I’m just curious what you guys think about this excerpt/clip from an hlgshow (podcast). Here’s the time synced LINK. Growmau5 is recounting how back in the day they had a grow room, with 4000 watts of HID, and they were using a “14000 BTU dual hose portable” (ac).
I remember doing some ‘research’ and asking around to try and figure out what ac requirements would be for a potential 10’x10’x8’ (ish) room with ~2000 watts of LED, and the most common recommendation was 24000 BTU (or “two ton”) - which was close to what I had ‘calculated/worked out’ (I’d calc’d about 18000, so I would’ve wanted a 22-24000 BTU anyways).
(NOTE: I’d also included a propane burner in the equipment for this calculation; 4,526 BTU/hr with 2 burners, so I think I’d added 5000 BTU to the room “load”, IIRC).
So, this “14000 BTU portable ac for 4000 watts of HID” statement sounds a little…odd to me.
I didn’t end up going for anything, and have been off and on considering mini splits, and all sorts, because the biggest, good, window units that are easily available are 12000-14000 BTU, and I thought it would be under powered. And I didn’t particularly want a window ac in the window during winter (though many people leave them in anyways). I had planned on maybe modifying a window ac for ducting.
Anyway, I’m just wondering what people with experience (with air conditioning grow rooms, sizing cooling capacity / btu load, and actually seeing how these devices act in the real world compared to their BTU ratings, etc.
Thank you.
PS: Maybe this should be in the smokers lounge? Or some less formal sub forum.
Im running a “Mini Ptac” installs in a sleeve through the wall 220v requirement. 24k btu cool, 18k btu electric heat. Set me back about $650 at menards.
I’ve been running it for two days now and my VPD is all out of whack. The temp. has been at ~80° and the humidity has been at ~60% with leaf temps at 80°. The AC blowing all day fucks the humidity, I think. I also have a AC infinity T6 inline fan running at it’s 5 setting at all time. Definitely would like to have gone higher with the BTU.
What’s the model of the AC, please? OR, what’s the SACC BTU rating? It’s a single hose model, and you’re ducting the cold air into the tent, correct? The cold side might need both supply and exhaust. I can’t see if there’s an “intake grill” on the other side of the unit for the cold side, so I’m a little unsure about how you’ve got that setup being correct (the cold side, not the factory exhause).
Also, which diablo fixtures do you have (600 ish watt versions, or the newer 715 ish watt versions, or what? The older red one? Not sure).
First, I’m wondering if you’re trying to tell me that 10000 BTU of cooling seems to be too much in your case/tent? But then, you say you would have liked to have gotten a higher BTU unit. Do you mean because the unit stays on, rather than cycling on and off - giving itself a break?
Are you trying to get air temps colder than 80*F?
I’m a little surprised your lst is the same as your ambient temp. I haven’t seen that with leds.
I think people used to estimate 5000-6000 BTU of cooling for every 1000W of HID?
What else do you have creating heat? Dehu, fans, etc.?
Thanks for sharing, Senor.
Edit: My bad, Mr.C. My reply is a little scatter brained.
Inverter Model? You have me confused? Inverter to me means it changes the voltage to something suitable? Nope this thing pulls a straight 15 amp 220v (US). I’ve had 2 in 2 decades. When I got this newest one, I kept the old sleeve but had to cut it down with a dremel, because it is a much, much smaller unit. Way more efficient then what I started with (i.e. length sticking out of the house, cut the sleeve to prevent any type of strangulation of airflow). Off Topic I keep seeing all my dearest Canadian OG’s discussing prices, and how high they are. And I keep thinking about inflation in my own country. Then I go to look up the exchange rate, 1:1.36. Ya’ll Got my respect. Not to mention you got a cobra chicken named after you.
6 in hose is attached to the box and goes in at the top of my tent to cool. The exhaust goes out the window.
I want higher BTU to bring the temperature down a bit more. I’d be happy at 76-78 without it struggling, but I’ll make it work. The only thing besides the light adding heat is two fans.
Yeah, it’s freaked me out for a bit now that the ambient temp matches my leaf temp pretty well. I’m running the 715 watt Scorpion Diablos with the deflectors and I’m loving them.
Cool. Ok, nice. But looking at the specs, it’s actually only really a 6000 BTU ac (Cooling Capacity (SACC) 6,000 BTU/hr). You have to go by the SACC number these days, (I think it’s also called DOE by some companies).
The second thing I see, based on the product pictures, is a cold side intake grill on the right side of the unit. That grill/intake is for the supply air for the cooling side. In this configuration it looks like it’s gonna take room air, pass over the cold coils, then push into the tent. But it doesn’t then leave the tent and go back to the cold side supply, which might be slightly more efficient.
But yea, you’ve essentially got a 6000 BTU ac. Also, portables are not very efficient by design (their function, and the fact that the hot side remains inside the room/home).
Yea. And there’s no issues with the plants that you notice. Odd to see that lst differential with led I think…
Damn! Two diablos at full power, 1400+ watts, in an 8 x 4 tent? No co2 or nothing either? Wow, what kind of ppfd at the canopy, man?
If you care to, have a look at that link I posted in my previous post about AC boxes. Also, this one is from a guy who used that thread to build his ac box for his tent LINK. These are just for an idea of how these things and setups work.
Yea, like most mini split units use inverter “technology”. It’s able to vary the motor, etc., instead of just full on or off. Much more efficient and functional too. Just look up “inverter ac” for more description if you want. There are window and portable units now with inverter tech.
Yea, the exchange sucks. What is a cobra chicken? What? Haha.
The only thing I can think of did they have their HID ballasts located OUT of the grow area?
That would make a huge difference.
I ran an 18,000 BTU in room AC in a 4’ x 8’ x 7’ tall tent with 2- 1 k’s burning.
As an old box grower, you always remote the ballast OUT of the box!
My AC had plenty of cooling, as I never size to get by.
I always wanted a motorized item to be working around 3/4 capacity, over full blast.
Stuff just wears out faster, and you have more failures
This one unit, cooled 3 different tents, set up during summer, and still was only half running capacity.
I made a plenum and shuttle box to move air where every it was needed.
Worked a treat, until my LED’s made it worthless.
Thank you for commenting, and sharing your input. I appreciate it.
I could see that. Even if estimating at 5000 BTU per 1k HID, that leaves you with plenty. Though I doubt that 18K BTU was actual “rated” at that (by todays standards), but/so it’s a good thing you “over sized it” for what you need. Smart.
I have a 14K BTU inverter window unit. I wonder if it’d handle the load I outlined in my other AC thread.
Your most welcome Nitt. The other 4’ x 4’x x7’ tent had California Lighthouse LED, a big rascal. Weights like 40+ pounds, lots of cooling fans.
It would really build huge buds. The other tent was a veg tent, split into an upper area, and lower veg area. No heat issues, without the AC, but it did have a cooling duct going to it.
So glad to not need any of that anymore, just simple 24/7 extraction, with my filter remoted to another area.
Wish you the best to your project.
