Air Conditioiner for my Heat?

[Learningfirst]

I am quite seriously considering putting a 6000 BTU AC Unit at the door to my walk in closet. This heat is mad already and it's only May 24. I wonder what advice anyone might have regarding how preposterous or realistic a notion it is?

I have some nice strains "OGA Zombie Virus & Nirvana AK-48's" & some more mature bagseeds I was learning with.

I really don't want to loose my plants or have them be not as good in potency due to closed stomata's etc.

Currently my heat is at 88 degrees and this AC unit is old so it won't do the entire room. Any chance that building a little wall around my AC unit at the door of closet will work?

Peace.

 

[Learningfirst]

Hey all.

I see that there have been some views - but no replies.. And with Temp too high I decided to risk it.. Temp is dropping which is great however, I would still appreciate any advice.

 

[Lazyman]

Where will the hot side of your AC be? You cutting a hole in the wall, or in the door?

For small spaces like this portable AC's can make good sense, but they are not very cheap or efficient. Always spec bigger than you think you need.

 

[Learningfirst]

Cool heh..

Actually It's a large closet and I opened the door; pulled a dresser up to open door placed ac unit on top and then taped cardboard around the rest of opening.

To exhaust into the unused bedroom (good thing I don't use it because the exhaust is hot) - I've got a De-Humidifier (fairly large) a few feet behind dresser/ac unit.

Think it's ok? Aside from the insane energy costs? Now I'm going to read your articles - although I imagine on my low budg I'll be able to get proper eq right away. Makes me wish It was September.

Thanks & Rep+

Peace.

 

[verticalgrower]

it would be best to set things up proper but that can work if you have to do it like that. just make sure you got the windows open and have lots of fresh air flowing into the bedroom or you will ruin that ac quicker then you would imagine

 

[Learningfirst]

Thanks again for your reply & the awesome article!

That is great. I suppose I should have been more accurate on type of Ac unit, and Size of Closet etc.

I've only got one light 400W MH and only 14 un-sexed - So it's pretty small. I suppose that I could use a crapload of CFL's because I'm in early Veg - but I would rather use my new system. The bagseeds vegged with CFL's and I can tell that the MH is much better.

The closet is 3 ft depth x about 8 or 9 ft length - although I've used some Whiteboard to make light more efficient and set that up right at the door. I had 3 small fans running in there before my desperate move to the Window AC Unit and dresser/cardboard combo.

I am going to buy some carbon and make some filters & exhausts when I've more money in a bit & when it stinks up from flowering... Presuming I've some Females; I sure hope so - this has been a full time job in education and theory with the Bagseeds. Thanks again Lazyman - I truly appreciate it.

 

[Learningfirst]

it would be best to set things up proper but that can work if you have to do it like that. just make sure you got the windows open and have lots of fresh air flowing into the bedroom or you will ruin that ac quicker then you would imagine

Oh no = I can tell you this AC unit is crap already.. I am running so low on $'s after all the stuff I've bought to get started - for example - seeds, light's, soils, nutes, PH tester and the list goes on... I need to get a proper AC unit to do the whole room and closet too I think..

 

[Learningfirst]

Thanks Vertical,

I just walked into the room and about fell over from heat in there. Peeked through the crack and looked at Thermometer and by closing bd-room door and window the heat in closet also went up 2 degree. I should maybe consider going crazy with fluoro's.

So Sad - Cuz I am on 2nd Floor in a house that is In the Sun a lot during summer.

 

[2Lazy]

You need exhaust. The heat needs to be pushed out of the room, and that's all you needed in the first place. Placing the AC unit in the window will help you out here. As long as the intake air is around 70 degrees your plants are going to be alright. You don't need the AC unit in the closet to effectively cool it. You just need good air flow, move the air with intake and exhaust fans, and you'll have more success. Better circulation fans will help as well.

 

[messn'n'gommin']

You're going to have to properly vent your closet. With a 400w MH light, essentially, you have a 300w space heater. Also, without venting you have no fresh air to draw from or for a scrubber to dump to, other than the closet itself. Then, you run the risk of any odor molecules having to wait their turn to pass through the scrubber, leaking to the outside.

 

[Learningfirst]

THanks,

Makes sense... I've been just thinking about how people everywhere are able to grow indoors and this is definitely solvable.

I was thinking the best Idea is to just build a box and make a proper intake and outake as per CFM input output. If I can get lazyman's calculation figured out.

At the moment I removed the AC and tied some PVC up to focus all the cool air towards plants & put the 2 intake fans from room(4" each) and one 8 " fan higher in closet pushing air into room. The AC with PVC is better than having that insane exhaust heat in my whole place.

I am going to figure out how to properly hide the stink for sure and as close to 100% as possible until I switch to 12/12.

Thanks for response

 

[mexicangreen420]

you have two options as i see it: both require air-cooled hoods, and fans.

you can find a used dayton shaded pole blower or hydroponic fan on craigslist just about anywhere..

option one. install one insulated flexible duct from your aircooled hood, to your attic or other applicable venting source. hook it up to a hydro or dayton blower hanging from a bungee cord screwed into a rafter hooked without hook to reduce sound. hook it up to a decent carbon filter, DIY-$25-35 or BUY-$75-100.

option two. install the a/c unit permanently on the door, run an extra insulated flexible duct from the unused bedroom, to the intake on the aircooled hood, then to the attic as illustrated before. this will allow for the most efficient use of your a/c.... pulling the warm/humid air out of the bedroom, through the light and into the attic. it will also allow you to use co2..... but get more cfm than you think you need for the blower, i recommend the 465 dayton or a nice quiet inline fan, mated to a nice scrubber...

 

[!!!]

I run 400w in a closet too and I'm looking to upgrade to a 600w. You just need a cool tube and a strong fan, preferably with cold air coming in.

You basically need to have it connected to a fan and a scrubber. Air gets sucked through the scrubber, goes through the cool tube, and out the exhaust. My cool tube brings my temp down by at least 10F.

You also need an oscillating fan in there on when the lights are on. Choose a small one and mount it to the wall blowing across your canopy. Do you have an intake? where does air come from? Where does it go out?

an A/C unit for 400w is ridiculous. The smallest AC you can buy will use up 600-1000W of power, and you can upgrade your 400w to 600w if you're using an AC. It's a big investment, one that can be avoided by properly air cooling. The key is to MOVE AIR. Hot air rises, cold air sinks, so your intake should be on the bottom, and your exhaust on top, and always have air moving through the closet.

 

[dunkybones]

I run 400w in a closet too and I'm looking to upgrade to a 600w. You just need a cool tube and a strong fan, preferably with cold air coming in.

You basically need to have it connected to a fan and a scrubber. Air gets sucked through the scrubber, goes through the cool tube, and out the exhaust. My cool tube brings my temp down by at least 10F.

You also need an oscillating fan in there on when the lights are on. Choose a small one and mount it to the wall blowing across your canopy. Do you have an intake? where does air come from? Where does it go out?

an A/C unit for 400w is ridiculous. The smallest AC you can buy will use up 600-1000W of power, and you can upgrade your 400w to 600w if you're using an AC. It's a big investment, one that can be avoided by properly air cooling. The key is to MOVE AIR. Hot air rises, cold air sinks, so your intake should be on the bottom, and your exhaust on top, and always have air moving through the closet.

After you've gone and taped a window unit into the middle of your house, but before you go spend money on an appriate ac unit, do what he says.

 

[Learningfirst]

Sweet advice - and truly appreciated.

Rep+ to all -- I needed to be told that which means that I basically have to do it like all the pic's I admire. At this energy consumption rate I am probably spending as much as the 600 but I would like to get another but HPS before upgrading first.

I originally did have a small area of the closet closed up with one four inch pulling in to bottom, one just above plants *periodically moved about to strengthen stems; and an 8" strung high and enclosed in my reflective material wall to push air out of closet.

I'm gonna have to check this stuff out & perhaps take another trip to a shop.

Cheers.

Edit: I wonder if the ambient temp in my apartment is already hot -- 31 degrees: is it possible to actually keep my closet that much cooler *78 degrees? I don't have to much of a problem with dealing with a hot place - I would rather keep the garden comfy. So Essentially I wonder if the equipment would be able to do that without me having to spend a fortune.

Then there is the other question: think I could put these plants outdoors even though the package clearly states they're for indoors?

 

[Lazyman]

I forgot you had a single 400w in there, yeah I would cut a hole in the ceiling tonight, even if you have no fan in it just to let the heat escape up there. Turn off the AC and put a box fan in the doorway.

Please list what fans you own, or how much you have to spend on fans if none.

Does your apartment not have central AC? Does your attic have any ventilation, powered or passive?

You should be running lights at night, and let the window open elsewhere in the house as needed to let cool air in.

 

[Learningfirst]

Thanks for reply and help Lazy,

I had a long day of re-design today on the entire op. My fans aren't at all designed to do this work - they're designed for personal cooling and not much at that. Two 4" & 10W fans - and an 8". Apartment didn't even come with screens! Of course I've been avoiding using open windows without sealing empty bedroom. But I've made some remarkable progress today

I used a very fine curtain/see through fabric which allows air to pass through but definitely no bugs - I've used two-sided tape and done every window in the pad. Also discovered that the ceiling fan in the kitchen wasn't broken as I thought *bonus*. Just these minor changes have helped but it gets better. While in the kitchen I took a closer look at the Stove hood... Damn they sure have Awesome exhaust fans... SO - it's in the closet up high and pushing mad heat away.

Attic is really small and passive. When they made the upstairs apartment the must have thought it would be a good Idea to remove like 70% of the attic to make 2 lofts. Looks great but costs for winter heating.. Fortunately the closet is beneath the portion with attic & the roof exhaust is almost exactly where I plan to make my hole for exhaust.

So instead of having all my plants & light right at the door of the walk in closet I've Moved it all into the back of closet. This has made my light far more efficient and with the Stove Hood hung above light and pushing air towards door I was able to use my 8" to pull cool air
in and push it to the two 4"ers which are low and being used for both cool intake & my
canopy.

Temp improvement most definitely. Not tremendous however enough for photosynthesis to continue. Monday I am going to hit Pet Smart as they have large tubs of Carbon & other neat shit. Going to look into getting a glass tube and doing a DIY tutorial for the build . Still not entirely sure what a scrubber is as I always thought it was the Filter... So not so sure If I'll be able to afford one - I'm going to check online for prices & possibility's there are for another DIY to save $. Bad timing cuz My bro is getting married & it's eating my investment cash.

So - things are definitely looking better. I've got some ducts *round* in my tub with some bleach water. I intend to get my dad's skill-saw tomorrow & cut the hole and use the sweet-ass hood for exhaust. So I may go and get one of those Box fans also & use it for the intake to closet. Yeah, I'm finally getting my optimism back & also enjoying myself again.. Sweet!

So I do have a couple of questions to throw out there still though. Now because I've had to change my light schedule to nights - I've had to extend the dark time twice already. I wonder if having a couple days of 12/12 are going to have any significant consequences?

If I was using a Bubble bucket Hydro set-up would my ambient heat matter or is the solution good enough>? This of course won't happen with this grow.. I have saved some seeds & look forward to more forgiving weather in the Fall.

Lotsa Info there - hope it's not too sketchy as I'm fairly baked at the moment

Peace.

 

[Learningfirst]

Well for those who have been looking & paying interest to problem *common I'm sure In summer*,

Thanks to those with suggestions & solutions,

I am pleased to report current heat wave has subsided for time being. My Stove hood/exhaust has been an excellent "poor man's" addition. In time I am sure to improve my methods; however, if anyone experiencing problems heed my advice: use the stove exhaust and a bit of dryer duct! Works wonders! Don't know the exact cfm BUT they're powerful and will pull air that hot air out.

I want to thank everyone for the help: this site rocks!

My current temps are great and my babies are growing like they should. Of course that is relative to my experience... I'm enjoying myself & I'm hoping to provide the medicine to my Mom who has MS. Otherwise I would love a Sativa blend for me.

Cheers. And if the thread isn't dead please: feel free to help me and her to increase yield and potency.

Peace.

 

[Stoner Chick]

It would be cool to see a pic of your setup.

 

[Learningfirst]

Hey Stoner Chick,

Gonna get you some post-ups tomorrow *gotta charge the batteries*- I look forward to following your posts as well. Looks like were sorta swimming up-stream together as first-timers. Feels pretty damn good to know that my investments aren't going to make some jerk-off rich by selling me overpriced herbs.. Don't know about you... Onlly problem is waiting eh

Peace.