Community Discussions

Remember my AC unit that I got that I was talking about a few days back? Well, I got it installed!
Check out my pics.

I just handed the camera to John through the hole lol.

When Termy does a job, it's done the right way the first time. 

Does she blow cold?

Yes she does, this is not a freeon type so it does not cool as well. Basically how it works is it uses a heat exchange system. The type of system you find in watter cooler fountains. Basically, the machine sucks the air in from the side of the unit then it goes through a heat exchange and the machine expells the rooms hot air out the back. (which as you see is connected to the vent outside) Then the machine chills the air and blows it out the front. Another thing that the machine does is it grabs the moisture from the air and delivers it in this watter resoviour. Now, I am still learning more about AC so that is as detailed as I can get lol.

As you can see by looking at the pic showing the control panel, there is two power modes. The first one just runs the fan, the second turns on the AC. Then bellow that is the fan speed selector. Bellow that is the louver setting. What that does is make the vent oscilate back and forth. Bellow that is the timer setting, I never use that. Well Marshall, what do you think? Nice piece of IPE ha? Keep me cool is what its all about in the hot summer heat!

Kewwwwwwwlllllll..... Termy !  Nice job !  

Dave...

Terms, I'm impressed!

Nice work there Termie.

Something that I find interesting is that you only have an exhaust vent for the hot air going out of the house. I don't see a supply air vent.  There isn't one to pull outside air in is there? That means it would be drawing make-up air from inside the house, which in turn pulls warm air from outside in through any air gaps in your house (all houses have them: around electrical outlets between foundation and house framework, around doors and windows, etc).  This tends to not be as efficient for cooling as if  there was a supply and exhaust circuit that used exterior air only.

A primer on A/C units:

Image a loop of piping with the refrigerant in it and 4 basic components: a compressor, condenser (heat exchanger), expansion valve and evaporator (another heat exchanger).  All are in that loop in the sequence I mentioned. The compressor compresses the refrigerant in its gaseous form to a high pressure and subsequently raises its temperature, and pumps it to the condenser. As the refrigerant is much hotter than the air that is blowing over it there is a transfer of energy from the refrigerant to the air which is the air that is exhausted outside the house. The slightly cooler refrigerant then flows to the expansion valve, where its temperature drops to well below room temperature as it expands. At this point the refrigerant is likely a mixture of gas and liquid. This flows to the evaporator where the room air is blown over this heat exchanger. Now the heat transfer is from the room air to  refrigerant and any liquid will turn to a gas again. The refrigerant warms slightly while the room air is cooled and blown back into the room, cooling the room. The refrigerant flows back to the compressor where the cycle starts again.

As the cooling that goes on of the air that passes over the evaporator coils can drop its temperature below the dew point, you need the tank to collect the water.

Highwind, I know some folks that have a heat pump, they're home is much more humid than many that don't. I have no reson for posting this, just flapping my jaws. LOL 

Thankyou so much Highwind!!! I learned allot from your post, and I like the way you explained it all. You seem to be knowledgeable about many things, good deal

Good job Termy!

As for you Mister Highwind.....  great primer! I finally got an easy to understand explanation on how an A/C works. Thanks!

It's been in the 90's here lately and the A/C has been a blessing.

You are most welcome Termie and MrMom.

Marshall,

How well sealed are those homes? And are they in an area of high humidity? I don't know why those homes would be so humid. Unless they are cooking and using the showers a lot.  The A/C unit may not pull moisture out of the air depending on how much it is cooling the air and how humid the air was to begin with so the air could be of higher relative humidity coming out of the A/C unit into the house.

My house A/C was turned on the other day for the first time as it was quite humid and hot out. My house is quite dry inside. Its always been dry in here no matter how humid it is outside. But I have extra insulation in the walls and attic. Its a little cooler in the winter here than where you live. Granted, not quite as hot in summer, either.

A heat pump is a reversible unit that allows you to pull energy out of the atmosphere to heat the house on cool days and to cool it on hot days. Unfortunately, they are also the least efficient when you need them the most if they use the outside air as an energy source/sink. If I were building a new house, I'd use the ground under the house or well water as a heat sink and source for the heat pump. 

<<edited to add MrMom, I'm too lazy to start another post, LOL>>