Air conditioning, garden pod

boosabum

Anyone any experience with putting an air conditioning system into a well insulated garden office/pod/gym ?

Systems don't seem too expensive but possibly installation and running costs be high.

Looking at system that heats and cools

SharkMX

I installed one in mine. Took me about 2 hours and it heats in the winter and cools when its warm. Uses hardly any electricity.

There were other better cheaper ones, but this one just seemed easier to fit myself.

This is the one I got. Bought it in the UK for £1100 when i was over there. In Ireland I couldnt find it for less than €2000.

Check the different models. Some have outside compressor units insead, but i couldnt go for those as wouldnt fit in the car with the space i had left in it.

Its very cheap to run, especially the aircon function.

boosabum

Cheers, looks like the product link was stripped from your post

SharkMX

I might have forgot to add it :)

https://www.powrmatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-Powrmatic-Vision-Range-Trade-Brochure-1.0.pdf

boosabum

Cheers 😊

boosabum

Did you buy it directly from them or via. Retailer ? Web search showing high prices.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081085#Comment_122081085

How do you gas that unit after install or is it supplied pre-gassed?

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081200#Comment_122081200

All you need to do is attach a bracket to the inside wall, bore two 6 inch holes, put this thick plastic liner on the holes and attach the round rims on the outside. Takes about 2 hours. Then hang it on the inside bracket you attached and plug it into any socket and you are off. Its completely self contained.

I checked before i installed it on a few forums about these an other units and people have had these ones for 5 years and more and they said they are still running like the day they were put in with no servicing. I was asking how often they need servicing and it seems they dont. But probably no harm to get it done every few years anyway.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081124#Comment_122081124

I phoned a whole load of them and I was going to be in the UK anyway so i phone loads of them in the UK and found a supplier one on my route. Paid for it by credit card and collected a few weeks later when i was passing. I found that calling and haggling, even in Ireland the prices went down by hundreds while you were on the phone.

I just remembered, I got a good price form a company called KDSupplies in the UK and they were going to ship it to Powrmatic warehouse in Tallaght for me to collect, but I decided to buy in the UK while i was over there. Might be worth giving them a try. Cant remember the number or anything but try google and you might find them.

slave1

Interesting thread, I am contemplating a split AC unit for just main bedroom of the house and this seems to tick the boxes

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/eiq-9wminv/electriq-eiq9wminv-air-conditioner

Sleeper12

I've never seen one without an outside unit before. Is it noisy to run?Had some mobile AC units & couldn't hear the TV or take calls with the noise

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082007#Comment_122082007

You can hear it alright, but its more like a normal fan noise across the room so wouldnt get in the way of phone calls or the TV. I think it would be too loud to sleep at night though if you were sleeping there, but i dont even like the noise of a normal fan when im asleep.

I think the split unit ones are cheaper and quieter but a bit harder to install. Not that much harder mind you. But its the heating part of that one that I got it for and the A/C just came with it. Little did i know how handy the AC would come in.

3d4life

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082007#Comment_122082007

Seems to be a 'through the wall' ( as it used to be called in The States ) unitary type. Neater than most as the only things showing on the outside are the external air and drain locations :). If using for heating then would suggest you establish performance when its "cold" outside ( min of, say ?? -10C )

3d4life

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082368#Comment_122082368

You should expect to need an F-gas certified installer for a split unit - with all that that implies for costs, tools & test equipment -

A unitary build with a DIY install would usually come out significantly cheaper than a split system….

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083222#Comment_122083222

Not anymore, there are some R290 based systems:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081898#Comment_122081898

slave1

Yeah, no installer required, all DIY install with that unit I linked to

Bellie1

Would it work in an attic? My partner uses attic as an office and it's unbearable in summertime. I must show him your link. And you didn't need any especial electrical skills or anything to do a diy installation?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122084244#Comment_122084244

In fairness - this is the DIY section so specialist skills are intrinsically implied. 😉

But yes, this might need specialist wiring because as well as other things - part of the system will be located outside and the wiring needs to be sufficiently protected and safe for such an installation.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122084279#Comment_122084279

On the electrical side, fixed appliance, possibly a dedicated circuit, isolator.

Just no F gas cert needed.

3d4life

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083368#Comment_122083368

R290 = Propane ?

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122084244#Comment_122084244

I needed a a drill, 6 inch holesaw, a hammer, a screwdriver, a sirit level, a stanley knife and a silicone gun :)

Theres a plug already on it, so you dont even have to attach that.

I dont see why you couldnt put it in an attic. Just hang the unit on a gable wall. You need electricity for it though, but if you are already working in the attic then you probably have that already.

It never uses more power than a normal plug in heater would. Less actually.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085225#Comment_122085225

Yep, king of the hills finest 😂

3d4life

Only for DIYers from the 'Be Lucky, Stay Lucky' camp :)

SharkMX

Honestly i dont think ive ever done an easier DIY job. Myabe putting up a shelf is SLIGHTLY easier, but not much.

boosabum

Good stuff and thanks for the feedback, saw a YouTube clip for one of the powrmatic units and it is indeed fairly straightforward

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085860#Comment_122085860

You must have some project management skills and a management team then. Most of my 'easy' DIY jobs turn into a construction effort resembling la Sagrada Família.

Tails142

I have one of the mobile ones from a heatwave about 5 years ago, pretty noisy, would sleep with it on when temps are up in the 30's at night though all the same! Have used it maybe two or three nights a year since. Don't think I rolled it out last summer. Apparently they are not that efficient as they are drawing out the already cooled air and exhausting it outside unlike the split units.

That is the advantage of the split unit I suppose and that the noisy compressor is outside where you can't hear it.

Still handy yokes to have all the same in a pinch.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085852#Comment_122085852

Because it's propane? the amount of refridgerant in it isn't that much

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085945#Comment_122085945

If you can put up a shelf you can install the powrmatic.

boosabum

The eletriQ seems to be the same setup and a bit more affordable based on the quick search I did. Powrmatic seems be be quite expensive but I'll ring that crowd you suggested to see if there's a deal.

Did you mount your high up or low down on the wall ?

Bellie1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085271#Comment_122085271

Sound, thanks. He's fairly handy so shouldn't be a bother. Any idea how much electricity it uses, say in 8 hours? Knowing him, he'll have chugging away all summer long rather than open a window!

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122087365#Comment_122087365

If running air con, you dont want to open a window, need to keep the cold in!

How much it runs, depends on how much cooling is needed, so really hard to judge.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122086583#Comment_122086583

The bottom of it is about 1 ft off the floor.

SharkMX

Uses hardly any electricity tbh. in cooling mode its very minimal. In heating mode it depends on the outside temp, but its still not much.

Its also a dehumidifier which is very handy if you have moisture issues.

JVince

A very simple a cheap setup is to have a ventilation fan near the floor at the most shaded area and then an extraction fan in a high position.

The ventilation fan will push the cooler outside air into the space and the extraction fan will push the warm air out.

Whilst its not "air con" it is sufficient for most Irish summer days where the shaded temperature is under 20 degrees and a lot cheaper and easier to install and run.