window AC unit conversion to water cooling

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- Cydrome Leader
  
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posted
11 years ago

Wed, Aug 3, 2011 7:00 PM

Has anybody had the condenser coils removed from a window AC unit and
replaced with one of these things? It looks like any HVAC person could do
this, but I'm not clear on how the conversion will change the amount of
refrigerant that needs to be added back to the system.

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I'd like to aircondition a space that has no window access, but already
has a flow of water just goign down the drain anyways. I can see adding a
themal cutout and pressure switch, and then removing the fan blades from
the fan motor on the outside and being done. Anything else needed?
Commercial water cooled units starts at thousands of dollars, while I can
grab a 1 ton window unit from the trash.

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- cavelamb
  
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posted
11 years ago

Wed, Aug 3, 2011 7:13 PM

That has serious possibilities.

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- Snag
  
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posted
11 years ago

Wed, Aug 3, 2011 10:39 PM

Actually , water is a MUCH better heat sink than air , and the requirements for total surface area will be less . And the smaller condenser coil will probably need less refrigerant to do the same job . I have plans to use the well on our property up in the Ozarks as a source for water to use as a heat sink/heat source . But I'll also be using pex tube in the concrete slab (which in itself is a great heat sink) to heat and cool . I'll also be using solar panels in winter to minimize the cost . I'm shooting for a total energy cost per month of under 50 bucks for heating and cooling ... plus probably another 20+- bucks for LPG for cooking .

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- PrecisionmachinisT
  
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posted
11 years ago

Wed, Aug 3, 2011 11:39 PM

Use flare adapters to join the aluminum ( window ac unit ) with the copper ( water exchange coil )
Actual refrigerant charge won't be critical so long as you also add a reciever at the compressor intake that is large enough to hold the entire factory charge as a liquid.
Also, you can cut costs considerably by making your own water coil out of black poly pipe with some aluminum tubing stuffed inside of it.

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- John B.
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 12:25 AM

The part you referenced is a standard water cooled condenser from a marine air conditioning system. Find a copy of "Marine air-conditioning and refrigeration systems", or some such title, by Nigel Calder for complete instructions, calculations, flow rates, measuring methods, and all the other data that you need to build the system. -- John B.

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- Pete C.
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 2:25 AM

Good idea, geothermal heat pumps have used open loop well systems in the past, it's not popular at the moment though.

Whoa, bad idea. In-slab radiant heat works well, cooling however does not. You will have major condensation problems if you try to cool this way, your whole floor will look like a toilet tank in summer. For cooling pump your well water through a well cleaned hydronic "A" coil in a standard air handler. Be sure to connect the condensate drain lines appropriately.

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- clare
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 2:32 AM

EPA regulations make open loop well systems almost impossible to use for heat pump geothermal use.

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- Cydrome Leader
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 2:54 AM

would that really be the output side of the compressor? I've noticed modern cheapo AC units don't even list their high and low pressures or charge. My old whirlpool unit has a fold out schematic like a real appliance.

I'm sort of thinking the biggest cost will be getting somebody to drain and recharge the thing.

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- Pete C.
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 3:10 AM

What are the regulations? I can't think of any regulation that would prohibit pumping water from a well, warming it and returning it to the well or an adjacent well. There is nothing to contaminate the water.

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- PrecisionmachinisT
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 3:12 AM

No it would be on the input side, a reciever forces any excess refrigerant to accumulate as a liquid in a "mini-tank" sort of setup due to gravity. This is so that liquid can't get drawn into the compressor because liquid would damage the compressor.
With a reciever only thing that makes it into the compressor is gas that has been evaporated off of the liquid surface.

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R134a is cheap and readily available at most auto part stores.

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- clare
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 3:15 AM

When it's functioning properly you are correct - but if anything goes wrong it could be different. You can't even put a geothermal loop in the ground deep enough to contact the water table at the year's highest level. (at leat not in Waterloo Region, Ontario.)
Used to be able to use a "2 well" system, but not for quite a few years now.

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- PrecisionmachinisT
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 3:24 AM

Oops got my terminology mixed up had meant to say accumulator not reciever

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- Larry Jaques
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 4:11 AM

I'll bet there are all sorts of regs against pumping water back into an aquifer or well. Any contamination, on purpose or inadvertent, could kill many people and/or animals downstream for miles. I sure as hell wouldn't want to live downstream of anything like that!
-- Win first, Fight later.
--martial principle of the Samurai

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- PrecisionmachinisT
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 4:41 AM

Actually it's very common--technically, it's called using a "recharge" or "reinjection" well..

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As far as contamination, septic systems have an infinately higher potential.
My own geo system simply discharges onto the ground though during summer I heat the swimming pool instead of pumping well water.

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- Louis Ohland
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 2:10 PM

Try >

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- Snag
  
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posted
11 years ago

Thu, Aug 4, 2011 2:49 PM

I can't use that well for potable water anyway , the asshole that installed my septic system put the tank about 10 feet from it - after he was specifically told to put it on the other side of the clearing . I suspect he was insuring I'd have to use the "city water" system , which he was head of at the time . AFAIK no one in the area uses wells , though it would be nice to have it as a backup . My plan was to let the outflow drain into the creek ... and thanks Pete C. for the heads-up on not using the in-floor system to cool ., I shoulda realized it would cause condensation on the slab .