3 ton minisplit can't keep up

rory420420

Well-Known Member
found a 18000 btu for 1k$ and a 24000btu for 100$ more,both with lineset and inverter..
do you know if i could add an air handler later when my funds are better,turning a compressor into a dual zone one,or is that certain modles only? if i could get away with 12000 btu in the flower,id put the other 12k in the veg.
 

a mongo frog

Well-Known Member
found a 18000 btu for 1k$ and a 24000btu for 100$ more,both with lineset and inverter..
do you know if i could add an air handler later when my funds are better,turning a compressor into a dual zone one,or is that certain modles only? if i could get away with 12000 btu in the flower,id put the other 12k in the veg.
good question. not sure how that works
 

rory420420

Well-Known Member
too bad i come up with these questions this late at night and cant remember them tomorrow,when theres people awake who can.answer...my buddy whos gonna install is asleep..
 

SnapsProvolone

Well-Known Member
found a 18000 btu for 1k$ and a 24000btu for 100$ more,both with lineset and inverter..
do you know if i could add an air handler later when my funds are better,turning a compressor into a dual zone one,or is that certain modles only? if i could get away with 12000 btu in the flower,id put the other 12k in the veg.
Certain models only, the txv/exv valve arrangement and controller logic is different on a multihead unit.
 

rory420420

Well-Known Member
i figured so..hell,the 9k btu is cheep enuf..ill just buy a seperate unit for veg..after i get the flower right..
 

patrickkawi37

Well-Known Member
Set to wide open 69 degrees and fan on high. She gets to 84 with only 8k on 6k vented . Something is wrong for sure, I guess I'll pay another AC guy to come out since first one didn't do his job properly
 

thump easy

Well-Known Member
I've used a good deal of condensate however I would note there is a significant slime mold potential here so if running sterile res i suggest 0.5 ml/gal of bleach. Otherwise maintain a healthy trichoderma population for sure.
Man don't do it it's slim all slim no good!
 

Cannis

Active Member
All my water comes from my A/C and dehumidifiers, has a Ph between 6 and 7. I make 15 to 18 gallons a day and use it all...usually. If it sits very long you can expect problems and would need to add some bleach. No ill effects for me yet, my avatar is some of my current girlfriends.
 

thump easy

Well-Known Member
I've always used the run off water from my dehumidifiers and AC. I've never noticed a problem. Do you think it's okay after you mix the water in your res with a pump for a couple hours?

I grow in aroe ponics I use benifishials but have u ever looked at the radiator or run off from your split my dehumidifier runs it clean but my split can get nasty I wash it out ever 2month I got a lot to loose I guess it's up to you bleach sound steril I don't usually go steril unless I get root problems good luck I rather be shure it freshly came out of the pre filter to the evolution filters I feel better myself but that's just me
 

rory420420

Well-Known Member
seems like it would in effect "booger water"..the cooling coil has air pulled over it constantly,making it a half assed filter,that has water condensate on it and collect..so all the air particles stuck to it gets rinsed ofc a little,and collects in the pan..i wouldnt use it..maybe toss it on an out door plant..maybe.
 

patrickkawi37

Well-Known Member
I only have a small boy filter that I run a hose through so my res water is usually 100ppm. Vs the water from dehumidifiers and AC is 0 ppm. I guess after a month or so I get a little slime build up in my totes that collects the dehu and AC water, but I clean them before it gets bad. Would you still prefer tap?
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Interesting thread.

1. I use all of my condensate. I use it immediately, do it has no chance to sit and stagnate. This is the 'secret', otherwise it's just topup water for the RDWC.

2. It's constantly draining from the water cooled heat exchanger, aka 'Ice box' cooler, in the grow room. A fan blows air form through it when the thermostat signals it, otherwise it sits there and continues to sweat water out of the air in the grow room.

3. That Icebox heat exchanger thus does double duty; it cold the air in the sealed growroom, AND it performs dehuey functions, symbiotically. Look up that last word, if you don't know it. It's the heart of efficiency gains...

4. Because instead of AC, I use 2 Tons of water chilling. This cools and dehumidifies the air, and another circuit chills the water in my RDWC.

2 Tons = 24k BTu cools and dehumidifies ALL of the following, right now, during July;

7kW of lighting all day
6kW more all night
3 RDWC

Cool as grandma's cucumber salad...
 

patrickkawi37

Well-Known Member
I got another AC guy coming in a couple days. I'm hoping he can help me figure out how to get this thing to work efficiently. I read online that the aura should handle 10 lights air cooled so I'm hoping it can do this room (6 air cooled, 3 adjusta wings). If not , looks like I'm looking for a 4 ton
 

BustinScales510

Well-Known Member
The ambient temp matters,if the outside air is in the 70s before it even goes through the hoods then it isnt cooling them that much. Warm air like that and runs longer than 4 hoods per each duct = a lot of radiant heat coming off those hoods. It seems like if you just take the heat coming off the bulbs and blow it outside it would prevent heat build up, but without temps at least in the mid 60s to cool hoods with it doesnt really neutralize the heat.

Probably not anything wrong with the AC, it's just not enough to keep up. What should be enough usually isnt so best to get like a 1/3 stronger than what you think youll need.
 

patrickkawi37

Well-Known Member
The ambient temp matters,if the outside air is in the 70s before it even goes through the hoods then it isnt cooling them that much. Warm air like that and runs longer than 4 hoods per each duct = a lot of radiant heat coming off those hoods. It seems like if you just take the heat coming off the bulbs and blow it outside it would prevent heat build up, but without temps at least in the mid 60s to cool hoods with it doesnt really neutralize the heat.

Probably not anything wrong with the AC, it's just not enough to keep up. What should be enough usually isnt so best to get like a 1/3 stronger than what you think youll need.
I'm really hoping the AC guy has a magic wand that he can wave that will make it work for now. The air temp outside at night is 70 at the coolest . Mid summer in California it gets hot. I might try putting a Y at the hole where I'm pulling air from outside and suck across each row of lights. This might help drop a couple degree. Online it says that this AC can run 8k non air cooled.. And 10k air cooled. And aura doesn't make a 4 ton
 

SnapsProvolone

Well-Known Member
Use an IR thermometer to see if some hoods are hotter than others.

Personally i wouldn't put more than two 6" or three 8" hoods inline. Use a trunk with takeoffs.

I only use ridgid galvanized for main trunk and takeoffs, use insulated flex for sub 36" lengths to chain a few lights.

Duct mastic rules.
 

patrickkawi37

Well-Known Member
They are 8 inch and in rows of 3. Some are definitely warmer than others . After AC guy comes today If I'm still having issues I'm going to set it so a 12inch is sucking air across one of the rows and an 8inch is sucking across the other . Going to be an interesting day I will let you guys know. I appreciate all the help
 
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