Author Topic: Controlling Screen Room Temp?  (Read 2611 times)

Offline mimosatexas

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Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« on: August 31, 2014, 06:01:59 PM »
I am about to build my screen storage room, which will house my coated screens, films, a coating station, and have a FPU.  This room will be inside another larger room, which will have my washout booth, a dip tank for post exposure, and my exposure unit, and a few other screen specific items.

I have the humidity question handled, but now I need to figure out how to control the temperature of the screen storage room.  I was thinking of putting a small window unit A/C in the wall of the smaller room, but that would mean hot air would exhaust into the larger room which seems like a bad idea.  I am also worried about heat during the winter, but I do have a small ceramic heater that I could toss in that room when needed.  The walls and ceiling will be well insulated and the door will have a tight seal.

Mostly just wondering how others control temperature specifically in their screen storage.


Offline gtmfg

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2014, 06:04:44 PM »
Find a small hot split unit used. Air and Heat.
 Usually not crazy expensive if you can find them used.

Offline Binkspot

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2014, 06:52:52 PM »
Our screen "room" is 65 sqft, the back is insulated because it backs up to an exterior block wall. One dehumidifier will keep it in the 90's in the summer, 70's in the winter. To boost the temp in the winter I have a small milk house heater that will keep the room in the 90's.

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2014, 08:37:25 PM »
I think Gtmfg I'd referring to a mini split, that was going to be my suggestion.

You can get heat pump versions of them for about $800 bucks new.

Offline jsheridan

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2014, 11:12:01 AM »
You can get the portable AC/Heat units with 14k BTU's for around 500 bucks from amazon.
I'm using one of those and it keeps the room in the mid 80s' in the summer. Not used it in winter yet so we'll see how that goes.

If you want to spend over a grand, the mini split units with heatpump are perfect for a screen room, if you have the ability to put the pump outside even better as that way you only need a 3" hole in the wall for the plumbing.
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Offline mimosatexas

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2014, 12:06:28 PM »
Thanks!  I'll start looking into the mini splits.

For the time being, are there any downsides to using a small (like 5000btu or less) window unit to keep the temp down?  Any issues with having it completely inside (cool air in the screen room, heat venting into the larger room) besides the extra heat?

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2014, 12:20:59 PM »
You got it!

Offline tancehughes

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2014, 01:01:32 PM »
We have a 15x20 screen room and use a window unit, works great for us. And now that our entire production area is climate controlled, it won't have to run as much


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Offline mimosatexas

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2014, 01:11:04 PM »
We have a 15x20 screen room and use a window unit, works great for us. And now that our entire production area is climate controlled, it won't have to run as much

And no issues having it inside?  I'm finding no info on whether its safe to have a window unit fully inside.  I know the portable units tend to give off ozone which is why they say explicitly that they should be vented outside, but nothing on standard window units.

Offline tancehughes

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2014, 03:44:02 PM »
Well maybe I'm confused. Our unit is in the wall and pulls air from outside. Sorry if I am talking out of the side of my neck


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Offline mimosatexas

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2014, 03:48:37 PM »
unfortunately due to the layout of my shop, the A/C would have to go on an internal wall.  I could rig up some kind of ducting I'm sure, but if the only downside is heat in the other part of the room, I would rather just deal with it to be honest.

Offline mk162

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2014, 10:10:10 AM »
i wouldn't do that, you can either do a mini split system or a free standing unit that has exhaust hoses and vent it through the roof...a much better bet.

Offline mimosatexas

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2014, 10:25:16 AM »
After reading about the mini splits, I think I'm going to go that route.  I guess you can get pretty fancy with the configuration and they are hugely more efficient which would save money in the long run.  Thanks!

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2014, 11:41:16 AM »
Exactly, mini-splits are awesome.  We might add one to the screen printing area if the Radicure is still dumping out too much heat.

Offline Tag1

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Re: Controlling Screen Room Temp?
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2014, 11:57:19 AM »
We are a new shop and I am also setting up my screen room.  My screen guys says he is not concerned about the heat during the summer but is more concerned with it being too cold in the winter.  I am planning on putting a small portable cooling unit in the exposure room that has a 3" exhaust duct through the wall but I am not planning on cooling the screen room at all.  The screen room is a separate small room attached to the exposure room but is sealed.  I will put a small heater in the screen room to keep the temperature up during the winter.  I am more concerned about the humidity in the screen room.  Am I missing something?