Dual Hose Air Conditioner

[bpetersen98]

Hey y'all! I have a dual hose portable A/C unit that I'm planning on using in my hexayurt this year. Just curious if anyone has had any problem with dust clogging their units? Think I should put a filter on the end of the intake hose or anything? Any thoughts/ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

[BBadger]

I wouldn't put a filter on there. It would seriously impede the necessary airflow to allow your AC to function properly. If it gets dust, you'll just have to clean it out when you get home.

I would put your air intake into some structure where there is less dust airborne dust. It won't prevent all dust from getting inside, but it won't be fully open to stirred up dust.

[Token]

So dual hose has an intake and exhaust duct with that accordion tube thingy.

Is the compressor ducted or the evaporator?

If the unit lives in the hxyrt, having a floor and no shoes policy helps, allot.

[EGAZ]

yea, there are various styles and 'two duct' does not tell us much.

That said, Personally,I would filter both sides (evap&cond) but be prepared to clean or change them often. Better to change filters than to clean coils.

Source: I've cleaned a lot of coils....

[Captain Goddammit]

I use an A/C that recirculates inside air.
That's the only way to avoid dust issues.

[BBadger]

I think those dual-hose ones do that, but they still shouldn't have a filter on their (external) intake.

[EGAZ]

....but they still shouldn't have a filter on their (external) intake.

Normally I would agree, but given the dust out there, a filter, properly monitored and cleaned/changed, will protect the condenser.

That said I wouldn't mess with A/C on a yurt. Go swampy and be done.

[Captain Goddammit]

That said I wouldn't mess with A/C on a yurt. Go swampy and be done.

"Well done" most likely.
Go with the A/C.

[EGAZ]

I knew that would pull you out with another vote for A/C.... LOL

[mcgyver2k]

You could build a cyclone air filter for the intake. That may not filter al well as a regular filter but it also wont restrict airflow and more important wont get cloged up.

[EGAZ]

a shop vac intake.... I like it.....

[ethaniel]

I use an A/C that recirculates inside air.
That's the only way to avoid dust issues.

Can you recommend a specific model please?

[Captain Goddammit]

All A/Cs do that.

[Yrosiv]

Well I have decided to return the LG 8,000 BYU portable air conditioner back to Home Depot because I don’t like how it operates. It blows the cold air UP and I’d rather have a unit with louvers / vents on the front of the unit so I can point the cold air down towards the floor where my tent’s intakes are located.

I don’t have any interest in cooling that entire room just so I can lower the temps in the enclosed tent that’s in that same room.

Anyway, I found a better portable air conditioner and I’m going to buy that one and return the LG unit tomorrow.

[TT120]

I would just build a big swamp cooler and use the money you saved buying top shelf scotch you can serve me in your bar.

[Jackass]

I would just build a big swamp cooler and use the money you saved buying top shelf scotch you can serve me in your bar.

Now there's a viable suggestion, me too.

[Toe]

There is an enormous difference in electrical consumption between a regular AC unit with a compressor vs a Figjam cooler. The Figjam takes advantage of the the playa's naturally dry air to do the heavy lifting, plus you get a humidifier as a bonus.

[ethaniel]

We brought a Shiftpod 2 this year + a dual hose AC with heater. Our camp had power, so it was amazing during the day and during the night. One problem was with the negative pressure that the AC created within the tent. Our shiftpod's walls kept collapsing, so we had to open a few vents open which let the air in from the outside (making it slightly more dusty).

No problem with the dust clogging up the filter at all.

[Token]

I would just build a big swamp cooler and use the money you saved buying top shelf scotch you can serve me in your bar.

Just put the bottle of Scotch in the bucket and it will be Mmmmmmmmmm good.

[Canoe]

... dual hose AC with heater. ... One problem was with the negative pressure that the AC created within the tent. ...

Dual hose means it takes air from outside through through one hose to the unit and then exhausts it outside through the second hose, independent of the inside conditioned air. If you got negative pressure, then something is wrong.

[ethaniel]

If you got negative pressure, then something is wrong.

We discussed this with other shiftpod owners, this problem exists in many different dual hose ACs, something is wrong with their design - there is negative pressure and it's impossible to do anything about it.

[Popeye]

If you got negative pressure, then something is wrong.

We discussed this with other shiftpod owners, this problem exists in many different dual hose ACs, something is wrong with their design - there is negative pressure and it's impossible to do anything about it.

If you have negative pressure in the shiftpod the flow of air is greater in the return hose than in the feed (cold) hose. Check for a filter on the cold side or dust partially clogging the evaporator. Could the feed hose be kinked? Sounds like there are two fans, could the evaporator fan blades be dirty? If there is an air leak in the duct around the evaporator it would give these symptoms.

[Canoe]

If you got negative pressure, then something is wrong.

We discussed this with other shiftpod owners, this problem exists in many different dual hose ACs, something is wrong with their design - there is negative pressure and it's impossible to do anything about it.

This is very suspect. The whole point of a dual hose design is that it doesn't create negative pressure that results in contaminating the internal air by sucking air from internal walls, soil gases, and hot (humid) outside air with pollutants, while sucking in and throwing away conditioned air you've paid $ to condition.

And the wrong people to be talking to; why would their being a shiftpod owner mean they know A/C units... Get a service manual for your A/C unit and check the airflow paths for points of leaks. There can be a path for collected condensed moisture to be expelled with the exhaust path; your leak may be there, particularily as it's rather likely that you don't have any condensed moisture (dry playa air) while the design may expect a minimum water level there to block sucking internal air into the exhaust. You may need to put a temporary block on that path in your A/C unit using foil tape while you use it in your shiftpod on the playa.