How to cool a hot airplane factory? i.e. garage

philcam · #1 07-06-2007, 11:40 AM

Despite the unusual amount of rain we've had this year, it is still Texas and that means hot summers. A garage that opens to the west doesn?t help much either.

So, I?m wondering what others have done to keep cool?

Here are some of my ideas:

Fans, I have three, but they are just fans, blowing hot air. Yes, I could get large shop fans, but these tend to blow more that just air, such as plans and even small parts.

A Port-A-Cool type swamp cooler. At $1,000 they aren?t cheap, but they do cool shops areas very well. Since, I am building a metal airplane and I?m worried about all the moisture they put into the air. Add in the hassle of keeping them hooked up to a water hose, which will leak and the tanks are a mosquito haven.

Central HVAC unit. Now, this would be the Cadillac of cool working, but trying to insulate the garage and the cost of the unit, makes this one a no-go. I?d rather spend the time and money working on the plane.

I was at Ellington Field a few weeks ago, and noticed something that might be a workable solution. In one of the avionics shops there, they had a roll around shop/tool cart with a window a/c unit mounted to it. Under the cart was an oil drain pan to catch the condensation from the a/c unit. A window unit a/c can be had pretty cheap. The only disadvantages to this idea I see are dragging the electrical cord around all the time and it certainly isn?t very energy efficient.

How about everyone else? What are you guys doing to stay cool?

David_Nelson · #2 07-06-2007, 12:18 PM

Hi Phil,

I recently had the AC replaced in the house. One of the topics discussed was diverting some air to the garage. It was highly discouraged for two main reasons:

1) If you install a return and vent in the garage, you're trying to also cool the hot garage air and also distributing that warm air into the house. It's been my observation that most garages aren't especially well insulated - may be different for custom homes, however.

2) If you install just a vent to the garage, you'll be pulling a negative pressure in the house and the air will have to come from somewhere (around doors, faucets, windows, vents, etc). This will have to come from the outside which is now hot unfiltered air.

What was suggested was the slimline ductless type of AC's. Mitsubishi was specifically mentioned but their prices seem rather unreasonable.

Googling for 'ductless air condition' I came up w/ some hits. Here are some sites for your viewing pleasure (i.e. to prepare your pocket book):

http://www.ehomeair.com/index.asp?Pa...TS&Category=14
http://www.ductlessdepot.net/
http://www.air-n-water.com/split_air.htm

Regards,
/\/elson
Austin, TX
RV-7A - Fuselage

Mark Burns · #3 07-06-2007, 12:21 PM

I went to Wal-Mart and for about $250 purchased a small window unit for my garage. I have two windows in the garage that face the front of the house. They are tall windows, so the AC is about a foot off the floor. There are bushes out front that hide the window unit sticking out.

That was two years ago and it has been GREAT!

Ron Lee · #4 07-06-2007, 12:47 PM

But you don't want to do that. Too much snow in the winter. Blizzards. Car wrecks. Oh it is so bad here.

shiney · #5 07-06-2007, 12:51 PM

Simple solution; move to the UK, Global Waming! WHAT GLOBAL WARMING??!!!

philcam · #6 07-06-2007, 12:53 PM

I DID live there, for a while, granted I was just a kid. I'd love to go back, but what is up will all the aviation fees and gas prices!? Anyone who thinks it is bad in the US, try the UK.

shiney · #7 07-06-2007, 01:08 PM

exactly, bloody ridiculous, it's what seperates the men from the boys! you boys have it TOOOOO easy !

asu4me · #8 07-06-2007, 01:08 PM

I live in the Phoenix area and have the same issue, though its much much hotter.

I partioned the single car side of my 3 car garage with a ceiling to floor heavy vinyl curtain, insulated my garage ceiling over this area, and purchased a portable 15,000 BTU A/C unit on the internet. I ran the hot discharge air from the A/C through the ceiling. I also bought styro insulation sheet and insulated the inside of the garage door. I also have a fan to keep the air moving.

Last weekend when it was 115 degrees F outside, my workshop peaked out at 92 degrees F and it wasn't that bad working in there. The urge to keep building helps to overcome some of the discomfort.

DeltaRomeo · #9 07-06-2007, 01:10 PM

Swamp cooler type fan will rust a lot of stuff in the garage. It really raised the humidity, also.

When I was building I kept short hair and worked in shorts and flip flops (no shirt). Every thirty minutes or so I'd step outside and hose off with the garden hose. Standing in front of the regular fan after that did wonders while still a little wet. Our garage faced south so I certainly have sympothy for ya. 2pm in Texas during September can be brutal in an un-airconditioned garage.

Insert comments about how funny it must have looked here <g>.

b,
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mlw450802 · #10 07-06-2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Burns

I went to Wal-Mart and for about $250 purchased a small window unit for my garage. I have two windows in the garage that face the front of the house. They are tall windows, so the AC is about a foot off the floor. There are bushes out front that hide the window unit sticking out.

That was two years ago and it has been GREAT!

I did something very similar to this but just whacked a hole in the garage wall and stuck in a small window unit. Works great!
Not at home, so no pictures but you get the idea. Plus you are not constrained by an existing window location.

-mike