DIY HVAC For Control Room

wakiyan wrote:

I guess the option then is to cut a hole like a window on the side wall of the attic and hang the A/C there so it gets fresh air from outdoors. The only thing is, this location is like 17 ft. away from the power outlet and the power cord won't reach. Is it safe to use a heavy duty extension cord with 12-gauge wires?

The idea of running the ducting is to keep the AC noise at a minimum. About the extension cord issue. Personally through my own experience I would not do it. I have an appliance rated cord that is 10 guage and 10ft long and it works great with my new AC unit. My old AC unit used to heat this cord up pretty hot. Finding out that it was the old AC unit that caused this, prompted me to buy a new AC unit in fear that the old one was going to turn into a bonfire if I kept using it. Also should be noted that most newer model AC window units do not brown the power when then compressor kicks in like the old ones do. At least on the GE models that I have purchased. So the short of it is, I would run a dedicated box to that AC unit. :wink:

Wise minds wrote:

I would run a dedicated box to that AC unit.

Yes, this was my point .Sorry for any confusion. My main point is I would not feel comfortable sticking a window unit in an attic. It seems it would be more trouble than it is worth. It also would risk damage to the unit . The window unit is designed to have the compressor and condenser outside.The face of the unit with it's supply and return is designed to be in the conditioned space.At the least I would pop it out the attic wall and run a supply and return off the face of the unit.Also a new electrical box.NO EXTENSION CORD If you went ahead with your first design you would need to run a condensate drain to the outside and you would be sucking attic air into the return which would probably be hot air and nasty.Which would over work your unit and clog the filter real quick. Your return needs to be in the room.Also the condenser will be dissipating heat into the attic making it hotter.The poor unit would be working so hard I don't think it would last long. I was assuming that you could have some noise in the control room and buy building a box of some sort over the window unit that would dampen the noise but not restrict airflow you would be better off. I've built pretty huge sound traps in ducts so I think you could do it very easy. You would have to separate your supply from your return. Jon mtl777 wrote >> I'm going to use a wall A/C unit << I'm assuming window unit . Please verify if this assumption is correct.

I was assuming that you could have some noise in the control room and buy building a box of some sort over the window unit that would dampen the noise but not restrict airflow you would be better off.

My room is too small to add another fixture bulging on the wall. Besides, the noise problem of my PC is already a big challenge for me that I don't want to add another problem (I'm even contemplating on building a cabinet right under the floor and above the crawl space for my PC :roll: but that's another story).

mtl777 wrote >> I'm going to use a wall A/C unit << I'm assuming window unit . Please verify if this assumption is correct.

Window unit is correct. :wink: Thanks for replying! Some more useful info to add to my knowledge. Mitch

Extension cord on a window A/C unit? No, no, no, no, no. It needs its own outlet, and possibly its own circuit run from the service panel. Do not take your chances with this. Your risk of fire due to an overheated extension cord is severe, and it is even worse in an attic. Please don't do this!!! :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: Window air conditioner inside attic sticking out of exterior wall? I don't know. The fact that the unit will breathe (and, if set to fresh air mode, supply) fresh outside air is a big plus. However, the temperature in an attic can reach 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit at times, and I suspect that would be very bad for the unit. Although I'm impressed with The Wise One's drawing and personal experience with the window A/C and custom-built ducting deal, I for one am not comfortable with this plan. While I agree that we sometimes need to be creative to solve our challenges and not to sacrifice the TL that we work so hard to achieve, I think there are better ways to do this. An idea that comes to mind is the chiller space concept that Steve recommended to dietcookie in the popular from shed to studio? thread. But even that doesn't necessarily guarantee the requisite amount of mechanical ventilation in terms of ACH (Air Changes per Hour) that you'll need in order to meet code for a habitable room without a window. You probably need at least 2 ACM (i.e., all of the room's air exchanged every 30 minutes) on demand -- meaning, it doesn't have to run all the time, just when occupants turn it on. Think of it as a mechanical pseudo-window fresh air breeze-making machine. ;-) Sorry to be a damper... I just want to see everyone safe and sound(proofed). --Keith :mrgreen:

It's all good Keith, that's what these forums are all about eh? :wink: At least we all agree, NO EXTENSION CORDS :!: :!: :!: :D

Yup -- even our federal government says so ("Never use extension cords with heating or air conditioning equipment"), and we know they always tell the truth! :lol:

No need to beat the horse, I'm not gonna use an extension cord. :wink: I discarded that idea a long time ago. I think I'm going with Andy's design, but in my case it will be two chambers--one for the pipe going into the room and the other for the exhaust/return. I'm also going to install an in-line duct fan in the return path to boost the exhaust airflow on its return to the A/C unit. Regarding the attic being too hot, I could wrap very thick insulation around the pipes (say, 12" thick) to protect them from the heat. That would be good for noise control, too. Then with this protection, I think it will be almost like the window A/C is inside the control room, because the well insulated pipes will be able to circulate the air without getting too affected by the attic heat. Andy: I can't seem to see a vent lever/button on the picture of that GE unit you mentioned. Is the vent on that unit controlled electronically by remote control? Thanks! :) Mitch

Mitch, the vent (Switch) is a little lever you pull out or push in. It is located right below one of the vents. Just a note on the attic installation, remember that AC units condense.. so there will be water. If you are using a window unit, they have to tilt so water can run out of them. Not doing this is extremely dangerous. Not only does it mess up the AC unit itself but it could promote mold and disease growth in the units standing water. Not to mention that water from above is never a good thing...in an attic. ;-) Do you have a drawing of the studio layout? Just thinking that I could come up with a setup or two for you to try. ~Andy

Andy: I will tilt the A/C unit by about 5 to 7 degrees for proper draining. My studio layout is very simple. It's only one room--the control room is also the tracking room. It's actually just a personal studio, and I'm recording only myself for now. I don't record any real drums, just guitars, vocals, and hardware/software synths, so my small space is good enough. Thanks, Mitch