Shop HVAC
#6
Good morning.

I am in the middle of construction of a new home in the Beaufort SC area.    Included with be a detached workshop -  14 x 25   9 ft ceiling.  It will be insulated.   We have been given two HVAC options for the shop   the first  Ptec   a hotel room style through the wall  heating and cooling system or an upgrade to a mini-split.

This will be one of my retirement activities, used maybe a few hours per day.   I plan to keep the temperature at moderate levels   may have to crank up the AC on hot days when I am using hand tools.

My concern is the ability of the system to keep up  -   I suspect that is not a problem, but how about the ability of either for filter changes, keeping it clean and operating effectively.   Any thoughts?
E
Thankyouthankyouverymuch.
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#7
Both are good units. 

     The ptac has some benefits though. They are factory assembled so no copper lines with flare joints to leak. No worry about pulling a vacuum. It's just a really big window unit. It's also way easier to swap out if it fails and they are about 1/4 the price of a good minisplit. They also quick cool since hotels often turn off the ac in rooms and if it can't get get the room cool in 5 minutes I'm asking for another room...

     Personally my next shop will probably use ptac units because of the benefits of them. 


       Both have the issue of not having good air filters but more ptac units have real filters than minisplits. Filtration is a big deal in a shop. That said the drawback to a ptac is that it is on the floor where dust collects.


       Minisplits are quieter and sometimes more efficient. They are also up high on the wall which helps with cooling and away from the dust. 


        Make sure they size it right as well. It can't be sized like a living space, it needs to be much bigger because it's not going to maintain temp like your house it's going to need to quick cool the room. 
          My shop is 20x40 well insulated and in the summer when it's 80* lows at night and 110* I have to plan ahead by turning the ac on 24 hrs before using the shop. In my case 2 tons isn't enough ac as remember everything in the shop is holding heat as well as the slab which can get up to 100* in the summer. That's allot of heat to move.... If I were to double my ac size it would be much more convenient and economical to cool.
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#8
I agree that the PTAC units is your best option. The mini splits are ok, but the circuit boards in some of those are very expensive, and the blower wheel gets clogged a lot, so taking the unit apart to clean is a real PTIA.
I would place a unit on each end for better comfort.  You can always turn one off if it gets cold.
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#9
PTAC units are nice from a maintenance standpoint because they can be taken out of their wall sleeve and rolled outside on a cart and cleaned with a garden hose.  Sound may not be an issue in a wood shop but they are louder than a mini-split system and even though I've never priced one myself I suspect they're a bit cheaper than a decent mini-split system installed.

If/when I ever get around to building my own wood shop I plan on putting a packaged gas/electric unit and run exposed ductwork across the ceiling of the shop to distribute the air more evenly and incorporate a nice filtering system for the unit
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#10
My favorite design for a shop that will be used at odd times and during very hot and humid days is the use of two window a/c's. Your shop is small enough for window style units.

There are a few advantages.

1. If one unit quits working, you have a backup.
2. If you need a quick cool down, both can be run, then switch to just one unit. Or set the temp on one at 76* and the other at 77* or 78*. Once the temp you want is reached, the other won't run unless the load increases as you begin using machines or the afternoon heat kicks in outside.
3. Greater Humidity control on cooler humid days.
4. One can be a heat pump or electric heat- or both- again, backup.
5. If they need cleaning, you can still have one working while this is being done.

I suggest getting the style that slides out of it's own case to make it easier to remove for repair or cleaning.

You can get a pleated filter from the box store and make a way to mount it on the front of the unit to catch more dust.

Personally, I would want a mini split in my shop- too hard to clean the indoor coil without going through the expensive and time consuming process of removing and re-installing it. Other hvac techs complain of this problem.
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