portable A.C's and co2 enrichment

[Guest]

I like to leave my AC running during the dark hours also so I can have a steady controlled environment,with co2 I usually flower at 85-90 degrees with the lights on and drop down to 72 when the lights go out.That AC is definately big enough or too big if you ask me,I also run 3 1K vertizontals with out cool tubes and use a 12,000 btu window unit.I used to run a portable also until I discovered it was taking all my co2 into the attic.I may need a 15,000 BTU for the summertime I'm not sure yet.If your room is sealed with no exchange of air I hope you use a dehumidifier at least for the dark hours,its 100% necessary

 

[icdog]

This is great info Skeletor. I was close to purchasing a dual hose portable to replace a single hose hoping I could use co2.
How do you make sure a window model doesn't exhaust smell from the room and are you 100% certain?
Do you use a co2 monitor?

How much of a benefit do you get from co2?

 

[Guest]

I'm 1000% certain,I have to be it exhausts right into my front yard and I have neighbors on either side and across the street,believe me it just recirculates the air unless you buy a window unit with an outside air lever you can open,some units have them most dont anymore.I dont use a co2 monitor,I use the co2 syringe test which is accuirate as hell,a box of 10 costs 30 bucks I used to pay 5 bucks each at the hydro store.Let me know I'll tell you where to order if you dont get a cap 3 or something.Now that I've gotten rid of my portable the benefits of co2 are obvious,first of all plants flower faster.I've been growing the same pheno of blockhead for close to 3 years now and I've never seen it mature this fast,its without a doubt a huge benefit.I used to get pretty good yields flowering with 1K vertizontals 50W sq ft but now its going to increase some more,and come faster there's no doubt about it.Keep those temps 85-90 degrees when you use co2 enrichment if you've been growing for awhile you will definately see a difference.Another thing instead of 1 teaspoon of tiger bloom I've doubled up to two teaspoons almost every time I feed!Every fourth day the third time I use straight water then back to 2 teaspoons per gal.,the results are visable for sure.They will be growing faster and using more food

 

[icdog]

Are you chopping in fewer days?

 

[THCV]

I use a dual hose with 4K lights and it works great. Got a LP burner keeping the room pinned at 1500 with an IGS CO2 PPM meter. It works well and very little smell escapes. Of course there is CO2 loss (the lights have fans too, and a true complete seal is tough), but the burner fills it in. For me, adding a "window shaker" that would be running all night through the winter was just too suspicious for my neighborhood. The dual hose leaves no external signs at all--just the way i like it. Only real problem is that it's 14k btus and i want more, so i am eyeing the Excel Air Stealth ACs, but that's a whole different ballgame.

I have pix of the setup in my AC thread, and i explained how the venting system works on my dual hose too. I think the real point being made here is that with a dual hose, you'll go through a lot more LP or NG in your burner to maintain high CO2 ppms. I go through about 6 LP tanks a month, which isn't expensive or even much of a hassle, although i want to convert to NG soon to avoid refills.

 

[Guest]

Damn good thread......

Damn good thread......

THCV-- thanks for the imput. I think I will go with the CAP 3 since it is accurate. My old one still works but don't know how to calibrate it and bought it used. Nothing on the site tells how either so I figure time for a change.

ICdog--I can vouch for SKELETOR although he doesn't need it. I used AC for a long time until I upgraded my vent system and they definately don't leak. The outside part sure puts off alot of heat though so may require a vent. But the inside portion only recircs the cold air in the room. I had to figure a different way due to the amount of heat the motor produced outside of the grow room.

SKELETOR and everyone--I think CO2 speeds up the whole maturation process from aging such as showing sex, to number of fingers to shortening flowering time due to more rapid progression. What do you all think about that? I definately know it increases growth rate and end result but I believe it accelerates the maturation cycle also. It is hard to quantify these qualitative traits unless you could duplicate exactly the environments and do a control group but this has been my humble observation. What do you all think of that?

Does anyone know of any studies or experience one way or the other?

By the way had to give you some rep points SKELETOR... good info and thread.

Peace

 

[icdog]

> For me, adding a "window shaker" that would be running all night through the winter was just too suspicious for my neighborhood.

I'm thinking the same thing, but don't some of them make heat as well like portables?

 

[Guest]

The window shaker I have in the living room is a heat/AC unit,nothing to do with growing so yes it really shouldnt cause suspicion unless you have an obvious central heat and air unit,even then I wouldnt worry about it unless you have really nosy neighbors.One bad thing about window units though,they tend to freeze up in the wintertime when it gets too cold,it happened to me yesterday and I have my eyes open for it right now.Its a pain to take a blow drier to your AC but living in the deep south its not too much of a problem,only when its below 50 in the morning usually.It may not go over very well at all up north I dunno.

 

[icdog]

This could be an issue. Are any made for the cold?

 

[Guest]

I havent really found a way to overcome the problem,except to definately always keep the fan on high and sometimes up the temps 10 degrees for a few minutes,sometimes it'll take care of it.It was cold this morning but so far no freezing problems,its almost 10 AM probably wont have it happen today.It very well could be an issue with consistent colder temps,I can deal with it down here.

 

[pico]

The best AC units use a split design to keep the condenser unit outside. Coolant lines run to another unit inside the room that cools room air. No possibility of CO2 loss and some units are designed to be run in cold enviornments. Usually these units are also more energy efficient. Downside is that they are expensive. Most must be installed by a HVAC guy. The ones you want to look for have precharged lines so you can install yourself. Be ready to spend some money.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-5-Ton-AC-Air-...ryZ20711QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemMatrix.asp?ic=AOACUST50&eq=&Tp=&MatrixType=2

 

[icdog]

Does anybody know if a single hose portable AC on a dehumidify setting will expel humidity through the exhaust tube when the drain hose it turned on?
I'd like to vent this hot air into my house to help heat it but not if its full of humid air.

 

[Guest]

ok, so this thread is ruling,,,,,i cant tell you what a battle the portable ac has been, i fucking hate them as far as co2 goes,,,hard to beat though for stealthness, unless you go with a faux wall within the room for the window unit and vent the heat out of the old portable exhaust hole,,, this should be efficient in cooling, sealing, and co2 levels not depleting faster than necessary,,,ie plants using it. word

skeletor.;;;;;; excellent thread . ty. bd

 

[-VT-]

Nice thread....

Nice thread....

^^^^Skeletor knows his shit for sure....PICS DON'T MAKE THE GROWER................

Werd....I have gotten lots of help from him....he has helped me one on one in PM and his posts are informative....I agree....

Portable AC's suck....don't waste your money folks (this is just my opinion)....I have one of each...in fact....I also have central air...and of the 3...window AC is the way to go (and most cost efficient...go figure)

@icdog...yes...they blow out hot humid ass air...of course this is relative to the intake RH....my unit does not exhaust as much humidity in the "dehumidify function" however....in fact during summer I'll still use it as a dehumidifier and ionizer for lights out........................

Damn....a $500 dehumidifier

late

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Hmmm...that's really not that bad of a price pico. I'm really digging that 13.0 EER as well (vs. the 10.0 of my window unit). Might have to drop 1 of those in this spring

 

[icdog]

> Damn....a $500 dehumidifier

Ya and 700 watts worth as well!

 

[pico]

MTF-Sandman - Yeah that is a nice unit and would do a lot of cooling. Take note that SEER is not the same as EER. It is similar but I think a SEER of 13 might be an EER of 11. Just a rough guess. As of sometime in 2006 the standards were raised and the lowest SEER rating allowed is now 13.

Check out this unit. 18000 BTU (1.5 tons) cooling and SEER of 19. This unit has the special controls that allow it to run down to 0 Deg F. Unfortunately this unit doesn't have precharged coolant lines. Plus it is quite a bit more than the other unit. It is also a heat pump so that could come in handy.

http://secure.data-comm.com/RBIS/Detail.bok?no=245388

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Ahhhh....thought 13.0 sounded a little too good to be true. I'm guessing that since they don't mention EER in that 1.5 ton's specs that it's not that great...and EER is more important in my climate Guess I need to do some more research to find a high EER rated split setup then. You don't happen to have a link for a high EER split with heat pump bookmarked do ya?

Have you installed one of the splits that you need to charge? I wouldn't imagine it would be that much more difficult than charging a car's AC system...right?

 

[imnotcrazy]

^^^^if you have the equipment to evacuate the system, ie:make it a vacuum, I don't see a problem. You'll just need access to a gauge set to set compressor high and low side pressures....

 

[Guest]

Man I'm looking at the back of my portable right now,920 watts shit thats another fixture lol,didnt realize it was that high.I've had this thing for sale in the local paper for weeks now a 500 dollar unit used 6 months for 200 dollars,definately wrong time of year lol.Someone asked me what model it was a few posts back and I didnt know,its a fujitronic FA-900.