HVAC - What to use? Is DIY an option?

derekdun101 · Post by **derekdun101** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:01 am

How much would one of these hrv units cost that only needs to feed one room @ 192 sq.ft.?

Post by **sharward** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:07 am

I'm pretty sure they only have two sizes -- big and really big.

I'm planning to use the "big" one. I think they run several hundred dollars (US).

derekdun101 · Post by **derekdun101** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:38 am

Are you doing the install yourself Sharward or you bringin in a HVAC guy?

Post by **sharward** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:23 am

I'm planning to do it myself, but I may have the contractor who does my mini-split do it at the same time.

derekdun101 · Post by **derekdun101** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:28 pm

I noticed on your other posts you love to illustrate. So why stop now?

Drawing up what you have in mind for your project would be a great idea!

Post by **sharward** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:58 pm

I did already... Perhaps you couldn't find my dainty little 40-page thread.

This is the point in my thread (August 21, 2005) where I finalized my plan, including ventilation. I got my permit about a week later.

--Keith

derekdun101 · Post by **derekdun101** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:52 am

I must have gotten lazy and skipped a few pages when scrolling through your thread the first 8 times. Seems like I missed the very pages I was loking for. Found it though and again thanks!

Post by **sharward** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:56 am

What???

You actually skipped pages in my 40-page (and growing) thread and only skimmed it eight times?...

Hey man, it only takes a day or two to read through it -- what's your excuse?

The worst part of it is that the planning stages I went through were hardly linear -- I bounced around quite a bit on a number of things, so it is understandably hard to follow. But, I guess that's good, because it proves a point how important good planning is on projects like these.

Nashtalon · Post by **Nashtalon** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:49 am

derekdun101 wrote:How much would one of these hrv units cost that only needs to feed one room @ 192 sq.ft.?

This is one of the most inexpensive units I've found and I've searched for single room units with no luck.

http://www.iaqsource.com/index.php?modu ... +exchanger

derekdun101 · Post by **derekdun101** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:36 am

Wow! Thats the first web site I've seen that actually gives the price

Thanks alot for the link. Now I'm on to figuring out how to soundproof this setup. I'm currently reading up on the silencer info on this site. Wish me luck! (Or add you own input

)

Post by **sharward** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:10 am

I admit that I haven't done any illustrations of the silencer for my project yet... It's an "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it" situation.

What I plan to do is basically add some timber to the walls and ceiling to create a sort of soffit with walls that are about as thick and heavy as the walls and ceiling it's attached to.

I'm debating whether or not I will "finish" it like a ceiling and wall, or maybe I'll use screws and rubber seals on at least one of the surfaces so that I can open it up and service it in a way... Since the inside will be lined with insulation, I figure there might be a benefit to being able to access them every few years for a good cleaning...

Ressurrector · Post by **Ressurrector** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 3:19 pm

This is a most interesting thread. I just found this website tonight and have searched everywhere for ideas on converting a single zone mini split to heat/cool more than one room. Glad I found some good info.

I do not however own a mini split system yet but do have a decent size window unit air conditioner and I'm considering the "chiller room" approach after reading all this. I thought the idea for the tuned traps was good and reminds me of a time I constructed a "vent box" for a small 4x4x8 vocal booth and it worked really well to keep air flow whisper quiet. Here's a pic of the ventbox (excuse my poor artwork.) When I made the ventbox I was shooting in the dark for dimensions and even internal design as I was trying to mimick the vent box design on many commercialy made whisper booths that you see in the classified ads of recording magazines. I don't see why this wouldn't work for the chiller room /pipe system. I don't remember the exact dimensions but I built the vent box out of particle board(sides) and used 2x4 pieces as the top and bottom and internal spacers. On the spacers I mounted egg crate foam and cut two holes for pvc pipes to be inserted. I used clear silicon to seal it all up and used a laundry dryer exhaust hose with duck tape to connect from my circulating fan to the vent box.

Post by **sharward** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:17 am

Welcome to the forum, Ressurrector, and I'm glad you're benefitting from all the wealth of information here.

Yes, your illustration pretty much captures the plan I have for my big beefy silencers. They'll be about 8 feet long, and the other dimensions will be 1 1/2 feet and 2 feet (inside they'll be 2 feet wide and 1 1/2 feet tall, whereas they'll be the opposite outside the room -- 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 feet tall, since I'll have more headroom to spare there).

I'm thinking of constructing mine with one of the panels being attached with screws or bolts or something, so that I can access the entire silencer now and then for the purpose of cleaning and/or refurbishing. I would imagine that with all those turns, especially lined with insulation or foam, there's bound to be a lot of dust build-up, in spite of any attempts to filter that stuff out.

--Keith

Ressurrector · Post by **Ressurrector** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:48 am

Yeah I say your right about dust buildup. Maybe you could make some kind of filter on the input or output and that way you woundn't have to open up the box just unclamp a hose or something and clean it.

Post by **sharward** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:06 am

I do plan on having the exhaust intake inside the room protected with a filter, and the heat exchanger I'll be using has a filter inside the core... But still, I'd like to be able to get into those silencers now and then. Another thing that has me a little concerned is the possibility of mildew or mold collecting on/in the insulation or foam, so again, being able to gain access to it would make remediation of such a thing far less daunting a prospect.