It'll get pretty dry here in the winter, so I'd imagine keeping up humidity will be tough with a 675cfm 8" mixed flow (max can) fan going. Is it better to run the fan on cycles to preserve humidity? or is it more important to keep a constant flow of new air coming in, and run the fan slower when lights are off to build up c02?
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Re-designing urban grow room - To Seal or not to seal?
- Thread starter megadude
- Start date
Ok -- So I'm still torn, but after talking with a HVAC friend of mine more in detail I'm back to Portable AC solution..
I attached a picture of what he sent me to convince me there'd be no c02 loss through the AC.
It's also worth noting that I'd probably be running closer to 800ppm c02 as the Mars 1200s are probably not as strong as 1k HPS, which I'd imagine is what folks are running 1500ppm of c02 with.
In addition to the dual hose AC diagram, I attached a roughly sketched version of the grow room setup.
Here is a link to the AC i'm considering -- Wynter ARC 131
http://www.whynter.com/productdetail/air_comfort/portable_air_conditioners/354
I'm going with this unit for a few reasons
- The duct inlet/outlets from the unit are the only ones I've found on a portable unit that don't point "Up", thus saving some bend in the hoses as the holes in the wall leading to the window are as low as possible to the ground.
-13000 BTU seems to be ample for the 8w x 9L x 8h room + 1100watts draw of light, 90watts from UC 6XL RDWC, and roughly 250watts of fans/misc electronics in the grow room. (Agree? Disagree?)
-Auto restart
The inlet and exhaust hoses are supplied are 5" diameter / 3' long, and since the run is roughly 2' inside the room, and 10 from the wall to window, I'm thinking to install two air tight collars in the window, use the supplied hose to get to the grow side of the collar, and solid/straight duct from the wall to window.
Another question -- 5" is kind of an annoying duct size to find. Would I be ok if I reversed a 6 to 5" reducer to attach to 6" collars and run 6" duct from wall to window?
Also, would I still need a duct booster on either exhaust or exhaust+inlet sides because of the increased run length? (Manufacturer does not recommend exceeding 9' total length on the hoses)
I attached a picture of what he sent me to convince me there'd be no c02 loss through the AC.
It's also worth noting that I'd probably be running closer to 800ppm c02 as the Mars 1200s are probably not as strong as 1k HPS, which I'd imagine is what folks are running 1500ppm of c02 with.
In addition to the dual hose AC diagram, I attached a roughly sketched version of the grow room setup.
Here is a link to the AC i'm considering -- Wynter ARC 131
http://www.whynter.com/productdetail/air_comfort/portable_air_conditioners/354
I'm going with this unit for a few reasons
- The duct inlet/outlets from the unit are the only ones I've found on a portable unit that don't point "Up", thus saving some bend in the hoses as the holes in the wall leading to the window are as low as possible to the ground.
-13000 BTU seems to be ample for the 8w x 9L x 8h room + 1100watts draw of light, 90watts from UC 6XL RDWC, and roughly 250watts of fans/misc electronics in the grow room. (Agree? Disagree?)
-Auto restart
The inlet and exhaust hoses are supplied are 5" diameter / 3' long, and since the run is roughly 2' inside the room, and 10 from the wall to window, I'm thinking to install two air tight collars in the window, use the supplied hose to get to the grow side of the collar, and solid/straight duct from the wall to window.
Another question -- 5" is kind of an annoying duct size to find. Would I be ok if I reversed a 6 to 5" reducer to attach to 6" collars and run 6" duct from wall to window?
Also, would I still need a duct booster on either exhaust or exhaust+inlet sides because of the increased run length? (Manufacturer does not recommend exceeding 9' total length on the hoses)
Attachments
T
TreehouseJ
I cool 2x600w cooltubes, a mini lp co2 generator, and a dehu with a 6k btu window unit. I have cooled the same set up in a sealed closet using only a couple of frozen ice jugs. Granted, I have heard that you have to cut the btu rating in half when using portable units, so 13k might be more realistic than not..
I would try knocking out some drywall and sticking a window unit in there. Cheap, effective, sleek (within the grow area), and easy to replace. Just keep matching paint, mud, and a precut piece of sheet rock on hand in case you have to tear down in a hurry.
I would try knocking out some drywall and sticking a window unit in there. Cheap, effective, sleek (within the grow area), and easy to replace. Just keep matching paint, mud, and a precut piece of sheet rock on hand in case you have to tear down in a hurry.
junior_grower
Active member
I have modified many portables they in fact are not even close to sealed. They have so many air leaks and areas where room air is exchanged its not funny. Just run on in a tent and you'll see the sides suck in. I pull them apart and spend a good hr sealing them up to prevent the air exchange, but the more you seal them the quicker they die it seems.
T
TreehouseJ
From a couple of LED units? My 1200w of hps only brings my crawlspace up 5-10 degrees by end of a 12 hour day, but it is a pretty big crawl space.. Have you considered throwing a tent in that would enclose the grow half of the room, and then sticking a window unit through the side of the tent? This would also reflect all your lighting to right where it needs to be, and save you from having to thoroughly lightproof the entire bedroom. This is what I do. I also run everything during the coldest 12 hours of the day (night).
You could also just throw another small window unit in your living room, should it actually reach 150 degrees. Portables are just so expensive, and I've never really heard good things about them within IC. You can almost get a cheap mini split these days for what one of those portables costs.
I'll add that I am not crazy about tents or window units or having to patch big dumbass holes in the wall. It's just god damn practical when you can snag window units for 20 bones on craigslist, or 100 new at walmart. They are almost disposable at that rate.
T
TreehouseJ
Regarding tents not sealing.. This makes sense when you are paying out the nose for co2.. but if you have a way to water cool a natural gas or lp burner..
I use this in conjunction with a leak detector, and a 1 lb tank ($2.50) will bring my 300 ppm ambient to 1100-1200 for ~100 hours on pilot without raising my temps for sh*t. Even if my pilot went out, I would only be leaking 1/100th a lb of propane per hour into a tent that is exhausted every 2 hours into a 1k square foot basement, and could only ever leak <12 hours at a time.
Not for everyone, but she's treated me real good these past few harvests, and I feel safer getting the 20 lb tank the f*ck out of my house.
I use this in conjunction with a leak detector, and a 1 lb tank ($2.50) will bring my 300 ppm ambient to 1100-1200 for ~100 hours on pilot without raising my temps for sh*t. Even if my pilot went out, I would only be leaking 1/100th a lb of propane per hour into a tent that is exhausted every 2 hours into a 1k square foot basement, and could only ever leak <12 hours at a time.
Not for everyone, but she's treated me real good these past few harvests, and I feel safer getting the 20 lb tank the f*ck out of my house.
Mini split is not an option unfortunately
I think window unit is out unless I could make some kind of box to throw the heat into duct for the 10' run to the window but those kinds of options seem like a significant investment in time and I'm kind of limited in tools as I'm on the 4th floor without access to a shop or anything
Essentially the room is built inside our living room, which in turn is kind of like a 70-80degree lung room at best. But we still hang in there a lot so...AC exhaust isn't the most pleasant thing to vent in there haha
T
TreehouseJ
junior_grower
Active member
dual hose and sing hose modified. Crack the body open and you will see voids and gaps all over, the air leakage is high enough it can pull the odor right out of a sealed room.
Dual hose air condition, does NOT suck Air from the room...thats why the second hose made for...passing air through one to the compressor and goes out from the other...
I have one portable mini split in 2x2x2 tent and honesly, cannot be happier...
Connected to a chh4 sentinel (strongly sugest it) and it takes 2 mins to raise my setpoint..20 lb tank, lasts for a whole grow...
Major diffrence in fattening the buds, faster growth, and overll yield definitely!!!
Sorry if this has been answered allready....
My 2 cents
I have one portable mini split in 2x2x2 tent and honesly, cannot be happier...
Connected to a chh4 sentinel (strongly sugest it) and it takes 2 mins to raise my setpoint..20 lb tank, lasts for a whole grow...
Major diffrence in fattening the buds, faster growth, and overll yield definitely!!!
Sorry if this has been answered allready....
My 2 cents
junior_grower
Active member
sorry but portables
are not sealed up. you have a small tent and probably few plants.
are not sealed up. you have a small tent and probably few plants.
Ran some tests when it cooled down a little last week.. flipped the 6" inline i have to push air into the room, with both lights and a 250watt CFL + a couple fans running.
Ambient room temps with everything off was 73 degrees. Outside air somewhere around 60..
With intake fan OFF, temps rose to about 86 in an hour then stabilized.
With intake fan ON, temps dropped from 86 to 75 in an hour or so, and pretty much stayed there.
I purchased a 8" mixed flow Can Fan max, and will be working on the ductwork this week.
Hoping with 8" exhaust fan and 6" intake I have a little more control then the last run when it was 6" exhaust, 6" duct booster on a 4" duct intake...
Eventually would like to get Iponic controller, but since I opted out of c02 / AC for now, I'm going to give it a shot using the variable fan speed controller i already have.
Hoping I can hook both intake and exhaust fans up to the controller which has temp threshold for lights on/off, and get the fans sync'd up enough that if the temps start rising, the exhaust fan will increase speed as well as the intake fan and stabilize the temps.
Really hoping in the colder months I can sneak a 400-600w HPS in there with the two MARs lights during flower for a little extra push. We'll see..
Ambient room temps with everything off was 73 degrees. Outside air somewhere around 60..
With intake fan OFF, temps rose to about 86 in an hour then stabilized.
With intake fan ON, temps dropped from 86 to 75 in an hour or so, and pretty much stayed there.
I purchased a 8" mixed flow Can Fan max, and will be working on the ductwork this week.
Hoping with 8" exhaust fan and 6" intake I have a little more control then the last run when it was 6" exhaust, 6" duct booster on a 4" duct intake...
Eventually would like to get Iponic controller, but since I opted out of c02 / AC for now, I'm going to give it a shot using the variable fan speed controller i already have.
Hoping I can hook both intake and exhaust fans up to the controller which has temp threshold for lights on/off, and get the fans sync'd up enough that if the temps start rising, the exhaust fan will increase speed as well as the intake fan and stabilize the temps.
Really hoping in the colder months I can sneak a 400-600w HPS in there with the two MARs lights during flower for a little extra push. We'll see..
Snook
Still Learning
what he said and when you buy the portable, buy the extended full replacement warrantee. the ones I had (3) didn't last a year each..
I finally cut a hole in the wall to the garage and put a window shaker and a bigger filter for the room/tent.
