Walk In cooler project

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dontman

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I am beginning to gather the parts for my basement walk in cooler. I have two questions:

1. Would a portable AC unit work as well (or even better maybe) as a window unit? I have a window that I can run the vent hose to that already has the vent attachment on it. I can run the drainage hose out the bottom of the cooler to a basement drain.

A window unit would have to just vent into the open air of the basement because I can't get it into the small basement window and still have it enclosed in the cooler. This would also mean that the condensate would be dripping onto the basement floor.

The portable unit would just be a more elegant solution if there are no mechanical issues that would prohibit its use.

2. What are some specific options for the temperature controller? I am familiar with the Rancos that B3 and other vendors carry but I really want to avoid spending $100 attaching my temp controller to my AC. I am looking for specific manufacturer and even source here. The reason I ask is when I go to ebay or similar and search I have no idea what will work and what won't.
 
I read that thread all the way through, twice, the last time you pointed me in that direction. While it serves as my inspiration for this project, these questions are not asked, answered or addressed in any way on that thread.
 
1. Need more info on portable AC. Model number so we can look it up on the net or a link to the manufactures web site.

2. if you are searching ebay/craigslist/etc look for ranco 111000.
 
1. Need more info on portable AC. Model number so we can look it up on the net or a link to the manufactures web site.

2. if you are searching ebay/craigslist/etc look for ranco 111000.

I don't have a particular portable in mind. I figure an 8K-10K unit. Craig's List will answer that question when I figure out whether a portable will work or not.

Thanks for the info on the controller.
 
A window unit would have to just vent into the open air of the basement because I can't get it into the small basement window and still have it enclosed in the cooler. This would also mean that the condensate would be dripping onto the basement floor.

I have no experience doing this but it seems like it could work, not the most elegant solution though. Since you say you can run a duct over, why not build an outside enclosure for the back of the window unit that has a duct going to the window. You could even put a booster fan in there. For the dripping, you could somehow funnel it to a drip tube and into a drain or bucket.


2. What are some specific options for the temperature controller? I am familiar with the Rancos that B3 and other vendors carry but I really want to avoid spending $100 attaching my temp controller to my AC. I am looking for specific manufacturer and even source here. The reason I ask is when I go to ebay or similar and search I have no idea what will work and what won't.

I use a ranco for my chest freezer. Since your walkin will probably not need such a large temp range you could use the johnson controls analog thermostat which is a bit cheaper. Looking through the northern brewer catalog I have sitting here:

Johnson control analog range 30-80F 3.5degree differential $58.99
Johnson Control digital range -30-220F 1-30degree differential $79.99
 
I am not sure that a portable unit would work well at all in this application. I have a portable AC unit in the house and it sucks. I have read that a portable unit of say 10K BTU's is not as efficient as a window unit of the same BTU rating. Google for information on portable AC units and you will find some links that support what I am saying. My personal experience supports this as the portable unit runs continuously on hot days and is only able to keep a room a few degrees cooler than ambient. I've tried it in smaller rooms with the same poor perfomance.

Another issue is that the portable units collect water from evaporation in a resevoir and need to be drained every few days or so. Probably more often if running full time.

I would not recommend a portable unit for this project, I think you will be very dissapointed.
 
I read that thread all the way through, twice, the last time you pointed me in that direction. While it serves as my inspiration for this project, these questions are not asked, answered or addressed in any way on that thread.

Oops, I didn't realize it was you again. Shoulda paid better attention.
 
Thanks for the info on the portables. I had a suspicion that this was the case and now that sispicion is confrimed. Back to the design drawing board with a window unit instead. Good news on that front is that I can get a 10K for <$100. I might just go with the NB JC controller for $58. I was hoping to steal one for half that price but I'm not seeing any suitable options on the ebay.

Yea, I wouild love to get a split system for this app but the price just plain hurts. It is more than I wanted to budget on the entire project.
 
I have now gotten my 10K BTU Window AC and I just went ahead with the prewired A19 from NB. No need to wire it. I plan to just rewire the AC to bypass the internal t-stat and run direct on the A19. At least to start I will not worry about splitting the compressor and fan onto different circuits. I can always revisit that if I get freeze up issues. I plan to run a small desktop fan inside the cooler to circulate the air.

Tomorrow I go pick up the lumber and insulation.

The biggest issues that I am running into are 1. the window is set back from the wall by about a foot. That plus the width of the cooler wall (6") means that the ac will have to reach about 20" from front to back to reach outside the window.

#2 issue. The rafters in my basement begin at 6' above the ground. This means that with a reasonable thickness ceiling on this cooler the maximum internal height that I can achieve is 5'8". I am 5'11". Tight squeeze. Oh well. At least the ceiling will be somewhat soft since I will be using Dow 2" sheathing.
 
issue # 2 couldn't you put batts between the joists and then just a 1 inch piece of Dow sheathing over everything?


My nephew is a HVAC tech and we were talking about converting a small room in my basement to a walk in the trouble would be cooling as the room has no window . His suggestion was to buy a 10k window unit and he would remove the evaporator and mount that in the room with a couple of fans and a shroud. He would run copper from the condenser outside(might need to build an enclosure) to the room through the concrete and wire it up. Basically making a central A/C unit .
 
I am actually planning to do just that - put batting between the joists. I still felt that 2" of sheathing would be needed. I'll have to look into the comparative R values. If I can get 15 should be good.

I keep going downstairs to think about the design. I have an ideal area that I want to put this thing. If I push the limits, ie go right up to plumbing and gas conduits I can get close to the size I want but I am really concerned about this height limitation. It will feel claustrophobic if it is 4 inches shorter than me.

OR- What I am thinking is that I could make this a really cool built in reach in cooler with sliding glass doors. I could make the cooler 8' long 3' deep and 5' high. No height problems. No concerns about the outer size being close to plumbing or gas.

QUESTION: Does anyone know how I might find some scrap reach in cooler doors in the philadelphia area?
 
I know this may not be the best option for you, but my uncle bought an entire walk in cooler refrigeration unit for $300 from a florist going out of business. It works GREAT in his garage, he can run a 10x10 room down to 40 degrees if he so desires.
 
I know this may not be the best option for you, but my uncle bought an entire walk in cooler refrigeration unit for $300 from a florist going out of business. It works GREAT in his garage, he can run a 10x10 room down to 40 degrees if he so desires.

Too sweet!
 
man look around,
you can find the kits with a compressor/condinor and evaparator/fan theomostat for walkin repair for around 500/600
i know its more than a window unit, but i will work so much better and for longer
plus its split so you can put the commpressor and condinsor out side.
that way the only problem you will have left is the condinsation water
but the fan kit will have a drain pipe you could run to a 5 gal bucket if there is no dain in your basment
 
i will find some of the links i have whe i get home but what you are looking for is a
1/2 hp refrigerator compressor using for its coolent 134A it will run like a champ

something like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Peerless-Low-Profile-Refrigeration-Cooling-Evaporator_W0QQitemZ230323340951QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a0574697&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A30
and this
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-2-Hp-Copeland-Tecumseh-Aspera-Embarco_W0QQitemZ230343647448QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a18d20d8&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A30

thoes two right there will work for 15years or more no problem and save you tons of money in
energy cost , something you cant say about a window unit

this place has alot of stuff to like the door laches and all the other parts you may need
http://www.coldsupply.com/
 
I know this may not be the best option for you, but my uncle bought an entire walk in cooler refrigeration unit for $300 from a florist going out of business. It works GREAT in his garage, he can run a 10x10 room down to 40 degrees if he so desires.

That would be fine if I could get one for $80. (Or even $300 really) This is what I paid for the 10K Window unit. Based on the experiences of Jamil and Deep Six dude this should serve me well for several years. I'm only chilling around 110 cubic foot at a max differential of 30 degrees, average differential of less than 20. I did look for a refrigeration unit score for a couple months and never saw anything for less than $800 so I switched gears when I read the monster walk-in cooler thread.

I'm actually waiting until I can find the sliding doors of a couple scrap reach- in coolers to build this unit.
 
I wanted to update this thread.

My Reach-In Fridge is now on line! I am very excited about this. Because of the height restrictions in my basement I decided to do something that would give me access to all of the contents from the doorways.

Final dimensions are 7'W x 3'D x 5'H. 90 Cubic foot total. I scoured for old fridge doors for this unit but never did find any and now I'm glad. I built two 28" x 60" doors with 3'5" of insulation.

I will post pictures soon.
 
Here are a couple photos:

Outer dimensions: 7'6"W X 3'6"D x 5'6" H

New_Fridge_013.JPG


Another external view:

New_Fridge_014.JPG


Shot through the left hand door:

The three perlicks are brand new as of about two hours ago. There are currently 7 kegs inside, two 3 port manifolds, one manifold drives the three taps, one manifold is for a soda keg, and two force carb kegs.

New_Fridge_016.JPG


Through right-hand door: The AC unit is a brand new 10K BTU unit. The 5150 BTU unit I had kept freezing up. It was a frustrating week of adjusting the thermostat up and down to allow the unit to unfreeze and then trying to recool the fridge and waking up with a frozen ac and a 55 degree fridge. The new unit cools the fridge 20 degrees in 6 minutes. It runs twice an hour at about 3 minutes per cycle and I have it set at 34 degrees. It cycles between 34 and 37.

New_Fridge_018.JPG
 
Really nice and I'm glad you got it all in place. Nothing like sitting back and being able to say "I built that, and it is good" !!!

I love your sig line, all through college I drove a beater that had two bumper stickers on it.
"Don't laugh, it's paid for"
"A fool and his money are soon partying!"
 
Kauai, what a coincidence. In college I drove a beater too. :) Mine was a 73 Toyota Corona with 150,000 miles. This might sound okay but I have to say it is well before Toyota made quality cars. Two for instance situations: One night I was driving home during a raging snowstorm and the driver's side window just fell out onto the road and shattered. Another night, of course, I was driving on a winding back country road and every single light including the headlights just went out.


Tanger, As far as condensation problems, I do have a passive duhumidifer inside. I forget the name of the company and I'm not all that impressed with it but I imagine it does help a little. And once I opened one of the doors and there was quite a bit of condensation on the ceiling. I threw up another strip of weatherstripping along the top of the door on that side and I have not had any issue since.

Except this - there is that standard condensation you get on every fridge interior where you get a little moisture when you run your hand along a surface. Problem is this little bit of condensation gets under the adhesive on the door weatherstripping and causes it to fail. So I've had to replace the stripping once. I have been thinking about how to solve this with the unit running. Usually glues want a clean dry warm surface.
 
I will say this, I am more happy with this than I ever imagined I would be when I started obsessing on the build. Now I always have samples of every batch of beer I have ready and waiting to drink. No matter what I am in the mood for I have it ready. Plus now I have the ability to lager and/or cold crash as many as 6 batches in addition to the cold beer so the quality and clarity of my beer has risen.

Since the pictures were taken I have added a stout faucet and drip tray.

I still have a two party tap kegerator upstairs in the kitchen but I been appeasing the wife by having homemade cream soda on tap up there for her. (The second tap upstairs is for me when I had enough to made the trip down the cellar stairs a little treacherous.)
 
I've gone back and forth on this. Yes, I could easily go through the wall. I probably will. I bought the shanks long enough for that.
 
Tanger, As far as condensation problems, I do have a passive duhumidifer inside. I forget the name of the company and I'm not all that impressed with it but I imagine it does help a little. And once I opened one of the doors and there was quite a bit of condensation on the ceiling. I threw up another strip of weatherstripping along the top of the door on that side and I have not had any issue since.

Except this - there is that standard condensation you get on every fridge interior where you get a little moisture when you run your hand along a surface. Problem is this little bit of condensation gets under the adhesive on the door weatherstripping and causes it to fail. So I've had to replace the stripping once. I have been thinking about how to solve this with the unit running. Usually glues want a clean dry warm surface.

Try using uni-seal tape instead of glue, then screw the weatherstripping into place. The uni-seal will form a vapor barrier when screwed in. I think they make double sided uni-seal tape.
 
General Question: I am planning to build a 10' x 6' walk in to store kegs until my customers can pick them up. My beer is delivered once a week and I would store these kegs for no longer than a week. I will build this inside an air conditioned back room of my retail shop that is maintained at 70 degrees. I want to keep the cool room at 38 degrees.

Questions: do i need to insulate with 4 inches? Do I need to vent the A/C outside or can I vent it inside and run a pipe from the drip pan?

Any help appreciated!
 
What did this project run you in total. I am considering a similar project in the garage, but SWMBO thinks saving for "our future" makes more sense. Who wants to live in a future with one of these? Am I right?

Anyway, I want to try and do this well for around $750. If I wait until the fall I'll bet I can find a deal on the AC i need for around $200. this leaves me with $550 in budget to frame and line the cooler. Doable?

What did you use to make the doors? What about the paneling on the inside?
 
General Question: I am planning to build a 10' x 6' walk in to store kegs until my customers can pick them up. My beer is delivered once a week and I would store these kegs for no longer than a week. I will build this inside an air conditioned back room of my retail shop that is maintained at 70 degrees. I want to keep the cool room at 38 degrees.

Questions: do i need to insulate with 4 inches? Do I need to vent the A/C outside or can I vent it inside and run a pipe from the drip pan?

Any help appreciated!

Hi

You don't need any particular amount of insulation. The more you have, the less energy you will use to cool the room. Put another way: less insulation = bigger compressor on the cooling system. Most of the time insulation is the cheap part of the build.

Bob
 
Awesome build! Any ballpark estimate on how much you spent on it. I live in SoCal but summers normally hit high 90s and triple digits easily. Would this work outdoors? I'm out of room in the garage
 
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