OT: Elecrafters in Europe: What is your A/C?

[K7TV]

Please reply off list only. For those who want to follow this discussion,
just send me an email and I will be happy to include you on my own little
list, that was established some time ago when I sought advice on replacing
my central A/C system without generating RFI.

 

After the previous discussion, I successfully had my old central A/C system,
which was broken and non-repairable, replaced with a new system using old
enough technology that it generates no RFI. However, that did not address
the fact that my radio shack (which is a corner room facing south and west)
is too hot to be comfortable during the hot season here in the Phoenix area
(and that is true even *before* I turn on any of the radio equipment).
Adding a conventional window A/C unit is not practical, as the windows in
the room are obstructed by furniture and equipment. For the same reason a
"portable" A/C unit (that stands on the floor, with a big hose connected to
a window) is not practical. What should work is a "mini-split" room air
conditioner. This consists of a condenser unit mounted on the outside of the
wall, and a separate evaporator unit mounted on the inside. The units are
connected together through just a small hole in the wall, maybe 3". These
units are fairly new to the U.S. maket. Most people here don't even know
that they exist. But when I searched homedepot.com I found that  many
different models are available, priced from under $1000 to several
thousands. Home Depot sent an installer to my house. He told me that every
model available uses variable speed motors, so I can't just buy a single
speed unit in order to avoid RFI. Also, none of their customers would allow
me to go to their house and let me listen for RFI while standing outside
their house. However, he said these kinds of systems have been marketed in
Europe for at least 20 years, and homes there either have no A/C at all, or
they have mini-split's. So, all I have to do is talk to some hams in Europe,
that have A/C, and ask what model they have, and whether it generates RFI.

 

So far, I have discovered that my sister in Europe has a mini-split, but of
course she cannot listen for RFI. So rather that turn on a radio and start
searching  for European contacts, I thought I would once again draw on this
list. I know there are lots of Elecraft users in Europe, and surely some of
them have A/C units. Please, guys, let me know how that is working out with
respect to RFI! Again, please don't discuss on this list; I will be more
than happy to include you in the discussion using my separate little list,
and if you are kind enough to give me some information, but don't want to
receive email, just let me know.

 

Thanks in advance,

73,

Erik K7TV

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

[Martin Sole-3]

I'm not in Europe but I think the type of air conditioners you are
talking of are the split units that we use almost exclusively in
Thailand. I don't think I've ever seen residential central A/C here.
Common brands here are Mitsubishi, Daikin, Toshiba, and a bunch of
others. Plenty of JA origin though most are locally manufactured. I have
in my house a mix of Daikin, Mitsubishi and Fujibishi. 7 units in all. I
can't say that any of them seem to add an amount of noise though the
general background noise level is fairly high so it may well be masked.
The one thing I was advised by a friend was to stay away from the units
marked as inverter. These use switching inverters to control the speed
and potentially could generate a lot more noise. A regular stepped speed
analog unit should be okay in that respect.

Martin, HS0ZED



On 12/09/2017 02:16, Erik Basilier wrote:

> Please reply off list only. For those who want to follow this discussion,
> just send me an email and I will be happy to include you on my own little
> list, that was established some time ago when I sought advice on replacing
> my central A/C system without generating RFI.
>
>  
>
> After the previous discussion, I successfully had my old central A/C system,
> which was broken and non-repairable, replaced with a new system using old
> enough technology that it generates no RFI. However, that did not address
> the fact that my radio shack (which is a corner room facing south and west)
> is too hot to be comfortable during the hot season here in the Phoenix area
> (and that is true even *before* I turn on any of the radio equipment).
> Adding a conventional window A/C unit is not practical, as the windows in
> the room are obstructed by furniture and equipment. For the same reason a
> "portable" A/C unit (that stands on the floor, with a big hose connected to
> a window) is not practical. What should work is a "mini-split" room air
> conditioner. This consists of a condenser unit mounted on the outside of the
> wall, and a separate evaporator unit mounted on the inside. The units are
> connected together through just a small hole in the wall, maybe 3". These
> units are fairly new to the U.S. maket. Most people here don't even know
> that they exist. But when I searched homedepot.com I found that  many
> different models are available, priced from under $1000 to several
> thousands. Home Depot sent an installer to my house. He told me that every
> model available uses variable speed motors, so I can't just buy a single
> speed unit in order to avoid RFI. Also, none of their customers would allow
> me to go to their house and let me listen for RFI while standing outside
> their house. However, he said these kinds of systems have been marketed in
> Europe for at least 20 years, and homes there either have no A/C at all, or
> they have mini-split's. So, all I have to do is talk to some hams in Europe,
> that have A/C, and ask what model they have, and whether it generates RFI.
>
>  
>
> So far, I have discovered that my sister in Europe has a mini-split, but of
> course she cannot listen for RFI. So rather that turn on a radio and start
> searching  for European contacts, I thought I would once again draw on this
> list. I know there are lots of Elecraft users in Europe, and surely some of
> them have A/C units. Please, guys, let me know how that is working out with
> respect to RFI! Again, please don't discuss on this list; I will be more
> than happy to include you in the discussion using my separate little list,
> and if you are kind enough to give me some information, but don't want to
> receive email, just let me know.
>
>  
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> 73,
>
> Erik K7TV
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

I had five mini-split A/C units of various brands an my Aruba home and so
did every neighbor. I never noticed any RFI. These are not new to the US,
I had a Samsung mini-split heat pump installed in my garage over a decade
ago. Mini-splits are very nice, you never have to get up out of your
operating chair to adjust them and from a sound perspective they are very
quiet.

John KK9A


Erik Basilier wrote:
Mon Sep 11 19:16:11 EDT 2017

Please reply off list only. For those who want to follow this discussion,
just send me an email and I will be happy to include you on my own little
list, that was established some time ago when I sought advice on replacing
my central A/C system without generating RFI.



After the previous discussion, I successfully had my old central A/C system,
which was broken and non-repairable, replaced with a new system using old
enough technology that it generates no RFI. However, that did not address
the fact that my radio shack (which is a corner room facing south and west)
is too hot to be comfortable during the hot season here in the Phoenix area
(and that is true even *before* I turn on any of the radio equipment).
Adding a conventional window A/C unit is not practical, as the windows in
the room are obstructed by furniture and equipment. For the same reason a
"portable" A/C unit (that stands on the floor, with a big hose connected to
a window) is not practical. What should work is a "mini-split" room air
conditioner. This consists of a condenser unit mounted on the outside of the
wall, and a separate evaporator unit mounted on the inside. The units are
connected together through just a small hole in the wall, maybe 3". These
units are fairly new to the U.S. maket. Most people here don't even know
that they exist. But when I searched homedepot.com I found that  many
different models are available, priced from under $1000 to several
thousands. Home Depot sent an installer to my house. He told me that every
model available uses variable speed motors, so I can't just buy a single
speed unit in order to avoid RFI. Also, none of their customers would allow
me to go to their house and let me listen for RFI while standing outside
their house. However, he said these kinds of systems have been marketed in
Europe for at least 20 years, and homes there either have no A/C at all, or
they have mini-split's. So, all I have to do is talk to some hams in Europe,
that have A/C, and ask what model they have, and whether it generates RFI.



So far, I have discovered that my sister in Europe has a mini-split, but of
course she cannot listen for RFI. So rather that turn on a radio and start
searching  for European contacts, I thought I would once again draw on this
list. I know there are lots of Elecraft users in Europe, and surely some of
them have A/C units. Please, guys, let me know how that is working out with
respect to RFI! Again, please don't discuss on this list; I will be more
than happy to include you in the discussion using my separate little list,
and if you are kind enough to give me some information, but don't want to
receive email, just let me know.



Thanks in advance,

73,

Erik K7TV

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]