Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Cooling down an air conditioner

From: "Steve Hammatt, Mount Vernon WA USA" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2016 20:57:59 -0700

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GEnerally not a good idea.  All you=E2=80=99re ding spraying mineral =
filled=20
water on the coil, which when the water dries, leaves behind a=20
mineral (scale) build up.  Scale is one of the best insulators and=20
will do nothing but inhibit the cooling.  If you say, but we have=20
very soft water (i.e. little or no minerals), while that may be true,=20
then you have a low pH water (acidic) and the coil fins will be soon=20
eaten away.  No win, either way.
The best thing you can do is make absolutely sure that coils in your=20
system are CLEAN.  Remove all dirt, fuzzies, leaves, obstructions, etc.
that can and will restrict the designed cooling.
Good luck.

Steve Hammatt
Mount Vernon WA USA
(27 years experience industrial/commercial water treatment)

From: Robert nogueira=20
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2016 3:19 PM
To: Shop-talk=20
Subject: [Shop-talk] Cooling down an air conditioner

I've got a window mounted A/C in my garage. It generally does a pretty =
good job of cooling it down but now that the daily high is over 100 (f) =
it is having a problem and is tripping the breaker after running a hour =
or so in mid afternoon ( unit gets full sun).

Question: would installing a fine water mist sprayer behind the =
evaporator coil easy the load on the compressor thus allowing it to =
continue to cool?
For the few weeks I have this problem it is not worth the cost of wiring =
and installing a larger unit.
Thanks for any thoughts

Bob Nogueira=20
_______________________________________________

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Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]

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No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2016.0.7690 / Virus Database: 4633/12778 - Release Date: =
08/08/16

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<BODY dir=3Dltr>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>GEnerally not a good idea.&nbsp; All you=E2=80=99re ding spraying =
mineral filled=20
</DIV>
<DIV>water on the coil, which when the water dries, leaves behind a =
</DIV>
<DIV>mineral (scale) build up.&nbsp; Scale is one of the best insulators =
and=20
</DIV>
<DIV>will do nothing but inhibit the cooling.&nbsp; If you say, but we =
have=20
</DIV>
<DIV>very soft water (i.e. little or no minerals), while that may be =
true,=20
</DIV>
<DIV>then you have a low pH water (acidic) and the coil fins will be =
soon </DIV>
<DIV>eaten away.&nbsp; No win, either way.</DIV>
<DIV>The best thing you can do is make absolutely sure that coils in =
your </DIV>
<DIV>system are CLEAN.&nbsp; Remove all dirt, fuzzies, leaves, =
obstructions,=20
etc.</DIV>
<DIV>that can and will restrict the designed cooling.</DIV>
<DIV>Good luck.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: =
#000000">Steve=20
Hammatt<BR>Mount Vernon WA USA</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: =
#000000">(27 years=20
experience industrial/commercial water treatment)</DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: =
#000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D'FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: =
"Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; =
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<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=[email-masked]=20
href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">Robert nogueira</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 08, 2016 3:19 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=[email-masked]=20
href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">Shop-talk</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Shop-talk] Cooling down an air=20
conditioner</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D'FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: =
"Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; =
DISPLAY: inline'>I've=20
got a window mounted A/C in my garage. It generally does a pretty good =
job of=20
cooling it down but now that the daily high is over 100 (f) it is having =
a=20
problem and is tripping the breaker after running a hour or so in mid =
afternoon=20
( unit gets full sun).<BR><BR>Question: would installing a fine water =
mist=20
sprayer behind the evaporator coil easy the load on the compressor thus =
allowing=20
it to continue to cool?<BR>For the few weeks I have this problem it is =
not worth=20
the cost of wiring and installing a larger unit.<BR>Thanks for any=20
thoughts<BR><BR>Bob Nogueira=20
<BR>_______________________________________________<BR><BR>Shop-talk@auto=
x.team.net<BR>Donate:=20
$12.96<BR>Archive: http://www.team.net/archive<BR>Forums:=20
http://www.team.net/forums<BR>Unsubscribe/Manage:=20
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]<BR><BR=
><BR><BR><BR>-----<BR>No=20
virus found in this message.<BR>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com<BR>Version: =

2016.0.7690 / Virus Database: 4633/12778 - Release Date:=20
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From: Jeff Scarbrough <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2016 08:05:29 -0400

Can you install a temporary shade over it?

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 6:19 PM, Robert nogueira <[email-masked]> wrote:
> I've got a window mounted A/C in my garage. It generally does a pretty good job of cooling it down but now that the daily high is over 100 (f) it is having a problem and is tripping the breaker after running a hour or so in mid afternoon ( unit gets full sun).
>
> Question: would installing a fine water mist sprayer behind the evaporator coil easy the load on the compressor thus allowing it to continue to cool?
> For the few weeks I have this problem it is not worth the cost of wiring and installing a larger unit.
> Thanks for any thoughts
>
> Bob Nogueira
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.96
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
>

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From: Pat Horne <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 09 Aug 2016 07:55:58 -0500

Several years ago I purchased a new window unit that I thought was defective because it didn't drop. Turns out the condensate puddles inside where the condenser fan picks it up and throws it on the coil. 

This water is pretty pure but as someone else mentioned, tap water has a lot of crud in it. Might try using distilled water instead. 

Shading the unit is the first thing I'd try. 

Peace,
Pat

Pat Horne 
We support Caldwell County Habitat for Humanity

On Aug 8, 2016, at 5:19 PM, Robert nogueira <[email-masked]> wrote:

Bob Nogueira 

[email-masked]

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From: Jimmie Mayfield <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2016 10:59:34 -0400

I performed some experiments a few years back just before I replaced my 
old central air units.  They were still functional but old and I wanted 
to pre-emptively replace them before the weather turned really hot.  I 
figured since they were being replaced that week anyway so I wasn't 
concerned about doing something to shorten their lifespan.

Test 1 was directly misting the condenser coils.  We have pretty hard 
water so I knew this couldn't be a permanent solution but I was curious 
how much of a difference it would make.  I don't have a clamp-on meter 
so I couldn't directly monitor the compressor's current draw but I saw a 
noticeable difference at the service entrance meter (yeah, I actually 
stood at the meter counting seconds per revolution as I turned the water 
on and off.  boring but...science!).  I don't have the numbers anymore 
but the difference was noticeable even by my crude observations.  On the 
order of 25% less current drawn when the fins were being actively cooled.

Test 2 was to try to cool the air *around* the condenser units without 
actually getting the fins wet.  I figured this method would avoid the 
scale build-up so if it worked it might actually be a long-term solution 
on hot days.  To do this, I rigged some foggers on a PVC scaffold about 
8 feet above and 4-5 feet to either side of the condensers (couldn't 
mount closer because the fan exhaust would interfere).  Kind of like how 
people mount foggers above and around the perimeter of a outdoor patio.  
The idea was the fog would cool the air as it evaporated on the way down 
and the condenser fans would suck this cooled air over the coils.  
Sounded good but in practice I didn't notice much difference at the meter.

On Aug 8, 2016, at 5:19 PM, Robert nogueira <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
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