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Air conditioning the shop

kpotter

Diamond
Joined
Apr 30, 2001
Location
tucson arizona usa
I finally broke down last week. I dam near died when it was a 117 degrees out and my shop was 97. A week of 110 degrees and I called the AC people and they installed two 5 ton units and duct work throughout the shop. Today was the first day of AC. This day will be in the running to the day I got married and the birth of my son. I did not sweat in my shop it was glorious.
 
A/C is a wonderful thing! I have just had a couple of window units in my very small shop until April when I went full time. In May I added a 2 1/2 ton central unit. Its plain awesome. Still gets pretty warm though ( but not in the high 90s like before ), I still havent gotten around to insulating yet. Congrats
 
My shop is just down the road from Mike's and I broke down and added a third big wall unit AC/Heater this year The AC is GREAT in the summer but the Heater is even better in the winter :)

( Just moved in a more modern mill this week mike :) )
 
the second best thing is when you add the solar panels to power the ac.
having been in Tucson in the summer can't imagine not having ac.
something about getting older and heat just gets you more
 
I still havent gotten around to insulating yet. Congrats

A/C when one is USED to it can sort of blind a person to alternatives.

Started uber-insulating in stages years ago. Saving my A** now it is, so do not delay!

Roughly 3 ton, net normally does the whole 3-level split residence @ 75 F AND "mostly" the shop @ 80-83 F. Window unit available for when running machines or door too often opened of a hot day.

12 years in, main system just took a dump around beginning of July. Too busy to find the leak and fix. Too hot most days to want to.

Previously, I'd only "played at" use of managing night-air. This go, I am dependent on it.

WITH that uber-insulation.. pulling night air through, every night, closing-up, daytimes, I am holding 8 to 10 degrees below daytime peak. Worst days, I kick-in a 10K BTU "portable" for the bedroom, another for this den.

Shop is around 77 F coming up 4 AM, local, upper floors of the residence about 79 F, both still dropping.

Out there in PM land at this time:

Davis-Monthan reports 75-76 nightime lows for Tucson all this week. 96 F daytime highs.

Brenham Municipal down Texas way 74-77 nightime lows, 90-94 daytime highs.



Running machinery WILL push a LOT of heat into the space, of course.

Even so, I do believe it is time for me to finish the last 20% of the insulation, automate the night air / day air approach with powered vents & fan controls, even with the A/C repaired.

I've been handed proof by accident of central air FAIL that BOTH are well worth the effort.

My late parents no A/C until their 80's, would, of course, count me DAFT for forgetting what has so long been known, but there you are.

We do that sort of thing.

:)
 
something about getting older and heat just gets you more
You're in Ventura, no snivelling allowed. Just go to the beach and oogle some bazooms.

It's been over 40* C every day here for the past three weeks, 200% humidity on top of that, and if we go to the beach we'd probably come out of the water chromed like the bumper on a '52 Buick :(
 
the second best thing is when you add the solar panels to power the ac.
having been in Tucson in the summer can't imagine not having ac.
something about getting older and heat just gets you more

I'm surprised more shops in your area are not "earth bermed" or partially underground.
 
I would say that AC is the best investment I made for my shop.
It doesn't only help with the temperature. It reduces also the humidity.
Not to mention the dust. You don't need to open the overhead door anymore!
 
My shop is just down the road from Mike's and I broke down and added a third big wall unit AC/Heater this year The AC is GREAT in the summer but the Heater is even better in the winter :)

( Just moved in a more modern mill this week mike :) )


I almost didnt add the heat elements to mine but it was only like $150 more. Cold doesnt bother me ( well, not the "cold" we have here )but the heat kills me.

( Just moved in a more modern mill this week mike :) )

:cheers: :cheers: I saw you were selling some of your eqpt,what did you get?
 
Funny thing about heat and humidity, once you get used to it...;) I'm certainly not advocating no AC in the shop, that sux b*lls!! :angry: Just saying from someone who lived up north (LoL) most of my life, anything under about 80 here is a little 'cool'.
 
I almost didnt add the heat elements to mine but it was only like $150 more. Cold doesnt bother me ( well, not the "cold" we have here )but the heat kills me.



:cheers: :cheers: I saw you were selling some of your eqpt,what did you get?
I added heat mainly because of the tools, keeps the air dryer and I don't have rust issues... Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

( nothing fancy just a running torq cut 22)

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
I finally broke down last week. I dam near died when it was a 117 degrees out and my shop was 97. A week of 110 degrees and I called the AC people and they installed two 5 ton units and duct work throughout the shop. Today was the first day of AC. This day will be in the running to the day I got married and the birth of my son. I did not sweat in my shop it was glorious.

There should be some sort of mandate in Tucson that every building be outfitted with central AC. What a miserably hot place.

"But it's a dry heat!" they told me. Yeah, well, so is a pizza oven. Don't mean I wanna jump in the fuckin' thing.
 
There should be some sort of mandate in Tucson that every building be outfitted with central AC. What a miserably hot place.

"But it's a dry heat!" they told me. Yeah, well, so is a pizza oven. Don't mean I wanna jump in the fuckin' thing.
pfft move to the 'wet' heat of FL...
 
"But it's a dry heat!" they told me.

Yah but.. you think "dry" doesn't help, try South East Asia, similar temps or higher, humidity 90%-plus for weeks and months on-end.

Dry SEASON or getting back to AZ - which also has cooler NiGHTS, and drier-yet - will make a believer of you.

Get too hot, our "desert" states, in general?

Just soak-down your clothing - heavily and often - survive another day. No way to run a Machine-shop, no. But it can save yer LIFE.

Asia? Never NOT already soaked, can't GET "dry". Plus you, garments, bedding, books, papers, furniture, are all under attack from all manner of mold, mildew, crotch-rot, blood-borne fungous ("Jungle Rot") and opportunistic insects.

So long as there is WATER and air dry-enough it can evaporate, I'll take Death Valley, without A/C over the steam-cooker environment where one has to scarper between islands of A/C going all soggy-boggy in the few yards in-between, thanks!
 
You're in Ventura, no snivelling allowed. Just go to the beach and oogle some bazooms.

It's been over 40* C every day here for the past three weeks, 200% humidity on top of that, and if we go to the beach we'd probably come out of the water chromed like the bumper on a '52 Buick :(

it's been in the 90s for a week at least here, beach may be close but those mountains
in between make a big difference
 
Yah but.. you think "dry" doesn't help, try South East Asia, similar temps or higher, humidity 90%-plus for weeks and months on-end.

Dry SEASON or getting back to AZ - which also has cooler NiGHTS, and drier-yet - will make a believer of you.

Get too hot, our "desert" states, in general?

Just soak-down your clothing - heavily and often - survive another day. No way to run a Machine-shop, no. But it can save yer LIFE.

Asia? Never NOT already soaked, can't GET "dry". Plus you, garments, bedding, books, papers, furniture, are all under attack from all manner of mold, mildew, crotch-rot, blood-borne fungous ("Jungle Rot") and opportunistic insects.

So long as there is WATER and air dry-enough it can evaporate, I'll take Death Valley, without A/C over the steam-cooker environment where one has to scarper between islands of A/C going all soggy-boggy in the few yards in-between, thanks!

Sounds like you could draw up one helluva brochure promoting tourism through SE Asia.

Nothing like a good case of the crotch-rot to go with your traveler's diarrhea.
 
Sounds like you could draw up one helluva brochure promoting tourism through SE Asia.
It's good for the skin, somewhat. All that water going through really cleans out the pores.

Was doing some wiring a few years ago before the body became worthless, pulling 00 through undersized conduit (Chinese people simply must cut corners everywhere, it's genetic) and I'd go through 2 gallons (that's a little over 8 liters, for you metrickers) of water without peeing. It doesn't evaporate, just runs off. Look down, there's a big puddle on the floor ten feet below. Hmph, where did that come from ? The first week of summer you're a mess of pimples, then it's all cleaned out.

Monarchist could organize healthy-skin tours :) (better not mention the crotch rot).
 
Details man, details!

What's the square footage of your shop? How tall are the ceilings?

How did the contractors determine that two 5-ton units was enough?

What brand of units did you get?

Could you post some pics of the install, and the ductwork?

How much has it added to your monthly electric bill?

I want to install air at the shop next year (after sweating like a dog for 20 years), and the plan is to do it myself. I can source the air conditioning unit(s) through a contractor friend at wholesale pricing. I have a 4,000 sq.ft. shop with 16-ft ceilings, a standard metal building with standard amounts of insulation.

ToolCat Greg
 








 
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