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custom walk-in with A/C unit

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  • custom walk-in with A/C unit

    Has anyone ever wired an A/C unit with a thermostat to cool down in the 30F range? I'm wondering if this could be done instead of a Coolbot.

    I'm also looking for advice for what to watch out for, especially with regard to moisture control and draining/cleaning.

    We will be using 6" of R-Tech foam board and just using gaskets and latches for a "lift away" door. The unit won't be very big, 5x4x8'
    ~~~

    Funhouse Brews, Portland, Oregon

  • #2
    Most AC units will not go that low, and the low pressure cut out will likely cause them to turn off before you get there. Also, without rewirng the whole unit, you need a cool bot to fool the machine, the thermostats on them usually only go to 61 or 62 degrees.

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    • #3
      We're using a cool bot that sits at 36*

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      • #4
        Our coolroom is cooled by two A/C units. It can only get down to 11C, if I set the thermostat any lower the A/C units just ice up. They aren't designed to go any lower than 16C. So it's more of a warmroom than a coolroom.

        My recommendation: forget about A/C units and pay for proper coolroom refrigeration.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by muddy View Post
          Our coolroom is cooled by two A/C units. It can only get down to 11C, if I set the thermostat any lower the A/C units just ice up. They aren't designed to go any lower than 16C. So it's more of a warmroom than a coolroom.

          My recommendation: forget about A/C units and pay for proper coolroom refrigeration.
          I've cooled two small scale fermenter rooms and a trailer with coolbots and A/C units (10C, 3C, 3C). It's a reasonable way to start. You need the coolbot to manage the A/C unit (force it to run to lower temps and manage the run cycling so that the unit doesn't freeze up). The higher the humidity in your area, the more freezing you will see and some days they struggle to keep up.

          "Proper" refrigeration does work better.

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          • #6
            I would highly recommend a Coolbot. Last year we put in a 20x8x8 cooler, and it's been 38 degrees in there ever since. It's an outdoor cooler, and we built it in the shade so it wouldn't get direct summer sun, so that helps. We couldn't be happier.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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