Air conditioning solutions

Jriggs

Jriggs

Well-Known Member
Ok i know i need a separate air conditioner for my shed i have a grow box in.

A swamp cooler wont work and venting air in 90-100 degree weatehr out of a shed this year will still be 90-100 degree weaterh (add to that 10-20 degrees for the light and it being in the direct sun).

1) cheapest solution a window unit, but i cant handg it out of a shed window -- so does anyoen know about putting it on a stand and venting a window unit out (cover the back exaust and using duckting to extract the heat).

2) can you use a car airconditioner? they are small, and i think thye woudl take littel electricity -- if i new how to hook one up to a outlet ... this would be an interesting option ..

3) I know ill end up doing -- somehow cause of course its the most expensive -- lol a portable air contioner vented to a screened window and taped up to it.

thanks ...
 
gotcha1st

gotcha1st

Active Member
Jriggs said:
Ok i know i need a separate air conditioner for my shed i have a grow box in.

2) can you use a car airconditioner? they are small, and i think thye woudl take littel electricity -- if i new how to hook one up to a outlet ... this would be an interesting option ..

3) I know ill end up doing -- somehow cause of course its the most expensive -- lol a portable air contioner vented to a screened window and taped up to it.

thanks ...
Click to expand...
i have always thought about the car air conditioner.i think you could use a AC motor to turn the compressor. 1 day ill try doing something like this.:joint::peace:
The portable air conditioner would be the easiest way but most expensive.
 
B

bfq

Well-Known Member
the problem with a window shaker AC is not just the hot air coming out the back, but the compressor itself gets hot... also, they are designed to work with the front isolated from the back.... what i have done before with them on numerous occasions is built a false wall for them. inside your shed, build another wall to mount the AC through. just let the hot side of the AC blow into the area created by the false wall and then vent it out from there... a simple stovepipe chimney should be plenty sufficient. this will keep all the hot stuff from the AC out of the grow environment.

as for a car AC, it could work, but you would probably be best suited starting with new parts rather than junkyard parts and i am sure the cost would rapidly exceed the cost of a portable.

this: https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/74448-approx-8-20degree-dyi-chiller.html looks pretty interesting however.
 
wheelerman420

wheelerman420

Well-Known Member
As i am a mechanic, and the car ac would require a substantial amount of amps to turn an ac commpressor with enuff power and rpms to actually pump the freon. Then u would have to set your condenser outside and blow a fan on it to cool the coils. next u would only put the evaporator inside with another fan blowing the cold air off of it. I really think the false wall, or a portable ac would b youe best bet. or if u couldnt do a wall, make a box about 1 and a half to two the size of ac, slide ac in to window spot, seal around edges(keep in mind ul need about 3 to 6 inches of venting around ac in side of box). vent backside of ac "BOX", and u would have an indoor outdoor ac.
 
Jriggs

Jriggs

Well-Known Member
wheelerman420 said:
As i am a mechanic, and the car ac would require a substantial amount of amps to turn an ac commpressor with enuff power and rpms to actually pump the freon. Then u would have to set your condenser outside and blow a fan on it to cool the coils. next u would only put the evaporator inside with another fan blowing the cold air off of it. I really think the false wall, or a portable ac would b youe best bet. or if u couldnt do a wall, make a box about 1 and a half to two the size of ac, slide ac in to window spot, seal around edges(keep in mind ul need about 3 to 6 inches of venting around ac in side of box). vent backside of ac "BOX", and u would have an indoor outdoor ac.
Click to expand...

Thanks -- that settles my car AC question -- I think im going to end up with the portable AC unit -- its jsut they are pricey and I wont have money for it till the 15th. hopefully the temps stay down till then.
 
P@ssw0rd

P@ssw0rd

New Member
I had been considering different ac configurations lately myself, Boxing in a window unit crossed my mind but then i remembered the steady drip of runoff condensation that i always see coming from them and dismissed the idea. Would this not be a problem somehow? Or do you just run a drain line along side your vent?

I assume there would still be condensation in the portable units, how do they handle it? Tank, drain line? Just lookig for more info

Thanks
P@ssw0rd
 
wheelerman420

wheelerman420

Well-Known Member
I just bougfht two of the walmart 89 dollar 5050 btu air conditioners. THEY DONT HAVE DRIP HOLES. you can hear the water splooshing around, but nothing comes out. apparently it evaporates, or a fan blows on it outward, also cooling the condensor and compressor. Just a thought tho, also i have a dif brand small ac made by frigidair, it also has no drain holes, but has the sounds comming from it constantly. also u can c the water vapor coming out of vents from time to time. but if u did have to do something about the water, i dont c why u couldn't drill a little hole in the lowest back part of ac casing, insert valve, plug, whatever u prefer, then run ur hose outside, ride beside ur vent. The box around the ac would have to be 3-6 inches bigger than ac on all the sides where all vent ports are. This could work, i have an idea, but i have already set up duct work and fans for a stealthy ac unit for my closet. a whole ac unit would have been an overkill.

Best of luck, hope to c some pics of box if u have to do that route.
 
P@ssw0rd

P@ssw0rd

New Member
Yeah i have some experience with those cheapo ac units with no drain but in that experience i have always had to punch holes or it filled with water. But i guess you could always have thrown a drain on there but then you have to mount it high to allow gravity to drain it.
 
wheelerman420

wheelerman420

Well-Known Member
Well u could make the box pityched floor so water ran down to back corner, funnel into outlet hole. For water to drain(i used to install gutter systems) it just has to slightly off level, hell with perfectly level surface water will just fill up until it reached the lowest point of its retaining wall. for lining bottom of box to prevent rot or mold or anything, i would suggest siding coil stock. it kinda high, but u can use it for a lot of things, it come in a 24"x50' roll. its thick guage aluminum. Can be bent to cap over anything. I dunno, just an idea.
 
nickfury510

nickfury510

Well-Known Member
bfq said:
the problem with a window shaker AC is not just the hot air coming out the back, but the compressor itself gets hot... also, they are designed to work with the front isolated from the back.... what i have done before with them on numerous occasions is built a false wall for them. inside your shed, build another wall to mount the AC through. just let the hot side of the AC blow into the area created by the false wall and then vent it out from there... a simple stovepipe chimney should be plenty sufficient. this will keep all the hot stuff from the AC out of the grow environment.

as for a car AC, it could work, but you would probably be best suited starting with new parts rather than junkyard parts and i am sure the cost would rapidly exceed the cost of a portable.

this: https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/74448-approx-8-20degree-dyi-chiller.html looks pretty interesting however.[/quote]

i just went and checked that out..that looks nuts..
Click to expand...
 
WWgrower

WWgrower

Well-Known Member
Not sure your budget but on e-bay they have a portable air conditioner it is a personal portable air conditioner 1000 btu. It is ventless and does dehumidifing also. It's sold by a company called air and water solutions. Something like that and there on sale now for 189 dollars. Not sure of the shipping but check it out. Thought about it myself but don't want to go that high on money.
 
nickfury510

nickfury510

Well-Known Member
WWgrower said:
Not sure your budget but on e-bay they have a portable air conditioner it is a personal portable air conditioner 1000 btu. It is ventless and does dehumidifing also. It's sold by a company called air and water solutions. Something like that and there on sale now for 189 dollars. Not sure of the shipping but check it out. Thought about it myself but don't want to go that high on money.
Click to expand...
you have a link...?..:joint:
 
WWgrower

WWgrower

Well-Known Member
Sorry don't have the post. Just go on e-bay and under the search put "personal air conditioners" and you'll see them. Good luck, let us know how it works out!
 
panhead

panhead

Well-Known Member
Dont fuck around with toy ass air conditioners trying to save a few bucks,if you need drastic cooling then go for what you know will work,here is something to think about.

Not only will you be running an air conditioner but with your light/s your running a space heater at the same time,if the air unit is too small it will never be able to catch up,end up costing you more cash in the long run from constantly running & still not do the cooling you need it to.

When you say your grow op is in a shed i envision an 6x8 or 10x10,in either case a little 5,000 btu unit will not work for you,ive tried & they are a waste,stick with 8,000 btu units,also the smaller no frills units leave you without the ability to tailor the cooling to exact temps,they have on/off/low/high & thats about it,maybe a silly button for more cool or less cool but thats not what you want or need,you need a digital temp so you can set the temp precisely where you need it,then the compressor kicks off when the desired temp is reached & only the fan runs.

Build the false wall & insulate it very well,when you cut the window opening for the air unit make sure its level,after installing the unit put a shim under the front so all the water will run to the back of the unit,then shim one front corner a little higher than the other,this way all the water will run directly to the drain hole on the back.

After that hang a 5 gallon plastic bucket directly under the drain hole,attach a garden hose to the bottom of the bucket & run the hose through a small hole you'll drill at the bottom of the INNER FALSE WALL,you'll be running the water right back into the grow area & into an empty 5 gallon pail,this will take care of any water/humidity problems & you'll get purified water to water your plants with.

To get rid of the heat build up go to home depot & buy a standard roofing vent,they only cost $7 each,then buy a cheap non adjusting floor register cover for $5,install the floor register near ground level & the roof vent directly over top the ac unit.

Trust me on this,you need an 8,000 btu digital,they can be had for less than $200 at any home depot,your temps & humidity will be 100% at your control,im not using shed's for my grow op's but the building i am using is very hot & humid,im using the false wall i described above in several rooms with excellent sucess & i can be within a few degrees of being dead on what ever temp i set it at,if the temps are fine & dont need cooling you can set it only to dehumidify.

The reason im dead sure those lil shittin ass el cheapo air units wont work worth a shit is because i tried them before i went to the 8,000 btu models.

When your finished it should look something like this from inside the grow area.

 
Hawk

Hawk

Well-Known Member
How about a mini split AC unit? They're more expensive then window units but they "split" the functions of the AC into two separate parts. The air handler is inside but the compressor and condenser (the hot part) stays outside. The two parts are connected by lines that carry the power, refrigerant, etc.


Google Images sourced photo of a mini-split unit:


In the end, it may be cheaper/easier than building ventilated false walls or enclosure boxes for a window unit. Maybe, maybe not--I don't know. But it's an option worth considering.
 
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BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Jriggs said:
Ok i know i need a separate air conditioner for my shed i have a grow box in.

A swamp cooler wont work and venting air in 90-100 degree weatehr out of a shed this year will still be 90-100 degree weaterh (add to that 10-20 degrees for the light and it being in the direct sun).

1) cheapest solution a window unit, but i cant handg it out of a shed window -- so does anyoen know about putting it on a stand and venting a window unit out (cover the back exaust and using duckting to extract the heat).

2) can you use a car airconditioner? they are small, and i think thye woudl take littel electricity -- if i new how to hook one up to a outlet ... this would be an interesting option ..

3) I know ill end up doing -- somehow cause of course its the most expensive -- lol a portable air contioner vented to a screened window and taped up to it.

thanks ...
Click to expand...

A car AC unit is good for about 25 HP. Find a single/2 phase 25 HP electric motors and then look at the electrical usage.

Window unit.
 
ganjagoddess

ganjagoddess

Well-Known Member
WALMART!!! $99.99 5000btu portable air conditioner!! WALMART!!!!

I use two of them, and like it better than when we had a single 10,000btu.
 
wheelerman420

wheelerman420

Well-Known Member
for real ganja...I bought 3 of them. I like them batter than the central unit i used to have. I bought the 89 dollar ones tho. For indoor grow, one in the
room next to grow works awsome!!
 
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