Asking all the SF members for suggestions please. Just got an old aluminum military comm shelter, approximately 600 inside cubic feet of area. Will be fixing it up, want to heat and cool it. Any recommendations on a dual purpose heater, ac unit? Or a stand alone heater? Have seen the Dyson, but not sure how effective this would be.
Thank you!

No idea of the insulation status/qty of something like this but a mini split sounds appropriate.

Mr Cool makes one that is a user installed affair.

If I build a home someday, I'm seriously considering 5 or more split systems for its HVAC needs.

Thanks, shiftyvtech, not sure how well insulated it is either, but it will be protected from weather. Just want to be able to keep a constant temp, no freezing or overheating. Gonna be a project to clean it up, and redo the inside. We were thinking about the mini split too.

A one ton (12,000 BTU) mini-split would be fine for that space. If it’s going to be in direct sunlight and not insulated very well, you may want to step up to a 1.5 ton (18,000 BTU) to make sure you have enough AC capacity. If it’s similar to an aluminum Conex, those things get hot as hell in direct sunlight.

Some of these mini splits can be purchased with the line set pre charged. No need for an AC guy.

Thank you all.
It is not going to be outside at all, and actually, I have been pleasantly surprised to find how cool it is inside without any AC at the moment. So I think it is pretty well insulated, as the heat here has been in the high nineties. I thought some of the mini splits voided their warranty if not installed by an AC guy? Will have to check on the ones mentioned if can be self installed.

Yes, unless there is a company out there I don’t know about that is providing one, there is no warranty on a homeowner-installed mini split.

600 cubic feet...

Throw in a 6,000 btu PTHP unit and call it good.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
600 cubic feet...

Throw in a 6,000 btu PTHP unit and call it good.

For the money I think you can't beat a regular window unit in it (for the money). They've come a long way in the last 10 years, as far as having digital thermostats, etc.

A HP wall unit like in a hotel would be $1200-$1800.
A package unit (outside next to the shed) might cost $3000+ and you'd have to duct it. But you could get gas heat with one.

Cheap, low tech, ventless gas wall unit plus a 9000 BTU wall AC unit.

A PTHP unit like Excam suggested may be the best route since it sounds like you don’t need much if any AC. Just keep in mind they aren’t as quiet as a mini split.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:

Cheap, low tech, ventless gas wall unit plus a 9000 BTU wall AC unit.

Ventless = recklessness.

*Do Not use a ventless heater for a primary heat source.

So a 20,000BTU wall-mount gas convection heater with an O2 sensor built in is not such a great idea? They are for supplemental heat in well-ventilated areas?

Thanks for all the suggestions. It will be an enclosed area, so would need venting. Thinking a mini split would be the best way, don’t want to cut a hole for a window unit. Either something that doesn’t take up too much room, or something outside. Like I said, this will be a project, first comes the remodeling of the interior to our specs. So we have time at the moment to decide.