I need help fixing a light leak

[Cannalicious]

I have a window AC in my room. The problem is that there is a 6 inch diameter, horizontal light leak in the middle of the AC from inside the room to the sun. Right now, I am covering the AC with a towel during the girls nap time, but I'm looking for a better solution. The outside of the house is brick. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks.

 

[IWanaGetHiSoHi]

Run your light during the day. There is no sunshine at night. No sunshine No Light Leak ...

 

[GimmeShelter]

I need help fixing a light leak

Open up that window a/c and spray paint the inside black that should help. Once it's open assess other options to block excess light from coming through. Sure running the a/c during the day is fine but I always run my rooms at night. Saves a bit of money.

 

[the gnome]

so the lite is leaking through the middle of the window AC unit?
I thought you originally had lite leakage through a 6 inch duct when you said 6" diameter.
I don't have an AC unit like you but this may help others(maybe u2) with lite leakage

I bought my 6" duct that already had a flat black finish on the inside.
It helps immensely.

a couple other things I did to to keep it stealthy.

I put 1/2plywood over the inside of the window
I cut a 6" hole in the plywood near the bottom of the window opening,
then I got a cardboard box 16x16x6" and cut a 6" hole in the bottom of the box that was still sealed shut.
and that hole was offset from the center of the cardboard box and it was about 2" from the edge.
I then I affixed the open end of the box on the plywood so the hole in the box was above, 180degrees opposite the hole in the plywood. so there was not a direct straight line from the duct,
going into the cardboard box then thru the hole in the plywood.

now, before put the plywood over the window I left the cheapo plastic mini blinds in the down position and they were not closed quite all the way and then left the window open about 4 inches.
so as your looking into the room from the outside all you see are the mini blinds in the down position
just like the rest of the windows.

you can hear air movement(barely) and only if your standing a couple 2-3ft from it on the outside and the air being pushed through the nearly shut blinds barely move from the air being passed through using a 6" inline elicent 309-cfm fan on a speed controller set on hi.
Its hooked to one 1000s light that doesn't run 100%
for it to do its job,
its probably only running at 70%-80% power during the heat of the day, less at night.

So, by mixing the air into two boxes,
the 16x16x6" box, that vents into another
3ftX3ftX4inch box, which is the space between the window jambs and the inside of the house the air movement is drastically reduced





.

 

[Cannalicious]

all!

IWanaGetHiSoHi Run your light during the day. There is no sunshine at night. No sunshine No Light Leak ...

It was 94 degrees today and it's the beginning of June. Can't be done.

GimmeShelter Open up that window a/c and spray paint the inside black that should help.

Will do. Very logical.

the gnome so the lite is leaking through the middle of the window AC unit?

yes, i was very surprised, it's like this hole in the back behind the grate and a hole in the front before the slats.

180degrees opposite the hole in the plywood.

-did you mean 90?

ok, this is what i've decided to do....my AC extends further than the window pane inside so i think i'll put that cardboard box directly over the AC, cut a 6 inch hole in the the side with the most altitude, connect a 6inch duct to the box and bend the duct 90 degrees higher than the AC horizontally into the room.

Any problems with this?

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Personally... I have a box directing the cold air up.... with the ceiling coated in flat-black paint. The bottom, warm air intake, doesn't leak enough light... but I could always build a cardboard intake for it.... if I had to.

Flat black paint is your friend.

Stay Safe!

 

[the gnome]

all!
Quote:
180degrees opposite the hole in the plywood.
-did you mean 90?

ok, this is what i've decided to do....my AC extends further than the window pane inside so i think i'll put that cardboard box directly over the AC, cut a 6 inch hole in the the side with the most altitude, connect a 6inch duct to the box and bend the duct 90 degrees higher than the AC horizontally into the room.

Any problems with this?

I think your box idea will work if I'm reading you right

and no, i meant 180degrees.
think of it like the clock I mentioned,
12 is 180 degrees away from 6 on the dial face.
12 sweeping around back to 12 again is 360degrees

 

[Cannalicious]

OK...this is what I did:

I had a random box from Costco that fit perfectly over the AC.



I took another box and cut out a 6 inch hole to secure a duct.



I made a little door so I can get into the controls.



And just for fun, here is a picture of my garden.



Thanks again for the ideas.

 

[Cannalicious]

It's not helpful

It's not helpful

So, this didn't work...it kept the light out, but increased my temp by 5 degrees working the AC harder.

I have to work something different out, and give myself negative karma.

doh

 

[microbox]

make the box like a upside down L shape, bigger than where the cold air comes out, spray paint the inside black, good ideal to make the bends bigger too, because even a 90 degree bend will slow the airflow , the length of ducting also decreases the pressure

 

[Diamonddss]

i had same issue and had to switch to running lights during day and it hits over 100 degrees here in summer outside but a good ac will handle it. It was the only solution i found

 

[Kalicokitty]

Heavy duty foil tape the Styrofoam separator between the hot/cold sides.
Pull the cover and put the foil tape over every inch of the separator.
Works great, 100% light kill, with no effect on the performance of the ac