Portable A/C unit with Fermentation Chiller

[greglovesbeer]

Hi All.

Has anyone used a portable A/C unit like this as a cooling source for a fermentation chiller?:
http://www.sylvane.com/soleus-air-mac10k.html



I am VERY limited in space (no space for a fridge), and don't have the freezer space to make 1gal ice cubes (son of fermentation chiller). The only space available to me is a closet.

My plan is to build an insulated chiller unit, using a portable A/C unit as the cooling source. The air vent and temp control would be positioned to feed cold air into the insulated area, with the hot air being vented out of the surrounding space. Has anyone done this? My pro and cons list are below.

Pros:
intake, outtake hoses for removing hot air from area without major modifications to the surrounding area (cutting hole in exterior wall for hot venting.
used units cost ~$100
Space efficient design
dehumidifying cycle

Cons/Concerns
Digital controls - may not be customizable for external temp control units/modification
Unknown thermostat reading location
unsupported design - I haven't seen this implemented by anyone
efficiency questions - unsure of the power usage of unit. (minor issue)

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Greg

[greglovesbeer]

You can disregard this Q, After doing some inital measurements, my space is smaller than I thought, this won't work.

It looks like I'll go the modified dorm fridge route. The wife will let me utilize the space above the washer/dryer under the conditions that she can get a new front loading set .

-Greg

[Quin]

Get her a stacked front loading set. Then you can have room for a ferment fridge or freezer.

[Mylo]

FWIW, I saw a tiny (form factor) 6,000 BTU window unit at Lowes today for $120.


Mylo