I’ve got a 15k btu window ac that works well with 4 but I plan on running 6 next time and I’m not sure that’s enough especially since I do dwc and have to keep res temps in check. Should I upgrade to an 18k-24k btu unit or should I be fine with the 15k if I’m also running central air?
If you keep the whole house sweater weather with the central air and use the other to directly pump cool into your room it might be enough .
6 are gonna be pumping some heat out especially summer months . If not a sealed room extraction fans might keep it cool moving the hot air out side with the ac helping should do it .
DE hps?
How much other equipment do you have in the room all that wattage adds up to more heat even fans etc.
Chiller?
Honestly you’re probably going to have to upgrade.theres other things you can do to improve yields adding lights is just the easiest.
Try light movers. Game changer if used right.
If the room isn’t sealed then seal it and run co2
1 Like
It’ll be sealed with co2. Single ended open bulb. No water chillers, but I can fit up to a 24k btu unit in the window.
3-4 air pumps, fans and a 70pint/day dehumidifier (adding another one of those too) if I can swing it I’ll be switching up to rdwc so 3-4 water pumps too.
2 Likes
Unless you have the fixtures and ballasts etc for SE I wouldn’t bother.
If you upgraded your existing 4 lights to DE you’d probably get more yield than the 6 se.
If you don’t have height constraints.
If it’s an option, I’d consider the best efficiency improvement for heat removal is to hood-up those lamps for air cooling, get an in-line fan with external intake/exhaust, and move that heat somewhere outside of the room. Likely cheaper than upgrading the AC + running costs.
There is still going to be a heating effect due to the IR and inefficient conversion process but a large portion of that heat will be right at the lamp itself…which by itself will just heat up everything in that closed room.
I don’t know how much, but guessing you could get 50% of the generated heat out of the room in that manner.
7 Likes
buying 6 ac hoods, fans and ducting probably cost about the same if not a little bit more than the ac upgrade. Possibly something I might look into more long term, but I’m honestly only expecting to pull one or 2 more harvests after this next upgrade before I move up to leds. Hell, if my yields big enough and I can move it fast enough I might be able to skip all the hid upgrades and move straight to led.
1 Like
I’ve thought about that but I figure 8ft is abit low for DE though with parabolic reflectors it might be viable. That’s a good thought. Gonna shop that out and run the numbers.
That’s a good idea if you can swing it. They can be $$$ for the good ones but there are a number of benefits beyond just the heat generation issue.
4 Likes
Yeah I know, they’re just so damn expensive. I know I won’t be filling the entire room with leds this round but no reason I can’t run half led and half hps/mh. I’m counting my chickens before they hatch though, haven’t even harvested this crop yet 
2 Likes
Ok, so I think I figured out what I’m gonna do. And it’s actually a bit more reasonable.
Lighting
4 1000w hids- wing reflectors (dimmable ballasts this time, that alone will cut costs in veg the ones) bulbs facing each other, 4ft spacing lights closest to wall 2ft from wall.
1 600w hid- wing reflector dimmable ballast centerd between the other 4 lights.
(All ballasts will be located outside of grow room.)
Cost of light upgrade- $373 for the 1000w ipower ballasts, already have the 600 $30 for the wing reflector, already have 4.
Environment- already have 15kbtu windows ac adding 8k btu portable, placement closet in far corner of room ducted through the wall into the bedroom window next door, likely need small booster fan.
“Whole house” Humidifier
Co2 20lb tank controller, whole kit really. Lines run above canopy not sure about exact placement
Costs of upgrades
Portable ac $225
Co2 kit $495
Humidifier $109
Rdwc
2 8plant stirponic systems. Just need to get the 1" bulkheads, tubes and sump pumps, got everything else, going with the 6" netpot lids too. $165
Bringing it to $1367.
Hoo hoo hoo I’m looking forward to this. Probably got enough for it just drying right now and more than enough on my gorrilla glues(they need to hurry up and finish ripening). I feel like a kid before Christmas
1 Like
Giving it even more thought I think my best bet is 6 600w lights. That’s only 200w more than I have now but better coverage area. I’m already equipped to cool that much and I’ve been able to keep the utilities on. So that means all I’ll really need is 5 more 600w ballasts and 2 more reflectors. Fuck yeah!
Heck yeah. The 600 is slightly more efficient per watt than the 1000 as well.
3 Likes
My goal is to be at a place where I’m pulling 5lbs+ every 12-14 week grow cycle by the end of the year.
1 Like
I think maxed out my room can probably push 10lbs/cycle but I’m just not there yet, not in skill or equipment.
1 Like
Entirely doable, fastest way to learn is to just start doing it haha.
3 Likes
Just gotta be careful of the whole hog, right? Nobody wants to invest huge capitol in a grow, only to find the “genetics/smell/effects/yield/etc” isn’t up to snuff and you produced a megagram of unsaleable weed. I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing, but just be careful that doesn’t happen. I know people that happened to, it’s not pretty. I do test plots first before I unleash a megagram of weed nobody wants.
3 Likes