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

[iamcolin]

It isn't the square footage that is at issue it is the heat load in the footage

Do you think I can get by with a 3 ton mini split instead of a 4 ton since I'll just be running the lights from 10pm to 10am? The garage has R19 insulation in the ceiling and soon I will build a box around the garage doors and fill with insulation but already its 94F in there when its 100F outside so I think its pretty well insulated. Thanks a lot

 

[Herb & Suds]

Do you think I can get by with a 3 ton mini split instead of a 4 ton since I'll just be running the lights from 10pm to 10am? The garage has R19 insulation in the ceiling and soon I will build a box around the garage doors and fill with insulation but already its 94F in there when its 100F outside so I think its pretty well insulated. Thanks a lot

I think you have your heart set on that 3 ton
If you do you could add lights till you determine maximum load it will take
But I think you are going to be short with all the other equipment in the room
I've never said man I have too good of cooling but everyone has been in the position of "shit Im short"

Usually resulting in trying to nurse this one run home

 

[iamcolin]

I think you have your heart set on that 3 ton
If you do you could add lights till you determine maximum load it will take
But I think you are going to be short with all the other equipment in the room
I've never said man I have too good of cooling but everyone has been in the position of "shit Im short"

Usually resulting in trying to nurse this one run home

Yeah I guess I was set on the 3 ton but I think the 4 ton can work if I can run a 50 ft lineset and put it in the backyard. There's two spots where I can place the mini split. One would be on the wall facing the street and the outside unit would just sit on the other side of the same wall. That's where I would prefer the 3 ton because its half the size of the 4 ton and more lowkey for neighbors.
The only other place it could work is on the opposite wall and I would need to get a 50 ft lineset and then I could run it to the backyard and the 4 ton would be ok. Do you think theres any issue running a 50 ft lineset? It would need to go around a corner too...thanks a lot for sharing what you know I appreciate it a lot man.

 

[UpstateRecGrower]

Do you think I can get by with a 3 ton mini split instead of a 4 ton since I'll just be running the lights from 10pm to 10am? The garage has R19 insulation in the ceiling and soon I will build a box around the garage doors and fill with insulation but already its 94F in there when its 100F outside so I think its pretty well insulated. Thanks a lot

I have a 2 ton mini for a sealed bloom room that runs at about 8000 watts in a basement that typically would stay in the 60's year round. It's barely enough, my temps get into the upper 80's, the only equipment inside the room is a pretty efficient dehumidifier, fans, and lights. I'd honestly be scared of a 3 ton in your climate.. I'd go with the 4..

 

[Aeroknow]

Yeah I guess I was set on the 3 ton but I think the 4 ton can work if I can run a 50 ft lineset and put it in the backyard. There's two spots where I can place the mini split. One would be on the wall facing the street and the outside unit would just sit on the other side of the same wall. That's where I would prefer the 3 ton because its half the size of the 4 ton and more lowkey for neighbors.
The only other place it could work is on the opposite wall and I would need to get a 50 ft lineset and then I could run it to the backyard and the 4 ton would be ok. Do you think theres any issue running a 50 ft lineset? It would need to go around a corner too...thanks a lot for sharing what you know I appreciate it a lot man.

Only prob with running a 50’ lineset is you’ll need more refrigerant. Most likely a tech to do that.
Most compressors have enough gas for 20-25’ of lineset max.
You def won’t be able to do that with a 3ton diy lineset on the mrcool.
And yeah. You most likely don’t have enough NFA of venting up above the garage for that portable so completely get that out of your head

 

[UpstateRecGrower]

Only prob with running a 50’ lineset is you’ll need more refrigerant. Most likely a tech to do that.
Most compressors have enough gas for 20-25’ of lineset max.
You def won’t be able to do that with a 3ton diy lineset on the mrcool

They have small cans of 410 you can buy, He could use a kitchen scale to add in whatever additional is required, or he could just run it the way it is and have a hair less efficiency..

 

[Aeroknow]

They have small cans of 410 you can buy, He could use a kitchen scale to add in whatever additional is required, or he could just run it the way it is and have a hair less efficiency..

I can tell from his posts, from the fact he started out wanting/hoping that the portable would work, and that he mentioned the diy mrcool, that he’s never installed a minisplit. Firing up your first minisplit AND adding refrigerant is prob a no go. I would imagine.

 

[UpstateRecGrower]

I can tell from his posts, from the fact he started out wanting/hoping that the portable would work, and that he mentioned the diy mrcool, that he’s never installed a minisplit. Firing up your first minisplit AND adding refrigerant is prob a no go. I would imagine.

You’re probably right..

 

[iamcolin]

]

I can tell from his posts, from the fact he started out wanting/hoping that the portable would work, and that he mentioned the diy mrcool, that he’s never installed a minisplit. Firing up your first minisplit AND adding refrigerant is prob a no go. I would imagine.

You are correct.

 

[iamcolin]

I have a 2 ton mini for a sealed bloom room that runs at about 8000 watts in a basement that typically would stay in the 60's year round. It's barely enough, my temps get into the upper 80's, the only equipment inside the room is a pretty efficient dehumidifier, fans, and lights. I'd honestly be scared of a 3 ton in your climate.. I'd go with the 4..

Thanks man I appreciate the input

 

[farmerjoe420]

That commercial portable unit is going to disappoint you. There trash. We have big ones at a building at my work and they can’t even cool a large meeting room with it when it’s hot.

 

[ebcrew]

It isn't the square footage that is at issue it is the heat load in the footage

Absolutley but he'd have to hire someone to do a load calc. Not just some equation found on the internet. Its more then that. What im saying is that a 1.5 ton can cool 400sq ft in the florida heat, im sure a 3 ton is more then enough for him.

 

[frogyrogy]

Only prob with running a 50’ lineset is you’ll need more refrigerant.

They sell a coupler kit to connect the pre-charged lines sets together, supposedly without additional refrigerant, if you need a run longer than the 25'.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Here is a thought
How about 2 two and a half ton mini-splits with 2 each air handlers

Either way
Even if you have to upsize the suction line on a larger unit
Any qualified a/c tech can charge the system for a few hundred bucks
since this is a legal grow

I never concerned myself with other peoples business and in general that attitude paid pretty well Pre-legal

 

[Apalchen]

Mr cool makes a 4-5 ton split with diy line sets and couplers the 50 ft shouldn’t be an issue. The only difference is the inside unit is like a regular furnace instead of a mini split head.

 

[T-ronik]

If you can't knock a hole in the wall it probably means your renting. Running an unlicensed commercial grow in a rental might not be the greatest idea.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[iamcolin]

If you can't knock a hole in the wall it probably means your renting. Running an unlicensed commercial grow in a rental might not be the greatest idea.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Haha nah just a wife whose not thrilled with growing weed at her new house. I found a spot where the roof meets the wall and I can feed the lineset so she chilled out and we are good to go. I'm just going with the 3 ton. I ran a 5 light bloom room during the daytime in a less insulated space with an 18,000 btu window ac and it was ok. So I double the lights, double the ac btu and upgrade from window to minsplit and have a more insulated space.. im just gonna buy the mr cool 3 ton and get started.

Thanks for all the comments fellas

 

[ebcrew]

Haha nah just a wife whose not thrilled with growing weed at her new house. I found a spot where the roof meets the wall and I can feed the lineset so she chilled out and we are good to go. I'm just going with the 3 ton. I ran a 5 light bloom room during the daytime in a less insulated space with an 18,000 btu window ac and it was ok. So I double the lights, double the ac btu and upgrade from window to minsplit and have a more insulated space.. im just gonna buy the mr cool 3 ton and get started.

Thanks for all the comments fellas

Hire a licensed contractor. It will be worth it for warranty purposes and if anything goes wrong and you need a technician to come out in an emergency.

 

[iamcolin]

Hire a licensed contractor. It will be worth it for warranty purposes and if anything goes wrong and you need a technician to come out in an emergency.

Thanks for the tip. I'll call around and see what the what they'd charge.

 

[T-ronik]

Haha nah just a wife whose not thrilled with growing weed at her new house. I found a spot where the roof meets the wall and I can feed the lineset so she chilled out and we are good to go. I'm just going with the 3 ton. I ran a 5 light bloom room during the daytime in a less insulated space with an 18,000 btu window ac and it was ok. So I double the lights, double the ac btu and upgrade from window to minsplit and have a more insulated space.. im just gonna buy the mr cool 3 ton and get started.

Thanks for all the comments fellas

Good luck mate