Window A/C unit thru the wall.

[rixtrix1]

I owe the impetus to go ahead with this project to Falcon67. I noticed he responded on a thread I was reading ( JohnT's "Through the wall A/C recommendations" and when I saw his pics there I also followed his link to his new shop build where he has 2 window units installed in his new shop building, one through the wall. Soon I no longer will be able to use the weather as an excuse for not getting anything done the the garage. After going through a lot of threads I hadn't looked at before, I decided i should stop buying more parts for my Chevelle and start installing/fabricating with those I already had on hand! To facilitate that theory, I went to HD and got an LG 12,000 btu window A/C with heat . It's bigger than the numbers show for my small space, but with the temp and humidity extremes we experience here, I wanted to be covered. I already have the 20a/240v circuit in the garage subpanel. I'll just have to move the outlet nearer to the hole in the wall I'll create to mount the unit. I'm just going to surface mount conduit as drilling a wire hole through a 10" beam with insulation in the wall and ceiling would be too much hassle. After all, it's a workshop/garage and a little "industrial" won't hurt my feelings a bit. Now, getting to both sides of that wall to fab in a hole will take some moving of junk for access, but this is the Small, Messy Carport to Garage. ( Maybe , someday, I'll take the time to figure out posting fullsized pics.)

Note: I'm copying this from my garage thread so the dates are off. I spent part of 2 weekends and an hour one afternoon this week so far and have a couple of hours or so left finishing the trim and paint around the unit.

 

[Farmall450]

My guess: you won't regret it

 

[TractorJeff]

I'll be stealing your idea of just putting it in the wall as I got a "Free Deal" on one!
My window is just wide enough to fit but not tall enough unless I can figure out how to take the top glass out?

 

[rixtrix1]

My guess: you won't regret it

I really haven't spent too much time out there since getting it wired, but it was pretty nice for the 30 minutes is spent cleaning up the mess I made doing the wiring. Thanks, Farmall450!

I'll be stealing your idea of just putting it in the wall as I got a "Free Deal" on one!
My window is just wide enough to fit but not tall enough unless I can figure out how to take the top glass out?

Take all you want, TractorJeff. That's what I did. I considered the craigslist, etc., route, but since it will run almost continuously during the hot months, I decided to go with a warranty. It was pretty easy as I knew where the studs and other wiring was and I only had to shorten 1 stud and box in one side to make a hole that fit the outer case. Thanks for looking!

 

[rixtrix1]

I did what I thought would be the hardest part of installing th A/C unit through the wall: cutting an opening and framing it to the size of the unit. I was able to almost center it over a single stud, which I cut to match the vertical size of the unit plus a horizontal 2x4 . Then glued and screwed 2 blocks as supports on the adjacent studs and attached the horiz 2x4 the same way. Then came 2 more vertical 2x4 pieces to set the width of the opening. No need to put jack studs and a header due to the removed stud as there is a beam supporting the roof on the sidewalls of the garage.

Unit has a removable chassis and I screwed the cover in the opening making sure the side vents had plenty of clearance. I need to caulk and seal the cover in place before adding some trim inside and out. Blocked off the cover until I can get some help to lift the 90# chassis up into the cover and then run and wire the conduit to put the outlet close by the unit.

 

[rixtrix1]

Made a support brace from bedframe angle iron, painted and installed it this afternoon(only 111F) along with the outside trim around the hole. Neighbors going to help me slide the guts in tomorrow. Hoping to get the conduit and wiring done, too. The garage eave overhangs the A/C by about 6" giving some weather protection and I think I'll make a curtain from some sunscreen material left over from doing the windows on the south side of the house to hang in front of the condensor coil in the afternoon. It won't be seen from the front or to the side so I don't care if anyone thinks it's a tacky idea.

 

[rixtrix1]

A/C is installed, wired and runnable. I still need to finish the interior trim, caulk the outside trim and paint it all to match, but it's a lot cooler now than it was this afternoon. I find I'm not that good a conduit bender, but it's there and full of wire. Having a remote is kinda neat!

Existing 240v outlet was on North wall 5' from West wall. Unit is 11' south of North wall. About 21' of conduit. Pics not in any order. Pics of conduit run are in my garage thread; somehow I deleted them elsewhere.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Ric you have done well

 

[rixtrix1]

Good test of the new garage A/C today. I set the temp as high as it would go last night around 11PM(86f) and set the mode to Econ and let it go. It was still 97F outside at that time. When I got home this afternoon at 4:30PM it was 110F outside. Inside the garage it measured 83F and the unit was cycling: 4 min -on, off 3 minutes, check the air temp and operate as needed.Everything in the garage was cool to the touch except the west facing man door, which is insulated steel. Inside of door felt warm; outside could fry bacon. This is going to be a very nice addition to my work space. Added a sunscreen drape to shield the condenser coil from the afternoon and evening sun.

Note: first pic was Monday. I set the unit to come on high cool at 3:45pm and the garage temp was 81 at 4:35pm. It was 114F outside! Very pleased! Unit only draws 4 amps at 240V on cool, so I think I'll let it run and compare usage to last month which was about the same tempwise.

 

[rixtrix1]

Ric you have done well

Thank you, 1/2cup. Praying things went well for you this week!

 

[3rdgendslmech]

Ric, what size is your shop if you don't mind me asking? I'm about half way through insulating my 24x32 pole barn and am going to start thinking about heat & a/c. Earlier in the summer Lowe's had a pretty good deal on a 18K btu a/c unit but with everything I had going on by the time I got around to putting it in it would be fall.

 

[TerryH]

Nice work! I have an ancient...like 1990's vintage...18k BTU window unit in the back wall of my 30x40. Best thing I ever did.

 

[shade]

So I have had a few LG units. Eventually they will die they are just like anything else... So the nice thing you already noticed is the shell. if the guts die once day you slide out the guts and slide in new ones. Pretty easy. Also LG doesnt change the size of their guts very often so in say 5 years if the unit dies youll be fine to grab another with the same dimensions.

 

[rixtrix1]

Ric, what size is your shop if you don't mind me asking? I'm about half way through insulating my 24x32 pole barn and am going to start thinking about heat & a/c. Earlier in the summer Lowe's had a pretty good deal on a 18K btu a/c unit but with everything I had going on by the time I got around to putting it in it would be fall.

Please ask away. It's an enclosed carport 18.5'x19.2'-8.3' ceiling with a 4'x6' store room where I have my 60gal vertical air compressor, 80 gal solar water heater and water softener. Tgether it's 380 sq ft. with the garage about 355. I upsized the unit to 12K because of our climate, and to get a higher heating capacity(11K).
thanks for lookin in.

 

[pbon]

I have 700 SF with ceiling height ranging from 8 to 13' I was planning on an 18k.

 

[Marctrees]

I have 700 SF with ceiling height ranging from 8 to 13' I was planning on an 18k.

Again..... another meaningless post due to no location.

Frickin Siberia? or the center of the Mojave?

Marc

 

[pbon]

You probably need a drink to relax. I am in NH.

 

[PoorOwner]

interesting it has heat almost matching the cooling capacity,
do you know if it is a heat pump or resistant heat?

Not like you need heat in AZ.

 

[rixtrix1]

interesting it has heat almost matching the cooling capacity,
do you know if it is a heat pump or resistant heat?

Not like you need heat in AZ.

I thought it was a heat pump from the initial info I found online, But the instructions show a resistance coil . The heat cycle also draws 15.3A vs. the A/C drawing 4A.

Winter nights in the desert from November to February hover near freezing. 3 years ago we had frost on out roof every morning from Nov 17 to Jan 18. Most days are nice but an insulated garage without heat feels like a refrigerator at night. so yes, heat is a necessity.

 

[rixtrix1]

Another reason I went with a larger unit was that the PO had "installed" a Sears 16'X7' metal garage door without properly framing for it . Thus, it doesn't seal very well and I haven't found a seal thin enough to mount on the R&L sides. I did cut down a trim piece with a rubber flap to kinda seal the top, but haven't decided if I want to try that approach on the sides as it might look weird

 

[PFSard]

I thought it was a heat pump from the initial info I found online, But the instructions show a resistance coil

Are there through-the-wall units that are heat pumps?

 

[Tuffnuttz]

I have a 12k hampton bay installed in the garage wall. It's worked OK for the last couple of years. 2 weeks ago I picked up a 240v Mirage Magnum 16 seer mini split system. Installed it last weekend and WOW what a difference. I still need to insulate the walls. It was a carport converted to 2 car by PO. I am also in AZ (Mesa) with south facing garage. Definitely love the mini split system very quiet and low amp draw. I still need to remove the "window unit" in the wall though. Winter time will be a good time to do that project.

 

[rixtrix1]

I have a 12k hampton bay installed in the garage wall. It's worked OK for the last couple of years. 2 weeks ago I picked up a 240v Mirage Magnum 16 seer mini split system. Installed it last weekend and WOW what a difference. I still need to insulate the walls. It was a carport converted to 2 car by PO. I am also in AZ (Mesa) with south facing garage. Definitely love the mini split system very quiet and low amp draw. I still need to remove the "window unit" in the wall though. Winter time will be a good time to do that project.

A mini-split WOULD be the ultimate way to go, but would cost 2.2 times as much as the A/C unit. I struggled with this for a couple of days before deciding.
I'll bet the installation time would be a LOT shorter and easier, too. What size is your "Garport"?( or is it "Carage?)

 

[dave89iroc]

Are there through-the-wall units that are heat pumps?

yes, but keep in mind most also have a resistance coil for aux heat when the outside temp drops low enough that the heat pump is ineffective

 

[Tuffnuttz]

What size is your "Garport"?( or is it "Carage?)

20x20

 

[rixtrix1]

20x20

Minisplit should work great in that area. My unit isn't that noisy, 53dB, but it's noticeable. I just turn up the bigscreen, tho.