Need advice on portable 3 ton ac unit for a ten light garage grow

iamcolin

iamcolin

Well-Known Member
Setting up a new grow in an insulated garage in Phoenix, Arizona so it gets pretty hot. I have ten 680W LED lights I will be running in here. The room is about 22'x22' and about 10 feet tall. I dont want to run a mini split because I cant be making 3" holes to run the piping in this house. I have a 30 amp breaker I took from the dryer which I will be running the portable ac from. I just want to know if anybody has any experience with huge portable units like this one. I figure it should be ok since they are used in those big important server rooms but I've never seen one in action.

I'm looking at this unit: https://www.rackmountsolutions.net/americool-wpc-9000-208-230v-37-000-btu-portable-air-conditioner/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr2FBhDbARIsACjwLo1g0_v_1zJ3y8PKXyL7qagWG6cYWG7Xm9Lo8AUV63csoRf9FnrOY9waAkdUEALw_wcB

Any thoughts? Thanks
 
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ComfortCreator

Well-Known Member
iamcolin said:
Setting up a new grow in an insulated garage in Phoenix, Arizona so it gets pretty hot. I have ten 680W LED lights I will be running in here. The room is about 22'x22' and about 10 feet tall. I dont want to run a mini split because I cant be making 3" holes to run the piping in this house. I have a 30 amp breaker I took from the dryer which I will be running the portable ac from. I just want to know if anybody has any experience with huge portable units like this one. I figure it should be ok since they are used in those big important server rooms but I've never seen one in action.

I'm looking at this unit: https://www.rackmountsolutions.net/americool-wpc-9000-208-230v-37-000-btu-portable-air-conditioner/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr2FBhDbARIsACjwLo1g0_v_1zJ3y8PKXyL7qagWG6cYWG7Xm9Lo8AUV63csoRf9FnrOY9waAkdUEALw_wcB

Any thoughts? Thanks
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If it's a garage, then it has door(s) that can be modified for the holes for an ac unit outside the space. No matter what an ac needs to be vented outside, so whether the portable has an exhaust out the garage or an ac unit does....it has to go out somewhere. Were you planning a sealed setup?
 
iamcolin

iamcolin

Well-Known Member
UpstateRecGrower said:
If you can't make a hole for refrigerant lines how will you exhaust the portable? And it looks like that portable only has an exhaust, no separate intake, so it's gonna be acting as an extraction fan too which will reduce the cooling btu you're able to use because you're going to be drawing in air from outside the room..
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There is a 16" exhaust duct I will run to the attic. I used this formula for the BTU amount I would need for AC. (Room SQFT x 20) + (Equipment Watts x 3.14) + (Active People in the room x 400)

9,680 + 24,492(i took my 6800W from lights and added 1000W for fans, controller, etc.) + 400 = 34,572 BTU and the unit is 37,000 BTU so I figured I would be ok but I'm not 100% sure.
 
iamcolin

iamcolin

Well-Known Member
ebcrew said:
If your spending that much on that, get a mini split, you only need to make one 3 inch hole and it will have lineset covers and look comepletly legit, unlike that thing.
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That was the plan but the house belongs to my friend and he doesn't want me drilling a 3" hole in the brick. I would prefer a mini split... buying this unit is ridiculous but I wasn't going to argue with him over it.
 
UpstateRecGrower

UpstateRecGrower

Well-Known Member
iamcolin said:
There is a 16" exhaust duct I will run to the attic. I used this formula for the BTU amount I would need for AC. (Room SQFT x 20) + (Equipment Watts x 3.14) + (Active People in the room x 400)

9,680 + 24,492(i took my 6800W from lights and added 1000W for fans, controller, etc.) + 400 = 34,572 BTU and the unit is 37,000 BTU so I figured I would be ok but I'm not 100% sure.
Click to expand...
Yeah unfortunately the problem is that any air the unit exhausts outside it will have to suck from the room, and in turn the room with suck hot air from the outside. You also need to factor in how hot the room gets with no equipment running
 
C

ComfortCreator

Well-Known Member
It sounds ambitious and good! We arent pushing to try and change the friend, it's just the sticking point is enough ac and you won't like a portable units efficiency imo. I know 12 and 15k btu units blow compared to a decent window unit, which isnt close to a mini or full size unit

New garage door, to replace the one you drill through for outside ac (!) when you move out is about $1000. Not a big expense...
 
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