Mini Split Compressor - Inside or Out?

[texmln]

OK, normally I wouldn't ask such a ridiculous question but I have a 50x75 non-insulated metal building on our ranch that primarily stores ATVs, motorcycles, boats and miscellaneous ranching equipment. It has a concrete slab floor. I carved a corner out of the interior and built a 400 s.f. living area with a bathroom and kitchenette. I also bought a 12k btu Sanyo mini-split to cool the room. The A/C will not be used much, typically only on the weekends for a few hours each day. Do you foresee any problems installing the condenser unit inside the metal building assuming I have the appropriate exterior drainage for the condensate? I don't want the unit outside since our cows frequent the area and have been known to beat up on the sides of the metal building a bit.

I figured the infrequent A/C use wouldn't lead to condensation problems inside the building. If this was a situation where the A/C would be used daily I would certainly put it outside. What do you guys think?

 

[dlewis]

Moooount it up on the wall on a bracket where the cows can't hit it.

 

[redsky49]

Not recommended.

The outdoor unit (and it is called that for a reason) is essentially a heat transfer device - part of the system that removes heat from the conditioned space and rejects it (usually) to the outdoors. The 12,000 btuh that is removed from the occupied space ends up in the larger unoccupied space.

In addition to the heat of rejection is the additional heat resulting from the condensing unit's fan. A 1/4 hp fan for example adds roughly another 600 min. btuh to the total.

Well, you ask, so what!? You don't intend to occupy the larger space. The problem is that the higher the temperature faced by the condensing unit, the less efficient the unit becomes. As a general rule, condensing units are spec'd at a 95 degree F outdoor temperature. For extreme duty, sometimes 105 F.

When temperatures become too high you also risk either automatic shut-off of the unit due to head pressure cutoffs or damage to the system. In a climate with extreme heat, this is at the least very poor design. At the worst, it is an installation destined for unsatisfactory performance, if not total failure.

Mount the unit outdoors. Provide bollards to protect it or mount it high above the ground.

As always, offered only as opinion

 

[willymakeit]

I will second what redsky is saying.

 

[jm1fd]

I'd also like to point out the fact that condensers don't produce condensate. Well...they do make condensate, but not the kind (water) you're thinking about.