Central Air Conditioning, Hide The Ugly Compressor

[gahrajmahal]

Oops, hit submit instead of review.

I moved the "House mount bracket" on the right side to the opposite side of the round dryer vent. I measured between the two house brackets and that was my measurement for the new front cross braces. I cut those and added the pocket holes with my Kreg fixture.

I mounted the eye hook to the brackets.

Putting a level on the side panel cross brace I marked for my hook placement. I drilled a hole and threaded them into the panel. It was easy to hook it into the eye and see what I needed to do next.

Handling the cover that was screwed together basically with 8 Kreg screws was a recipe for disaster. It was only a matter of time before it came apart. I needed to add some bracing to the corners. I did have some aluminum or steel I could have fabricated some angle brackets from, but I wanted something that I could do faster than that. So, I cut up some scrap cedar pickets for the purpose.

There was now more room between the front cross braces and the compressor, but there was also a big gap between the old panel and the house that I didn't like.

So, I wanted to see if i could fit another picket in there, but attach it to the house.

Got much more room now on both sides of the compressor, and an easy method to remove the whole thing just by lifting it off. Now to cut a few more pickets for the front panel and screw them on.

Clearance on bottom before the hosta goes back in.

Close up of the "easy off bracket".

Top view

New view from the side. I like how the new picket attached to the house helps to cover up the dryer vent.

Here it is removed

And still enough room to get the wheelbarrow by.

Thanks GJ members for all your helpful suggestions

 

[bczygan]

Great idea, nice install and wonderful revisions. I have been thinking about doing the same thing for not only my condenser, but also for rain barrels. Here in Detroit, security is a problem (My condenser was stolen). so placement in the back yard is the preferred location and concealment is useful. When I do mine it will be a bigger enclosure, anchored in the ground like regular fencing and with a door. I will have matching enclosures for the rain barrels and the trash containers.

 

[truckman5000]

... looks very nice ...BUT did you read the Manufactuers recommendations .... need a minimum of 30" on the 3 sides for air flow ... those solid boards are going to burn out the compressor and condenser fan ... also how are you going to pressure wash and clean the coil every year ?

R

Yah, and the coil looks very dirty. So shut the unit off, hose the "fins" very good. Turn the unit on after like 20 mins.

 

[Matt M PA]

Really nice work! My neighbor just happened to be lulling up some shrubs that we hid our unit with..but I really like this new design.

And...another reason I like this place. Guy comes up with an idea....which gets critiqued...makes improvements for a much better unit. Everybody wins.

 

[hvac-doc]

Thank got you made it bigger. Cause as a hvac service man when I saw the pic s I was like that's wrong and will Make the unit work harder which will drive up your electric bill.
Min 1 ft open air around unit. Newer units say more depending on the makers

 

[JimVonBaden]

Great project, and ideas.

I plan on something similar to my unit.

As you can see it stands out prominently in my back yard. I'm thinking something that incorporates the unit and the trash cans. I also note that mine is HUGE comparred to yours, and that I have about 8" between the building and the unit on two sides!

Though you definitely need to make it fairly easily accessable for service, I wouldn't get all crazy. I plan on mine having 1' of space in "front", and about 5' to the left so I can put my trash cans in with it. I'll leave an opening to access the electrical plugs. The front pannel will come off with about 6 screws, and I will remove it if I have a service tech coming over.

Mine will likely be made of wood to match my fence, but with spacing, maybe shadow boxed like my gate.

Anyhow, looks great, and thanks for sharing.

Jim

 

[Milton Shaw]

It doesn't look strong enough to keep the copper thieves out. Around here they are brazen and are stealing them in broad daylight in some cases. I read of a dentist office that his a/c quit during the day he called the repairman in and repairman came in and said the unit is missing, it had been stolen while the office was working. Looks like the revision took care of the air flow issues, looks good.

 

[pseudorealityx]

Great project, and ideas.



As you can see it stands out prominently in my back yard. I'm thinking something that incorporates the unit and the trash cans. I also note that mine is HUGE comparred to yours, and that I have about 8" between the building and the unit on two sides!

Though you definitely need to make it fairly easily accessable for service, I wouldn't get all crazy. I plan on mine having 1' of space in "front", and about 5' to the left so I can put my trash cans in with it. I'll leave an opening to access the electrical plugs. The front pannel will come off with about 6 screws, and I will remove it if I have a service tech coming over.

Mine will likely be made of wood to match my fence, but with spacing, maybe shadow boxed like my gate.

Jim

Do NOT shadow box it. The thing needs airflow from the bottom and sides. That's even worse than the OP's original design.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Do NOT shadow box it. The thing needs airflow from the bottom and sides. That's even worse than the OP's original design.

How so? Shadowboxing leave lots of air vents, more than the OPs, plus blocks the sun more effectively. Besides, there will be 5' of space to one side, at least 1' to the other (as I said), and it will be off the ground about 6" and only 3" taller than the unit. I don't want to block the windows.

Jim

 

[Hlidskjalf]

If you position the wood horizontally slightly angled towards the unit you won't see the condenser at all (picture california shutters). That will also allow better airflow.

 

[Bronson]

Many years ago, after I finished HVAC school, I was working in the field, and got a radio call to go to a Model House , where our company had installed the HVAC. "The builder called, and He is mad as hell, open house and it is hot inside". OK, I go to check out the problem. I pulled up in My service truck, and didnt even have to get out of it. I called the boss on the radio. " Hey Jimmy, I can see the problem without getting out of My air-conditioned truck". Theives had cut the lines during the night, and the condensing unit was gone. Only thing left was five wire nuts, and tire tracks where they backed up to the unit.
We found out later, it was some of the HVAC helpers, who needed beer money! That was in 1988.

 

[pseudorealityx]

How so? Shadowboxing leave lots of air vents, more than the OPs, plus blocks the sun more effectively. Besides, there will be 5' of space to one side, at least 1' to the other (as I said), and it will be off the ground about 6" and only 3" taller than the unit. I don't want to block the windows.

Jim

1) Because you've already blocked the heck out 2 sides.

2) Because it's not any less restrictive than the OP's first solution.

3) Because 1' clear on a side is not enough.


If you're going to do it, I would suggest at least a 12" opening along the bottom to allow air to flow from beneath. Or do the horizontal louver style like posted above.

I've got too much experience trying to chase problems of units not running right when it's hot out because the contractor decided to put them into a tiny little space with no airflow, or clumped a bunch of condensers together without adequate space.

 

[JimVonBaden]

1) Because you've already blocked the heck out 2 sides.

2) Because it's not any less restrictive than the OP's first solution.

3) Because 1' clear on a side is not enough.


If you're going to do it, I would suggest at least a 12" opening along the bottom to allow air to flow from beneath. Or do the horizontal louver style like posted above.

I've got too much experience trying to chase problems of units not running right when it's hot out because the contractor decided to put them into a tiny little space with no airflow, or clumped a bunch of condensers together without adequate space.

OK, thanks for your opinion, but I believe you are not actually reading what I am writing. I do not see how a 6" opening on the bottom, and a 5 FOOT opening on the other side is actually similarly restrictive as the OP's solution.

Jim

 

[pseudorealityx]

It's 5', but you already said you were going to put the trash cans in there. That's going to eat up most of it.

 

[JimVonBaden]

It's 5', but you already said you were going to put the trash cans in there. That's going to eat up most of it.

I did, so I guess we will see. I'll mock it up and take some temp measurements and see what the difference is, if any.

Jim

 

[chevelle67]

So your wife doesn't like the ac condenser but the sections of extension ladder are ok