Garage AC / Cooler...

[Corvus Corax]

Look into the potential of a utility company rebate for mini split units to help offset some of the costs.

 

[vectordawg]

As a hvac tech by trade I would recommend going with a main brand mini split and get it installed by a licensed company. Mainly for warranty, reliability, and sourcing parts.
Mr. Cool units are Chinese junk. But it will work and are cheap cheap for a reason.
I personally prefer Daikin or mitsubishi.

Mini splits are very efficient for heating and cooling. They also require little maintenance.
Basic install takes under 8 hours depending on location.
I would recommend a good surge protector as the control boards are expensive and sensitive to voltage.

Hey, do you know anything about Alpine Home Air? I have one of their mini-splits and it is junk! Less than 6 months into it, the compressor had to be replaced. They replaced it with no hassle but on my dime (about $160 for shipping). Now, it's not cooling properly. My building is a 16x16 wood structure with closed cell spray foam in the walls and rafters. Right now the floor is just plywood and no insulation The shed was originally used for my mower and stuff like that so it sits too close to the ground to get under it for insulation. All that to say I wish I would've just gone with a brand name system to begin with. I can't remember what the system cost me, I think around $1k. Then I paid my HVAC guy (who is a friend) $300 to install it. Then I paid him when he hooked up the new compressor. Now I'm going to have to pay him to put gauges on it so I can show Alpine that it's not working AGAIN! Buying from Alpine was supposed to save me money but it's probably going to just as much as I would have paid for a Mitsubishi.

 

[Titan]

I installed two mini splits recently - went with the Mr. Cool DIY units ( one was 12k btu and the other 18k). I like the 18k better as it requires 240v instead of 120v for the 12k.

They are great. Super easy install and the lines are precharged. The 18k unit is around $1,400 from costco - thats normally less than just having an hvac guy come out and charge lines.

If you have easy access inside and to your electric panel, its a couple hour install. It's wifi enabled so you can set limits and whatnot from your phone.

 

[eddielasvegas]

I installed two mini splits recently - went with the Mr. Cool DIY units ( one was 12k btu and the other 18k). I like the 18k better as it requires 240v instead of 120v for the 12k.

They are great. Super easy install and the lines are precharged. The 18k unit is around $1,400 from costco - thats normally less than just having an hvac guy come out and charge lines.

If you have easy access inside and to your electric panel, its a couple hour install. It's wifi enabled so you can set limits and whatnot from your phone.

Thanks for this Titan.

We might have similar summer weather given you are in TX and me in AZ.

Have you used these systems enough in hot weather to say how much they will increase your electric bill?

I suspect a fair amount as our garage gets crazy hot in summer, but it is also not insulated as of yet.

Lastly, is a 15A circuit enough for the 120v unit? I'd be surprised if it was.

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[Titan]

I followed the instructions for the breaker size, but I always bump up my wire gauge. I had very short runs anyway (120v was only a couple feet). I will have to go look at the panel to see what size breaker I used.

I really didn't see much of an increase in my electric bill. I'm on a well, so it would be hard to say anyway. These things can really crank some cold air, even when its 100* outside. The 18k unit has no problem dropping to 70* in an insulated upstairs room. The 12k unit is used in an extremely well insulated room - I could probably turn it into a meat locker.

Without insulation - I think you would just be using it as a cold air blower to work in there, etc. No sense in running it 24/7 to let it all out everytime the garage door gets opened. At a minimum you would want to insulate the door.

 

[Ike Carlson]

I would start with a reflective radiant barrier in the attic. Put it on the inside of the rafters and it will keep a place a lot cooler. I put it in a garage years ago and it brought the temps down about 50*. I used it under our addition instead of fiberglass and it's nice and warm even when the temps are -30.

 

[rocknd]

I live in Texas, and not having an air conditioner in my garage is equivalent to death, haha. Almost all people who have a large garage put an air conditioner there to have a normal air temperature. As everyone knows, it's hot in Texas in the summer, and therefore, the air conditioner saves us, especially if it's hot outside and in the house. However, many people use two a/cs at once. I had an a/c in my garage that worked for about six months and then started blowing warm air. I called an a/c repair firm, and when the specialist came, he said what would need to be done -- ac duct replacement. It turned out that it was not as expensive as I expected. So clean your a/c as often as possible. Otherwise, there will be problems in the future.

 

[Bigfishman]

Take a look at a PTAC system, they are inexpensive and can heat and cool a space.