10-14-12, 12:24 PM | #1 |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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Hello from Kentucky
Hi all, I've been lurking for months and read lots of super interesting threads! Many of you have put countless hundreds of hours into projects in the name of exposing knowledge to the public. Many of these projects have resulted in systems that defy the past and will change the future of DIY! I am highly inspired.
As a direct result from this inspiring forum, I have done some small unit mods on mainly portable or wall shaker units under a ton of capacity, with high levels of success. Thanks, guys! |
10-14-12, 05:47 PM | #2 |
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
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Welcome to the site Jeff5may.
Do you have any current projects you're working on? We'd also love to hear about ones you've already done.
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10-14-12, 05:54 PM | #3 |
Helper EcoRenovator
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Southern California beach town
Posts: 45
Thanks: 22
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
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ditto
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10-20-12, 08:56 AM | #4 |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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Sorry about the delay in replying. I'll post pics as soon as i put up enough posts. Currently, I have two wall shakers, circa 198x, that I'm setting up to run as window heat pumps. The first is a Fedders 9000 btu that I received as a non-starter. It needed a new start capacitor to bring to life. It lived for a while as a room a/c to prove it would still do its job. After that, i simply reversed the piping to the compressor and converted it to propane. The r22 in it was saved for the central air unit if needed. As is, it works down to about 40*f before it has frosting problems. I'm planning on adding a defrost control and reversing valve to it soon so it can work this winter.
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10-21-12, 06:49 PM | #5 |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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here's a pic of the (not fedders, kenmore) 9k btu unit running in the sunroom.
I did some ebaying this weekend and found some awesome bargains! ICM 315 Defrost Control Board works on any brand heatpump FREE SHIPPING Got it for $3.75 and it comes with a thermistor! I bought 2 each of the following: RANCO V3-310080-700 REVERSING VALVE/LESS COIL - $12.00 JARD TRANSFORMER, PRIMARY VOLT:120, SECONDARY VOLT:24, VA:20 - $5.00 Ranco Invensys L30-83 Solenoid Coil 24 VDC for V1-V12 Reversing Valve Heat Pump - $5.00 I tore into the 12k (fedders, not GE) window unit today, with some surprises found... a previous somebody had rebuilt some of it from a compressor burnout (I'm guessing)... voila! More free parts! I've started a thread on it. http://ecorenovator.org/forum/geothe...-ac-build.html |
10-22-12, 06:03 PM | #6 |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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A previous warrior just begging to become a DIY Mini-Split:
Clothed front view Naked side profile It was found dead on Craigslist for a whopping $20. The previous owner used it to keep the dogs cool in the garage. It apparently slaved away for three years before becoming completely clogged with dog hair, popping its overpressure hose and having a burnout. I found a new compressor for it on ebay for $50 shipped. I was too cheap for super system flush, so I used brake parts cleaner to flush the plumbing. Purged with c25gas. Some wrangling later, the compressor was replaced from the dead 9000 btu panasonic to a new 10200 btu rechi. Nothing else modified except minor pipefitting. I would recommend one of these units to anyone. It saved me at least $400 last year in natural gas competing against my central furnace! I turned it facing the dining room window, set it on max cool, and made it blow its cold air outside. I rigged a thermostat to the condensate overflow switch and sealed up the gap in the window with r-board and scotch shipping tape. It worked like magic. It never overflows, either. The unit has a neat little fountain pump in the tray that spits onto the centrifugal (exhaust) fan. In my application, this re-humidified my house for me all winter. Alas, my wife said it was ugly and sounded like a hair drier. It was banished to the barn for repurposing. I plan on putting an expansion valve in it and making it into a mini-split unit in the future. |
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