Ductless AC elevated outdoor pad

[aminoplacid]

This is not strictly a garage posting but my wife and I are at odds with a design to put in a ductless ac unit in our detached studio building. It currently is just a 600 sq/ft room with no additional rooms attached (more planned though). We want to add ductless ac but the debate is where to put the outdoor unit. In the optimal location, she has a garden bed and she does not like the idea of the exhaust air dumping on the garden plants (they are about 3 ft from where the unit would be). For me, the building is a music studio (not live mic recording though) and a movie room. So for me the idea of a wall mount that may resonate the wall is less than ideal. Also, we may start Airbnb-ing the studio post addition of a bath so I am mildly concerned of that as an annoyance to a tenant.

I am curious about an elevated platform that is bolted to a concrete pad for the outdoor unit. As we may add an additional unit when we add a 200 sqft room on, we may need a second outdoor unit.

I have seen this device from Rectorseal (attached image) to support two units. But what about elevating to a height of say 3 feet? Any suggestions or pics would be helpful for some ideas.

Thanks!
db

 

[rlitman]

I don't see why it wouldn't work, if you can secure it to a solid pad.

 

[driftpin]

I have my system on that type of an elevated structure, and it's attached to a pre-cast pad w/tapcons.

I'm going to attach a mini-split compressor unit to brackets through-bolted to the side wall of the detached garage it's going to service. I designed the aluminum brackets and had a friend weld them up for me. I'm about two blocks from the Intracoastal Waterway (brackish water) so I decided steel wouldn't cut it.

 

[Jackfre]

That will work for you. Make sure the base is solid and make sure the bracket is level.

 

[aminoplacid]

Thanks for the feedback. Not sure this height will suffice my better half. Might need an additional platform underneath it or just a wooden platform to bring it to whatever (reasonable) height is needed. Likely not over 5 feet. Have not seen any hardware that would meet this much height.

 

[PoorOwner]

Weld 2 3x3 1/8 wall square tubing to a 1/4 plate and use weld same tubing horizontally out from there.

Someone here had a double one just away from the wall but it is erected from the ground

6-8 concrete anchors to the slab

 

[justinjoyal]

Why do you want it so high off the ground ?

The "exhaust air" is actually ambient air that's been cooled or heated, nothing more. I'm not a plant expert, but I don't think that would cause any damage.

 

[Raisedonadeere]

Knowing what I know now I would have wall mounted my two mr cool hyper heat units. They are so smooth and quiet that it would not matter what room or window they are near. The only worry I would have if installing another unit is wondering if it would be the exception that vibrated. Some might vibrate if mounted on something flexible but I am seeing quite a few units walk mounted.

 

[rlitman]

Why do you want it so high off the ground ?

The "exhaust air" is actually ambient air that's been cooled or heated, nothing more. I'm not a plant expert, but I don't think that would cause any damage.

I have one mini-split that blows across a rose, and another that blows across a japanese yew, and neither has been harmed by the output (both plants were there long before the mini-splits). But that's not to say that some plants aren't sensitive.

Knowing what I know now I would have wall mounted my two mr cool hyper heat units. They are so smooth and quiet that it would not matter what room or window they are near. The only worry I would have if installing another unit is wondering if it would be the exception that vibrated. Some might vibrate if mounted on something flexible but I am seeing quite a few units walk mounted.

I can't say that either of my units vibrates much, if at all, though mine aren't wall hung. However, the wall hung brackets often have rubber isolation dampers that sit between the bracket and the unit.

 

[dave*99]

I vote for a ground mounted solution. I have a traditional condensing unit on a platform supported by 2 legs going to the ground and a ledger plate on the bedroom wall. The platform is about 3 feet high.

Standing outdoors and listening to the unit run, you would not consider it noisy or having any vibration etc. But the transmitted sound/vibrations into the bedroom wall are an issue.

I've added isolation pads under the condensing unit and placed several concrete blocks on the platform to increase its mass. This was all done to reduce the low frequency vibration transmitted into the wall. Its better. But I still hear the compressor start and stop.

Given you have the opportunity to ground mount it and you are sensitized to the noise a wall mounted solution may create......mount it on the ground.

 

[justinjoyal]

We wall-mount units on concrete/brick walls/foundations.

If not possible, we use a floor rack, unless the customer or the situation requires wall-mounting in which case we advise the customer that vibration may travel through the structure and disturb the occupants.

 

[Firebrick43]

I vote you act like a man and put it where you want!

I know a good divorce attorney if you need one

 

[aminoplacid]

Lol! I am hoping this is not the catalyst for a divorce! But there are many logical points in this thread to back my cause. Especially the fact that the condenser exhaust will be cooled as well and likely should not damage the precious (seasonal) tomato plants.

Thanks again for all the input.