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AC not doing the job, want to add window unit with no window

post #1 of 19
5/22/09 at 5:30pm
Thread Starter 
Hello all,
I've pretty much completed my attic theater and I can tell my home A/C is not going to do the trick. My room is 480 sq/ft and stays much warmer than the rest of the house. Because of budget reasons I need a cheap solution for cooling down my room. I've looked at portable units and window units and it looks like window units provide a better bang for the buck. Here is a drawing of what I propose. Cutting a hole in my wall and having the back side of the unit in the attic, but then having metal duct work venting it out over my back porch. I'd cover the hole in the ceiling of the porch with vented louvers so birds can't get in.

Do you guys think this will work ok?


Here is the unit I'm looking at getting.
http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FAC...3038531&sr=8-1
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post #2 of 19
5/22/09 at 5:39pm
Matt, besides the design challenges, aren't you worried about that thing being too loud in a theater room? I think that's why most everyone, including myself, chooses to go ductless, mini-split.

CD
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post #3 of 19
5/22/09 at 6:16pm
Hey guys, been lurking for a while, decided to post. That design will not work for a window type ac. You will not be able to move enough air to keep the unit from going into thermal protection. The size of the exhaust fan needed to move enough air would be cost prohibitive as well. Simply trying to suck the air off the back of the unit will create a vacuum as well. So, you'd also need a fresh air supply. If you want to use a window ac due to cost, you could simply cut a hole in an exterior wall and vent it that way. A ductless system is really the correct way to do your application. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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post #4 of 19
5/22/09 at 7:07pm
the ducting idea definitely WONT work, you cant create a closed system when it was designed for open air.


it may work if you just vent into attic, then put a powered fan over that porch to draw the hot air out of the attic (you will need a route for new outside air to enter, more than your current vents)

this has all kinds of code violations written all over it, but that doesnt mean it wont work...you also need a way to get the moisture out, the window units are designed to drip!
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post #5 of 19
5/22/09 at 7:35pm
wow, i have never seen one of these mini-split units but i just googled it and that is very clever. basically puts a miniature air handler in each room. i learn stuff every day on this forum.

greg
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post #6 of 19
5/22/09 at 7:42pm
Mitsubishi Mr Slim.
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post #7 of 19
5/22/09 at 8:53pm
you've got the picture by now, but this is a no-go. you do get an A for creativity (and also for graphics). that unit would freeze up constantly and would also be loud. the ductless, mini split is the way to go.
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post #8 of 19
5/22/09 at 11:10pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks to all for replying so quickly. And thanks for shooting down my wonderful idea!

As stated in my first post, I need a cheap solution. I did some quick searches on the ductless mini splits A/C's and they seem to range from $1200 to $1400 which is to much for my shallow pockets. No ones has mentioned portable A/C's yet. Besides the volume of the fan are there any other down sides to them?

I can get the SHARP CVP12LX from newegg for $540 shipped. It gets pretty good reviews as well.
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post #9 of 19
5/23/09 at 1:44am
You can get a Soleus brand ductless for around $500. I installed a heat pump version (cold and heat) one in a garage conversion and it performed like a champ.
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post #10 of 19
5/23/09 at 4:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattr762 View Post

Thanks to all for replying so quickly. And thanks for shooting down my wonderful idea!

As stated in my first post, I need a cheap solution. I did some quick searches on the ductless mini splits A/C's and they seem to range from $1200 to $1400 which is to much for my shallow pockets. No ones has mentioned portable A/C's yet. Besides the volume of the fan are there any other down sides to them?

I can get the SHARP CVP12LX from newegg for $540 shipped. It gets pretty good reviews as well.

Matt, I'd be careful. I could just about buy a new AE3000 for what I'm going to have to drop on HVAC...and wouldn't any HT enthusiast rather spend his money that way, but it's just one of those things you might have to bite the bullet on. An Attic space, like you and I have, has its challenges when it comes to controlling temperature, and the last thing anyone wants is to try and get through a 2-hour movie in a room that's not comfortable.

I understand a budget, and maybe one of those other units will work. But if you read the reviews on that Sharp, like I did, most people are saying it doesn't cool very well...and they're probably not trying to cool an Attic, which is like the hottest environment imaginable (other than maybe hell...lol). Just my .02.

CD
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post #11 of 19
5/23/09 at 6:45am
It doesn't look like you have many options.

I agree with above -- you can't do a window unit without an exterior wall. Portable "AC" units are pretty bad and not very cost effective.

If you're willing to spend $540 on a bad solution, save up a little more and get a mini-split/ductless which would be somewhere around 2x-3x more. You will be VERY glad you did.

Mitsubishi/Fujitsu generally make the quietest/most efficient. Over the last year or 2, dozens of other brands have surfaced. There is a huge range of price/quality/output, etc.
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post #12 of 19
5/23/09 at 6:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDLehner View Post

Matt, I'd be careful. I could just about buy a new AE3000 for what I'm going to have to drop on HVAC...and wouldn't any HT enthusiast rather spend his money that way, but it's just one of those things you might have to bite the bullet on. An Attic space, like you and I have, has its challenges when it comes to controlling temperature, and the last thing anyone wants is to try and get through a 2-hour movie in a room that's not comfortable.

I understand a budget, and maybe one of those other units will work. But if you read the reviews on that Sharp, like I did, most people are saying it doesn't cool very well...and they're probably not trying to cool an Attic, which is like the hottest environment imaginable (other than maybe hell...lol). Just my .02.

CD

You're not kidding. I'm thinking I'm going to rename my project "Hell's Theater." Bring on that 110* Texas Heat!

I'm fortunate that the house came with an independently zoned AC for the HT room but walking up there to turn it on... wow. The sweat starts at the 3rd stair.

To the OP, I've used some of the portable units before and have had great luck with them in Server Room's for emergency air but the exhaust fan on them is rather loud and will output a TON of hot air... make sure you have that thing ducted properly and watch the DB of the unit you get. The one we used would have been insanely loud for HT use.
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post #13 of 19
5/23/09 at 9:10pm
I have a Mr. Slim in my theater and I have a problem with it being too good in regards to keeping the room cool. I love how well it works. Its whisper quiet, keeps the room cold with all the equipment running, and best of all, I have noticed little to no difference in my electric bill since installing it last year.....Here is the link to my build thread which shows the Mr. Slim

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1056189
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post #14 of 19
5/23/09 at 9:50pm
matt, i'd try to meet with a few different installers in your area. be careful not to waste anyone's time more than is reasonable for them to check out the install and give you a quote, but you might be able to befriend some guy on his own who can give you the fairest price, kind of on the side, etc. and then work towards that (you've survived the heat before no?). HVAC is not really very subjective. and it ends up being an investment that needs to be approached accordingly.
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post #15 of 19
5/24/09 at 2:41am
To try to avoid any extra noise in the theater ... if you had a storage room beside the theater is there any way to have the interior unit in that storage room and somehow duct it into the theater ?

Also what would you have to do to rough-in for one of these units ... just in case it is needed later on ... since the room is not complete I dont know if my current hvac efforts will be sufficient
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post #16 of 19
5/24/09 at 4:44am
Start saving.. A mini-split is the only solution here.. Quiet, relatively inexpensive and it will keep the room cool..

I use one for my equipment room with 7 large amplifiers, 3 cable boxes and a very hot projector.. It keeps the room at an even 75 degrees but will cool it down to below 70 degrees. It is extremely quiet. My brand is Enviro-air.

The minisplit head unit is to the top right of the picture.. The condenser is far away in my basement (theater is on first floor).

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post #17 of 19
5/24/09 at 8:12am
Here's another mini-split head unit in an equipment room.

Jeff...when you going to clean up your wiring?
LL
LL
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post #18 of 19
5/24/09 at 8:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dennis Erskine View Post

Here's another mini-split head unit in an equipment room.

Jeff...when you going to clean up your wiring?

OK.. I am officially embarrassed!

Now that is clean!
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post #19 of 19
5/24/09 at 9:30am
that wiring is ridiculous. i imagine the Hubble looks like that.
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