Electrical Cabinet Air Conditioners (2024)

Near as I can tell, McLean Midwest must be out of business these days?
All that I can find is a parts house supporting older units.

OK then, I seem to find myself with a pair of newsed lathes that we are now seeing warmer temps for the first time, and it's not even 80* in here, but I already have the doors open on one of them, and I'd really like to NOT have the doors open.

I have a really nice top loader McLean unit that is likely going to be surplus in the coming weeks or so, but I want side units on these, or at the very least this one that is of issue today, and I'd really rather not go fetch an old unit for this app.

So, who doo we like for new Cabinet A/C units in the 21st century?

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

I can google just fine myself and find "something".

I am asking if anyone has any experience with any of today's offerings and what they would buy aggin.

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

Ox said:

I seem to find myself with a pair of newsed lathes that we are now seeing warmer temps for the first time, and it's not even 80* in here, but I already have the doors open on one of them, and I'd really like to NOT have the doors open.

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Slow the rapids down a bit, spindle accel/decel...help the heat cause.

The industrial grade cabinet heat exchangers on my 90's-era Mazaks are mounted into one of the cabinet doors, and are sealed units, not mixing internal and external air...just exchanging the heat by moving the air over aluminum fins.

I have seen used units on the eBay. If they're all gunked-up internally on the fins, that's a hard pass. But if the fins look good, then a used unit is as-good as new. Might need new muffin fans, but those aren't too pricey.

ToolCat

Vancbiker said:

Hoffman were fine except for the one that was mounted to the top of an enclosure. The condensate drain got plugged up and the catch tray overflowed and dripped into the enclosure killing a few items. Other than that, which was just a dumb layout, they worked fine.

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I have had the same experience with the top loader that I have as well! (McLean tho)

I seen an actual stream of water running down onto my plastic yellow boxes one day!
But amazingly enough - I don't think there was any losses from that.

That lathe had a side loader on it, but it went bad. I found this NOS McLean that looked pork-fect for the job...

After that, I let the doors open for several years.
Then the last few summers I did end up having to put the A/C unit back into service, and I watched it close, and never had another issue with it. But that is why I don't want another roof mount.

The trouble is tho - the more that I look at the application, the more that I'm not sure how/where I can put a side mount? Maybe I need to look into the drain situation on the top unit better and mod as needed?

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

Vancbiker said:

Now that I’d have to spend my own money being retired and all, I’d be likely to just try some cheap 5k BTU window mount unit off Amazon or Home Depot and wall or door mount it to the cabinet. A fella can buy 10 or more of those for the cost of one Hoffman.

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Haas did literally just that. Our UMCs and Y-axis mills all have them. Complete with 110v GCFI plugs.

Not the most elegant solution but they seem to work.

Yeah, I have done that to one machine already.
Would prefer to have a bit more better'er solution if possible.

I could prolly get an older (newer?) McLean if it comes to that I s'pose.
But just wondering if there is a current - good / name brand solution.

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

I used one of these from Automation Direct.
It worked well when used with a thermostat in the cabinet.

What were you cooling with 170 BTU?

The top loader that I have is 8K.

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

Ox said:

The trouble is tho - the more that I look at the application, the more that

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Had a few McLeans, they were fine but one American Tool lathe, from the factory, came with a window-mount air conditioner from Sears or something. It was in a sheet metal enclosure of course, but was just a standard ol' home air conditioner. The vent system was set to recirculate instead of passthru, but that was it. Held up for many years, was never a problem.

I'm not sure how/where I can put a side mount?

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In the door ? That cabinet was well-designed : had a central wall that didn't go to either the floor or the roof, leaving a circulation window on both ends. Then the drives were on the back side, the control on the front, the air conditioner in the rear door, and cold air circulated around the whole thing.

We use Rittal door mounted units in all of our cabinets.
Although this is a combination forge-machineshop, we've never had any heat issues.

Sure they may not be the cheapest solution but they are really reliable.

"Had a few McLeans, they were fine but one American Tool lathe, from the factory, came with a window-mount air conditioner from Sears or something. It was in a sheet metal enclosure of course, but was just a standard ol' home air conditioner. The vent system was set to recirculate instead of passthru, but that was it. Held up for many years, was never a problem."

I still have your spare if you ever need it back, but don't wait too long!!

Dan from Oakland said:

I still have your spare if you ever need it back, but don't wait too long!!

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You can send it to Ox, it's tested and proven

This is who we use. They are industrial grade.

Cabinet air conditioners.
One very good plus is that they suck all the water out of the air.
In a well sealed cabinet they quit dripping in a few days if you do not open the doors.
But they are a maintenance deal and use electricity.
So what shop temp is the go too here vs just a heat exchanger. (just fans and fins).
Most all controls will function if the temp inside of the box is down to 120-140F.
Vortex air compressor power units are the worst. Expensive to use.
I've seen people just hang a small window air unit on the machine cabinet. Ugly but effective.
Also worked at a place where some machines would overheat on the worst summer days.
Skilled trades would put a few bags of dry ice inside and on the hyd cooler as SOP. I had never seen that done before.

In design one can do all the math on heat load, cabinet volume, surface area, ambient temp and such.
I just use a cheap remote thermometer placed at different places inside to see what is what.
Sometimes a couple of well placed stirring fans inside the box can make all the different in the world.
Bob