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IdealAir mini splits

SMARMY ARMY

SMARMY ARMY

Member
My room is 11' x 11" , with 9' hight ceilings. I'm running 5- 1000w hps in this pattern.

LPL
PLP
LPL

Right now i'm exhausting with a 14" can fan max and using the central ac of the house to cool. To say the least , it's inneficient as hell. I want to add a mini split system to cool it down and use a smaller fan to exhaust. I might want to seal it and add a burner.

What size a/c should I be looking for?

What do you think about the IdealAir mini splits? I like that they are DIY.

Are there any other DIY mini splits that you would recommend?

Thanks
 
P

Puscifer

SMARMY, those Ideal Air units are junk. They are nothing but blank units bought in bulk from China. As far as I can tell the highest seer available with them is only a paltry 15.
Do yourself a favor and spend the money on a Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, or Lg.
That being said, IME a 30k btu mini split should do the job.
Also, being that you're in a very hot zone i would use co2 tanks rather than a burner. Burners add heat AND humidity.
Seal the room, insulate the hell out of it and you'll be good to go.
Those DIY units are a good idea that usually end up with problems.
I run 2 units, one for veg and a bigger one for flower, both Mitsu's. Best $$$ I ever spent.
A pump and manifold gauge set can be bought for 2 hun and all the mini splits come with instructions for install and vacuuming procedure.
 
T

TribalSeeds

I own a Frost Box and agree with the above statement.
 
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T

TribalSeeds

DAMN! I didnt know they were out of business. I just talked with them a few weeks ago. I was planning on shoving this unit up their asses after I finished this grow! The fan motor on my unit is messed up.
 
T

TribalSeeds

Thanks I saw that on their site the moment I read your first post.
It will probably cost too much to replace the motor and have someone do the work.
I needed an excuse to buy a Mr Slim anyway.

I do happen to be local to them and know one of their guys works at the shop now. Maybe I can still get it serviced, but Im not counting on it.
 
V

Vegan

Active member
bro cant speak for the ideal air unit themselves, but once you go mini split you will want to seal that room and get a dehumidifier and co2
 
R

RespectGreen

Well-known member
Veteran
Although the seer rating on the idea air is not idea, (lol) I've been running one for almost a year.... a-ok, no problems...

the 36,000 btu model fwiw
 
Cali MedPatient

Cali MedPatient

Member
I have a 36K ideal air also, been running it for 6 months no problems, and it was super easy to set up. Way easier to set up than a Stealth.
 
SMARMY ARMY

SMARMY ARMY

Member
Thanks for the replies guys. The only reason I was interested in them cuz of the DIY. I cant have some one go into the room, There's no way to disguise its a grow room. I want something I can install myself. Just have the electrician set up the circuit. and I do the rest.

So if I seal it up and add CO2, would i get rid of the exhaust and just run the carbon filter in the room and add a dehumidifier?

What would you recommend to control all of that?

Thanks again
 
P

Puscifer

Yes, get rid of the exhaust as it won't be needed in a sealed room.
You could run the scrubber in the room but if it's well sealed then no smell should leak out, since the mini split doesn't exchange air.
And yeah, add the dehuey. When the lights are off theirs not enough of a heat signal to get the mini running so humidity will build quickly.
Just so you know, wiring a mini is super simple. And vacuuming the line set is just as easy, as long as you have a pump and gauges.
I was in the same boat as you, needed a mini split but couldn't have a tech peeking into my "garden of eden". So I went online and watched a shit ton of install video's and did it myself. The units have been running flawlessly for 3 years now. And I installed a few for some fellow growers. If I can do it ANYONE can do it:biggrin:
 
P

Puscifer

If a DIY unit is an absolute must then I'd go with the Friedrich since parts are easier to get for them.
 
the gnome

the gnome

Active member
Veteran
i got a mitsu 32,500 BTU mr slim

I saw others that were 1/2 the cost but this application is something where going cheap now can cost you 20Xs
more down the road.
I'll have a 14x20 6000-8000w set up and when its full I cannot afford to have a breakdown because i tried to save a grand or so.
get the best, reliable, quality mini.
if you do decide to go with a lower quality mini I would be having a reliable backup plan b ready to go just in case.
even with my mitsu I'll have the things that usually give AC's probs, like an extra fan for the outside condenser unit and capacitors,

as it is now I have backup HID bulbs, blower fan for heat xhaust,
a back up ballast and an old AC blower for the current grow.
no one needs any down time 33 days in bloom,
or any time for that matter


i look at it like this,
if i had to drive across the sahara nonstop 1200 miles and i had a choice between a yugo or a BMW.....

the choice is clear... to me anyways :smoke:
 
Cali MedPatient

Cali MedPatient

Member
You might want to leave the exhaust there. When I set up my co2 room I have problems with too much co2 when the lights are off. I found my co2 ppms were over 2000 when the lights were off. I put in an exhaust fan that only runs when the lights are off and it solved my problem. But this was when I was running co2 at 1500ppm. I now know better and keep it lower but I still run fresh air when the lights are off.
 
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