Central Airconditoning System+built-in Humidifier

[BKK90210]

I'm looking into having the house builds soon. I would like to have a central airconditoning system with built-in humidifier, mostly for our books benefit so they won't turn yellow or have an odor. Time+temperature programable

Has anyone out there already installed in the home?...how the experience and how much?

Thanks in advance

[lopburi3]

I suspect very few homes have central airconditioning as there is no place for ductwork in a normal cement and brick Thai home. As for "humidifier" those are used to add humidity - you sure dont't want that anywhere in Thailand that I can think of.

[autonomous_unit]

I think you also posted about designing your own home, so I assume you would make space for ductwork if you wanted... I did see some houses that looked like they had central air when we were house-hunting. The place to put ducts (and the cooling unit) seems to be in the ceilings where there is often a pretty large gap with drywall hanging on steel frames beneath the concrete structure above.

We also noticed some of these larger multi-room units, when browsing catalogs for air conditioners. There are several combinations possible: larger outdoor compressors to be connected to multiple coolers, and some coolers designed to hide away and be connected to ductwork. However, none of the units I saw resembled the big whole-house units that are common in the US. I would worry about availability of maintenance skills and parts. What you actually see here most often are single room units and separate compressors sticking all over the outsides of the houses near the individual rooms that are being cooled!

We went with a prebuilt house, and given the amazingly poor insulation value that Thai builders build (single-thickness brick walls, lots of single-pane glass, leaky doors), we stuck with a handful of single room units and actually put in some extra cosmetic walls and interior doors to allows us to close of larger spaces and selectively cool them. Many of the newer units have "inverter" a.k.a. "dc converting" power supplies, so they can vary their compressor rate smoothly instead of being full on or off. This should help control humidity and temperature better, but I haven't seen consumer units with expliciit target humidity settings. As lopburi3 says, you'd probably be more concerned with removing the right amount of moisture than trying to inject any back in.

[BKK90210]

Thanks all guys

I' was meant to type "dehumidifier"...should have check my spelling first!

We're not looking forward for the individual air-conditioning unit - not that efficient.

As far as the space for the duct works, I can always make room for them since it will be a custom home. I've lived with one central ducts system (both cool air + hot air) here in the US for so long and couldn't imagine anything else. If we can't have them in thailand... oh well have to think of plan B.

As far as the wall insulation concerns, we're somewhat worried about that too and probably looking for the R-value about 21-26 for exterior wall. Here in the US I saw the neighbour using ICF system. It is an insulate rigid foam wall, very flexible...you then pour the concrete inside the wall....then finish with sheetrock inside and siding/stucco ouside. Therefore it's very easy making a curve wall with minimum labor works and you can choose any insulation value too. May be thailand doesn't have this system yet, will see. If not I might manufacture it in thailand for sale....hmm I wonder the mass market demand for this in thailand.

Being an engineer, it's so hard for us to buy any spec-home - they all seem to be in the cookie cutter type to me. Not that there's any wrong with that but I like mine to be a bit different. We will be talking to some engineer in a few week, will see how that's go. My thai is about 80% good...might have to use all the body parts too!

May be...just may be someone out there has this system....darn!

Appreciated all the inputs very much

[astral]

I thought dehumidification was a natural function of an AC unit?

They do remove large quantities of water from the air in the room.

Most modern ones have a "DRY" option to control humidity rather than temperature.

[BKK90210]

I thought dehumidification was a natural function of an AC unit?

They do remove large quantities of water from the air in the room.

Most modern ones have a "DRY" option to control humidity rather than temperature.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh?....that's good then!

[chiangrai57020]

Thanks all guys

I' was meant to type "dehumidifier"...should have check my spelling first!

We're not looking forward for the individual air-conditioning unit - not that efficient. 

As far as the space for the duct works, I can always make room for them since it will be a custom home.  I've lived with one central ducts system (both cool air + hot air) here in the US for so long and couldn't imagine anything else. If we can't have them in thailand... oh well have to think of plan B. 

As far as the wall insulation concerns, we're somewhat worried about that too and probably looking for the R-value about 21-26 for exterior wall.  Here in the US I saw the neighbour using ICF system.  It is an insulate rigid foam wall, very flexible...you then pour the concrete inside the wall....then finish with sheetrock inside and siding/stucco ouside.  Therefore it's very easy making a curve wall with minimum labor works and you can choose any insulation value too.  May be thailand doesn't have this system yet, will see.  If not I might manufacture it in thailand for sale....hmm I wonder the mass market demand for this in thailand.

Being an engineer, it's so hard for us to buy any spec-home - they all seem to be in the cookie cutter type to me.  Not that there's any wrong with that but I like mine to be a bit different.  We will be talking to some engineer in a few week, will see how that's go.  My thai is about 80% good...might have to use all the body parts too!

May be...just may be someone out there has this system....darn!

Appreciated all the inputs very much

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For what it's worth. Some years ago when I built my first house I considered 'central' air. What I found was that 'central' air is not available in Thailand! Trane, Carrier, etc. make individual room units just like Mitsubushi.

Further research, today, have also provided the same results - no central air units. There are, it appears from advertisements on the web, that there are units that appear to be 'central air' but cost as much as a house!

There are systems where you buy one compressor and upto 3 room units. Do not know the cost.

"dehumidifier"...Yes, the individual room units do dehumidify and quite efficently.

My uneducated experience is that wall insulation is unnecessary! My first home was single 4" thick wall with thin stucco and the 'living' area faced West. There was no noticeable heat gain on the walls and my 'puny' 9,000 BTU room unit kept my 16' x 14' living room quite cool in the heat of the day. I did have 'one' layer of insulation in the ceiling throughout the house and noticed that the rooms without air, and facing to the East did not need airconditioning.

I had no trees to help cool the house. Thai's love to 'flatten' the earth before building anything!

[BKK90210]

Well....I won't give it up!...yet.

Still will be keeping an eyes for that elusive object of desire!

[stevehaigh]

For what it's worth.  Some years ago when I built my first house I considered 'central' air.  What I found was that 'central' air is not available in Thailand!  Trane, Carrier, etc. make individual room units just like Mitsubushi. 

Further research, today, have also provided the same results - no central air units.  There are, it appears from advertisements on the web, that there are units that appear to be 'central air' but cost as much as a house!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

there is a shop in samui that sells carrier and traine (sp?) central air systems. they mostly sell to restraunts, hotels, etc. i expect you could find a place to buy one in any larger city. be aware that they usually require 3 phase power which is hard or at least expensive to get in most rural areas.