# AC Misting System



## Krich (Jul 13, 2017)

I'm thinking about setting up a misting system for the main house AC unit to help the coils stay cooler so the unit will cool a little better and no have to work so hard to hopefully save a little energy and wear / tear on the unit.

So far, the best system I've found (cause it's simple, less stuff to go wrong) is the Cool-n-Save Basic Kit found online at: http://www.coolnsave.com/product/cool-n-save-basic-kit/

It's activated each time the unit comes on by the upward air the unit's fan produces which flips a paddle up that turns the water valve on.

My question is... I need to find a good inline water hose filter (I'm not using their filter so I can put one over by the water faucet) that is good enough to filter the water so there's nothing in it that can build up on the coils to damage them.

If anyone has a good inline filter that can be used with a standard water hose fittings please let me know.


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## Krich (Jul 13, 2017)

Well, I haven't read but a couple of pages over at this board:
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?633362-Water-mist-help-cooling-my-AC-condenser-unit

And some of these guys say don't do this... in my case we have free well water that can be used so if it can be filtered enough to not damage the coils the water part of this wouldn't be a problem for me.


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## slownsteady (Jul 13, 2017)

Well, I haven't researched the topic at all, but the first question that comes to mind is: what's the net savings over time on something like this. You buy this new thing ($), it may take energy to use it, even it is just the well being called on more often($). And there may be time and money spent on maintaining the unit ($)
And how much is it saving in AC costs and maintenance?


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## nealtw (Jul 13, 2017)

Just take out the AC unit and get a swamp cooler.


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## bud16415 (Jul 13, 2017)

The last AC window unit I bought I thought had a flaw as the drip pan drain hole was not punched thru. It would fill with water and the cooling fan would hit it. I was just about to drill a hole thru when I started reading up on the unit and they said don&#8217;t drill the hole out it is supposed to spin the water around to do just what you are suggesting. You may find as I did it is already built in. 

I don&#8217;t think you will save enough energy to make it worthwhile but you might help the compressor life.


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## Krich (Jul 13, 2017)

I'm talking about our main house unit... the one on th ground outside the house not the window unit in the other thread.




> Well, I haven't researched the topic at all, but the first question that comes to mind is: what's the net savings over time on something like this. You buy this new thing ($), it may take energy to use it, even it is just the well being called on more often($). And there may be time and money spent on maintaining the unit ($)
> And how much is it saving in AC costs and maintenance?



It's a simply system and if it'll help get a little cooler air and help the unit not work so hard it'd be worth it to me.

Not everything really needs to be broken down economically to see the exact amount it's going to save in terms of dollars... at least not for me.

I'd go nuts if I had to do that on everything I did.  I like things to perform better and last longer, so that's the primary satisfaction I get out of it.  I'm not cheap so spending a little money is not a problem for me.

I'm simply looking for a good water filter that can take stuff out of the water that may build up on the coils and the filter needs to have standard water hose fittings on each end since.... it'll be going inline using water hoses that will run over to the AC unit.


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## bud16415 (Jul 13, 2017)

I would just use a regular cartridge filter holder with a 5 micron pleated cartridge in that case. All the home centers sell them or get something on line. They will have nipples and adapters to get you to your hose fitting sizes. 

Here is an example  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L0MG2K...t=&hvlocphy=9006390&hvtargid=pla-311326972046


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## Sparky617 (Jul 13, 2017)

nealtw said:


> Just take out the AC unit and get a swamp cooler.




He doesn't list his location, but in the SE USA we're already in a swamp in the summer time so a swamp cooler doesn't work.  They work great in an area with low humidity like Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada or Colorado.  VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA not so much.


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## Snoonyb (Jul 13, 2017)

This system seems as though it would not "irrigate" the entire coil.

What our solution in the willow valley ariz. was to stand swamp cooler pad 1" off the coil and shade the coil from the direct sun. water never was introduced into the AC coil.

The pad is available in circular bail, as is chicken wire, 3/4"PVC drilled, a "T" and a hose.


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## Elbowrust (Aug 14, 2017)

There is a kickstarter project from Toronto at the moment. It seems like a great idea and I'm wanting to do the same thing. I figured I'd use the water after our sediment filter with a solenoid inline connected to the fan so it would open when the fan turned on. It would be low pressure with misting sprayers coiled around the outside of the ac unit.


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