Air Conditioner

[blackthorn]

The area where I live is classed as semi-desert. I have a small 12x16 fully insulated and wired shed that I use as a reloading room. Due to todays elevated temperatures I would like to get some kind of a small AC unit. I do not want to have to put any holes in the wall or have to change a window to vent one. My concern is that the ones I look at on line use water/evaporation to cool the room. I do not want to chance introducing moisture into my loading area and have to deal with rust issues in there. I also do not want to have to put out big bucks to get what I want. Any ideas???

[ohen cepel]

Hard to say without seeing your set up but I would think there is a window unit which would work for you. That is also the way I would go if possible as cheap to replace it as needed and remove it when not needed. May be smaller than the window, but you can fill that in. I have buddies who buy a few each year when Walmart closes their AC's out as they know they will want them for their sheds or cabins the next year.

The portable units which sit inside the space could also work and are more friendly to odd window sizes but take up room inside and I have been less than happy with in the long run.

[country gent]

I looked into several several different things when I did my shop. I finally settled on a mini split that provides both heat and air. There are 2 lines that go thru the wall to the unit from the cassette. The cassette mounts on a wall or ceiling. The actual condenser is mounted outside. One thing to keep in your thoughts is all inside the condensate water has to be dealt with.

My condenser is in the garage part of the building with a pan and drain line running out. In the winter the radiant heat from the sun on the metal building helps a lot with the heating, and in the summer it shades the unit for cooling. Another plus is the unit is inside out of the blowing sand and crud.

[imashooter2]

We put a ductless split into our living room when there weren’t any other attractive options. They are wonderful things, but not what I’d call low cost.

You only need 5,000 btu for that small room. It’s going to be hard to beat a window box for cost and ease of installation. Many options under $200.

[MarkP]

Walmart has portable AC units -- they use a flexible duct to exhaust the heat. The 6,000 BTU is listed at $209.

[35isit]

Walmart has portable AC units -- they use a flexible duct to exhaust the heat. The 6,000 BTU is listed at $209.

I use one of this type in my UNinsulated reloading shed. Because it uses a remote to operate, I installed mine under my bench. I run my condensate hose into a cup.

[45DUDE]

My reload room is 20x13. I use a 10000 110volt. It puts out about 3 1/2 gallons of condensation every 24 hours. One too small runs all the time. I leave mine on 75 degrees all Summer on energy saver.

[Tall]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toshiba-...SCWR/311290366

[David2011]

Blachthorn, we have one of those portable air conditioners. They have to be vented to the outside or the heat they remove is just returned to the room in which they’re running. Ours was purchased to keep a bedroom cool during the power outage after a hurricane. It was inadequate. Since then I’ve also tried to cool a well insulated all seasons room. It has double pane windows, insulated doors and is very tight. It kept the room at 82-85 degrees F with proper venting. It was expensive and disappointing.

In the area where I live (Houston) there are ads in some of the social media markets for inexpensive mini-splits. I had a Mitsubishi installed in that all seasons room, my workshop and reloading room with 3 separate head units. Expensive but good. Reverse cycle heat pumps perform poorly below 40 degrees F. I have to use a space heater in the shop and all seasons room on the rare days that it’s cold here. I know that you don’t want to install a window unit in the wall but that plus one of the oil filled electric radiator heaters would serve you very well.

Next up in cost would be a mini-split that has electric heating strips. No idea how expensive or how available they might be. A space heater as mentioned above would be a good alternative to the mini-split with heating strips.

[Cast10]

I have a portable unit as described above. I bet you don’t have to drain it but every few weeks.

[MrWolf]

Mini splits are not hard to install yourself. I put two in NJ and two in Florida. They have gone up in price just like everything else.

[Bmi48219]

All A/C units produce condensation. I’d go with a window unit. Cheaper, easier to replace and the condensation drains outside.

[gwpercle]

I use one of this type in my UNinsulated reloading shed. Because it uses a remote to operate, I installed mine under my bench. I run my condensate hose into a cup.

Mine fills up a 5-Gallon bucket over night .
The portable units must have a flexible duct , vented to outside air and a drain ...
mine will fill a bucket (5-gallon) in 8 hours ...
My advice is a Window Unit ... a cooling only unit isn't very expensive and the back of the unit , poking outside , is the exhaust and the drain line is easy .
Installing one in a window is also easy .
Easy and cheap will be a window unit ... if you got a window in the right place !
A 5,000 or 6,000 btu unit will cool a 200 sq. ft. room with 8' ceiling ... if buying new, see what btu's the maker says to use ... and get the next larger size ... I would go with a 7,000 btu unit ... bigger is better in extreme heat .
Check your window opening size too .
Gary

[45_Colt]

One thing that can really help with a small A/C unit is a air duct. This is for the outside condenser portion. Notice how an A/C unit draws regular air into the back, and expels hot air from the sides.

What can happen is that a circular pattern can be set up. IOW, the A/C air intake is fed from the air outlet. So the condenser/compressor temperature increases and the efficiency drops. It just keeps cycling the same 'ole hot air.

A 3 - 4' duct on the back of the A/C unit, on the intake side, isolates the outgoing hot air from the intake.

I've used wood to build a square duct. And even two plastic buckets for the same. It can make a huge difference is how well and how inexpensively an A/C unit can operate.

The plastic bucket setup was easy to build. Cut the bottoms out with a utility knife. Drill some holes around the end edges, and tie-wrap them together. If the A/C unit is low enough can use bricks, stones or such to align the duct with the back of the A/C unit.

Otherwise some wire (copper or stainless works well), can be used to hang the unit on the back.

45_Colt

[M-Tecs]

The area where I live is classed as semi-desert. I have a small 12x16 fully insulated and wired shed that I use as a reloading room. Due to todays elevated temperatures I would like to get some kind of a small AC unit. I do not want to have to put any holes in the wall or have to change a window to vent one. My concern is that the ones I look at on line use water/evaporation to cool the room. I do not want to chance introducing moisture into my loading area and have to deal with rust issues in there. I also do not want to have to put out big bucks to get what I want. Any ideas???

If you are referring to swamp type coolers they are rust monsters. You would be better served by standard type AC units.

https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-...-swamp-cooler/

[Bmi48219]

OP is trying to cool 1,600 cu ft. of fully insulated space. No mention of heating, lives in BC so I’m guessing he has that covered. We’re it me I’d look at a window A/C unit, maybe even cut and frame a dedicated opening for it near the ceiling. A light luan cover box for the winter months would be good. Some stone or river rock underneath to catch and dissipate the condensate drainage. And most importantly, a way to direct the cool air so it doesn’t play heck with a powder scale.

[Tall]

A window unit is what you need. Have a hole cut in the wall and move on.

[Txcowboy52]

I would highly recommend a mini split unit. We installed one at our lake house and it’s not much bigger than what your building is . Best thing we ever did prior to installing it we had a window unit. It could barely keep up and was noisy.

[dverna]

A shed used for reloading

$150 for a 5-6000 BTU window unit that will do the job or $1500 for a mini-split?

Seems like a simple choice to me.

[45DUDE]

All A/C units produce condensation. I’d go with a window unit. Cheaper, easier to replace and the condensation drains outside.

I have had a lot of window units and still do and all drip a lot-- except the one on the north side of the house. I haven't seen it drip since new <7 years>It's a 12000 btu and works great. I don't understand the no drip but I like it. It gets cold quicker than the rest.