Garage Ventilation - vent fans enough, or A/C?

LobsterOfJustice · 06/22/2013, 06:35 PM

Hey all,

Right now I have all my auxilliary equipment plumbed into my garage (sump with skimmer, water mixing, QT, chiller). The garage is getting too hot and humid. Within the next year I plan on putting a 180 in the garage viewable in-wall in the living room. The garage is only a 1 car garage. I still plan on parking my car in the garage (at least in the winter). I want to keep the room ventilated so the tank does not overheat and the chiller can operate effectively, and also don't want my tools, walls, and car ruined by moisture.

Will a ventilation fan be enough, or should I go with an actual A/C unit through the wall? Is there a better option than the units I am considering below?

Here is the ventilation fan I am considering:
http://www.amazon.com/Tjernlund-Prod.../dp/B003VZH2SY

Here is the A/C unit I am considering:
http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FRA...1945806&sr=1-2

Thanks!

rimlessreefpete · 06/23/2013, 01:48 PM

You should be able to send the chiller "exhaust" directly outside. If this isn't possible they do make portable single room AC units that easy to set up and don't cost a fortune, plus the added benefit of independent control. If it was me though I would try to vent the hot air from chiller through a wall of the garage right outside.

TY31088 · 06/23/2013, 03:29 PM

IMO with the ac you will have cleaner, drier air. And it will be more comfortable for you when working in the garage.

DeepThought · 06/23/2013, 05:46 PM

I'd opt for the Window unit as well. OR the single room AC and vent to the outside. in any case, 8,000BTU is not enough to cool a garage. Measure out the space in terms of square footage and then figure out exactly how much cooling power you need. I would suggest a minimum of a 12,000 btu unit for a garage - and it would be better if the garage was finished and had insulation.

Timfish · 06/24/2013, 11:22 AM

For starters with enough ventilation you should be able to keep your tank temperature at the average low ambient outside temperature. This system here was cooled only with fans vented to outside (noise restrictions precluded the use of a chiller and house design did not allow for remote location). The tank was enclosed in a wall so there was no exchange with house AC except for radiant loss through the glass. During the Texas summers temps stayed below 84 degrees with 7 250 watt MH and another 1400 or 1500 watts of pumps. Air flow was about 600 cfm and lost about 60 gallons a week to evaporation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uf5IyXvajg

I would build a simple insulated wall around the back of your system with doors giving you access and since you are running a chiller as was recommended above vent it to the outside. Since your chiller is generating a fair amount of heat and using quite bit of electricity I would use fans and some sort of controller to use airflow and evaporative cooling leaving the chiller only for the hottest times of the day during the summer.

06/22/2013, 06:35 PM	#1
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Garage Ventilation - vent fans enough, or A/C? Hey all, Right now I have all my auxilliary equipment plumbed into my garage (sump with skimmer, water mixing, QT, chiller). The garage is getting too hot and humid. Within the next year I plan on putting a 180 in the garage viewable in-wall in the living room. The garage is only a 1 car garage. I still plan on parking my car in the garage (at least in the winter). I want to keep the room ventilated so the tank does not overheat and the chiller can operate effectively, and also don't want my tools, walls, and car ruined by moisture. Will a ventilation fan be enough, or should I go with an actual A/C unit through the wall? Is there a better option than the units I am considering below? Here is the ventilation fan I am considering: http://www.amazon.com/Tjernlund-Prod.../dp/B003VZH2SY Here is the A/C unit I am considering: http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FRA...1945806&sr=1-2 Thanks! __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

06/24/2013, 11:22 AM	#5
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	For starters with enough ventilation you should be able to keep your tank temperature at the average low ambient outside temperature. This system here was cooled only with fans vented to outside (noise restrictions precluded the use of a chiller and house design did not allow for remote location). The tank was enclosed in a wall so there was no exchange with house AC except for radiant loss through the glass. During the Texas summers temps stayed below 84 degrees with 7 250 watt MH and another 1400 or 1500 watts of pumps. Air flow was about 600 cfm and lost about 60 gallons a week to evaporation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uf5IyXvajg I would build a simple insulated wall around the back of your system with doors giving you access and since you are running a chiller as was recommended above vent it to the outside. Since your chiller is generating a fair amount of heat and using quite bit of electricity I would use fans and some sort of controller to use airflow and evaporative cooling leaving the chiller only for the hottest times of the day during the summer. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

06/23/2013, 01:48 PM	#2
rimlessreefpete Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Glenview, Illinois Posts: 15	You should be able to send the chiller "exhaust" directly outside. If this isn't possible they do make portable single room AC units that easy to set up and don't cost a fortune, plus the added benefit of independent control. If it was me though I would try to vent the hot air from chiller through a wall of the garage right outside.

06/23/2013, 03:29 PM	#3
TY31088 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Warner Robins, GA Posts: 78	IMO with the ac you will have cleaner, drier air. And it will be more comfortable for you when working in the garage.

06/23/2013, 05:46 PM	#4
DeepThought Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 554	I'd opt for the Window unit as well. OR the single room AC and vent to the outside. in any case, 8,000BTU is not enough to cool a garage. Measure out the space in terms of square footage and then figure out exactly how much cooling power you need. I would suggest a minimum of a 12,000 btu unit for a garage - and it would be better if the garage was finished and had insulation.