Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

Why is it always something when one tries to do something. I need to
shoot texture aka sheet "rock" compound in a room that has a 2' X 15'
opening along the ceiling. Humidity has been high, but now it has
interfered with my plans of taping plastic over the opening so that I
don't spray the crap all over the finnished adjoining room. I have two
road side window AC units that the notes said they work. How could I
make one of them into a really good dehumidifier or maybe half and the
other sucking heat.

I'm about to set one AC unit up just the way it is, but concerned by
the time I get the humidity right I'll be freezing, house is VERY well
insulated. First though was to build a fire in the wood stove, then it
will be HOT.

Help

Can't turn off the fan , that will make the aluminum evaporator
freeze. Regulate the fan? By the time it is cold in the house it will
be good enough? Still I could use a dehumidifier in the house.

SW

Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

On Jun 28, 1:46*pm, Sunworshipper wrote:
Why is it always something when one tries to do something. I need to
shoot texture aka sheet "rock" compound in a room that has a 2' X 15'
opening along the ceiling. Humidity has been high, but now it has
interfered with my plans of taping plastic over the opening so that I
don't spray the crap all over the finnished adjoining room. I have two
road side window AC units that the notes said they work. How could I
make one of them into a really good dehumidifier or maybe half and the
other sucking heat.

I'm about to set one AC unit up just the way it is, but concerned by
the time I get the humidity right I'll be freezing, house is VERY well
insulated. First though was to build a fire in the wood stove, then it
will be HOT.

*Help

Can't turn off the fan , that will make the aluminum evaporator
freeze. *Regulate the fan? By the time it is cold in the house it will
be good enough? *Still I could use a dehumidifier in the house.

SW

I don't know that you have to do anything. The cold side is going to
condense moisture no matter what you do. If the evaporator gets down
below the dew point, you're going to have condensate running. I
believe the dehumidifier units don't really refrigerate down to the
point where they're actually doing an A/C unit's duty, but merely down
below the dew point and just move the air around. So figure out the
dew point, then set the A/C unit to just below that and get some fans
circulating the air. Hardest part will be piping the hot air
outside. Or just hit a rental outfit and see what they charge for
renting either portable A/C units or dehumidifiers. Mop-up outfits
use them for drying out places that have had flooding. The portable A/
C units will have plastic ducting to vent the hot air. We had several
for the computer rooms for when the big A/C unit went out. They
worked OK, but needed some drain hoses for the condensate.

Stan

Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

On Jun 28, 3:46*pm, Sunworshipper wrote:
... I have two
road side window AC units that the notes said they work. How could I
make one of them into a really good dehumidifier or maybe half and the
other sucking heat....
SW

I'd first remove the covers and hose the dirt and mold out of the
condenser and evaporator, then drill a small drain hole in the
floorpan beside the condensor coil (the outdoor part). If the
schematic is tucked inside remove it first, and don't soap or spray
the electricals.

You can buy special condensor coil cleaner which is quite strong. I've
had good luck with Simple Green.

Put it on a table with the drain hole hanging over the edge and a
bucket, block up the other corner slightly, and just run it. Normally
the condensed water from indoors collects under the outdoor coil and
the ring around the fan slings it onto the hot tubes to help cool
them. You could pour a little water in with the cover off to be sure
it drains, without having to run it opened.

When you have it apart and are playing with it, don't turn it off and
then back on quickly. Like an air compressor they don't start easily
against pressure. I cleaned mine a few days ago, and tested it with a
3750W generator. The normal starting surge read about 10A, but when I
turned it off and back on the ammeter read 25A and it loaded down the
genny and wouldn't run.

jsw

Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

On 2010-06-28, Sunworshipper wrote:
Why is it always something when one tries to do something. I need to
shoot texture aka sheet "rock" compound in a room that has a 2' X 15'
opening along the ceiling. Humidity has been high, but now it has
interfered with my plans of taping plastic over the opening so that I
don't spray the crap all over the finnished adjoining room. I have two
road side window AC units that the notes said they work. How could I
make one of them into a really good dehumidifier or maybe half and the
other sucking heat.

I'm about to set one AC unit up just the way it is, but concerned by
the time I get the humidity right I'll be freezing, house is VERY well
insulated. First though was to build a fire in the wood stove, then it
will be HOT.

Just turn on the window AC with it all in the room -- nothing
sticking out. One end would be pumping out cold air, the other end hot
air. Overall, it will raise the temperature a little, but pull a lot of
water out. (You'll need something to catch the condensate, of course.)

Set up the other one through the wall, so it cools and pumps the
hot air out side. That one you can use to get rid of the excess heat
from running the first one totally inside.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

DoN. Nichols wrote:
On 2010-06-28, Sunworshipper wrote:
Why is it always something when one tries to do something. I need to
shoot texture aka sheet "rock" compound in a room that has a 2' X 15'
opening along the ceiling. Humidity has been high, but now it has
interfered with my plans of taping plastic over the opening so that I
don't spray the crap all over the finnished adjoining room. I have two
road side window AC units that the notes said they work. How could I
make one of them into a really good dehumidifier or maybe half and the
other sucking heat.

I'm about to set one AC unit up just the way it is, but concerned by
the time I get the humidity right I'll be freezing, house is VERY well
insulated. First though was to build a fire in the wood stove, then it
will be HOT.

Just turn on the window AC with it all in the room -- nothing
sticking out. One end would be pumping out cold air, the other end hot
air. Overall, it will raise the temperature a little, but pull a lot of
water out. (You'll need something to catch the condensate, of course.)

you may need to add drain holes as mentioned earlier in the post.

lots of "newer" window units are designed to collect a puddle of water
which gets splashed/blown around on the condenser coils to help cool them.

Window Air Conditioner Converted to Dehumidifier Ideas?
 

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:46:15 -0500, Sunworshipper
wrote:

Thanks all. Read the advice and went out to look them over, to find
both on their sides. set them upright on a work bench and waited 24
hours, then side tracked for a couple of days. Both work, but the real
heavy one worked the best. Side tracked another couple of days and
then took it apart, wow, the dust and acorns where everywhere. It is
now dripping like crazy outside and soon this clammy feeling will go
away.

As for the room, the weather changed that day and I hung up really
thin plastic.

SW