Portable AC and environment control

[chiefpackabowl]

Okay so this will probably be the dumbest thing most of you have ever heard but maybe not. It's a question I been trying to figure out for a couple days now. And maybe there is already a forum about this somewhere that someone can guide me to or just give me a quick answer. Any help would be awesome.

So here it goes,
I have a smallish grow tent and I will be running a small dual duct portable AC unit. I have a "master garden controller" of some sort. Can't remember the model at this exact moment, but, it has 4 outlets. One for heating, cooling, co2 and humidity. Has a photocell obviously so it has Day and night preset temps as well as humidity. Would I just plug the AC unit directly into the growroom controller and basically just not even use the thermostat on the AC? I'm just kind of confused and I know it's probably so stupid that I'm even asking this. Would the controller power the AC on and off every time the room needs to be cooled? Would I leave the AC on a specific setting? The main thing is so I can have different temp setting for day and night, I'm staying right around 85 during the day and 75 during the night. Any advice or knowledge would be awesome. Thanks

Note, because of the awkward size of my grow space I have two tents linked together, basically one houses the filter and electronics and heating and cooling and co2 and the other tent it strictly lights and plants and some small fans and what not. I have two smaller fans that circulate air between the two tents.

 

[iBogart]

Seems to me if you plug the ac unit into the controller, then the thermostat on the controller would control the ac unit. I would set the temp on the ac unit like 10 degrees lower then your set temp on the controller just to make sure the ac unit doesn't shut itself off.

Most dual hose units I know of have really good programmable thermostats built in to set day and night temperature settings.

 

[chiefpackabowl]

So I guess that's my question though. If I plug it into the controller, will it shut the whole AC unit off when not needed? Would that lose your settings every time or would it go back into where it left off once it turns back on? If it has the option of day/night temp built into the AC I suppose I could just plug it directly into the wall but that kinda defeats the purpose right?

 

[iBogart]

The controller will shut off the power to the unit. The settings on the ac unit should be saved in memory, at least a good unit anyway like a Haier.

As far as defeating the purpose, I would say yes it does if ac cooling is all you're after. The controllers are nice and neat for controlling a separate ac, dehumidifier, co2, fans, all in one. So I guess it's all up to what you're after.

 

[chiefpackabowl]

Yeah I'm after it all working off one unit. Allegedly it's supposed to be a "smart" controller I guess. So we will see. That being said I did some more research about the actual unit I ordered and it does actually remember it's settings once power is turned back on to it. So it'll pick up right where it left off, so that's my fault for even starting this thread before I read a little more. Thanks for responding tho.

The last grow I set up was over 8 years ago and it's kind of crazy just how much technology has changed you know. So I'm sure I'll have quite a few more dumb questions. But I think for the most part I've got it figured out.

 

[Trich_Tyson]

Grab a hi temp shutoff for ur lights just in case. If it has memory the controller should work I'd think. It's just opening and closing the circuit.
Anything that helps me avoid disasters is a good investment in my book

 

[chiefpackabowl]

Yeah that's probably not a terrible idea. Couldn't be more than $75 huh? Any one in particular you recommend? It's all LED so I wasn't too concerned with that, but probably better safe than sorry right?

So can anyone point me in the direction of the forum about whether to keep the same temp 24hrs a day or different from lights on/lights off, and how much difference? Seems to me like it would be a good read maybe

 

[Trich_Tyson]

Yeah that's probably not a terrible idea. Couldn't be more than $75 huh? Any one in particular you recommend? It's all LED so I wasn't too concerned with that, but probably better safe than sorry right?

So can anyone point me in the direction of the forum about whether to keep the same temp 24hrs a day or different from lights on/lights off, and how much difference? Seems to me like it would be a good read maybe

5 or 10 degree be iight.

I forgot you said led. They do give off some heat tho. Better safe gen sorry. You can get one wired ready to go for 60 or so. Or wire your own for much cheaper