Alright guys (and gals), help me out here...

I'm a renter, I have a 2 bedroom apt with a detached garage. The garages are all in one building. 8 of them side by side next to each other. We all have our own remotes and garage door openers, our own seperate electricity, etc. I love working in my garage, the problem now (and all summer) is that it has been hot and humid, to the point I dont even want to go outside anymore. The garage is usually 10 degrees hotter and even more humid then it is outside.

My question is... How would I go about adding a window a/c unit? I am pretty sure punching holes in the wall is out of the question, but can I just build a cart and set the window unit on top of that so I get cold air blowing towards me? I can get a small window unit from wal mart for like 80-90 bucks. Ideally I would like to get the whole garage cool.

Next how do I go about heating it for winter time? I can get a fan that has an attachment for a heater on it, but I dont know if this will be able to heat up the garage.

And lastly, i'm doubting anyone has a magic fix for this one, but here it goes. I have a craftsman air compressor, that is supposed to run on 110 drawing 15 amps, my circut breaker for the garage is only a 20 amp. When the air compressor has about 100 psi in it, and goes to restart, it will pump a few times, then slowly stop pumping, the lights will go dimm, and it will trip the circut breaker.

My air compressor is also designed to run on 220 if you adapt it. Is there any way I can get 220 in my garage? Besides talking the landlord into digging another wire from our fuse box?

 

Any A/C unit has to be vented outside to work. Otherwise, the heat the BACK of the thing puts out will be the same (actually, a little more) than the COLD coming out of the front. You'd basically be paying the power company to run a heater and an A/C in the same room. If you can't cut a hole, and don't have a window, then you'll have to make a temporary 'wall' held in place by the garage door. I have a window unit in my 2-car here in FL, and it works fine if I start it in the morning. By afternoon, it just can't catch up. I also have an insulated door, which makes a big difference.
A heater, on the other hand, can (and should) be run inside. Just be sure it can't cause a fire, and doesn't produce anything like carbon monoxide.
As for the compressor, it sounds like something may be wrong with the pressure switch, or the compressor itself (overheating?) or that there is insufficient wiring somewhere (such as an undersized extension cord). Is there anything else running off that breaker, such as lights, radio, etc.? The 20 amp rating is for everything on that circuit, all added together. Usually, fuse boxes or breaker panels are in the garage, so running another circuit isn't a big deal. How far away is your panel? If you only have one 20 amp circuit in your garage, you won't be able to run much if anything else while the A/C or heater is on.

 

For the air, you need something like a rolling cart that holds the AC unit and a temp wall at the door to block it up so the hot air doesn't get back in as mentioned above. Even then, a window unit would be hard pressed to do much good, especially if you are having a heat wave like we are. A big enough unit would likely trip that breaker and forget about running anything else in there. Look into a "swamp cooler". Might be a better bet for your situation. Also, I'd try adjusting the compressor's pressure switch to cut in around 85psi. Not sure if it would help. Also, ask the landlord if the circuit is the same one that runs the lights, etc. or if there might be a wiring problem. Lastly, get the compressor checked for a possible overcurrent condition.

 

The trouble with your air compressor could be the "unloader valve". It is located at the end of the pipe from the compressor head. If your compressor starts ok from 0 psi, but not when pressure is present in tank and pressure switch calling for the motor to kick on. Could also be the starting capacitor in the motor.

 

Its a new compressor. I would hope there is nothing wrong with it. I'll have to take a look at it. Next, my fuse panel is in the apartment. I assume a line runs into the block of garages, and that powers everything in my garage, Which includes 2 outlets (1 on celing for garage door, 1 on wall) one light socket and one light switch. When I turn my breaker off everything inside the garage shuts off. The compressor starts fine from 0 psi. When it kicks on around 120 it turns a few times, then chugs out. It still does this with everything in the garage shut off. I have had it work just fine too. so I dont know I guess. I'll have to look up the swamp fan thing.

 

Put it in a corner of the garage door with the back outside, cut a peice of plywood from the side of the a/c to the other corner of the garage door. Then close the garage door on the unit and wood when inside.( you might have to close it mannually if you have the motion sensors on the floor.

 

Thats what I was thinking. The only concern would be like where to store the plywood. I bet the rafters would make a good home for that!

Thanks!

 

Some stuff I've found to be good and lighter/cheaper than the plywood is the foam insulating board. A frame of lightweight wood and it could be stored in rafters as mentioned, or just leaned against a wall.

 

At work we have an A/C unit that is ducted. We work in a building with no windows on the ground floor and we have a lot of electrical equipment in our office. In the summer our office will be several degrees warmer than the rest of the building and we can't control our office separately. We bought the ducted A/C unit and just run the warm air exhaust duct out the door. It works great. I'll get the name etc when I'm at work tonight if you are interested. As far as the electrical goes, make sure your circuit breaker has a time delay built into it. The compressor is drawing more amperage to start off when the tank is at a higher pressure. Some circuit breakers have a time delay built in to allow motors with high starting current to operate.

 

Sounds like you just have a long circuit run from the panel to the garage.

Your motor starting current is causing a huge voltage drop across the wiring......

Steve

 

Are you saying you have no ceiling in your garage? If thats the case you can pretty much forget about trying to cool it with a small ac unit. Also, what direction does the door opening face. If it is south you will have to insulate the door. I put a good comercial grade ceiling fan in my garage that works excellent, and uses very little energy. Home depot sells 500 watt overhead heaters that work pretty good. And last, Tell me you don't have your compressor hooked up to an extension cord.

 

Nope, compressor plugged right into the wall. And yes, it is a long run from the garage to the circut panel. how much damage could this cause? Yeah, no celing, just raftors. I am considering putting up a celing in some way, maybe even just some sheets of foam.

Next, is it possible to make an "adapter" for one of those wall a/c units that fit to the heat side, come down into flexible duct pipe (5"?) with an inline fan, and just trail the duct outside? would it work, or no.

I realize that I wont be able to run alot of stuff at once. But If I can plug in the compressor when I need it, fill the tank, then plug in the a/c. It sounds like a lot of work but to be cool it would be worth it. I'm just trying to brainstorm here also. None of this is set in stone.

 

Here is the A/C unit I was talking about. A little pricey, but it works awesome. You might be able to find something on e-bay...

http://www.pinguinoshop.com/pinpacc1br10.html

 

You can get a unit like BadTriumph shows for 400.00.If you are going to put a foam ceiling up,then just run the vent pipes that comes with the unit up to the attic.It will vent out the ridge and soffit vents.
As for the power,what gauge is the wiring.Maybe a bigger breaker 30amp?But only if the wiring is big enough to support the power.

 

Home depot also sells that type ac, LG brand.