Air condition more efficient ?

[Ez Rider]

It's not the relays or compressors, it's the PC boards.

I've had outstanding success with carrier, mitsubishi, and sanyo. I've installed dozens of each. The boards almost never go bad. Stick with the big names and you should be fine. Most mini-split failures are due to improperly hooked up line-sets/improperly charged systems.

 

[Asslover]

Never had a single failure due to charging or install. But had two Amcor units blow caps on the outdoor pc boards within 2 weeks of install. Also had a Fedders mini split blow the inside PC board. To make it worse, "Amcor" went outta biz and I could not find another pc board for them until someone else took over distribution and relabeled "Pridiom". This Florida heat beats the shit outta them.
I agree with you though that China made is to be avoided whenever possible.

 

[LSWM]

The issue is not whether it will work; of course it will. The question is whether it will work FAST ENOUGH, that is whether it can keep up with the heat load you're putting on it. If using an open res to cool, blow air across the open water on top. This takes advantage of cooling by transpiration and will help a lot.

Well at the moment there is no cooling at all, simply ventilation, and running lights at night. So anything should help.

Guess I'll just have to be a Guinea pig, step up and build something.

 

[LSWM]

Okay so I've been doing more reading and some math...

After reviewing both these websites instructions for calculating the size heat exchanger needed, they look to come out pretty similar, although I haven't delved into the calcs nearly that far.

Websites: http://www.lytron.com/Tools-and-Technical-Reference/Application-Notes/Selecting-a-Heat-Exchanger
&
http://www.kooltronic.com/dg-h-e-select-man.php

I started with a 46k BTU load, calculated from the thread HERE, with a 55*F water supply and 75*F desired air temp, I end up needing something between 2200 and 2500 BTU/hr(*F) cooling capacity, or in Watts/*F something between 650 and 750 watts/*F.

These numbers vastly exceed any of the companies offerings, which don't have any pricing listed, as I assume they are for commercial/large scale/more than single unit applications.

Seeing as how my room currently doesn't go above 85*F, I wonder what my true cooling needs are... Certainly not 46k BTU...

If I plug 12k BTU's into the spreadsheet I created for this, I end up with lower numbers of 175 and 335 watts/*F, which are much closer/within products the companies manufacture.

Taking this one step further, I looked at the sizing of the heat exchangers that would be adequate for such a number. This ONE has a cooling capacity of 215 watts/*F @ 4 GPM flow however does not list CFM. It is 61"Hx20"Wx9"D.

Then looking at the 6" IceBox, it says that a 10*F difference between air and water will cool a 1k bulb @ 250CFM. It's size is listed as 12x12x9.

To extrapolate this, I'd guess that a 20-30*F difference on a 20x20 heat exchanger with a box fan or small inline would cool at least 4k in bulbs, and sufficiently cool my room.

 

[LSWM]

One final option I was thinking of would be to use my tap water as the cold water source for the heat exchanger. Then using the waste/pressure from the tap to flow directly into my RO system. However, I'm not sure the water flow would be great enough to keep the heat exchanger sufficiently cold to cool the room.

 

[LargePrime]

Well at the moment there is no cooling at all, simply ventilation, and running lights at night. So anything should help.

Guess I'll just have to be a Guinea pig, step up and build something.

Have you thought about an Evaporative Cooler?

 

[LSWM]

Have you thought about an Evaporative Cooler?

I have but every one I've seen looked like a wet disaster. Also how would I go about controlling humidity in a sealed room? I know I'm venting right now but sealed is the goal. A dehumidifier just sound counter productive.

 

[Ez Rider]

I have but every one I've seen looked like a wet disaster. Also how would I go about controlling humidity in a sealed room? I know I'm venting right now but sealed is the goal. A dehumidifier just sound counter productive.

You run a chilled water circuit to dehumidify, or you use a chilled water AHU. You'll have to run a condensate drain, but no adding heat to dehumidify.

 

[LSWM]

You run a chilled water circuit to dehumidify, or you use a chilled water AHU. You'll have to run a condensate drain, but no adding heat to dehumidify.

There is an available bathroom and shower. Could the two sit in the shower together or would there be a mismatch with humidity?

 

[LSWM]

What would be the ideal chilled circuit that you speak of? Sounds like we are back to talking about heat exchangers.

 

[Ez Rider]

There is an available bathroom and shower. Could the two sit in the shower together or would there be a mismatch with humidity?

What would be the ideal chilled circuit that you speak of? Sounds like we are back to talking about heat exchangers.

You're going to have to exchange heat one way or another...unless you're extremely lucky. It's only a question of how. Water is the most effective solution.

A chilled water circuit would include a chiller and some type of heat exchanger inside your grow space. The chilled water will condense the moisture out of the air as it passes through the heat exchanger, thus dehumidifying your space. A condensate pipe diverts the water to a drain or collection barrel.

I'm not sure what you got going in the shower

 

[LSWM]

You're going to have to exchange heat one way or another...unless you're extremely lucky. It's only a question of how. Water is the most effective solution.

A chilled water circuit would include a chiller and some type of heat exchanger inside your grow space. The chilled water will condense the moisture out of the air as it passes through the heat exchanger, thus dehumidifying your space. A condensate pipe diverts the water to a drain or collection barrel.

I'm not sure what you got going in the shower

On the last page I discussed using heat exchangers as an exclusive form of cooling, and dehumidifiation, with two separate sources of cold water, neither of which were a chiller.

So I currently see no advantage of a swamp cooler over a cool water to warm air heat exchanger except maybe size/cost.

 

[Ez Rider]

On the last page I discussed using heat exchangers as an exclusive form of cooling, and dehumidifiation, with two separate sources of cold water, neither of which were a chiller.

So I currently see no advantage of a swamp cooler over a cool water to warm air heat exchanger except maybe size/cost.

Swamp coolers add a tremendous amount of humidity to the space they cool, just for starters.

I guess I'd have to read the rest of your posts for the other.