Mogli Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 A while ago I read in some thread about generating hot water via an aircon-unit.Can't find it anymore. Anybody here knows how to do it?Can you buy the necessary add-ons in los? It was also mentioned that a certain resort in Koh Samui is using this system. Thanks for any suggestions Mogli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogli Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 A while ago I read in some thread about generating hot water via an aircon-unit.Can't find it anymore.Anybody here knows how to do it?Can you buy the necessary add-ons in los? It was also mentioned that a certain resort in Koh Samui is using this system. Thanks for any suggestions Mogli <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hm...no clues then? Mogli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 I can only give you some general suggestions based on my knowledge of AC units. The return gas line from your internal unit to the heat exchanger outside gets quite hot. You could possibly replace the straight tube with a multi coil copper tube (easy and cheap to buy) then place this coil into a insulated water container where you would somehow pump it into your desired location. I have no idea about how much heat transfer can be achieved but it is the only way one can get heat from the unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockstar Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 I say forget it mate. it will cost more in the long run. Dont even know if its practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loong Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 Best to get advise from an air con supplier. In a normal unit the waste heat from the heat exchanger is simply expelled to the outside with the use of a fan. This would need to be relaced with a water cooling unit and a pump to a water storage tank. There would also have to be various pressure release valves etc. It is too complicated to attempt yourself and would have to be done by an expert. It is available, I have seen it in an hotel before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogli Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 Thanks for the suggestions. Might as well ask the supplier. If it turns out to expensive I I will forget abot it and install a normal water-heating-unit. Mogli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockstar Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 install a normal water-heating-unit. Probably better. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetyim Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 The device you are thinking about is a Trevor Martin Heat Recovery Unit They are not cheap. http://www.trevormartincorp.com/hru.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chownah Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 You could try a solar water heating unit....you could probably make one of those yourself if you googled for instructions...I'm going to make a wild a55 guess and say you could probably get over 80% of your water heating energy needs from a solar unit...maybe even 100% if you don't mind barely warm showers once in a while....of course you have to have a place to put the solar collector.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetyim Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 I agree with Chownah. The thing that stuck me first when I read the original post was that when you need hot water the most (winter) the air-con will be turned off or at best on very little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bino Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 It was also mentioned that a certain resort in Koh Samui is using this system. The resort in question is the Chaweng Buri Resort on Chaweng Beach. I was impressed with the system- took only minutes to get hot water once the aircon was turned on. Don't have any idea how it worked / what is involved though. Maybe you could try contacting them and finding someone who would be happy to share the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakachan Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 (edited) They're called desuperheaters and they are excellent for hot climates. The cold water makes the a/c unit run at lower pressures and improves efficiency which in turn makes the unit last longer and cost less to run. I've put lawn sprinklers on the outside condenser coils on really hot days to make the cool better. If your real handy you could build your own with this type of pipe. link These have been used on fishing boats for years. its impractical to cool the coils with air on a boat so they use water. this is a picture of a loop. Edited July 30, 2005 by bakachan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 There's alot of collective building knowlage in the real estate and house ownership forum... I'll slide this over there. cv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Although do not doubt that this can be done with a heat exchange process do not believe it is practical solution for home use (yet). One poster mentioned turning on air conditioner to obtain hot water in hotel. Do not believe that would be cost effective in the home and may not even be in hotel where they expect air conditioner to be used most of the time. Most of us take showers where the water flow is only a couple of minutes - to get wet and rinse - so the on demand electric heaters are not that expensive to operate. As for storage of hot water, such as from solar collector, be sure it is insulated and not subject to rain cooling. Can say the water temperature of my stainless steel storage tanks takes a steep dive as soon as a rainstorm hits it. Another free source for increasing water temp is the use of a water cooled water pump rather than the normal air cooled well pumps. Have noticed the difference since changing to a Grundfos pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogli Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Thanks guys! Very helpful information.Definitely will contact the resort in Samui.If it is feasible we will install it in all of our 20 bungalows.A big advantage I think is that it also makes your aircon-units working more effective!Very interesting as I think price for electricity is bound to incraese. Mogli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edd Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Have a look here http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/bldr...lderGuide3E.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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