Construction air conditioner

[bluedog225]

I need to put in some sort of air con in the cabin or there’s no way to get any work done. Just too stinking hot in the summer. I have my solar deal set up and have about 20,000 watts in battery capacity plus solar to feed it. Either will use about 1000 watts/hour.

I’m on the fence about whether to get a 12,000 btu window unit or mini split.

Whatever I get will have a hard life. Though I’ll try to protect it from the worst of the interior finish out dust, it’s going to be a tough environment.

My instinct tells me that the window unit will be tougher and easier to clean. And much cheaper.

But I’ve never had a mini split. The split will be more powerful (up to 24,000) and more efficient.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

[Bert_]

Mini splits are hard to clean.

Window a/c you take it out of the window and hose it out outside.

 

[micromind]

And when the window unit fails, simply replace it. Not quite as easy with a mini-split.......

 

[mike93lx]

Window unit and build a little box around the air intake, even if just cardboard, to hold a 1" furnace filter

 

[PCustoms]

Window unit.

You can get a 240v (higher btu) unit.

How big of a space you trying to cool?

Is it insulated?

 

[bluedog225]

About 600 sq ft. Not insulated yet. Need to take the edge off.

 

[chinboys]

Rent one rated for outside air makeup and change its filter medium asap when it begins to clog up.
Set up a window exhaust fan to exhaust any fine particulates.

 

[fitter30]

Minis can't handle dirt because of the enhanced fins. Plus the filters are thin. Window units filters are thin also pick up some rolled filter material to tape over the grill.

 

[housewolf]

Get some construction filter media to protect the coil of whatever unit you go with. It can be cut with scissors to fit any opening. It can be stacked multiple layers deep even. Some even has a sticky substance on it to catch fine dust (like sheetrock). Amazon has it but you can probably find it locally as well