Posted: 8/16/2009 11:19:34 AM EDT
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I recently bought a Storage Container (Conex, sea-going container, whatever you want to call it: Looks like this) to use as a storage shed/workshop. I live in the desert southwest with summer temperatures at or over 100 degrees for several months of the year. I would like to cool the container with a swamp cooler, air conditioner, or something. The main reason I want to cool it is so I can store stuff out there without ruining it due to heat. The second reason is that I would like to be able to work/loaf out there and be comfortable. If I could get this thing cooled down I might put my reloading stuff out there including powder, as well as my ham radio station. I might even put my gun safe out there. In all three hobbies I have considerable money invested. In my previous house I had a whole bedroom filled to the rafters with gun/shooting/reloading stuff and another whole bedroom filled with radio gear. Point being, I have a lot of money invested in this stuff and want to protect it. My present house is less than 1000 sq. ft.
The container measures 48' long, 9' tall, and 8' wide. It is sitting out in the open in direct sunlight. Obviously it is made entirely of metal. What is my best option ? From what I understand, the swamp cooler would be the cheapest option but would add considerable humidity to the air. The A/C unit would be far more expensive both on the inital investment and in the electric bill. I don't know if there are other options. At some point in the future, I MAY get together the money to build a garage type stucture for the gun and radio stuff but until then, I need somewhere to put this stuff. |
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If an A/C unit is the way to go, should it be something like a window type unit or one that sits outside like a home air conditioner. I am hoping some of the guys involved in the other thread about the 13 seer unit vs. 16 seer will give me some advice here. |
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To make it practical you will need to insulate it, that thing will be like an oven sitting out in the sun, but with proper insulation you could cool it without too much trouble.
It would also help if you could put a roof over it, keep the top out of the direct sunlight, that would be a substantial help. |
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I have friends that can cut the hole and weld.
I thought about trying to insulate it but am trying not to make this too involved but I guess I don't have much choice if I want to be able to use it for what I had in mind. What do you suggest as far as insulating it ? |
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I turn these things into building for the offshore industry for a living. Here's what I have learned in 20 years of doing this.
At the minimum paint the top of it white. It's best to paint the whole thing white. Air conditioning isn't worht a shit unless you insulate it. Go with a minimum of R-11 in the walls and ceiling. Mount your A/C as far away from your doors as possible. At the end and up as high as possible. Make sure you can get out of this thing if you close the doors. A mandoor is the best way. At 48' you probably need at least a 18,000 BTU A/C. You do realize you're going to have to run the A/C most of the time with this kind of stuff in it. Anything else you want to know, just ask. |
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also, you may want to build a roof over it. Quoted: I turn these things into building for the offshore industry for a living. Here's what I have learned in 20 years of doing this. At the minimum paint the top of it white. It's best to paint the whole thing white. Air conditioning isn't worht a shit unless you insulate it. Go with a minimum of R-11 in the walls and ceiling. Mount your A/C as far away from your doors as possible. At the end and up as high as possible. Make sure you can get out of this thing if you close the doors. A mandoor is the best way. At 48' you probably need at least a 18,000 BTU A/C. You do realize you're going to have to run the A/C most of the time with this kind of stuff in it. Anything else you want to know, just ask. |
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Quoted:
I turn these things into building for the offshore industry for a living. Here's what I have learned in 20 years of doing this. At the minimum paint the top of it white. It's best to paint the whole thing white. Air conditioning isn't worht a shit unless you insulate it. Go with a minimum of R-11 in the walls and ceiling. Mount your A/C as far away from your doors as possible. At the end and up as high as possible. Make sure you can get out of this thing if you close the doors. A mandoor is the best way. At 48' you probably need at least a 18,000 BTU A/C. You do realize you're going to have to run the A/C most of the time with this kind of stuff in it. Anything else you want to know, just ask. I am not real "handy". What does this insulation look like ? The stuff in your attic ? Or foam looking sheets ? |
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I take it you're not a carpenter by trade.
First you frame the inside using either 2x4s or metal studs. Then install the insulation in the cells. Then sheet it with your choice of wall material. In between the framing and insulation, you would install your electrical wiring. If you pay the freight both ways, I'll frame, insulate, sheet, and do the electrical for cost + 15 cases of beer. I feel like the Hells Angels talking to the Rolling Stones. |
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I take it you're not a carpenter by trade. First you frame the inside using either 2x4s or metal studs. Then install the insulation in the cells. Then sheet it with your choice of wall material. In between the framing and insulation, you would install your electrical wiring. If you pay the freight both ways, I'll frame, insulate, sheet, and do the electrical for cost + 15 cases of beer. I feel like the Hells Angels talking to the Rolling Stones. If I was a carpenter I probably wouldn't be asking these questions. I am lucky to tie my shoes by myself. |
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+1 on insulation.
Building an awning over it with overhang on both sides will get you a lot of storage area plus an outdoor work area. You could get fancy and put a sink/ cookout area under the shade, etc. These things are a great building block to start from. I saw a set up with two spaced apart and a roof over and between them. Another had two set apart with more crosswise on top for additional storage. Kinda like Leggos. Just use your imagination. 
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+1 on insulation. Building an awning over it with overhang on both sides will get you a lot of storage area plus an outdoor work area. You could get fancy and put a sink/ cookout area under the shade, etc. These things are a great building block to start from. I saw a set up with two spaced apart and a roof over and between them. Another had two set apart with more crosswise on top for additional storage. Kinda like Leggos. Just use your imagination. Everybody in this whiskey tango town I live in has this but me. However, I am trying to catch up. |
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One or two of those turbine vent things on the roof would knock the temp down a bit when you are not in there so the AC wouldn't have to work as hard when you do go hang out in there. You would probably be well served to make a way to block them off when the AC is running though.
I have one on my shop, the spinning part seized up and I could not believe how much hotter it was in there without it. |
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Ok, we talked about paint, insulation, and shade but nothing about A/C vs. Swamp Cooler vs. what kind of A/C unit if that is the way to go. SZW17 did show you a pic of the type of AC you need. I know Window Units were mentioned too but they are all junk. |
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Ok, we talked about paint, insulation, and shade but nothing about A/C vs. Swamp Cooler vs. what kind of A/C unit if that is the way to go. SZW17 did show you a pic of the type of AC you need. I know Window Units were mentioned too but they are all junk. But didn't tell me what it was. |
| I replaced my swamp cooler with a window AC unit, 15,000, largest 110 volt you can get. The a/c unit was just a little over $300 at Sears while a swamp cooler is over $500! SWMBO is much happier as it has been a humid summer here. Just need to figure out how to vent air in the house to enhance circulation. |
| Another option is to buy an RV AC system and a compatible solar system and batteries. We did that with one of our job site trailers at a mine facility west of Elko. It's expensive but it's completely off the grid and it's a system that's designed for the application. |
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Build a false wall with a door about 2 1/2 feet inside the main doors. Mount a window AC unit to the false wall. Put an outside rated door into the false wall with a screen door. This is what we do for small site office trailers. Gives the guys a place to cool of in during the summer, and the fall and spring are nice with the screen door. Run a space heater during the winter. |
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Mini Splits is what you need for AC. Along with Insulation, paint etc. Have you priced these things compared to a window unit? They also have flaws in them that I really don't like. Flared fittings on R-410 systems are not my first choice. FWIW, in the last year I have installed about 75 of these things. They are not my first choice in a building like this. If I were doing one of these for myself, I would go with a Bard type unit. I'd put in 2 tons with heat. |
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Mini Splits is what you need for AC. Along with Insulation, paint etc. Have you priced these things compared to a window unit? They also have flaws in them that I really don't like. Flared fittings on R-410 systems are not my first choice. FWIW, in the last year I have installed about 75 of these things. They are not my first choice in a building like this. If I were doing one of these for myself, I would go with a Bard type unit. I'd put in 2 tons with heat. I know they cost a lot more than a window unit but all window units are junk. |
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Good idea about the false door. I've owned 6 shipping containers in my lifetime and my current barn is built out of two of them. They are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Candles melted in one of mine that I had up in the mountains here in Montana one summer.
I worked offshore years ago and we used them as storage buildings without insulation. It takes a lot of electricity to cool them but they worked fine except that with the high humidity they would SWEAT. This made them rust. In a dry climate it would probably work OK. Anything you put on top of them will keep them cooler, even if it's just a tarp. |
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like the poster showed you above I would use a minis split systems with 2 indoor units on one variable speed condenser. you need an installer in your area that has a good reputation and can do a heat load calculation on your container. 2 things that would make a mini split more attractive versus at window unit or 2.
1. while they cost more they are a whole lot cheaper to run 2. the much smaller holes for the line set and electrical that is needed would make it impossible for someone to remove them and crawl inside unlike just yanking a window unit out |
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like the poster showed you above I would use a minis split systems with 2 indoor units on one variable speed condenser. you need an installer in your area that has a good reputation and can do a heat load calculation on your container. 2 things that would make a mini split more attractive versus at window unit or 2. 1. while they cost more they are a whole lot cheaper to run 2. the much smaller holes for the line set and electrical that is needed would make it impossible for someone to remove them and crawl inside unlike just yanking a window unit out That is one thing I am not worried about. I am going to have a starving lion, a squirrel with rabies, and a couple great white sharks in there. |
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When you bought your container, why didn't you buy the insulated type if you wanted it to be cool in +100 degree weather? Why didn't I just buy a warehouse and have the walls gold plated ? I bought it off some guy that a friend of mine works with. Price was the reason I bought it. |
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like the poster showed you above I would use a minis split systems with 2 indoor units on one variable speed condenser. you need an installer in your area that has a good reputation and can do a heat load calculation on your container. 2 things that would make a mini split more attractive versus at window unit or 2. 1. while they cost more they are a whole lot cheaper to run 2. the much smaller holes for the line set and electrical that is needed would make it impossible for someone to remove them and crawl inside unlike just yanking a window unit out That is one thing I am not worried about. I am going to have a starving lion, a squirrel with rabies, and a couple great white sharks in there. With or without lasers? |
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I have used a 35 ft container as a reloading room and bike storage building for years. It hasT-111 siding and a shingled roof on it from an earlier deployment in the backyard in the burbs. It now sits under a lean- to on the west side of my barn, bad placement for utility, but no one knows its there, road is on east side. I run a dehumidifier all the time, its pretty tolerable most of the year, but you cant work in there daytime till till late september. Some basic electrical provides lights and outlets. A small space heater under the bench in the winter. Running A/C would make the meter spin like a frisbee.
I have the foam board insulation on walls and roof, not real effective, but it was all free. I didnt want to give up the space to studding out the walls and such. It is pretty secure, it holds ten bikes and a loading bench and a full length shelf holds tons o' crap. It didnt want to really seal it up airtight due all the gas tanks in there. I will do another container in the future, you cant beat them for instant storage or work space. You gotta get it in the shade. |
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Another option is to buy an RV AC system and a compatible solar system and batteries. Typically, "RV air conditioners" are just 120 volt window units that blow downwards (instead of sideways) and are mounted above a 14" x 14" roof cutout. They're durable, but considerably more expensive than a conventional window unit of similar cooling capacity - and offer no particular advantage. Personally, I'd go with an ordinary window unit - Easiest to install, and easiest to replace. Lowe's and Home Depot usually have clearance sales towards the end of the summer season - 30 to 50 percent off. For more moderate weather (fall and spring) when A/C isn't absolutely necessary, I'd also consider installing an ordinary electric roof vent fan, along with one or two openable windows. The vent fan will pull cool air in through the open windows. You're going to need light in order to work inside the container anyway, so might as well have windows. |