Need advise on installing air handler

[GT350Mike]

I’m about to finish my garage with the installation of my HVAC unit and had a question regarding the installation of the air handler. Looking at the photo, the air handler (the green box) will be mounted in the upper right hand corner of the garage with the supply lines (blue arrows) running behind the beam and along the wall. The Goodman air handler is roughly 42L x 18H x 22W and weighs roughly 100 lbs so before get started, I like to know if anyone has recommendations as to how the frame should be built (wood or metal) and how should the frame be secured to the ceiling joist. I don’t want to over engineer this but I also don’t want to do it twice.

 

[Gerald O]

What do you mean by "supply" lines? Power? Refrigerant?

I'd suggest building a support cradle using superstrut and threaded rod.

 

[Highbeam]

Supply and return ducting?

 

[GT350Mike]

The supply (return?) line is the filtered air intake. What's the best way to secure threaded rod to the joist?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Hang it from chain, using screw eyes & put the unit on an emergency pan (I really like the Aquaguard Goliath models). Set the whole thing on Unistrut. The chain helps eliminate vibration/noise.

Tommy

 

[GT350Mike]

Thanks Tommy. I had considered using screw eyes since I have several extra laying around but preferred to hang it from the ceiling with threaded rods (little easier to level). Installing the screw eyes and using turn-buckles with chains might be the easier route to go. The condensation pan is on the list of things to buy so I’ll check with the local suppliers to see if they have any Aquaguard pans in stock.

 

[Trey T]

I suggest buying a hanging kit from local HVAC supplier. For a nice garage like that, spend the money and buy a nice kit that's made to hang air handler.

Unistrut and threaded rods are commonly used but that's too industrial-looking (or unfinished), unless that's what you're looking for.

 

[Gerald O]

Hang the threaded rods from additional lengths of superstrut that are in turn lag-bolted into the ceiling joists.

 

[Gerald O]

...
Unistrut and threaded rods are commonly used but that's too industrial-looking (or unfinished), unless that's what you're looking for.

Unless the whole air handler is going to be covered in some kind of finished enclosure, it's going to look rather industrial anyway...no?

 

[GT350Mike]

In the short-term, the handler will be exposed because I don’t have the time to build a soffit around it and the ductwork this year. After I get the HVAC operational (w/ductwork) and finish my car, then I’ll have time to build the soffit.
The HVAC guy who installed the unit on my house just wanted to put the air handler in the corner (about 3’ off the gnd) without ductwork so the air would blow straight out. My plan has always been to go with spiral ductwork instead of using the box style or just rigging it into the corner but if I’m not able to find an installer, my wish list will change.


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[LS6 Tommy]

Thanks Tommy. I had considered using screw eyes since I have several extra laying around but preferred to hang it from the ceiling with threaded rods (little easier to level). Installing the screw eyes and using turn-buckles with chains might be the easier route to go. The condensation pan is on the list of things to buy so I’ll check with the local suppliers to see if they have any Aquaguard pans in stock.

Cool. There's nothing "wrong" with threaded rod. It's done quite frequently. Sometimes you can have noise issues, so chain is used because it's cheaper than buying 4 vibration eliminator hangers to go with the threaded rod.

Tommy

 

[GT350Mike]

Bought the Goliath today and hope to get it mounted w/in the next week.


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[ryolse]

I suggest buying a hanging kit from local HVAC supplier. For a nice garage like that, spend the money and buy a nice kit that's made to hang air handler.

Unistrut and threaded rods are commonly used but that's too industrial-looking (or unfinished), unless that's what you're looking for.

I work for a Building Automation company, so I see mechanical equipment all day everyday. I agree with the previous guys to use Unistrut and treaded rods.

Also do duct it, place the supply on the garage door side and leave the return open. This will help heat/cool the air that's coming in from the door gaps and also **** the air back more evenly through the space. Flexible duct like what you are talking about will be the easiest to install, but is difficult to clean which in a space like a garage might be a regular thing.

 

[GT350Mike]

When I was at the HVAC supplier buying the drip pan and $150 of copper, I didn't think of buying the unistrut to mount the pan. This morning I ran down to Lowes to get the unistrut but they didn't stock it so I built this frame. What isn't shown in the pic are the short 2x4 stubs I put n at each corner. I'll run the threaded rod through the stubs at each corner. I'll post few pics later.

 

[GT350Mike]

Ready to hang.

 

[GT350Mike]

And it's hung. Now I need to rough-in the return and the copper lines for compressor so my HVAC guy will have very little work to do before I have AC in the garage!

 

[nochina1966]

Just my opinion, but you could have got a pre-fabbed metal drain pan with the support rails and hanging S hooks ready to go for your chain, maybe have saved you all the work and cost of the 2x4 frame. I don't trust plastic.


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[GT350Mike]

I too was thinking the same about a pre-fab pan. My original plan was to use a simple metal drain pan but decided to go with the Goliath pan. It's already raised so I didn't need to use blocks setting inside the pan to elevate the unit (I have the same set-up in my house and don't like it) and it came with rubber mounting tabs to reduce vibration. The best feature was the overflow sensor that shuts off the unit if water is present in the pan. Considering a metal pan was $30 and G pan with all of the features I mentioned was $40 more, I thought it was a much better value. Using the G pan and the 2x4 frame will also make it easier for me to enclose the unit by building a soffit to the right of the unit. in the next few years.

There is more to the G pan that what I've mentioned so if you have a few minutes, take a look at this link:

 

[nochina1966]

Watched it, impressive, but it's a sales pitch. I think you'll be ok, but being in the trade 25 years, I have seen what expansion and contraction on plastic has done on primary pans. As long as you keep your primary drain clear and have your system serviced on a regular basis, looks like your good to go !


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[nochina1966]

It's a back up pan, so I wouldn't be real concerned about it.


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[GT350Mike]

It's a back up pan, so I wouldn't be real concerned about it.


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Thank you for your help. If all goes as planned, I'll have ac in the garage this weekend!

 

[Trey T]

Nice. Show some picture of the finished installation