Add Water cooled Condensor to a-c

[a314sparky]

O.K. guys here's the situation. Four residential AC condensers placed in a small alcove with less than 12 in clearance between units and the 20 foot high walls. On hot days they just dont work. The condensers cannot be relocated. Hence my thought add coaxial water cooled condensers inside the mech room on the outside wall of the furnace or acoil (this indoor placement do to winter freezing temps) and TXV's. Has anyone tried this? How did it work? Or just what do you think?

[paul42]

How are you going to cool the water?

[makinmoney]

How are you going to cool the water?

Just let it run into the yard after it goes thru the coil.........Domestic water is normally around 55 Degress.

[Shophound]

Just let it run into the yard after it goes thru the coil.........Domestic water is normally around 55 Degress.

Depends on where you live. Here locally, domestic water can climb into the seventies or higher during the summer. Would also send the water bill through the roof unless you're talking well water, in which case you'll need water treatment to keep your heat exchanger from silting/scaling up.

Haven't seen a cooling tower for a resi app in a long time but this sounds like a good case for one...good luck getting the HO to maintain it, however. Sell 'em a service agreement and install some good automatic chemical equipment. :D

[a314sparky]

Thanks for the input guys. I looked at the units today and as I thought subcooling was at only two degrees with a 2 degree superheat. I have decided to replace the TXV and install a Johnson coaxial heat exchanger on the lineset to boost the subcooling and increase superheat at the condenser. This way I wont have to worry about the water scale build up. And it's half the price of a water condenser and water control valve.

[firecontrol]

Just some thoughts.
In some areas it's illegal to use city water for this purpose.
If your on a well, make sure you up the size of the pressure tank or you're sure to take the well pump out in short order.
If you have room in the yard to bury coils or sink some verticle wells you could possibly install the same kind of heat exchanger arrangement that ground source heat pumps use.

[gevans]

Raise the units to the tops of the walls?
For water cooling, you really need a closed loop system. That's alot of water, and it has to go someplace.

[mallron]

Pretty sure once-thru condensers are now illegal here, you should check your city regs.

-JB

[Airmechanical]

bust a couple of holes in the wall (in a low position) and install some fresh air grills if posible

this way fresh air will be supplied to the condensers, the heat should rise out of there!



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