Need some advice on a 12x12 grow room with central ac setup

[drudown420]

Ok everyone so a quick update. Made a bracket to allow cool air to be drawn in from outside and through the lights and out to the attic and it didn't seem to make much of a difference at all. I think because I sealed off the room and I'm not exhausting now, so it's basically the same. Running a portable ac too, but I don't think its going to keep up with it. Looks like ill need a mini.....


Now for the next question.....Should I still cool the lights by drawing in outside air and scrub the room? That way I wont have to buy such a big mini?


Thanks again everyone this has been such a big headache, but if I'm going to really go big I need to learn how to run a real room and ditch the tents ive been growing in

 

[drudown420]

Best solution (most expensive) truly literally seal the room no air is to exchange from outside the room to inside or visa versa except when you open the door to enter the room. If air is coming in the room from outside the room (like your house vents) it's pressurizing the room and air is going to be escaping from random spots like cracks and under doors that have the least resistance stinking up the rest of the house. Get a mini split and plan on sectioning off 8 x 8 for growing under the 4k and use the rest of the room how you see fit (veg/mom/drying tents etc). get a co2 setup it doesn't matter if you are dispensing from a tank or producing with a flame as long as you have it.

cheapest solution - carbon filter exhausting to outside reducing the positive pressure in the room created by your house air conditioning. you would need enough air being forced out the room through your carbon filter that it exceeds the air coming in from your house vents. it won't be efficient in cooling because you are pumping the cold air right out of the room that you just pumped in. this plan is full of problems though becuase are you going to run the whole house AC in the middle of winter (assuming you live somewhere with seasons)? If not your grow will be doomed during those months. also exhausting 4k in a 12 x 12 and not using ac is going to be kinda difficult to keep temps acceptable especially since you can't increase co2 because it will just get pumped out the room by your carbon filter.

Gonna just pony up for a mini. Would it be feasible to add another light and use the whole 12x12 room? I already have an on deck room.

 

[stoney917]

2 options...
1. why a sealed room???? Sounds like your set up to vent the room already, co2 n sealed rooms are nice but not necessary and I'm assuming ya don't got a big budget..... I bet you can intake exhaust the room spend next to nuthin get by easy using the house ac n fans, shit it's winter even pull outside air through a hepa and grow fine....
2. Mini split if ya got holes cut in the the ceiling already you could vent your hoods but it's not much difference... remember to seal everything up thats there good Vents outlets switch covers windows doors . And once it's sealed dehuey is almost always a must. Unless u could pull off an exhaust to the attic since it sound like it's already there but still may need a dehumidifier..

 

[mushroombrew]

Ok everyone so a quick update. Made a bracket to allow cool air to be drawn in from outside and through the lights and out to the attic and it didn't seem to make much of a difference at all. I think because I sealed off the room and I'm not exhausting now, so it's basically the same. Running a portable ac too, but I don't think its going to keep up with it. Looks like ill need a mini.....


Now for the next question.....Should I still cool the lights by drawing in outside air and scrub the room? That way I wont have to buy such a big mini?


Thanks again everyone this has been such a big headache, but if I'm going to really go big I need to learn how to run a real room and ditch the tents ive been growing in

Yes use outside air for cooling hoods. Seal the hood to glass. And hood to duct really well. Run lights at night.

Air cooling DOES NOT remove all the heat. So if your room is sealed it will still get hot as fuck.

I am drawing in air @ 22F right now. Love the winter. But you need to plan for heat of summer. Nothing worse than not having enough cooling in the spring.

You still running 4 lights?

 

[drudown420]

Got a 24k mini getting installed this weekend. Ive tried every way possible and no matter if I exhaust the room and/or cool the lights its not cool enough. Still running 4k worth of lighting.


I have a dehumidifier so that shouldn't be an issue.


Also I was told by a few people that in order to run completely sealed and run co2, I need to not cool the hoods with outside air and just use the air in the room to cool the hoods as a closed loop or not even bother and just run the hoods open.


Or I could cool the hoods with outside air and set the exhaust fan on a timer as to get all the air out a few times during lights on.


I'm thinking that constant exhaust wont be good because id just be sucking out the cold air.


I just want this room to run the most efficient it can without putting too much stress on my new ac unit.


To what one poster said about using the house ac it doesn't seem to work very well since the thermostat is in the hallway so once the rest of the house gets to its desired temp. the ac shuts off. Id probably have to in the ac around 65 during veg to keep it around 80 and even colder when in flower

 

[mushroombrew]

If you use the air inside the room to cool lights you will increase AC demand. So use outside air and seal the air cooled ducting 100%

Running the hoods open is fine if you don't mind spending more on AC/electricity.

The plants do not care. It's your wallet that may.

 

[stoney917]

Your good man , only way to cool ya lights is to vent with outside air , circulating the air in the room through them would be ass backwards. Tape the shit outta ya hoods and ducts really good . But It's really a pita n not necessary at all waste of time , sealed room its better to just hang ya hoods and go. ... the ac will handle 4K easy.... those mini splits barely use shit for power and with 4K sealed will be running for 12 hrs straight anyway

 

[AvidLerner]

I would set up a cooling loop for the lights with their own intake and exhaust from outside. Al you need is to setup a 6" intake and exhaust with a panel mounted in your window. Draw air from outside to cool your lights and exhaust the same hot air outside after cooling your lights. Now you do not need to modify your ac setup at all. You can set up a stealth window unit by using a piece of rigid insulation painted black to reduce appearance, cut two six inch holes attach a 6: straight piece in each. Attach 6" flex duct to each side and your lights and you have a sealed room again.
hope that helps or is doable.

 

[drudown420]

I would set up a cooling loop for the lights with their own intake and exhaust from outside. Al you need is to setup a 6" intake and exhaust with a panel mounted in your window. Draw air from outside to cool your lights and exhaust the same hot air outside after cooling your lights. Now you do not need to modify your ac setup at all. You can set up a stealth window unit by using a piece of rigid insulation painted black to reduce appearance, cut two six inch holes attach a 6: straight piece in each. Attach 6" flex duct to each side and your lights and you have a sealed room again.
hope that helps or is doable.

ill put up some pictures later of my current setup but its a lot like what you recommend except the cool air from outside is venting into the attic

 

[Lester Beans]

Run the portable ac through the hoods with an inline fan and out to the attic.

 

[stoney917]

So you got a new 2 ton minisplit in there now 4 1ks and still having temp issues???? Sumthin ain't right , who installed the a.c??? Its not working correctly... That should cool 4k open hoods easy...