Air Condition Question

[earthwormgod]

I have a 2nd bedroom that measures about 150sf that Im setting up and need help in understanding and choosing a A/C option. I live in relatively low humidity climate (30-40% on average) but the room can/will get up to 85-90f in the summer. My question: Assuming that an A/C also acts as a dehumidifier, how do I cool the room and keep the humidity at an optimal level? I imagine if, lets say, the room humidity is at 30% and the room temp is at 85f, I would need to turn the exhaust fans off and the A/C on - that would seem to take care of the temp but the humidity level would drop, no? How do I balance the environment?

 

[kansasgrown]

Humidity level does drop with an A/C. There are many ways to get your humidity levels up from a standing bucket full of water to a fine mist sprayer to adding a humidifier. It all depends on which way you want to go.

 

[earthwormgod]

Thanks Kansas - I have a humidifier but, If my rh is low, and I turn on the a/c to cool the room which lowers it even more, how do I keep the humidity at an ideal level? Do I just have the humidifier go on with the A/C and hope they balance each other out? I understand that I set my exhast fans to go off to raise either the temp or rh, but, if the room is getting cooler as the rh is dropping, well, umm.... I just cant seem to grasp the theory here.

 

[kansasgrown]

There are humidifiers that have an rh meter on it. Just dial in the rh that you want and keep it filled and it will do the rest.

 

[MASHUP]

I'm in the same boat, fighting low RH rather than high. After adding in the 14k portable though it dialed it right in as the cool/humid air the A/C throws out helped bring it up to 40%ish.

This is the unit I went with, an excellent piece of gear that controls cooling, heating, dehumidify (evaporative, never needs to be emptied) and an oscillating fan:

http://soleusair.com/soleusair/lx140.html

 

[earthwormgod]

are you at the low or high end of 40ish? Isn't 40ish (rh) too low?

 

[MASHUP]

Mid 40s in bloom is actually ideal. You reduce the risk of powdery mildew, mold and other airborne bacteria.

20% is too low, 30% is less than optimal, 40-50% is dialed. Veg needs to be 10-20% higher for optimal growth.

EDIT: An A/C typically adds humidity to the environment. So you'll probably switch over to worrying about having the humidity too high when the plants are larger and transpiring more moisture into the room. Which is why that all-in-one has me happy as hell, it does it all automatically.

 

[earthwormgod]

Looks like the right product, expensive tho... How large is your room? How many lights/watts? How cool does it get?

 

[MASHUP]

Firm believer in getting what I pay for, this is no exception. The bloom room was a $10k investment, so the A/C was a drop in the bucket.

I ran the A/C in a 5' x 10' GrowLab and brought it down to the 60s with 2,000w non-cooled.

Switching over to a 10' x 10' GrowLab this weekend and 4,000w HPS + 1,300w T5.

IceBox chilled lights so the A/C wont even have to run, but it's there just in case it gets to be 100*F this summer.

Pic of GrowLab 145L setup:

 

[earthwormgod]

No doubt. Looks like a killer setup, clean. What does "IceBox chilled lights" mean? Is that a product?

 

[MASHUP]

Check it:

http://hydroinnovations.com/product3.htm

 

[earthwormgod]

Thanks for your help Mash. The product sounds great in theory, have you actually used it in a grow yet? There doesnt seem to be much info on it. I a skeptic.

 

[MASHUP]

We'll find out this cycle, wont we?

It'll be 2HP window mount chiller ---> 50gal res ---> 8" IceBox cooled lights + HydroGEN water-cooled Co2 burner. I'm told this setup will bring my room temperature down to whatever I want without any A/C due to the super chilled water.

Car radiators sound good in theory as well as practice. I also get to run ethylene glycol in the water for that added touch.

 

[pugnacious]

I dont mean to hijack bro. But I have an AC question of my own. How many kw per hour does an 18k mini split ac use?

Cooling Capacity


18,000 BTU

Heating Capacity (BTU)


18,000 BTU

Efficiency


13 Seer

HSPF


7.7

Voltage


208-230v 1 Phase

Max Breaker Size


20 Amp

 

[earthwormgod]

What are your room dimensions ?

 

[Old Soul]

I am in the desert and my humidity is always pretty low too. I have never seen any ill effects from low humidity, plus I never get bud rot so that is a plus imo. I just started cloning and have not even had to use a dome.

peace

 

[MASHUP]

I dont mean to hijack bro. But I have an AC question of my own. How many kw per hour does an 18k mini split ac use?

http://www.overclock.net/faqs/42271-how-convert-between-watts-amps-volts.html

 

[purpledomgoddes]

rh importance
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112589

this may be of help.