Portable Ac Or Chiller

[williams2311]

Well in my grow room I have no windows nor do I have one close to my room so I plan to hook a portable ac up in there and vent it out with where my exhaust goes so does anyone have a portable ac they would recommend I'm not rich by no means do it needs to be fairly cheap or if you guys have any chiller ideas I could do please your input would be great

[trix]

My room doesn't have a place to hook up a air conditioner either, What I plan on doing is putting a small AC in the room next door which has a window put a piece of wood so it covers the window. Then cut a 6in hole in the board put some ducting in the hole and run it into the room. That way the ac is only getting vented to the Grow Room.


Edit: whoops missed where you said there isn't one close. you will have to vent the portable AC somewhere I'm just guessing but its most likely going to kick out some heat as well?

[williams2311]

My room doesn't have a place to hook up a air conditioner either, What I plan on doing is putting a small AC in the room next door which has a window put a piece of wood so it covers the window. Then cut a 6in hole in the board put some ducting in the hole and run it into the room. That way the ac is only getting vented to the Grow Room.

Edit: whoops missed where you said there isn't one close. you will have to vent the portable AC somewhere I'm just guessing but its most likely going to kick out some heat as well?

I found a few that only have one tube and I figured I could get a y fitting to put my exhaust going out one and the tube from ac in the other fitting and have them both blow out of my single vent to the outside. Can I do that?

[fabio1949]

I have an 8k portable for my veg room(4x8) and a 14k for my flower(12x6). I found that you can not "Y" them together, because they backflow into each other, and if I am only running one(veg in day, flower at night) the one running heats up the other room. So they each have their own exhaust now. Both are single tube, and the flower rm has about a 15' run, where I had to install insulated duct, as the ducts get very hot. Took down my two 1k HPS, put up a 600 HPS with 6 LEDs about two weeks ago, and may have to take the HPS down and put up two more LEDs that I have. Have not recieved first electric bill with the A/C running just to keep it under 85. Bought both A/C on Ebay--$250/14k qnd under $200/8k.

Good luck--heats a complain

[Kingdiamond]

Lowes and home depot sell them I think mine was $333 out the door as for venting both out the window I don't think it will work because the pressure of the fan could force the AC exhaust back out of the unit and could make the family sick .

[pergamum362]

You will have to make a separate exhaust for the a/c...no way around it unless you wanna waste electricity...I'd like to add portable ac are extremely inefficient (I spell that right?so tired) so expect a bump in bill....would be much better to get enough exhaust and intake power to change the room air every minute or two.

[williams2311]

 

You will have to make a separate exhaust for the a/c...no way around it unless you wanna waste electricity...I'd like to add portable ac are extremely inefficient (I spell that right?so tired) so expect a bump in bill....would be much better to get enough exhaust and intake power to change the room air every minute or two.

Could I vent into attic? Or could that cause mold? Also would that make the attic smell if I'm venting threw carbon filter outside And the ac going into attic

[Kingdiamond]

I think the attic would be fine the ac exhaust should rise and go out of the roof vents.

[trix]

That's how I did it at my previous home, ran the ducting right up in the attic and the 6in vent ducting fit right in the roof vent same diameter hole. worked well.

[motorcitymeds]

Well in my grow room I have no windows nor do I have one close to my room so I plan to hook a portable ac up in there and vent it out with where my exhaust goes so does anyone have a portable ac they would recommend I'm not rich by no means do it needs to be fairly cheap or if you guys have any chiller ideas I could do please your input would be great

Mini-Split AC unit.

 

www.ac-world.com  I have 2 of them in my home.  You will have to punch a hole 2.75 inches in diameter thru a wall for the lines to run thru,.

[Kingdiamond]

What about the wiring of the unit did you do it yourself or did you have to bring in a electrician?

[northerngal]

Well in my grow room I have no windows nor do I have one close to my room so I plan to hook a portable ac up in there and vent it out with where my exhaust goes so does anyone have a portable ac they would recommend I'm not rich by no means do it needs to be fairly cheap or if you guys have any chiller ideas I could do please your input would be great

 

If you have an ABC Warehouse nearby, I would suggest checking there.  They also sell reconditioned ones with warranty. 

[garyfisher]

Williams, OP,  I just want you to know this.

 

I just purchased a Honewell 14,000 BTU portable unit from Best buy for $560.

I am returning it today.  It cannot keep my sealed room environment below 95 degrees with only two  1000w lights running.

Edited May 31, 2013 by garyfisher

[motorcitymeds]

What about the wiring of the unit did you do it yourself or did you have to bring in a electrician?

My buddy helpd on both. I own a ceilera and an amvent. One was 951..the other was 915. I did have to pay a buddy to mak sure the lines were pumped n flushed properly first.

[motorcitymeds]

Portable units do not work. Period.

 

Mini splits do and are energy efficient.

[semicaregiver]

Years ago I tried a single exhaust tube portable and also returned it.  

 

The concept of a single exhaust design seems like you are buying a perpetual motion machine.    Maybe someone can explain.   From what I can see, it takes air from the room and uses it to cool the hot compressor section and then exhausts it out the single tube exhaust.    The air it takes from the room is air that the unit just cooled.   In order for the unit to get air from the room, it needs to create a negative pressure and suck in warm outside air.    Seems like the only units that would "really" work are those that have an outside air inlet that is used to cool the compressor and then exhaust that same, but hotter air back out thur the second tube.

[garyfisher]

yeah, this portable unit I have is Facking stupid.  I cant use it in my sealed room because it exhausts hot air from the room, causing a suction (negative pressure differential) which forces hotter air into the room to displace the air the AC unit just removed.

 

What a PITA.  ANd dont get me started on chillers.  Those are dumb also.  Basically, if you cannot get the condensor OUTDOORS, its a waste of money.

[Kingdiamond]

Portable units do not work. Period.

 

Mini splits do and are energy efficient.

Mine works fine but its in a tight spot 7x11 im just looking to gain that extra floor space that it occupies.

[pic book]

Williams, OP,  I just want you to know this.

 

I just purchased a Honewell 14,000 BTU portable unit from Best buy for $560.

I am returning it today.  It cannot keep my sealed room environment below 95 degrees with only two  1000w lights running.

versus window, mini split and central, published ratings show the portable at the bottom in efficiency, with the single hose portable the worst of everything.

Edited May 31, 2013 by pic book

[pic book]

Has anyone fitted a flexible black square furnace "skirt" as a duct on a window unit mounted in a windowlesss room and through the skirt, exhausted the hot air?  I'm thinking of trying it, but hope someone else has and can report.  I anticipate difficulty to affix the skirt so it is airtight.  (Gorilla Tape?)  This is for a build where the basement is full of windows but they are only eight inches tall, and the customer won't allow one opened up to a install window 24,00 btu, he already has the winndow unit, and budget does not include $1290 for a 24,000 btu mini split.

[kak1963]

I have been running a Danby  premier 11000 btu with 2 hoses that go out side or draw air from other room works okay keeps the room around 77, 78 with 6, 600 watt in a basement ... with a killawatt meter on it it runs about 900 watts when on... now some ports run diff like the fan for the compressor cooling and heat removal keeps running and using more juice .. also mine shows real time temp not just what u set it to.. i like that also.. another thing that's nice is one that stays set if u lose power.. that way if u want to save a little u can put it on a timer and it will go right to were it was set...but they dont work very good for a dehumidifier.. but maybe i need to hook up a drain.. but they do work i have tried a few... not as good as a split or window unit.. but wayyyyyyy better then nothing by far...they do cool ... i also insulate the exhaust tube helps keep heat down... when July and August  hit i turn all lights down to 400 watt and change the bulbs to 400 watt.. also all my hoods are vented.... danby is one of the best... just make sure it has two hoses for sure... split would be better and ill be changing to that some time.. but this works for now....

[pergamum362]

Dual hoses are a lot better if that's all you can use...but if your not running

Multiple hid lights you really don't need a big ac...just air change. I get away with temps at around 80-82 (not ideal but ok)on the hottest 90 degree day with no central air, one dumb 14k btu port ac , 4000 watts of flower power and a hole lot of exhaust and intake power plugged into my enviormental controller.No doubt a mini split is in my future and wld benefit me cus that port ac runs constantly and temps arent ideal but my point being without the air exchange I have going on it wld be much hotter in their.

[kak1963]

Has anyone fitted a flexible black square furnace "skirt" as a duct on a window unit mounted in a windowlesss room and through the skirt, exhausted the hot air?  I'm thinking of trying it, but hope someone else has and can report.  I anticipate difficulty to affix the skirt so it is airtight.  (Gorilla Tape?)  This is for a build where the basement is full of windows but they are only eight inches tall, and the customer won't allow one opened up to a install window 24,00 btu, he already has the winndow unit, and budget does not include $1290 for a 24,000 btu mini split.

think it would over heat .. as it also needs fresh air... and it also needs to drain... that would be sweet though... maybe im wrong as i never tried it but that's what comes to mind

[motorcitymeds]

Has anyone fitted a flexible black square furnace "skirt" as a duct on a window unit mounted in a windowlesss room and through the skirt, exhausted the hot air?  I'm thinking of trying it, but hope someone else has and can report.  I anticipate difficulty to affix the skirt so it is airtight.  (Gorilla Tape?)  This is for a build where the basement is full of windows but they are only eight inches tall, and the customer won't allow one opened up to a install window 24,00 btu, he already has the winndow unit, and budget does not include $1290 for a 24,000 btu mini split.

My 18k 1.5 ton mini split does my flower room fine. It never goes above 80. At night gets to 63-67.

[kak1963]

Dual hoses are a lot better if that's all you can use...but if your not running

Multiple hid lights you really don't need a big ac...just air change. I get away with temps at around 80-82 (not ideal but ok)on the hottest 90 degree day with no central air, one dumb 14k btu port ac , 4000 watts of flower power and a hole lot of exhaust and intake power plugged into my enviormental controller.No doubt a mini split is in my future and wld benefit me cus that port ac runs constantly and temps arent ideal but my point being without the air exchange I have going on it wld be much hotter in their.

right on .. thats a big point..