AC Help - tanTALK

BTANN · 03-13-2006, 11:17 AM

We have many more people tanning with us over the last 3 years. This has cause 2 problems : we don't have enough tanning units to accomadate our tanners and the AC is no longer able to sufficiently cool the salon. During peak season all of our beds are running ALLL day long!

To solve this problem long-term we are expanding this fall. This expansion will involve installing more, and bigger AC units. The logisitics of the expansion doesn't allow me to install the new AC units now.

So, in order to get through this season with out roasting everyone who comes in - what can we do to provide temporary cooling?

We have bought a couple of floor units but they really don't help. Anyone got any advice?

mr belvedere · 03-13-2006, 11:18 AM

Do you have drop ceilings or is it all open?

BTANN · 03-13-2006, 11:37 AM

Open ceilings. about 16 foot ceilings

mr belvedere · 03-13-2006, 11:42 AM

Bummer. I was going to suggest putting in some inexpensive exhaust fans. Still, if you can find a way to exhaust some the hot air from the beds directly to the ceiling, or out of the building entirely, it should help.

BTANN · 03-13-2006, 11:59 AM

All the big beds are vented outside already. The only thing I am considering is buying a couple more floor AC units. But I feel I am wasting my money.

Neon Beach · 03-13-2006, 12:10 PM

They are vented to the outside? And it still gets to hot? Wow.

BTANN · 03-13-2006, 12:19 PM

We still have about 7 beds that are not vented outside. These are our base beds. They did not come from the manufacturer with a portal to duct them to a vent. I've always wondered if you could customize these beds to be ducted to a vent. I assumed that the manufacturer would had included a place to vent the beds if it was okay for the bed to be vented.

With all our beds running all day long it does get very hot. Anyone else have any thoughts on these floor units? I'm just wondering if I use 4 or 5 of these units if that would help. One or two of these units don't seem to help at all.

billable · 03-14-2006, 10:24 AM

Your location says south. How far south? What is the square footage of your building? You have 7 beds that are not vented, how many are vented? What is the voltage and amperage draw? Are they single phase or 3 phase?

In our part of the country (Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, etc.) you can "guesstimate" about 1 ton of AC per bed. 10 beds =10 tons of AC. 2 5 ton units are usually going to be cheaper than 1 10 ton unit, and if 1 goes out, you at least have some cooling.

Any decent mechanical contractor should be able to take the above information and help you cool your building. Also, if you add a unit, think about having the ductwork run to each room to provide direct cooling to where you need it most, not just tied into the existing ductwork.

Also, I am not sure what you are calling a floor unit. Is it a big fan or is it actually an air conditioner. If it is really an air conditioning unit, you are blowing cold air out of the front, but blowing hot air out of the back. The compressor is generating more heat. you could actually be making your problem worse.

Neon Beach · 03-14-2006, 10:49 AM

That's true. Gotta vent the a/c to the outdoors also.

BTANN · 03-14-2006, 11:00 AM

Good points. The floor units are AC, and they are vented to the outside. Now I know I need more tons of AC, that will be solved when we do the expansion. What I am wanting to do is something to help until I have the mech contractor install the permament AC systems later this year.

03-13-2006, 11:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 136 Rep Power: 19	AC Help We have many more people tanning with us over the last 3 years. This has cause 2 problems : we don't have enough tanning units to accomadate our tanners and the AC is no longer able to sufficiently cool the salon. During peak season all of our beds are running ALLL day long! To solve this problem long-term we are expanding this fall. This expansion will involve installing more, and bigger AC units. The logisitics of the expansion doesn't allow me to install the new AC units now. So, in order to get through this season with out roasting everyone who comes in - what can we do to provide temporary cooling? We have bought a couple of floor units but they really don't help. Anyone got any advice?

03-13-2006, 11:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
mr belvedere Mr. b Join Date: May 10 2005 Age: 54 Posts: 7,247 Rep Power: 68	Re: AC Help Do you have drop ceilings or is it all open? __________________ "A dusty bible leads to a dirty life ..." -Synonymous

03-13-2006, 11:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 136 Rep Power: 19	Re: AC Help Open ceilings. about 16 foot ceilings

03-13-2006, 11:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
mr belvedere Mr. b Join Date: May 10 2005 Age: 54 Posts: 7,247 Rep Power: 68	Re: AC Help Bummer. I was going to suggest putting in some inexpensive exhaust fans. Still, if you can find a way to exhaust some the hot air from the beds directly to the ceiling, or out of the building entirely, it should help. __________________ "A dusty bible leads to a dirty life ..." -Synonymous

03-13-2006, 11:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 136 Rep Power: 19	Re: AC Help All the big beds are vented outside already. The only thing I am considering is buying a couple more floor AC units. But I feel I am wasting my money.

03-13-2006, 12:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	Re: AC Help They are vented to the outside? And it still gets to hot? Wow. __________________ www.talktimmins.com -- http://www.drjawnswebworx.com/

03-13-2006, 12:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 136 Rep Power: 19	Re: AC Help We still have about 7 beds that are not vented outside. These are our base beds. They did not come from the manufacturer with a portal to duct them to a vent. I've always wondered if you could customize these beds to be ducted to a vent. I assumed that the manufacturer would had included a place to vent the beds if it was okay for the bed to be vented. With all our beds running all day long it does get very hot. Anyone else have any thoughts on these floor units? I'm just wondering if I use 4 or 5 of these units if that would help. One or two of these units don't seem to help at all.

03-14-2006, 10:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
billable Join Date: Feb 1 2006 Location: Tennessee Age: 62 Posts: 2,077 Rep Power: 103	Re: AC Help Your location says south. How far south? What is the square footage of your building? You have 7 beds that are not vented, how many are vented? What is the voltage and amperage draw? Are they single phase or 3 phase? In our part of the country (Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, etc.) you can "guesstimate" about 1 ton of AC per bed. 10 beds =10 tons of AC. 2 5 ton units are usually going to be cheaper than 1 10 ton unit, and if 1 goes out, you at least have some cooling. Any decent mechanical contractor should be able to take the above information and help you cool your building. Also, if you add a unit, think about having the ductwork run to each room to provide direct cooling to where you need it most, not just tied into the existing ductwork. Also, I am not sure what you are calling a floor unit. Is it a big fan or is it actually an air conditioner. If it is really an air conditioning unit, you are blowing cold air out of the front, but blowing hot air out of the back. The compressor is generating more heat. you could actually be making your problem worse. __________________ Waiting list candidates 96,910 as of July 8 2007 at 4:23pm www.caregivertalk.org online caregiver support group Last edited by billable; 03-14-2006 at 10:27 AM.

03-14-2006, 10:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	Re: AC Help That's true. Gotta vent the a/c to the outdoors also. __________________ www.talktimmins.com -- http://www.drjawnswebworx.com/

03-14-2006, 11:00 AM	#10 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 136 Rep Power: 19	Re: AC Help Good points. The floor units are AC, and they are vented to the outside. Now I know I need more tons of AC, that will be solved when we do the expansion. What I am wanting to do is something to help until I have the mech contractor install the permament AC systems later this year.

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