Convert air con unit into SS

[Postal Dude]

Im looking at buying an air conditioning unit with converting it into an SS for my pc. Possibly a water chiller, whichever is easier.

What sort of specifications should i look for in said Air-con unit?

Spec in thread for calculated heat load. Im not looking for -100 or anything to that effect. -40ish loaded is fine for me.

[n00b 0f l337]

-40C isn't as easy as it sounds either.
Waterchillers easy, but not the greatest, dunk the evap in a bucket or cooler and add liquid, a pump, and a circulating pump.

[Postal Dude]

Yeah but then i gotta insulate my entore water loop and buy a pump that can handle sub zero temps. Where as if i twist his arm alot i can get my dad to mill me an evap to bolt onto stripped down air con unit. Glad to see your online n00b, jus read through about 20 pages of your threads :)

What sort of spec air con unit am i after then? In btu's preferably as thats what they are advertised as. Cheers

[n00b 0f l337]

20 pages of my threads?
Damn didn't think I was that useful.
I'd say pickup the cheapest if its your first build, so like 5-6k btuh. Will give you a nice huge condenser with fan and a 1/2hp roto. Takes alot more then just adding an evap though you know, do you know an HVAC tech to recharge? I would suggest www.under-the-ice.com for a pre made evap and flex lines and such.

[Postal Dude]

I'v read almost every sticky and post on here and alot of other forums regarding the HVAC side of things. I can get hold of refrigerants and get a unit fabricated and sealed to a high standard. As for charging and tuning i would need external help. GrayMole used to live within a travellable distance from me. But i think he moved to europe or somewhere far far away. There are a few midland based phasers that i can get to help me charge and test the unit. I just need to parts to build it.

I just got outbid on a 9k BTU AC unit that went for $55. Im so angry!

[teyber]

Im looking at buying an air conditioning unit with converting it into an SS for my pc. Possibly a water chiller, whichever is easier.

What sort of specifications should i look for in said Air-con unit?

Spec in thread for calculated heat load. Im not looking for -100 or anything to that effect. -40ish loaded is fine for me.

to get those temperatures i would think you would need to buy at least a 12k btu ac, add a large dsh, use r402a, and perhaps a newer condenser?

[n00b 0f l337]

to get those temperatures i would think you would need to buy at least a 12k btu ac, add a large dsh, use r402a, and perhaps a newer condenser?
Please read the thread Reed.
A 12k btu window ac will have like a 4Kw condenser. He doesn't need a large DSH, nor "a newer condenser".

[teyber]

Please read the thread Reed.
A 12k btu window ac will have like a 4Kw condenser. He doesn't need a large DSH, nor "a newer condenser".

i read it... -40c would most likely require a 12kbtu i would imagine

[n00b 0f l337]

To dissipate what? The extra compressor heat? No way.

[Postal Dude]

So the condensor from a 9k BTU unit will have a decent compressor and a decent Condenser. Add an evap on to that and you have all the basic parts for an SS.

DEpending on how it was built it could just be put into a chiller and that would be fine too.

Just try getting something like that for a decent price without the vultures attacking it on ebay

[n00b 0f l337]

Ah, UK is harder.
Just bought a 5000 btuh unit for $99 brand new at Home Depot.

[teyber]

postal- i was just talking about getting to -40c loaded...

[Postal Dude]

Ok. i got one.... w00t. Gettin exciting now. I got an Amcor AMB 10000E. 10,000BTU cooler, $110ish. Will post linky shortly

[Postal Dude]

postal- i was just talking about getting to -40c loaded...

I know mate. I just think there was a missunderstanding. n00b doesnt see any need for a DSH or a bigger condenser when a 12kBTU AC unit will come with a 4kW condenser as standard. Which seems plenty enough.

[Postal Dude]

Cant post a direct link so here is the spec from the manufacturers website


Amcor model number - AMB10KE-410

- Cooling capacity: Claimed BTU/hr - 10000

- Cooling capacity: Claimed kW - 2,9

- Cooling capacity: Claimed BTU/hr EN14511 - 8200

- Cooling capacity: Claimed kW EN14511 - 2,4

Thermostat Range - °C - 18-32

Dehumidification - Max - L/day - 28,8

Fan Speeds -2

Air Flow (at high speed) - m3/h - 350

Power Supply - V - 230

Power Consumption - W - 830

Current - A - 3,7

Refrigerant - 410A

Noise dB - 50/55

Net Weight (Indoor/outdoor) Kg - 30

Class energy - A

[n00b 0f l337]

Nice and R410a rated! Very nice indeed.
Should help you to -40C, but first build don't expect perfection.

[Postal Dude]

What i expect is pretty much, ugly, ghetto but functional. I should pick it up today. I'll post up some pics as it get ripped apart :D

[n00b 0f l337]

Checkout the other thread I just posted, I think you'll like it.

[Postal Dude]

Thats crazy. You just feel like building a cascade and do it in pretty much 24 hrs???

Waiting for contact from ebay guy to pick up ac unit. Whats so great about R410a over other commercial gases?

[PhilippF]

Ah, UK is harder.
Just bought a 5000 btuh unit for $99 brand new at Home Depot.

I could cry!

[one_servant]

Gotta love those prices! You guys have got me thinking I ought to do the same thing soon....It's a pretty sweet deal because essentially in the box you get a couple of condensors plus a compressor to boot...not to mention the fan! I could go on and on....

[n00b 0f l337]

It is really the condenser and fan that I'd pay the same cost for. It's a very nice high surface area setup, but very compact actually, and in the end the entire unit "comes" with a case :)

[[XC] gomeler]

Gotta love those prices! You guys have got me thinking I ought to do the same thing soon....It's a pretty sweet deal because essentially in the box you get a couple of condensors plus a compressor to boot...not to mention the fan! I could go on and on....

Plus plenty of 1st stage refrigerant :D

[Postal Dude]

The case it comes in is pretty big though. I'd rather have something that can sit comfortably next to my case. There is NO WAY i could get a compressor, condenser, fan and a chiller capable evap for £55. The compressor alone would set me back near to £80, and the condenser another £40. Living in a cold country makes the economy quite bad for tech that makes stuff cold!

Would R410a make a good 1st stage refrigerant?

[n00b 0f l337]

Too high pressure in my opinion, but the upside is your compressor is rated to take more damage.

[Postal Dude]

Ah now i get it. I can get some gases quite easily from an automotive shop for air con systems. I think there is R134a, R12 and R22. Will have to confirm. Just need access to someone who can charge it.


Under closer inspection, it seems i can only get R134a for a reasonable price. There are others available (R404a R407c R413a) But they range from £90 to £150 for a ridiculous amount of gas that would charge 10's of units.

[Postal Dude]

This story gets better and better. I may have been vultured out of a 9K BTU unit for $50. But today i won a 7500 BTU (i think) Air Con unit for $2, Thats right 2 dollars! the starting bid of 99p! I gotta collect it at some point and see what its guts look like.

[Postal Dude]

This is the first unit iv managed to pick up. No before shot of it being ripped apart lol. The pic with the dials at the front is the evap. The other one is the condenser (which is huge!) and then some frost :)

Its got a huge fan, one of them types that sits on asus's PWM modules. So its a bit of a pain. Anyway, pics.

[Postal Dude]

The compressor is a Teco Electric and Machinery KE-C086ELJBBA. 220-240v, 50Hz, 12A, 530-536W, 3/5HP Rated for R407C. This is the smaller of the 2 units i have. I think this one is rated for 5500BTU, the other is 10000BTU.

Will this be ok for what i want?

I may convert the 10K BTU into a direct die when i get a bit of experience

[one_servant]

Man, that is going to make an awesome single stage condensor!! That should have no problem handling the heat load from your processor and compressor!!

[Postal Dude]

More Pics
Condenser Depth
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2521/lgim0209jw6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2521/lgim0209jw6.5c3715cd64.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=390&i=lgim0209jw6.jpg)
Condenser width
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1900/lgim0210jo1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1900/lgim0210jo1.18218cae10.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=355&i=lgim0210jo1.jpg)
Condenser Height
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/7051/lgim0211lk3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/7051/lgim0211lk3.c03552c0b8.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=240&i=lgim0211lk3.jpg)
Overall Unit
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1746/lgim0216qq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1746/lgim0216qq7.809f586bb2.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=180&i=lgim0216qq7.jpg)