Ideal-Air Commercial Air Conditioner - 21,000 BTU. Will This Work For My Situation??

i suppose it may be overkill. but i can not find any other portable a/c units on the market that let you hood up the ports directly to your grow tent. i am running 2x1000w lights in a 4x8 tent. the temps are not that far off from being ideal, however the frame i am using to vent out the heat on my current a/c unit and exhaust is not 100% snug. and my room is not sealed. i need to figure out a way to seal my tent before i spend all the cash on this unit, i know this. however, i am renting and my not be able to seal my room up as i want or even as it should be. i also want to run any a/c unit i can find to blow cold air into my tent, AND into the room. i know if i can find something to shoot 65-70 air into my tent, i should be able to cool my lights enough to be in the 75 range almost consistently. i have a 10,000btu a/c currently and it is okay, but not the best. i also need to put it back into my veg room. i really can't make any high dollar decisions atm, but hopefully i will be able to soon.

those things are pricey though aren't they? like well over $1500?

My buddy has 2x1000 magnum/lumatek combos in a 4x8 tent. He has a 15,000 portable unit INSIDE the tent and he keeps it on energy saver on 75 and it stays 78-79 all the time. Its an lg and he got it at home depot like 2 weeks ago for 529 plus local tax. Ducting from the ac unit has to be insulated or heat will pour from the exhaust also vent it outside the whole room not just the tent. Oh and the unit is a dehum too. GL

yeah fuck that shit thats dumb!!! those portable a/c units you can get at HD are not sealed in the back and they leak heat everywhere. i have a decent LG and it has some nice features 10kBTU and i was told the same thing by only 1 grower. and imo not a great one. my unit leaks all kinda of heat out. one of the reasons i would really like to get a more industrial unit and not an at home unit. i already have an at home unit and i like it. last summer i was loving it! in a smaller room, and in a smaller tent and with only 1x1000w it works AWESOME!!!! but not in a set up twice the size in every aspect. i suppose that could work depending on the style of a/c you can find but them at HD ain't that good. plus i like to cram as many plants in my tent as possible. an a/c would compromise a few plants worth of space. all i did is turn the ballast down to 600w for now, til i can get 600w bulbs or figure out how to take out about 10-15 degrees worth of heat. i do appreciate the input though. 

I'm wondering the exact same thing.
Anyone know of a reasonably priced, in and out-ductable, portable AC unit that would be able to handle the heat of 2 1000 watt HPS's?
For my forthcoming project a window unit will not be an option, obvious red flag in the wintertime to passersby, and won't be able to do a mini-split system as it will be a rented home. Anyone?

minisplits are no big deal in a rented home. it's just a little minor cosmetic repair work afterward (patch a hole) and that's it. you can take it with you when you leave.

those ideal air or the kwikool units are the only truly vented portable a/c's with dual chambers that i know off. they are pricey though. i know the kwikool 2 ton unit goes for like $3000.

Thanks for that info, nuglets. I thought that there was a lot more involved with the mini splits; ducting through the attic, copper wires running to a unit outside, etc.
It will be a legal grow, but if indeed it does include an outside unit, I wouldn't want to draw the attention of either the owner or some unscrupulous types.
Approximately how much $ are they going for?
I'm looking at vegging 12 and flowering 12, so I'd need a fair bit of AC year-round.
3 grand just seems excessive.

Something like one of these?

http://www.justminisplits.com/products/single_zone_lg_mini_split.php

I wonder what the install costs would run, as well.

lg is definitely on the higher end. check out www.minisplitwarehouse.com they have some cheaper brands. always a good idea to oversize them so they don't run as much; more efficient on your electricity bill. you can hide the compressor anywhere outside. put some plants around it. i don't think the install is all that much. basically just need to charge the lines. maybe $300. not sure though. never used one before. i'm water cooled with a chiller.

A Chiller you say? Would you please provide a link so I can see what you mean?
What is the benefit of the chiller over an AC? Feasability of install in a rental?

check out the first page of my journal. the link is in my sig.

check out hydro innovations website. go to the "videos" tab and watch those. they are pretty informative. www.hydroinnovations.com

chillers are 40% more efficient than a/c units and require no professional installation. seriously, a 12 year old could hook it up. in a rental unit you would have no problem getting a chiller. you don't have to drill any holes or anything. 2hp or less and the unit can sit in your window or on a pad outside. 3hp or more then it just needs to sit outside. looks like a normal condensor for a central air system. they are expensive though but you will make the money back on your electricity bill in no time. i have 3,000w plus 2 Co2 generators, and a reservoir coil all in 2 8x8 tents and y 2hp chiller cools them all and the air in my tents. and i live in a really warm climate and my tents are in the garage which is super hot.

i have thought about doing the water chilled hood/cooler thing. it is about the same price as the big Ideal air unit i want, after my discount. actually it maybe a few hundred cheaper to run water chilled hoods. so, lets say one where to go that route. i have thought about that rout and it may work for me. shit it was 68 in one spot inside my tent and 75 n another. i just want to be able to run both my lights on full power, 1000w each! but i have to dim it down to 600w for now. i could put the resi and the water chiller in my bathroom and just keep the door closed. like i do now. i need to make it only about 10 degrees colder. and ill be golden this summer with all the watts!!! i also have a issue of my Arcadia door being slightly cracked due to the frame i made for the exhaust. shit i also need a damn carbon filter. &$#@ ME!!!!!

best decision i ever mad man. seriously. they are so efficient and a 2 year old can set them up. literally just plug and play. the chillers make heat though so you want to stick them outside or in a window like an a/c so that they can exhaust that heat. maybe in a room that is air cooled but not in a closed bathroom. eventually the air will get so warm that it won't cool the chiller.

check this thread out. https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/511767-water-cooled-grow-rooms.html this guy knows his shit and helped me out a ton. even got me a discount on the equipment.

Way overkill...their 21k BTU unit is good for a 4k watt sealed room with a CO2 generator.

ECHydroceuticals said:

Way overkill...their 21k BTU unit is good for a 4k watt sealed room with a CO2 generator.

Click to expand...

what is way overkill? a chiller?

nuglets said:

what is way overkill? a chiller?

Click to expand...

Both...this is a 2k watt grow...in a tent. If it was an oversized permanently constructed room then Ideal-Air's 12k unit would at least make sense. Oversizing a dehumidifier is a good idea...air conditioners on the other hand...bigger isn't always better. And I think a chiller is excessive...again...only need to cool two lights here.

a/c size depends a lot on room environment and ambient temps where you are growing. you say that oversizing a dehumidifier is a good idea but an a/c no? you oversize both of them for the same reason...efficiency. they are both motor load equipment which means they have high electrical draws and moving parts. anything that is a motor load or heat pump should be oversized because they are not meant for continuous use. i agree with you that 21,000btu may be overkill but I can't say that for sure. this dude could be running a tent in a garage that get's to 100 degrees and he has to run the lights during the day for some reason. none of us know why. maybe he's thinking of expanding later on and doesn't want to have to worry about getting a whole new a/c if he does. plus you stated that a 21,000btu a/c is rated for 4 lights. a/c units are NEVER rated for lights. every room is different.

as far as chillers go, i don't think you know what you are talking about. chillers are only slightly more expensive than high end a/c units and are 40% more efficient. they are ideal for small grows and sealed rooms. they make chillers as cheap as $750 that would cool 2 lights. how can something be overkill if it's rated for exactly what you are trying to do. i use chillers for a reason; not only does it allow me to seal my rooms but it saves me a ton on electricity. do some research on chillers and water cooling bro. you might surprise yourself.

You're right...they aren't rated for lights, but a good rule of thumb is 4k BTUs of cooling capacity per 1k of lighting. Oversizing an A/C is never a good idea...a dehumidifier is ok because it will remove more moisture in a shorter period of time...and power draw between a 60 pint and a 100 pint aren't all that different...with an A/C the larger unit cycling on and off will have a harder time removing moisture...causing your dehumidifier to run more often...evening out your bill...and the difference between 12k's power draw and 21k's power draw is significant. If he's growing in a garage that gets 100 degrees than he should spend $200 on lumber and insulation...not an extra $1000 on an oversized AC.

4,000btu may be a good rule of thumb but rules of thumb go out the window real quick in most grow rooms. if you have a 100degree garage I don't care whay kind of construction you do, you are going to have increased cooling needs. you always oversize your a/c; by your own logic if you don't oversize your a/c it is going to run nonstop or more often whcih increases your power draw. i'm not saying the op needs a 21,000btu unit but telling someone to not oversize and a/c is just stupid advice. you want them to trade having their dehumidifier run less so that they can get their a/c to run more. retarded logic dude. you just basically proved my point.

If you can find a credible HVAC publication that recommends installing an oversized air conditioner I'd be interested in reading it...a dehumidifier will only run at night (lights off) with a properly sized A/C. A dehumidifier will run (close to) continuously with an oversized A/C in a sealed room...creating heat...causing the A/C to cycle more frequently.