Anyone use a portable Air Coonditioner in their garage?

**Old Tiger** · 03-08-2011, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by jpegs13

Let me tell you a little story...... I redid the basement, pool table, ping pong table, flat screen TV's. My son took it over. Redid the front room, overstuffed chairs, flat screen TV's reclining couch...my daughter took it over.

I have the garage. Heated, cooled and working on a ceiling bracket for the TV.... the dog is starting to like it there, I wonder......

The garage is my Safe House too! I have a Sirius Boom Box & a CD player. I will putz around for hours, especially in Spring! We have downsized to 1800 sqft so there is no room for the kids, long term

**oldmodman** · 03-08-2011, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Harleyguy

This is the way to go . Cost a few bucks but it's well worth the money just remember were not as young as we used to be .
Sanyo 12KLS71 Ductless Mini-Split Wall-Mount Low Ambient Air Conditioner-1

This type is ABSOLUTELY the way to go. And don't forget that many different models are available.
I was at a 14000 sq ft warehouse out in the San Fernando Valley last summer and they had
one like this in their office. But three much bigger ones out in the warehouse, and it was a very comfortable 75 degrees out there while it was 116 outside.

**Old Tiger** · 03-08-2011, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by oldmodman

This type is ABSOLUTELY the way to go. And don't forget that many different models are available.
I was at a 14000 sq ft warehouse out in the San Fernando Valley last summer and they had
one like this in their office. But three much bigger ones out in the warehouse, and it was a very comfortable 75 degrees out there while it was 116 outside.

Im getting the guys who installed my HVAC to quote me on one of these Friday. ANY IDEAS ON WHAT TO EXPECT. My guesstimate is $ 2-2.5K. I assume minumum 12,000 BTU to do the job for 450 sqft. Feedback welcome!

**Harleyguy** · 03-08-2011, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Old Tiger

Im getting the guys who installed my HVAC to quote me on one of these Friday. ANY IDEAS ON WHAT TO EXPECT. My guesstimate is $ 2-2.5K. I assume minumum 12,000 BTU to do the job for 450 sqft. Feedback welcome!

If you are handy they are actually very easy to install . A few models out there all ready come charged with freon . You tell them the length of the run and they cut it for you and it uses a special fitting that connects both lines together when you are ready to finish the install . Most of the inside units run on 110V out side is 220V put down a pad for the Condenser run a 220 line .

**Porsche Pilot** · 03-08-2011, 08:56 PM

My Mitsubishi unit is the 12,000 btu unit. I have the standard 20x20 two car garage and it is perfect. I picked the unit up for 1k and install was free...I have an a/c guy down the street. He would have billed the job for about 400 I think.

**Old Tiger** · 03-08-2011, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by Harleyguy

If you are handy they are actually very easy to install . A few models out there all ready come charged with freon . You tell them the length of the run and they cut it for you and it uses a special fitting that connects both lines together when you are ready to finish the install . Most of the inside units run on 110V out side is 220V put down a pad for the Condenser run a 220 line .

Great info! Thanks much!

**Old Tiger** · 03-08-2011, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Porsche Pilot

My Mitsubishi unit is the 12,000 btu unit. I have the standard 20x20 two car garage and it is perfect. I picked the unit up for 1k and install was free...I have an a/c guy down the street. He would have billed the job for about 400 I think.

That deal will be hard to beat!

**richy** · 03-11-2011, 07:34 PM

Jim, let me share with you what I did. Like you, I found working in the heat oppressive. I had installed an overhead fan hoping it would do the trick...not even close! I bouught an Amcor portable unit like this one:
Amcor PLM Portable Air Conditioners

It was the biggest unit at the time that plugged into a regular socket (at 14,000 BTU). I cut a hole in my garage door and installed a dryer vent in the door. If I set it to the max (64F) and let it run overnight, my garage goes from like mid 80's down to low the 70's. I installed a metal flange on the inside of the door that the exhaust tube connects to.
I posted the job here at AG quite some time ago, check it out:
A/C unit setup

This was a simple, inexpensive and VERY effective solution. I got my unit from ebay with a scratched face for about $200 if I recall. Look around, you can get a good deal on these and they work very well. I empty the water out of it after a few days. This setup has made my work environment very enjoyable, not to mention the products work better in a controlled environment as well.

**Old Tiger** · 03-11-2011, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by richy

Jim, let me share with you what I did. Like you, I found working in the heat oppressive. I had installed an overhead fan hoping it would do the trick...not even close! I bouught an Amcor portable unit like this one:
Amcor PLM Portable Air Conditioners

It was the biggest unit at the time that plugged into a regular socket (at 14,000 BTU). I cut a hole in my garage door and installed a dryer vent in the door. If I set it to the max (64F) and let it run overnight, my garage goes from like mid 80's down to low the 70's. I installed a metal flange on the inside of the door that the exhaust tube connects to.
I posted the job here at AG quite some time ago, check it out:
A/C unit setup

This was a simple, inexpensive and VERY effective solution. I got my unit from ebay with a scratched face for about $200 if I recall. Look around, you can get a good deal on these and they work very well. I empty the water out of it after a few days. This setup has made my work environment very enjoyable, not to mention the products work better in a controlled environment as well.

Thanks Richy! I got a quote to install a ductless 12K BTU today. Outrageous! They wanted $3900! I can buy the unit for ~ $1200. If I cant get a more reasonable quote, Im going your route!

**Kristopher1129** · 03-12-2011, 12:51 AM

I thought about this myself. Problem I have, is when it's hot out...my shop is most likely really busy. I have 3 bays, and a side door...all of which get opened and closed tons of time during the day. It would just be a waste of energy for me I think. It would have to be one bad ass AC to keep my shop cool, ha.

But, if you're just doing one vehicle by yourself. You can probably easily monitor open doors or bays. Should be able to keep yourself cool I would think.