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#42
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Portable AC platform
On 3/23/2017 4:55 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:56:22 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 11:21 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:09:09 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 9:57 AM, trader_4 wrote: Let's see, what would sensible people prefer? A small drain hose going to outside or a drain so that it never has to be emptied? Or a commode sitting in their living space? A small drain hose going to the outside will not work. I'm not drilling a hole in my house, AND I'm not going to use a commode because it won't work, either. It's not heavy duty enough, and not the right dimensions. I DO know how to work with wood, power tools, screws, various hardware, and stuff related to building things. So, I built a scrap wood platform high enough to allow space enough to put a bucket under it, AND sturdy enough to hold the weight of a heavy portable AC unit. THEN I put a plastic liner in it that I inserted a drain plug into the center of it. So, WTF is the problem then? I was looking for a similar product or idea to what I made that had a better design. Using a pump might be a good solution for someone who knows about pumps, wiring things, and electricity. For example, if you set up a pump to trigger a switch to cut off the AC when the tub is full, how do you wire that up to turn off the AC? I don't want to electrocute myself or damage the AC. I'm not an electrician, or AC repair guru. If I break it, I don't know how to fix it. So, I do what I can with the skills I have and build a platform to catch and drain the excess water into a large basin so I don't have to sop up the excess water- I can just dump it out of a bucket once every other day. If the commode can handle a 400 lb ass it can handle the AC (Bariatric commodes can handle 600 lbs) and even a standard one can handle 250 lb with no problem. I'm 110% certain your portable AC weighs a lot less than that - and with minor mods it won't even resemble a commode. You are, as usual, being your petulant self. (or petty if you like that better)) You asked for a factory made solution with a better design. I gave it to you, yet all you can do is kvetch (as usual) You and Mikey need to get together!!! I'm not worried about the weight of the AC by itself. The machine is tall, and on wheels, and awkward dimensions, and a potty chair/bariatric commode won't work. It may very well carry the weight of the AC, and the width, but it won't handle the depth of the machine. I'm not adept at altering commode tubing, either, whereas, you might be. How would you modify it to work? What are the dimensions of youy monster. It has to be a HUGE portable if it won't fit!!! The base of the AC approx. 18" x 25". All the potty chair frames I've seen would be a tight fit. -- Maggie |
#43
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 7:11:08 PM UTC-4, Muggles wrote:
I have a couple of portable AC units that I use during the summer, and wanted to ask if anyone had ever had this issue before. Initially, the units do great cooling the house and there's a drain on the back of the machine that I can put a hose in to divert the condensation into a larger container so I don't have to take it outside to drain it. Our summers can get very humid, and the machine eventually ends up spilling excess condensation into the pan at the bottom of the machine and it ends up overflowing onto the floor. So, I found a large plastic container lid that I could use the catch that water, but it still was producing too much condensation from the humidity. I'd end up having to go to too much trouble to either sop up that water, or drain it by some other means. I decided to make an AC platform about 8 inches off the floor where I could line it with plastic that has a drain hole in it, so any excess water would be caught in the plastic liner and drain into a large bucket below it which would be easy to just dump in the sink (no more sopping water up or going to a lot of trouble to deal with the excess condensation). I couldn't find anything from any business that made something like that already, so I had to design something that was just functional. It's not "pretty", but it works! ac-platform: http://i68.tinypic.com/29bd11j.jpg Does anyone know of anything already pre-built that serves the same purpose that can be ordered online? I've looked using many different search terms and come up with nothing, so I made a rough version of something functional myself. If you don't know of anything already pre-made like this, how would you design it differently to do the same thing? -- Maggie Use a funnel attach it to a hose then drain it to a house plant. Or put some dirt and plant some seeds on your platform to grow vegatables |
#44
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 10:50:46 PM UTC-4, Muggles wrote:
On 3/21/2017 6:53 PM, wrote: On Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:11:08 -0500, Muggles wrote: I have a couple of portable AC units that I use during the summer, and wanted to ask if anyone had ever had this issue before. Initially, the units do great cooling the house and there's a drain on the back of the machine that I can put a hose in to divert the condensation into a larger container so I don't have to take it outside to drain it. Our summers can get very humid, and the machine eventually ends up spilling excess condensation into the pan at the bottom of the machine and it ends up overflowing onto the floor. So, I found a large plastic container lid that I could use the catch that water, but it still was producing too much condensation from the humidity. I'd end up having to go to too much trouble to either sop up that water, or drain it by some other means. I decided to make an AC platform about 8 inches off the floor where I could line it with plastic that has a drain hole in it, so any excess water would be caught in the plastic liner and drain into a large bucket below it which would be easy to just dump in the sink (no more sopping water up or going to a lot of trouble to deal with the excess condensation). I couldn't find anything from any business that made something like that already, so I had to design something that was just functional. It's not "pretty", but it works! ac-platform: http://i68.tinypic.com/29bd11j.jpg Does anyone know of anything already pre-built that serves the same purpose that can be ordered online? I've looked using many different search terms and come up with nothing, so I made a rough version of something functional myself. If you don't know of anything already pre-made like this, how would you design it differently to do the same thing? Why not just add a small condensate pump and send the water down a drain somewhere? I don't know how I'd do that, but it sounds like a good idea. -- Maggie A Sump pump. I say use the water for plants if you are too lazy to water like a lot of people are |
#45
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 4:22:49 PM UTC-4, Micky wrote:
On Wed, 22 Mar 2017 09:44:43 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/22/2017 2:49 AM, Micky wrote: On Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:11:08 -0500, Muggles wrote: I have a couple of portable AC units that I use during the summer, and wanted to ask if anyone had ever had this issue before. Initially, the units do great cooling the house and there's a drain on the back of the machine that I can put a hose in to divert the condensation into a larger container so I don't have to take it outside to drain it. Our summers can get very humid, and the machine eventually ends up spilling excess condensation into the pan at the bottom of the machine and it ends up overflowing onto the floor. So, I found a large plastic container lid that I could use the catch that water, but it still was producing too much condensation from the humidity. I'd end up having to go to too much trouble to either sop up that water, or drain it by some other means. I decided to make an AC platform about 8 inches off the floor where I could line it with plastic that has a drain hole in it, so any excess water would be caught in the plastic liner and drain into a large bucket below it which would be easy to just dump in the sink (no more sopping water up or going to a lot of trouble to deal with the excess condensation). I couldn't find anything from any business that made something like that already, so I had to design something that was just functional. It's not "pretty", but it works! ac-platform: http://i68.tinypic.com/29bd11j.jpg Does anyone know of anything already pre-built that serves the same purpose that can be ordered online? I've looked using many different search terms and come up with nothing, so I made a rough version of something functional myself. If you don't know of anything already pre-made like this, how would you design it differently to do the same thing? I have one of those in the second floor and fortunately for me, the second floor overhangs the first, so I just drilled a hole in the carpet and the floor and whatever comes after that and dangled the but a foot out of the hole. Water doesn't hit the wall and it falls in the most ignored corner of my yard. But if there were no overhang, I might have drilled the hole through the side wall, and even on the first floor, most first floors are a foot about ground level. I was supposed to check the tube for insects the second season. Maybe ill do that the third, but it worked fine the second. Getting the tube through a series of holes when the tube had been wound in 12" circle required a smidgeon of cleverness, and I will tell you if you want me too. Emptying those things woudl be a pain, and knowing me, I'd often be late. If it didn't get so humid here, the AC wouldn't have any issues with excess condensation, so I'm used to checking it about once a day to empty it. What if you go away for two days and forget to turn it off? Sump pumps have auto switches |
#46
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 17:33:11 -0500, Muggles
wrote: On 3/23/2017 4:54 PM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:51:20 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 11:14 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:40:11 -0500, Muggles Asking for advice and help with a home project is totally 'on topic' here, and even if I don't know how to do everything other people can do, at least I try to build something that is designed to meet the need I'm asking about. You're no help at all. The condensate pump is NOt put inside the unit. It is put in the drain pan so you don't need to empty it, or in many cases just connected to the drain. It has a small reservoir, and when it gets full it starts the pump. When it gets empty it shuts the pump off. They are used extensively on furnace mounter AC units and on condensing furnaces. OK I understand what you're describing, now. This is the problem with this particular machine: The reservoir is at the upper portion of this AC, and it has a hole in the back of it where I can and have attached a hose to drain that into a large container. I could drain it outside if I could find a way to run the hose outside without drilling a hole in the house. We just don't want to do that right now. Maybe we will in the future, but the reservoir never backs up and is always freely draining, so that fluid isn't dripping into the bottom pan. That aside, the second problem is when humidity is high, the machine produces excess condensation that drips into a pan that is at the bottom of the machine, but has no drainage holes. I'm guessing it's generally meant to catch sweat that drains from the sides below the main collection reservoir and is supposed to just evaporate. BUT, our high humidity in the summer ends up producing too much water for that bottom pan and it runs over onto the floor. If the air conditioner is doing it's joband the house is kept closed up, the humidity very quickly drops to the point condensation is no longer a problem In the early summer before it gets REALLY hot, the humidity isn't that bad so there's really no problem with the excess overflowing from the bottom. It's later or after a rain that we have the problem. Initially, just sitting the AC on a plastic lid that could catch that bottom pan water that overflows worked fine. It would usually evaporate, but our humidity got worse producing more than the plastic bottom pan I used could handle, and I'd have to soak up the excess with towels which got old pretty quick. Where do you exhaust the heat from the portable air conditioner? It has a flexible vent you insert into a partially open window similar to a dryer vent. How well sealed is that "partially opened" window??? A double hung (or single hung) window that is not tightly closed generally has a HUGE air leak between the 2 sashes. What have yoiu done to seal that? If it is left leaking you WILL have serious humidity problems. That window needs to be 100% air-tight, or as close to that as possible. Stuffrinf the gap with sponge rubber is a start, but only a start. Taping it up with vapor barrier tape helps too. |
#47
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 17:38:07 -0500, Muggles
wrote: On 3/23/2017 4:55 PM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:56:22 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 11:21 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:09:09 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 9:57 AM, trader_4 wrote: Let's see, what would sensible people prefer? A small drain hose going to outside or a drain so that it never has to be emptied? Or a commode sitting in their living space? A small drain hose going to the outside will not work. I'm not drilling a hole in my house, AND I'm not going to use a commode because it won't work, either. It's not heavy duty enough, and not the right dimensions. I DO know how to work with wood, power tools, screws, various hardware, and stuff related to building things. So, I built a scrap wood platform high enough to allow space enough to put a bucket under it, AND sturdy enough to hold the weight of a heavy portable AC unit. THEN I put a plastic liner in it that I inserted a drain plug into the center of it. So, WTF is the problem then? I was looking for a similar product or idea to what I made that had a better design. Using a pump might be a good solution for someone who knows about pumps, wiring things, and electricity. For example, if you set up a pump to trigger a switch to cut off the AC when the tub is full, how do you wire that up to turn off the AC? I don't want to electrocute myself or damage the AC. I'm not an electrician, or AC repair guru. If I break it, I don't know how to fix it. So, I do what I can with the skills I have and build a platform to catch and drain the excess water into a large basin so I don't have to sop up the excess water- I can just dump it out of a bucket once every other day. If the commode can handle a 400 lb ass it can handle the AC (Bariatric commodes can handle 600 lbs) and even a standard one can handle 250 lb with no problem. I'm 110% certain your portable AC weighs a lot less than that - and with minor mods it won't even resemble a commode. You are, as usual, being your petulant self. (or petty if you like that better)) You asked for a factory made solution with a better design. I gave it to you, yet all you can do is kvetch (as usual) You and Mikey need to get together!!! I'm not worried about the weight of the AC by itself. The machine is tall, and on wheels, and awkward dimensions, and a potty chair/bariatric commode won't work. It may very well carry the weight of the AC, and the width, but it won't handle the depth of the machine. I'm not adept at altering commode tubing, either, whereas, you might be. How would you modify it to work? What are the dimensions of youy monster. It has to be a HUGE portable if it won't fit!!! The base of the AC approx. 18" x 25". All the potty chair frames I've seen would be a tight fit. That is a HUGE portable. A drop-arm commode would give you the required width. Most wide units are 24 inches -X 18 inches - a tight fit between the arms. Something like this would do the job. http://www.home-med-equip.com/catalo...isg413bar.html or this one from wallmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bariatric...Chair/17351549 or this one - on sale - and youn don't need to buy plywood - - - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bariatric...ount/171663916 |
#48
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 11:51:21 AM UTC-5, Muggles wrote:
On 3/23/2017 11:14 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:40:11 -0500, Muggles Asking for advice and help with a home project is totally 'on topic' here, and even if I don't know how to do everything other people can do, at least I try to build something that is designed to meet the need I'm asking about. You're no help at all. The condensate pump is NOt put inside the unit. It is put in the drain pan so you don't need to empty it, or in many cases just connected to the drain. It has a small reservoir, and when it gets full it starts the pump. When it gets empty it shuts the pump off. They are used extensively on furnace mounter AC units and on condensing furnaces. OK I understand what you're describing, now. This is the problem with this particular machine: The reservoir is at the upper portion of this AC, and it has a hole in the back of it where I can and have attached a hose to drain that into a large container. I could drain it outside if I could find a way to run the hose outside without drilling a hole in the house. We just don't want to do that right now. Maybe we will in the future, but the reservoir never backs up and is always freely draining, so that fluid isn't dripping into the bottom pan. That aside, the second problem is when humidity is high, the machine produces excess condensation that drips into a pan that is at the bottom of the machine, but has no drainage holes. I'm guessing it's generally meant to catch sweat that drains from the sides below the main collection reservoir and is supposed to just evaporate. BUT, our high humidity in the summer ends up producing too much water for that bottom pan and it runs over onto the floor. Initially, just sitting the AC on a plastic lid that could catch that bottom pan water that overflows worked fine. It would usually evaporate, but our humidity got worse producing more than the plastic bottom pan I used could handle, and I'd have to soak up the excess with towels which got old pretty quick. The main reservoir isn't really a problem. It's the fluid that overflows from the bottom of the machine, and there's no access hole to hook up a tube to even connect a pump too. So, he only thing I could think of for that bottom pan issue was to make a platform for the AC where the bottom pan could drain into a large container that could be easily emptied if it got too full and didn't evaporate quickly enough. That was all I could come up with on my own to solve the problem until I could figure out a better solution. So... I could put a pump to drain the bottom pan outside, but I really need a better design than what I came up with that includes a pump (that isn't loud when it kicks in) with the design if I'm going to do that. I'm not even sure how to go about designing it. I'm open to ideas, though. -- Maggie If you can open the cover where the filter goes and you can see the evaporator which is the aluminum finned part that feels cold when the AC is running, you should look for dirt buildup. When there is dirt buildup around the area where the evaporator drains into the drain pan, water will overflow the sides of the pan and wind up dripping out in the wrong place. You might try rolling the unit outdoors, getting some HVAC spray cleaner from Lowe's Depot, spray the evaporator with the cleaner, let it soak in then hose the unit out. Careful with the garden hose when you rinse the aluminum fins, the pencil thin stream of water from the sprayer can bend the aluminum fins of the evaporator. A fan spray of water from the spray handle works best. ヽ(ヅ)ノ https://www.lowes.com/pd/WEB-Cleans-...ils/1000024695 http://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-Safe-A...-921/206740351 https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Foaming-C.../dp/B009YO1FFM [8~{} Uncle Dirty Monster |
#49
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
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#50
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On 3/23/2017 6:40 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 17:38:07 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 4:55 PM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:56:22 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 11:21 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:09:09 -0500, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 9:57 AM, trader_4 wrote: Let's see, what would sensible people prefer? A small drain hose going to outside or a drain so that it never has to be emptied? Or a commode sitting in their living space? A small drain hose going to the outside will not work. I'm not drilling a hole in my house, AND I'm not going to use a commode because it won't work, either. It's not heavy duty enough, and not the right dimensions. I DO know how to work with wood, power tools, screws, various hardware, and stuff related to building things. So, I built a scrap wood platform high enough to allow space enough to put a bucket under it, AND sturdy enough to hold the weight of a heavy portable AC unit. THEN I put a plastic liner in it that I inserted a drain plug into the center of it. So, WTF is the problem then? I was looking for a similar product or idea to what I made that had a better design. Using a pump might be a good solution for someone who knows about pumps, wiring things, and electricity. For example, if you set up a pump to trigger a switch to cut off the AC when the tub is full, how do you wire that up to turn off the AC? I don't want to electrocute myself or damage the AC. I'm not an electrician, or AC repair guru. If I break it, I don't know how to fix it. So, I do what I can with the skills I have and build a platform to catch and drain the excess water into a large basin so I don't have to sop up the excess water- I can just dump it out of a bucket once every other day. If the commode can handle a 400 lb ass it can handle the AC (Bariatric commodes can handle 600 lbs) and even a standard one can handle 250 lb with no problem. I'm 110% certain your portable AC weighs a lot less than that - and with minor mods it won't even resemble a commode. You are, as usual, being your petulant self. (or petty if you like that better)) You asked for a factory made solution with a better design. I gave it to you, yet all you can do is kvetch (as usual) You and Mikey need to get together!!! I'm not worried about the weight of the AC by itself. The machine is tall, and on wheels, and awkward dimensions, and a potty chair/bariatric commode won't work. It may very well carry the weight of the AC, and the width, but it won't handle the depth of the machine. I'm not adept at altering commode tubing, either, whereas, you might be. How would you modify it to work? What are the dimensions of youy monster. It has to be a HUGE portable if it won't fit!!! The base of the AC approx. 18" x 25". All the potty chair frames I've seen would be a tight fit. That is a HUGE portable. A drop-arm commode would give you the required width. Most wide units are 24 inches -X 18 inches - a tight fit between the arms. Something like this would do the job. http://www.home-med-equip.com/catalo...isg413bar.html or this one from wallmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bariatric...Chair/17351549 or this one - on sale - and youn don't need to buy plywood - - - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bariatric...ount/171663916 We actually have one like those my husband used after he got out of the hospital. I measured it after seeing this photo and the AC would be a real tight fit, but he won't let me use it for the AC since it would need modification to it and he paid a lot of money for it. He's had several knee surgeries and still uses it when his knees act up. -- Maggie |
#51
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Portable AC platform
On 3/23/2017 6:48 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:
On Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 11:51:21 AM UTC-5, Muggles wrote: On 3/23/2017 11:14 AM, wrote: On Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:40:11 -0500, Muggles Asking for advice and help with a home project is totally 'on topic' here, and even if I don't know how to do everything other people can do, at least I try to build something that is designed to meet the need I'm asking about. You're no help at all. The condensate pump is NOt put inside the unit. It is put in the drain pan so you don't need to empty it, or in many cases just connected to the drain. It has a small reservoir, and when it gets full it starts the pump. When it gets empty it shuts the pump off. They are used extensively on furnace mounter AC units and on condensing furnaces. OK I understand what you're describing, now. This is the problem with this particular machine: The reservoir is at the upper portion of this AC, and it has a hole in the back of it where I can and have attached a hose to drain that into a large container. I could drain it outside if I could find a way to run the hose outside without drilling a hole in the house. We just don't want to do that right now. Maybe we will in the future, but the reservoir never backs up and is always freely draining, so that fluid isn't dripping into the bottom pan. That aside, the second problem is when humidity is high, the machine produces excess condensation that drips into a pan that is at the bottom of the machine, but has no drainage holes. I'm guessing it's generally meant to catch sweat that drains from the sides below the main collection reservoir and is supposed to just evaporate. BUT, our high humidity in the summer ends up producing too much water for that bottom pan and it runs over onto the floor. Initially, just sitting the AC on a plastic lid that could catch that bottom pan water that overflows worked fine. It would usually evaporate, but our humidity got worse producing more than the plastic bottom pan I used could handle, and I'd have to soak up the excess with towels which got old pretty quick. The main reservoir isn't really a problem. It's the fluid that overflows from the bottom of the machine, and there's no access hole to hook up a tube to even connect a pump too. So, he only thing I could think of for that bottom pan issue was to make a platform for the AC where the bottom pan could drain into a large container that could be easily emptied if it got too full and didn't evaporate quickly enough. That was all I could come up with on my own to solve the problem until I could figure out a better solution. So... I could put a pump to drain the bottom pan outside, but I really need a better design than what I came up with that includes a pump (that isn't loud when it kicks in) with the design if I'm going to do that. I'm not even sure how to go about designing it. I'm open to ideas, though. If you can open the cover where the filter goes and you can see the evaporator which is the aluminum finned part that feels cold when the AC is running, you should look for dirt buildup. When there is dirt buildup around the area where the evaporator drains into the drain pan, water will overflow the sides of the pan and wind up dripping out in the wrong place. You might try rolling the unit outdoors, getting some HVAC spray cleaner from Lowe's Depot, spray the evaporator with the cleaner, let it soak in then hose the unit out. Careful with the garden hose when you rinse the aluminum fins, the pencil thin stream of water from the sprayer can bend the aluminum fins of the evaporator. A fan spray of water from the spray handle works best. ヽ(ヅ)ノ https://www.lowes.com/pd/WEB-Cleans-...ils/1000024695 http://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-Safe-A...-921/206740351 https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Foaming-C.../dp/B009YO1FFM [8~{} Uncle Dirty Monster I'll have to see if I can see the evaporator thing you mentioned. Saving this post so I can refer back to it if I need, too. Thanks! -- Maggie |
#52
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Portable AC platform
this is great but I am a 68 year old woman.. No way I CAN FIGURE THIS OUT BUT LOVE THE IDEA..
-- For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...m-1127165-.htm |
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