What to do with condensation from AC?

[onthego]

I am converting a 7x14 cargo trailer into a camper. I have a 5000 BTU AC unit which will be enclosed in the trailer with a intake and fan powered exhaust vent, I have 2 options with the water it collects.
Option 1: Use the water to run down the air intake onto a rough fast flowing media type material for a swamp cooler type effect to cool the air coming in.
Option 2: Use the water to collect into my water tank to keep it topped off and use the the water for showers/drinking.

Any advice? option 3?

[inetdog]

Option 3: Use the water to spray cool the condensor coil, increasing A/C efficiency.
Re. 1: If you cool incoming air using the water, there will be that much MORE moisture coming out at the evaporator coil. Bad idea.

[Sunking]

Actually Dave even misting the Condenser coils is a bad idea in most applications. Water mist will in fact lower head pressure, but Freon or whatever coolant being used will slowed down thus lowering total cooling capacity.Secondly keeping the condenser coil wet sounds like a good idea, but what you end up doing is causing mineral build up on the coils.

I got in trouble with this once with my Mechanical Engineers that worked for me when I brought up the idea. That went as far as proving it to me with our HVAC unit on the office. Turned on the mist, and the register air raised 3 degrees.

They did concede where it can be beneficial. Use it on an old system where the Condenser and fins have mineral build up and corrosion to make it a couple of more weeks until a new system arrives and scheduled for replacement. But long term is a bad idea.

[onthego]

Yeah sounds good, I was in fact worried about bacteria also in the media intake. I will either collect it for use or just drip it out on the road. Depends how difficult it's going to be to collect it.

[Ian S]

The water produced should be pretty solute-free as long as the capturing hardware is clean so I wouldn't think mineral buildup would be problematic. That said, option 2 would probably be the easiest.

[azdave]

Water some plants with it.


#1 Why add humidity? Part of the cooling effect your body feels is the lower humidity of the cooled air.

#2 No. Bad idea. Condensate water often contains bacteria. Don't contaminate your fresh water tanks.

#3 Although condensate water is essentially distilled water and extremely low in minerals it is still not worth bothering to spray it on the coils. About every 5 years someone comes out with a "new" misting system like that for home A/C condensers and all experts agree that it is a bad idea if the system is not designed for that up front.I doubt you'll have that much condensate anyway.

[onthego]

Water some plants with it.


#1 Why add humidity? Part of the cooling effect your body feels is the lower humidity of the cooled air.
The back end of the AC unit will be sealed off and vented from the air intake in the living quarters., so adding humidity wouldn't happen.

#2 No. Bad idea. Condensate water often contains bacteria. Don't contaminate your fresh water tanks.
Its a brand new AC unit and i will also be collecting rain water so they will have a certain amount of bacteria anyways, Before it is used for drinking it will be filtered and treated.

#3 Although condensate water is essentially distilled water and extremely low in minerals it is still not worth bothering to spray it on the coils. About every 5 years someone comes out with a "new" misting system like that for home A/C condensers and all experts agree that it is a bad idea if the system is not designed for that up front.I doubt you'll have that much condensate anyway.

Yeah spraying it would be all kinds of trouble with parts and some kinda pump, i was thinking dripping down a pvc pipe wetting a coarse filter that is the air intake like a humidifier or a swamp cooler, But im not looking for more maintenance cleaning media either. It shouldn't be too much trouble to run a line and collect the water. it would great to not have to fill the tank with a hose while traveling since ill be collecting rain water also.

[azdave]

Its a brand new AC unit and i will also be collecting rain water so they will have a certain amount of bacteria anyways, Before it is used for drinking it will be filtered and treated. It shouldn't be too much trouble to run a line and collect the water. it would great to not have to fill the tank with a hose while traveling since ill be collecting rain water also.

I still would not want to collect, filter, treat and drink condensate from an A/C unit unless the need for a few gallons of water was critical to survival. Just because the A/C unit is new doesn't mean it won't have bacteria growing in the collection tray in a few months.

[SunEagle]

I still would not want to collect, filter, treat and drink condensate from an A/C unit unless the need for a few gallons of water was critical to survival. Just because the A/C unit is new doesn't mean it won't have bacteria growing in the collection tray in a few months.

+1. I also would like to have any water treated for bacteria and heavy metals before I drank it.

[jflorey2]

Option 3: Use the water to spray cool the condensor coil, increasing A/C efficiency.

High EER A/C's already do this, usually by the simple expedients of 1) running the line to the condenser through the tray initially and 2) using the fan to kick some of the condensate up into the condensor coil.

[onthego]

Any water from my fresh water tanks for showering will be filtered with sediment, charcoal and UV filters, the drinking water will pass thru a reverse osmosis filter also.So bacteria is not a concern. The tanks will be filled with chlorinated water fairly often im sure which would kill most bacteria unless it rains and is 100F everyday. My biggest problem right now is finding a place on my trailer for a waste or grey water tank. No room inside really and i had the trailer built with 12" on center floor beams. I was hoping to use the underside in between the beams for a couple tanks but not cost effective as they would have to be custom made. So thats where im at now if trying to solve the grey water problem.

[J.P.M.]

I am converting a 7x14 cargo trailer into a camper. I have a 5000 BTU AC unit which will be enclosed in the trailer with a intake and fan powered exhaust vent, I have 2 options with the water it collects.
Option 1: Use the water to run down the air intake onto a rough fast flowing media type material for a swamp cooler type effect to cool the air coming in.
Option 2: Use the water to collect into my water tank to keep it topped off and use the the water for showers/drinking.

Any advice? option 3?

I wouldn't drink it. As for a swamp cooler, I'd not run that while the A/C was running. You'll wind up evaporating the condensate in the swamp cooler that your A/C just used electricity to condense. Then, the cooler and (re)humidified air from the swamp cooler will be dehumidified and cooled a bit more with the A/C will recondensing the evaporate from the swamp cooler all over again. A waste of energy for no gain.

[Mike90250]

Dumping gray water is not a problem. use wood chips or something, so that you don't have any "standing puddles"

https://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/hhsa/pdf/chs_eh_landUse_GraywaterSystemGuidelines.pdf

[Logan005]

I have the condensation diverted into several flower beds. as well as the master shower and bathroom sinks. we use a very mild soap and the plants love it. I am working on the kitchen sink which includes an insinkerator and a dishwasher. will have to use a strainer for food and add to my compost.

[Mike90250]

..... and a dishwasher.......

better to pipe the dishwasher outlet to the septic, even the green automatic dishwasher soap is pretty harsh on plants

[Logan005]

that is my plan, I have researched automatic dishwasher tablets, now I won't even touch one with my bare hands. I am also extremely sensitive to smells.