When it comes to commercial spot coolers, you have a choice between an air-cooled or water-cooled unit. Water cooled units rely on water to cool warm air, and air-cooled units pull warm air out of the room while pushing out chilled air. Air cooled units are more commonly used because they don’t require a water hook up. Although, water cooled units tend to be more energy efficient and are easier to set up.
Benefits to Air Cooled Spot Coolers
There are a variety of benefits to air cooled spot coolers, including:
- Air cooled units work great in a variety of industrial environments
- They are less invasive to set up because they do not require water hook ups
- Wider range of cooling power to choose from – the highest available is 120,000 BTU/hr., the highest cooling power available from a water-cooled unit is 60,000 BTU/hr.
- Portable, easy to move around as needed
Cons to Air Cooled Spot Coolers
Of course, nothing in life is perfect, and there is one drawback to using an air-cooled unit over a water-cooled unit. The unit must be ducted in order to properly remove the warm air and cool off the space. Common ways to get around this include ducting the unit and venting it through ceiling tiles.
Benefits to Water Cooled Spot Coolers
Water cooled units rely on water to cool off hot air and then recirculate it back through the space. There are many benefits to using this type of system, including:
- Tend to be a little more energy efficient than air cooled systems and require less amperage during operation.
- If a chiller system is already in place, this is the most efficient option to consider
- They are entirely self-contained and do not require the installation of ducting systems
- As a result, the installation process is minimal and less invasive – all you need to do is plug in the unit and connect it to a water supply.
Cons to Water Cooled Spot Coolers
Water cooled spot coolers are easier to install and more energy efficient, but they aren’t always the right option. For instance, if you do not have a way to hook up water to the unit.
- You must have a readily available water supply you can tap into in order for the unit to operate. This may or may not be an issue.
- As a result of continually using water, they can increase your water bill and, in some cases, become pricy to operate. If you have a chiller system in place this should not be an issue.
Questions to Consider to Find the Right Option For Your Set Up
The best option for you will depend on several factors. The following questions can help you to decide on the best unit.
If you answer ‘yes’ to the following questions, a water-cooled unit may be most beneficial.
- Do you have a water line that you can easily connect to?
- Does your building already have a chiller system in place?
- Are you striving to run a more energy efficient business?
- Do you need the unit to be portable?
- Do you lack a way to install ducting to run hot air out of the space?
If you answer ‘yes’ to the following questions, an air-cooled unit may be the right option.
- Is it relatively easy to set up ducting to vent out hot air?
- Do you need excess cooling power that exceeds 35,000 BTU/hr?
- Is there no chiller system in place?
At Cooling Power, we offer both water-cooled and air-cooled spot coolers for rent and sale. Contact us today to learn more.