How much 'gain' would we get if we sunk a 55 gallon barrel into the
relatively cool ground here in Florida, filled it with calcium free
water, and sprayed the condenser in a closed loop cycle when it is
running?

Any evaporated water would be made up with condensate.

(I posted here because I respect UK DIYers)

In article . com,
BoyntonStu writes:

How much 'gain' would we get if we sunk a 55 gallon barrel into the
relatively cool ground here in Florida, filled it with calcium free
water, and sprayed the condenser in a closed loop cycle when it is
running?

Any evaporated water would be made up with condensate.

I've worked in more than one data centre where on the hottest day
of the year, a few people have had to stand outside spraying the
condensor units with hoses, and it makes an enormous difference.

I'm less certain in your case though. You will eventually warm up
the 55 gallons of water which will significantly impair its cooling
ability. Also you will be spraying this heated water into the air.
You could end up infecting someone in the neighbourhood with
legionares disease. This is one of the most common ways it breeds
and is spread.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sep 29, 1:47 pm, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
In article . com,
BoyntonStu writes:



How much 'gain' would we get if we sunk a 55 gallon barrel into the
relatively cool ground here in Florida, filled it with calcium free
water, and sprayed the condenser in a closed loop cycle when it is
running?

Any evaporated water would be made up with condensate.

I've worked in more than one data centre where on the hottest day
of the year, a few people have had to stand outside spraying the
condensor units with hoses, and it makes an enormous difference.

I'm less certain in your case though. You will eventually warm up
the 55 gallons of water which will significantly impair its cooling
ability. Also you will be spraying this heated water into the air.
You could end up infecting someone in the neighbourhood with
legionares disease. This is one of the most common ways it breeds
and is spread.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew,

Thanks.


My 2 condensers produce about 2 gallons an hour of condensate.

My idea is to collect 10 gallons or so, activate a pump, and expel 10
gallons from the 55 gallon barrel, and replace with fresh condensate.

An algaecide/bacteriacide in the condenser pan would prevent bacteria
and algae formation.

AAMOF Algae slime is a MAJOR concern here in FL.

What do you use in the U.K. to prevent algae (and not damage the coils
etc.)?

Coincidentally, I stayed at the same Philadelphia hotel where
Legionnaire's disease was unfortunately discovered.

FWIW see me and my latest invention on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP21wqv0ia0

Look for other videos: search BoyntonStu

On Sep 29, 1:47 pm, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
In article . com,
BoyntonStu writes:



How much 'gain' would we get if we sunk a 55 gallon barrel into the
relatively cool ground here in Florida, filled it with calcium free
water, and sprayed the condenser in a closed loop cycle when it is
running?

Any evaporated water would be made up with condensate.

I've worked in more than one data centre where on the hottest day
of the year, a few people have had to stand outside spraying the
condensor units with hoses, and it makes an enormous difference.

I'm less certain in your case though. You will eventually warm up
the 55 gallons of water which will significantly impair its cooling
ability. Also you will be spraying this heated water into the air.
You could end up infecting someone in the neighbourhood with
legionares disease. This is one of the most common ways it breeds
and is spread.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

OOPS! I meant evaporators.

In article om,
BoyntonStu writes:

Andrew,

Thanks.


My 2 condensers produce about 2 gallons an hour of condensate.

Just trickle that down the the condensors as it's produced
(or find some way to atomize it and blow it in -- some
condensing boilers in the UK do that to get rid of the
condensate with the flue gases, but I've not seen how they do it).
Don't store the water at all. There are a number of portable
air conditioners which do that in the UK, and although it
helps with the efficiency, reducing or eliminating emptying
of the condensate tank is the main motivation.

My idea is to collect 10 gallons or so, activate a pump, and expel 10
gallons from the 55 gallon barrel, and replace with fresh condensate.

An algaecide/bacteriacide in the condenser pan would prevent bacteria
and algae formation.

AAMOF Algae slime is a MAJOR concern here in FL.

What do you use in the U.K. to prevent algae (and not damage the coils
etc.)?

I don't think it's necessary in an air conditioner which isn't
storing or recyling warm water.

I had a friend (now retired) who looked after the local parks
and fountains. It was an ongoing problem finding something they
could use in the fountains which prevented bacteria and algae,
was non-toxic when someone decided to drink the water from the
fountain, and didn't produce large amounts of foam.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sep 29, 4:49 pm, BoyntonStu wrote:
How much 'gain' would we get if we sunk a 55 gallon barrel into the
relatively cool ground here in Florida, filled it with calcium free
water, and sprayed the condenser in a closed loop cycle when it is
running?

Any evaporated water would be made up with condensate.

(I posted here because I respect UK DIYers)
Hi,

Would be safer and need less pressure/power to just trickle it over
the condenser.

You won't get much evaporative cooling if the ambient humidity is very
high though.

Worth keeping a close eye on the ali fins for any galvanic corrosion
reaction with the copper pipes.

If the compressor gets really hot it might help to have a fan blowing
on it.

cheers,
Pete.

In article . com,
Pete C writes:
If the compressor gets really hot it might help to have a fan blowing
on it.

The compressor (when integral with the motor) is cooled by the
refrigerent going through it, and therefore expects to be hot.
A fan blowing at the compressor won't do anything significant
(maybe a few tens of watts at best, when the thing is generating
several kW anyway). The heat from the compressor is carried away
by the refrigerent and dumped in the condensor, together with
the heat extracted from the evaporator.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sep 29, 8:51 pm, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
The compressor (when integral with the motor) is cooled by the
refrigerent going through it, and therefore expects to be hot.
A fan blowing at the compressor won't do anything significant
(maybe a few tens of watts at best, when the thing is generating
several kW anyway).

I half expected someone to say something like that...

I *used* to think along similar lines but there's more to it than you
think.

I've tried it and it worked for me, I'd suggest the OP does the same.

If it makes a worthwhile improvement, the fans can be wired so they're
switched on with the compressor.

(Best try a fan on the suction side initially, an extra fan on the
discharge side might not improve things much further)

I can almost guess what you might say next =)

cheers,
Pete.

On Sep 30, 12:07 pm, Pete C wrote:
On Sep 29, 8:51 pm, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:

The compressor (when integral with the motor) is cooled by the
refrigerent going through it, and therefore expects to be hot.
A fan blowing at the compressor won't do anything significant
(maybe a few tens of watts at best, when the thing is generating
several kW anyway).

I half expected someone to say something like that...

I *used* to think along similar lines but there's more to it than you
think.

I've tried it and it worked for me, I'd suggest the OP does the same.

If it makes a worthwhile improvement, the fans can be wired so they're
switched on with the compressor.

(Best try a fan on the suction side initially, an extra fan on the
discharge side might not improve things much further)

I can almost guess what you might say next =)

If the radiator is hot it will be cooled by a spray whatever the
humidity.

It's going to be a drain on the natural water cycle though, except
that in Florida the natural water cycle on humid days supplies large
volumes of slightly nitrogenous preciptation.