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A/C experts

nutfinnnutfinn Member Posts: 12,808 ✭✭✭
edited July 2015 in General Discussion
Do these work? http://www.mistbox.com/
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Comments

  • catgunguycatgunguy Member Posts: 6,089
    edited November -1
    Good info.
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  • ChrisInTempeChrisInTempe Member Posts: 15,562 ✭
    edited November -1
    I've seen a few home-made misters on A/C systems around Phoenix. Not hard to spot them on the roof, misting around a roof-top unit. Don't personally know anyone that has one.

    Heard concerns about corrosion, different views on how to filter/treat water to avoid it. Been thinking about it but haven't dug into it enough to decide. I do know my roof-top package heat pump is all-aluminum. It was copper coils but Formicary Corrosion ate thru the copper inside of two years.
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  • wiz1997wiz1997 Member Posts: 1,051 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Only $315.00 after the tax credit?

    Seems a bit steep for something that can be built with a timer on a water hose and a bit of PVC pipe.

    Oh, but it wouldn't have an app for that.

    Probably work well in low humidity areas.
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  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,206 ******
    edited November -1
    I used to put the lawn sprinkler next to the A/C unit on really hot days. Never had a problem.
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  • mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,291 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Like Montana I have used the lawn sprinkler to create a Redneck water source heat pump, transferring heat to 70 degree water versus 100 degree air helps the condensing unit be more efficient.

    It rains outside and the outside unit gets wet so as long as the water source isn't acid I think you should be OK.

    Swamp coolers don't really work here in the high humidity but even city water is cooler than the air and I have a shallow well I use that is in the high 50 low 60s year round.
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
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  • mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,291 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So in cooler temperatures your Expansion valve would have died also? Makes no sense Sir.

    quote:Originally posted by dennisnielsen
    A little too well.

    The expansion will die prematurely.

    Too efficient and the transfer from gas to liquid is to quick.


    How do I know?

    I was bragging about how much colder mine was and how it ran a shorter time to reach the desired temp.

    Right up to the time it killed a year old expansion valve.
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
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  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,565 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just move your AC inside where it is cooler[:D]
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  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    Just make shade over it.Water will F it up.
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  • TopkickTopkick Member Posts: 4,452 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A customer of mine had stacked firewood on both sides of this outdoor unit and covered it all with sheet plastic to keep it dry through the winter. Called me to see why his heater wasn't working.

    It was a heat pump.


    Regarding the mister- I have a friend that made one of pvc and small spray nozzles. It works good in the hottest days of summer.
    Problem I see is corrosion of the coils and calcification from the minerals in the water depositing on the coils.
    He did go back and install a water filter in line with the supply.
    My other concern was that if the water is really cold, it may slug the compressor with liquid refrigerant, but not real likely.
    Not sure how it would affect the expansion valve. Makes no sense to me.
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  • TopkickTopkick Member Posts: 4,452 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    All a mister will do to the internal refrigerant cycle is increase the subcooling and allow the heat to be released quicker, due to the evaporating water on the coil external surface.

    What is meant by subcooling?
    Subcooling is the condition where the liquid refrigerant is colder than the minimum temperature (saturation temperature) required to keep it from boiling and, hence, change from the liquid to a gas phase.
    The amount of subcooling, at a given condition, is the difference between its saturation temperature and the actual liquid refrigerant temperature.

    Why is subcooling desirable?
    Subcooling is desirable for several reasons:



    It increases the efficiency of the system since the amount of heat being removed per pound of refrigerant circulated is greater. In other words, you pump less refrigerant through the system to maintain the refrigerated temperature you want. This reduces the amount of time that the compressor must run to maintain the temperature. The amount of capacity boost which you get with each degree of subcooling varies with the refrigerant being used.



    http://www.achrnews.com/articles/97050-quick-facts-superheat-and-subcooling


    Subcooling is beneficial because it prevents the liquid refrigerant from changing to a gas before it gets to the evaporator. Pressure drops in the liquid piping and vertical risers can reduce the refrigerant pressure to the point where it will boil or "flash" in the liquid line. This change of phase causes the refrigerant to absorb heat before it reaches the evaporator. Inadequate subcooling prevents the expansion valve from properly metering liquid refrigerant into the evaporator, resulting in poor system performance.

    BTW- I do not use one on either of the 2 systems on my home.
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