concerned. Much higher than I'm used to. (and I spent all my life in the Netherlands and Northern Ireland aside from holidays) It was also cloudy, I guess from the fog from the ocean. When I drove a couple of miles inland however, I found myself with clear skies and really nice sunny weather, not feeling humid.

 

[Tripler]

Ok so I just realized that one of those AC's you are looking at is quick connects . I have not seen that type of freon tubing since the 80's and the industry stopped using them because they always leaked . Perhaps it is new tech but if you do do it your self , you will need the proper oil to lubricate the threads when you tighten them together . The kit may even come with a small bottle of oil for the threads . Otherwise you will never get a proper seal and the metal will bind against itself and you will have small metal bit floating threw the system and it will destroy the compressor .
So other than electrical being done , then yes . This is a do it yourself home owner job . Be sure to read the instructions and also a template should be in the package for you to mount the backplate which holds the head to the wall . It will give you instructions on distance from the ceiling or corner of the room . The higher of course is the best for these types of units . We often installed them at the top of a staircase and the unit could do a good job of cooling the front entrance and ajoining rooms on the lower level and pull the heat from the second floor at the same time .

 

[Tripler]

The system should be 410a and you will need a matching oil for that type of freon or vac pump oil . Fresh Clean oil of course poured right out of the bottle onto the threads before tightening .

 

[YJ02]

Ok so I just realized that one of those AC's you are looking at is quick connects . I have not seen that type of freon tubing since the 80's and the industry stopped using them because they always leaked . Perhaps it is new tech but if you do do it your self , you will need the proper oil to lubricate the threads when you tighten them together . The kit may even come with a small bottle of oil for the threads . Otherwise you will never get a proper seal and the metal will bind against itself and you will have small metal bit floating threw the system and it will destroy the compressor .
So other than electrical being done , then yes . This is a do it yourself home owner job . Be sure to read the instructions and also a template should be in the package for you to mount the backplate which holds the head to the wall . It will give you instructions on distance from the ceiling or corner of the room . The higher of course is the best for these types of units . We often installed them at the top of a staircase and the unit could do a good job of cooling the front entrance and ajoining rooms on the lower level and pull the heat from the second floor at the same time .

thanks for the research!!

we decided to go with the portable unit though

it just seems to be a 'no brainer'

we have experience with these types of units from when we were in Korea and it req's little for me to do other then take out the old AC --which I have in the wall--get some plywood to fill the space with a hole in it to allow for the hose needed

probably get a piece of pvc to go through the wall with a screen cap on the outdoor end and then fit the AC hose to the pvc on the inside

THANKS THOUGH FOR CHECKING IT OUT FOR ME!!

 

[YJ02]

we have experience with these types of units from when we were in Korea and it req's little for me to do other then take out the old AC --which I have in the wall--get some plywood to fill the space with a hole in it to allow for the hose needed

probably get a piece of pvc to go through the wall with a screen cap on the outdoor end and then fit the AC hose to the pvc on the inside

I just realized how "hillbilly" this reads!! I can just imagine th eword pictures painted in someone's head from that description

let me make a addition....

in this room where the a/c is and the new one will go, it is th elargest room in the house. Some ppl call it a 'great room' although we are not that pretentious

the issue was that whe nmy parents built the place, the only window they put in was a huge anderson bay window (the kind where like 5 dogs and 10 cats could sit and watch the outside--I now have a 55 gal aquarium in it and there is still room on either side for a half dozen house plants)

the issue? this big awesome window has vertical windows that crank open and an a/c would never fit

so, i cut through the dry wall, removed insulation, cit through the out wall and siding, framed it up like a window then installed the a/c on a permanent basis (as in no removal in winter)

so, yes, i'll get that plywood for the outside, get some matching siding up, re-insulate then drywall up the inside leaving a hole for that PVC hose outlet from the new a/c

WHEWWWW!!! glad i cleared that up!