split air-con condensation ducting and discharge Q

[vas]

hello,

about to reposition my CLIMMA 22kbtu split aircon unit and I have a small problem:

there's a tray with a plastic inset on both the compressor and the airhandling unit.
Now, the plan is to place the compressor under a bed and hence the tray will be below w/l.
airhandling will be placed clearly above w/l.

I can easily place a vent type of thing and discharge the airhandling unit condensation, but it's going to be a pig doing something about the compressor.

Q time:

which of the two produces more water?
if it's the airhandling unit, I'm considering leaving the compressor to it's own devises...
however if it's the compressor I've got to add a small showerstyle box a floatswitch and a pump (which tbh I find excessive for the 1h-2h use per year...) Alternatively I could lift the compressor a bit higher and hope that the slope will lead me to the showerbox which is a good 4m away

ideas?

cheers

V.

 

[Portofino]

Air handlers are more likely because of the fin area ( eek that dreaded word ,but in a different context ) that’s exposed to the humid air .
I,am guessing there will be some fin like structures on the comp - to assist cooling but not as dense , even so if humid , they will produce condensation - hence the drip tray. Hence a drain that’s needs to find a way out of the boat .

Either bilge - remember the boats motion , it will tip back running , so will if find its way to a rear bilge pump ?
Or in this particular case because it’s WOOD I would tend to go for the dry if poss bilge option,
I know it’s probably been epoxy coated etc etc , but it’s not plastic and wood rots .

Shower sump is best .

Additionally think of the outlet on the try when in the marina - static , make sure it’s at the bottom so tge try does not over fill .
If it does then when you go out and the boat motion tips ( stabs not on yet ) the water may spill out anyhow over the tray sides because tge drsin hole is too small to evacuate it all fast enough.

Hope this helps
Porto

 

[vas]

fins again eh, ?


actually compressor has no fins whatsoever, it looks like it's the big motor/compressor housing (looks like a typical Danfoss fridge compressor only larger tbh) wrapped up with a circa 20dia pipe where seawater is passing through. Looks like a dead simple thing, presumably works. Have only used the air con 3 times 10mins each time to cool the cabins space last August in port.

The air handler unit again has no visible fins, but it has some sort of thin insulation pieces covering it.

FWIW, each tray has two outlets on the two opposite short sides of it, so bobing about is covered (albeit at the expense of me stretching about in order to route the two pipes and join them together to a common outlet).

will measure it and see if I can reach the showerbox.

cheers

V.

 

[jrudge]

fins again eh, ?


actually compressor has no fins whatsoever, it looks like it's the big motor/compressor housing (looks like a typical Danfoss fridge compressor only larger tbh) wrapped up with a circa 20dia pipe where seawater is passing through. Looks like a dead simple thing, presumably works. Have only used the air con 3 times 10mins each time to cool the cabins space last August in port.

The air handler unit again has no visible fins, but it has some sort of thin insulation pieces covering it.

FWIW, each tray has two outlets on the two opposite short sides of it, so bobing about is covered (albeit at the expense of me stretching about in order to route the two pipes and join them together to a common outlet).

will measure it and see if I can reach the showerbox.

cheers

V.

If it is a small unit and you cant get to the shower box then you maybe better buying an AC condensate pump

Example selection
https://www.orionairsales.co.uk/condensate-pumps-172-c.asp


They do low volt ones - but the AC will be 240v anyway and it only needs to be active when the AC is on.

They are used in many AC installations where for whatever reason there is not a gravity fall ( above a ceiling for example).

 

[Portofino]

Yup it's whatever the comp ends up cooling that makes the condensed water - pipes inc
Your best solution is as you described pipe both drains to a shower box - try the exsisting 1 st and keep an eye on it

 

[Adethefridge]

If it’s a reverse cycle a/c unit the condensing unit will only produce condensate water in heating mode, in cooling mode the condensing unit heat exchanger will be slightly warm
both heat exchangers are evenly matched so both will produce the same amounts of water

C/U heat exchanger = condensate water in heating mode
Air handler heat exchanger = condensate water in cooling mode

You can confirm this buy running the system in cooling mode for a couple of hours then switch to heating for a couple of hours

 

[superheat6k]

The condensation on the compressor is simply because damp air is allowing humidity to condense out on the cold parts. The compressor itself is internally cooled by the cold refrigerant passing through, so any cold bits can have the condensation eliminated or at least substantially reduced by blocking all air entry points to the compressor and adding sealed foam insulation with tight pints to the cold suction pipe. If you lock the air in it can only give up the limited quantity of air it holds.

This is routinely done on cold pipework in buildings where it not only stops annoying water drips, but increases system efficiency too. So box the compressor in tight so no air from outside can flow in and out.

Just be careful not to prevent necessary cooling of parts that require ventilation for cooling, egg, the condenser, but I presume this is water cooled on your boat.