18 Jun
2014
18 Jun
'14
2:35 p.m.
On Jun 18, 2014, at 1:23 PM, Todd Goodman <tsg at bonedaddy.net> wrote:
Hi,
I've just built a new building that will be part machine shop and part vintage
computer display area (and workshop for repair, etc.)
I'm trying to size power requirements and AC requirements.
I know that without specifics as to exactly what I'll be running (and
all the options) then it's really hard to come up with anything.
At the same time I need to decide and get the building wired up and the
cooling set up.
I have a number of different racks of PDP-8 and PDP-11 equipment along
with other more personal sized computers.
Obviously not all will be powered up at once, but I'd like to spec out
requirements so that I can at least run a few at a time.
Likewise with the AC. I'd like enough AC to be able to run for as long
as I want without overheating the equipment or myself (and I overheat
easily.)
I know some people have been setting up shops recently and I guess I'm
wondering what they've been doing for both electrical and AC.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
I just did this for my shop. Pictures are here:
http://www.shiresoft.com/new-shop/Shiresoft/New_Shop.html.
I upgraded the power from 40A 220v to 200A 220v. I also put in a two stage AC rated at
55,000BTU at
high speed and about 2/3 of that on low speed. I spent the extra $'s so that the AC
wouldn't "short cycle"
when I'm not running big loads (which will probably be most of the time).
We've already had some warm days and the shop stays nice and cool. ;-) I haven't
fired up any of the
big gear yet (still unpacking and sorting stuff out) so I don't know yet how well it
handles a "real" load but
given that it can get into triple digits here, I wanted to err on the side of too much
capacity than not enough.
Funny story about when it was first installed. The various contractors finished up while
I was not home for
a few days. When I got home my wife said that they had finished but thought they screwed
something up
because she thought she heard the compressor at my shop running. Nah, couldn't be!
It's in the 60's. There's
no way it would be running. It turns out they setup the thermostat wrong and it thought
there was
a heat exchanger (rather than just an A/C unit) and was running the A/C. When I went into
my shop the next
morning (it had been running for 2 days...ouch the electric bill!) it was <45 degrees
in my office in the shop. It
was in the 70's outside. When the tech came out to "fix it" he mentioned
that there was ice on everything...oops!
But it works and it works well.
TTFN - Guy