Air Conditioner for Darkroom

I absolutely hate summer for many reasons, not the least of which is the inability to use my bedroom darkroom without being miserable. Is there such a thing as a lightproof window AC unit, or has anyone come up with a simple workaround that does not involve modification to my apartment? I'd like to keep printing throughout the summer, but regular AC units flood the room. Thanks.

cbphoto said:

I absolutely hate summer for many reasons, not the least of which is the inability to use my bedroom darkroom without being miserable. Is there such a thing as a lightproof window AC unit, or has anyone come up with a simple workaround that does not involve modification to my apartment? I'd like to keep printing throughout the summer, but regular AC units flood the room. Thanks.

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What do you mean by flood the room, with light or too much cold air?

You simply isolate the heat pump onto a slab outside (remote) and have a portable AC unit on casters, and tubing thru the wall. There are a lot of commercial units like this, but they're obviously not the kind of thing somebody sticks in a half-open mobile home window next to an Elvis rug thumbtacked to the wall. In other words, they're about as expensive as the mobile home itself... (Being sarcastic, of course; but you might need $2,000 budget instead of $200). Go to a WW Grainger catalog or website for a general idea. An apartment would complicate this concept because you'd need permission from the landlord to hook up this stuff. And neighbors might not appreciate the sound of the pump. But you might be able to run the tubing through a little gap in a window, basically all light blocked. Preventing the pump from getting stolen or vandalized just depends. But it can be done.

PDH said:

What do you mean by flood the room, with light or too much cold air?

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Light. The cold air is welcome.

DREW WILEY said:

You simply isolate the heat pump onto a slab outside (remote) and have a portable AC unit on casters, and tubing thru the wall. There are a lot of commercial units like this, but they're obviously not the kind of thing somebody sticks in a half-open mobile home window next to an Elvis rug thumbtacked to the wall. In other words, they're about as expensive as the mobile home itself... (Being sarcastic, of course; but you might need $2,000 budget instead of $200). Go to a WW Grainger catalog or website for a general idea. An apartment would complicate this concept because you'd need permission from the landlord to hook up this stuff. And neighbors might not appreciate the sound of the pump. But you might be able to run the tubing through a little gap in a window, basically all light blocked. Preventing the pump from getting stolen or vandalized just depends. But it can be done.

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Uh, no . Looking to mod my existing ac window unit somehow. I could just get a portable unit, but would rather stick with normal window units if there is a way around the light coming in through the vent.

Probably the easiest would be one of the so called "portable" units that sit on the floor and exchange air to the outside through a tube.
Almost certainly you'll still need to do some mods to eliminate light leaks, but making the window panel and tubing opaque should be lots easier than getting a window AC light tight. The portables aren't as efficient, but window AC's aren't that efficient anyway.
A lot depends on whether or not you have the floor space for the machine though.

…just saw your other reply, you could possibly build some sort of box to enclose the front of your unit that would light baffle the cooled air.
Some sort of opaque deflector could work too, maybe just a screen in front of it.
Another good way to start might be to take off as much of the front panel as you can and paint it black. Possibly even spray flat black paint into the cold air ducting you can get to. There would be a fair amount of risk getting paint onto stuff that should not get a coating of paint, but if you're cautious, it's probably workable. This all assumes you own the machine, also assumes you don't care about its cosmetics. Painting it would also make the air pretty stinky for a while and you'd need some alternate ventilation until the paint is done drying, and that would probably take a few days.

But, I'll stick to my original suggestion in that the portable would likely be far easier to deal with.

bdial said:

Probably the easiest would be one of the so called "portable" units that sit on the floor and exchange air to the outside through a tube.
Almost certainly you'll still need to do some mods to eliminate light leaks, but making the window panel and tubing opaque should be lots easier than getting a window AC light tight. The portables aren't as efficient, but window AC's aren't that efficient anyway.
A lot depends on whether or not you have the floor space for the machine though.

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If it doubles as an end table, I can pull it off . I've seen a few well-rated ones with flat tops, but was trying to avoid spending money.

one word... "ductless"

or two words... "mini split"

same thing though

Old-N-Feeble said:

one word... "ductless"

or two words... "mini split"

same thing though

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Japanese style . I wish. I do not have access to the outside. NYC apartment.

cbphoto said:

Uh, no . Looking to mod my existing ac window unit somehow. I could just get a portable unit, but would rather stick with normal window units if there is a way around the light coming in through the vent.

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I only had a window unit once, as I recalled it was light tight as I used blackout cloth to cover the window around the unit with duct tape. Does you unit allow light to pass the unit itself?

PDH said:

I only had a window unit once, as I recalled it was light tight as I used blackout cloth to cover the window around the unit with duct tape. Does you unit allow light to pass the unit itself?

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Yes the separator inside was frosted white, so the vent itself lights up the room. Are there ACs that don't do that? That would be AWESOME.

You need to come to England. It's only a problem about one day a year!

Gunfleet said:

You need to come to England. It's only a problem about one day a year!

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Seriously. NY summer is awful, and it would be an ideal time to print in a nice cool room.

cbphoto said:

Seriously. NY summer is awful, and it would be an ideal time to print in a nice cool room.

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Well don't plan on a nice summer vacation in Phoenix, 105 to 118, but it is dry heat. My darkroom is cool in the summer, I have central air.

I last had a window unit in the 70s, but it was light tight, how about at night, any light getting by once the sun goes down.

PDH said:

Well don't plan on a nice summer vacation in Phoenix, 105 to 118, but it is dry heat. My darkroom is cool in the summer, I have central air.

I last had a window unit in the 70s, but it was light tight, how about at night, any light getting by once the sun goes down.

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No, but I need to print during the day. I tend to go for many hours, and make a bit of noise running back and forth to the bathroom for washing. Roommates.

It sounds like Seinfeld. ;-)

Gunfleet said:

It sounds like Seinfeld. ;-)

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ba bow bow ba da bow

cbphoto said:

Uh, no . Looking to mod my existing ac window unit somehow. I could just get a portable unit, but would rather stick with normal window units if there is a way around the light coming in through the vent.

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My darkroom is 9' x 16', well insulated, no windows, just an opening for the air conditioner. I use almost the smallest window unit that I can buy. The units that have the ability to recirculate the room air normally seem to be pretty light tight after making the room as dark as possible. The unit I used without this feature, I made light tight by taking a 24"x24"x 6" corr. box, cutting an opening in one side, sprayed the inside of the box with flat black paint, to slide over the AC unit (inside). I got the room good and cool/cold, turned off the unit and worked until the room warmed up again. Then off came the box, on came the AC until the room got cool/cold again, then do everything over again. When checking for light leaks, turn out all lights and sit in complete darkness for at least ten minutes. After you have been in complete darkness that long you will be surprised by leaks that you can't see when the lights are first turned off. This has worked for me in Louisiana where it does get downright hot in summer (June tghrough September, normally no 100F days after September)....Regards!

I made a simple baffle out of black foam core for my window unit. It attached in front of the vents where the air and light was coming through and directed it downward. Still got the cold air, minus the light.

I would say give it a try and see if you can block the light with black cloths or cards. I put one in my darkroom window and had not much trouble.

ParkerSmithPhoto said:

I made a simple baffle out of black foam core for my window unit. It attached in front of the vents where the air and light was coming through and directed it downward. Still got the cold air, minus the light.

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I was thinking long these lines, but was concerned about blocking the vent. Do you have a photo of what you made?

oldtimermetoo said:

My darkroom is 9' x 16', well insulated, no windows, just an opening for the air conditioner. I use almost the smallest window unit that I can buy. The units that have the ability to recirculate the room air normally seem to be pretty light tight after making the room as dark as possible. The unit I used without this feature, I made light tight by taking a 24"x24"x 6" corr. box, cutting an opening in one side, sprayed the inside of the box with flat black paint, to slide over the AC unit (inside). I got the room good and cool/cold, turned off the unit and worked until the room warmed up again. Then off came the box, on came the AC until the room got cool/cold again, then do everything over again. When checking for light leaks, turn out all lights and sit in complete darkness for at least ten minutes. After you have been in complete darkness that long you will be surprised by leaks that you can't see when the lights are first turned off. This has worked for me in Louisiana where it does get downright hot in summer (June tghrough September, normally no 100F days after September)....Regards!

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This could work, and I already have black out cloth over the window. I would just have to pull it aside and un-velcro the bottom to run the ac. Still, it would nice to have it always on.

ParkerSmithPhoto said:

I made a simple baffle out of black foam core for my window unit. It attached in front of the vents where the air and light was coming through and directed it downward. Still got the cold air, minus the light.

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By using 2 sets of boxes made into a u shape you can create a light trap. I worked in darkrooms that used a light trap door system rather than revolving door, same idea on a smaller scale.

dpn said:

If you're in an arid area, you might try a swamp cooler. This is what I'm planning on later this summer, when it hits 105F+ in my garage. Bonus: it increases humidity, which should, in theory, cut down on dust.

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I was just reading about those. NYC often gets humid, unfortunately.

cbphoto said:

Is there such a thing as a lightproof window AC unit, or has anyone come up with a simple workaround that does not involve modification to my apartment?

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I feel your pain.

Here in Norte Tejas, not having an AC unit means not working in the darkroom 9-10 months a year! My first permanent space was in a rent house in the 1970s. My landlord had been a keen amateur and had built the room, but it had no heat or cooling. He graciously let me install a window unit at my own expense. I do not recall it leaking light. I did a similar thing in another house in the 80s and do not recall it leaking light either.

Then I had a nice darkroom (finally) with central heat and AC from the building. Oddly enough, I had to put a baffle over the register vent to keep light out from the ducts, but that was successful.

My current darkroom, built out in 2010, has a window unit in the wall. It was there when I bought the house and it leaked some light. I replaced it a couple of years ago, and the new unit glows, too. So, either I did not see the light leaks 30-40 years ago (entirely possible), or the older units were built differently than current ones.

But, to answer your first question: probably not. The second question: yes, you can pretty much light proof one.

Without blocking air flow, you will need to get foam weather stripping all around the case on the inside. If you can take the front off - often necessary to replace or clean the filter - it should be obvious where you can (and cannot) do this. It will also be obvious where it is needed, if you let your eyes adjust (several minutes, as has already been suggested) and get a good look at the unit in the dark.

It may also be possible to put some dark filter material in front of the air output grid, which will cut down the light considerably. Just be careful not to cut down the air flow considerably, or it could create problems and damage the unit. If you can, it may also be possible to add some filter material over the outside grill work. In my case, this made the biggest difference after simply weather stripping the perimeter of the case. I used window screen frame material cut to size and stretched it with a dark piece of fabric.

There's always working after dark, which a lot of folks resort too for other reasons. That would be a last resort, but keep it in mind.

When I win the lottery, I will replace the window unit with a mini-split ...