AC water conversion and treatment unit illustration. Photo: Watergen LtdA while ago I wrote about the possibility of creating drinking or agricultural usage water from the cooling coil condensation from air conditioners.   This idea has been around for years, and has in the past been met with more than its share of skepticism, even though inexpensive methods exist to purify polluted water from bacteria other biological impurities that may be present in such water.A recent program on the CNN Earth Matters environmental show dealt with special water cleansing units that were originally developed for US and other troops stationed in hot desert areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan that collects and purifies the run-off water from military vehicle AC units and turns this water into pure, tasty  drinking water in the field.  The water is sent through a series of filters to clean and remove harmful bacteria and other organic substances. And the technology is here. GEN 40 water generator: can create 20-60 liters of water per dayAfterwards, minerals are added to the water to give it a pleasant taste.

The idea of inventing such devices for military vehicles was done for the purpose of making troops in the field more independent as far as water supplies go.In addition to such purification devices being made for trucks and other vehicles, variations have also been made for stationary or static ground units such as at military bases and other installations. These portable water producing units appear to be so practical that they can be used in all types of locations where drinking water may be scarce or not available, such as areas afflicted by floods that pollute normal drinking water supplies, such as the flooding that occurred in Bangkok and other locations in Thailand last year.through the wall hvac systemsEven in low humidity desert regions, the devices can provide fresh drinking water as they take  the water from condensation in the air conditioning units. best ac units for texas

This water would otherwise simply run off to the ground as it still does in millions of AC units all over the world.The water producing and treatment units are now being marketed in Israel, and variations of them, are  being used for military vehicles like Merkava tanks and IDF versions of Humvee military patrol vehicles and armored personnel carriers.Although originally designed for use in military type vehicles and at personnel field unit locations, it doesn’t take much imagination to find uses for these water producing devices in all kinds of non-military vehicles and locations.ac parts orlando floridaRead more on creating water from air: Water From Air May be Viable Solution After All Tap Into Auxiliary Water Supplies With Your AC Sodus Makes Light -And Water-of Plastic BottlesAcross Lakeland we have experienced consistently high humidity levels as afternoon showers have turned into all day flooding.

This has wreaked havoc on the propensity of air handlers to keep up with customers’ demands. Throughout the last couple of weeks, we have experienced several insurance claims in both commercial and residential dwellings that related to air conditioner condensation. While a little dampness on a unit or a duct may sound harmless, the resulting affects on your insulation, drywall, and other building materials may be detrimental. Often times these issues go unnoticed and when they are discovered, mold growth is usually an issue. Please follow a few of these easy rules to make sure that you don’t end up with a larger problem:1)      Inspect HVAC units often. We aren’t just talking about taking a peak up at your vents every once in awhile, take a ladder and go inspect your return and handler frequqently. Note any discoloration, corrosion or standing water. Look for water staining around the area that may have been caused by condensation or faulty components.2)      Get Your AC Unit Serviced.

Once a year, your unit should be serviced by an HVAC professional. They will be able to help identify any potential issues that you may encounter and curb water damage in your home or business.3)      Purchase a Hygrometer. Testing your indoor air quality can often times be as easy as knowing the indoor relative humidity and temperature. Any sharp fluctuations in relative humidity are a large indication that there may be a problem with your system.   Regardless of where you set your thermostat, if you have relative humidity levels higher than 60% you are putting your home or business at risk of secondary damage including mold or condensation.4)      Watch windows and vents. Mildew and condensation should not build up on these areas if your HVAC unit is properly sized for the area in which it is trying to condition. If you are seeing discoloration around your vents or noticing mold buildup on window caulking you may need to call a mold remediation specialist.5)      Don’t ignore your senses. 

If you walk into your home and smell an earthy or musky odor you may have a mold issue. If you walk into your business and your skin instantly feels sticky and wet, your AC system may not be operating properly. If you see staining or discoloration that wasn’t seen before, don’t turn a blind eye. Using common sense and listening to your instincts are often the best ways to prevent further damage.While historic flooding can create some unavoidable obstacles, these easy tips may save your home from mold or water intrusion.When water vapor in the air (often described as humidity) comes in contact with a colder surface, the water changes from a gas to a liquid and collects onto the cold surface.  This is most often observed with an ice cold beverage container on a humid day, where water droplets collect on the outside surface of the glass full of iced tea or cold ale.  The water vapor in the air that becomes liquid is referred to as condensate.  While the condensate collected on a cold beverage is small and mostly considered a nuisance, the condensate that collects on refrigeration equipment is of significant volume and a potential alternate water source.

Air-conditioning uses a closed-loop compression-decompression cycle of a refrigerant (freon, CFC, HCFC, etc.) to absorb heat from inside a building, then transfer that heat to the outside.  With central air-conditioning, the cold refrigerant passes through the heat exchanger coil inside the building (often “A-coils” inside the plenum), where a fan blows air from inside the building through the coils, cooling the air, and returning the cold air into the occupied space.  As the air passes through the cold A-coil, water vapor in the air turns to liquid when it comes in contact to the cold coils.  This condensate water must be removed to prevent water damage to the equipment and the building structure.   Most often, the central Air Conditioner (AC) condensate drains off of the A-coil into a drip pan; then runs into a hose connected to the sewer system.  A central AC for an entire home can collect 5 to 20 gallons (18.9 L to 75.7 L) of condensate water per day, equating to more than 300 gallons (1135.3 L) per month in the summer. 

Depending on the location of the central AC A-coils, this water can be easily captured, stored and utilized. On a window AC, the condensate water can often be observed dripping out the back of the AC, from the outside portion of the equipment.  A window AC will collect only 1 to 2 gallons (3.78 L to7.57 L) of condensate water per day; often too small of a quantity to invest in a method to capture and use the water.   Sometimes, simply placing a bucket underneath the window AC can collect enough water to irrigate a few shrubs and flowers around the home. Non-residential buildings are also potential sites to collect and use condensate water.  Wherever there is air-conditioning, there is condensate water collecting on the cooling coils; and this water must be diverted out of the building.  Like in homes, the condensate is most often sent to the sewer drain.  Depending on the HVAC design, the condensate water might be collectible for alternate uses on the building site.  The amount of condensate water can range form 3 to 10 gallons/day per 1,000 square feet of air-conditioned space( 11.35 L to 37.84 L /day per 92.9 square meters);

largely dependant on local climate, HVAC design and type of use for the building.   A 10,000 square foot (929 square meters) office building can produce more than 15,000 gallons (56.8 m3) of condensate water per year. The quality of this water is essentially the same as distilled water; mineral free and a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level of near zero.  The water should NEVER be used for human consumption as it may contain heavy metals from contact with the cooling coils and other HVAC equipment.  The lack of minerals in the water (similar to distilled water) also makes it corrosive to most metals, especially steel and iron. The water’s low-mineral quality and lack of sanitizers (chlorine, chloromine, etc.) makes it excellent for the purposes of irrigation.  In the residential sector, this water should be used similar to harvested rainwater; irrigation for plants not intended for human consumption.   Although condensate water does not have the health risk of containing biological pollutants commonly found in rainwater (bird feces), there is a slight risk of lead contamination (from solder joints in the evaporative coils) building up to dangerous levels in soil continually irrigated with the water.

In non-residential sites, one of the best uses is make-up water for the cooling tower.   For most cooling towers, a portion of cooling tower water is dumped several times each day to remove the build-up of minerals. (See Cooling Tower Section for more information.)  The dumped water requires replacement in the system, and the replacement water is usually potable water from the local water utility.  The amount of water removed and replaced is highly dependant on the level of minerals, measured as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) contained in the potable water supply.  The greater TDS level of the source water, the greater the water use of the cooling tower.  Not only can condensate water be used instead of potable water (TDS levels of 150 to 800), the condensate water has virtually no minerals (TDS level of 0 to 25).   This allows the cooling tower to dump water less often. In commercial and industrial processes, there are a myriad of applications to use condensate.   One should look beyond just irrigation and cooling towers.