Minisplit outside in Michigan winters

jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
I'm installing 4 split systems. Two 4 tons with heat pumps and 2 regular 5 tons totalling 18 tons. I'll be running 48 lights.

Anyways, I've had large window ACs fail on me during winter as the compressor is cold I believe. Lost a crop before. Can't happen again.

So I heard theres a special tech I need to make sure my unit has, it's a thermostat for the outdoor unit.

I've also considered placing them inside, in a shed, ECT...

What do y'all do?
 
chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
since 2008 I did have one large window unit fail for the ice. there was a bit of water frozen in the catch and the fan blade was stuck in it, burned up the motor as it attempted to cycle until I got temp alert phone call and replaced it. I keep a new one on standby in a box, with new ballasts, a spare dehuey, bulbs, etc.
I hope theres a solution for you/this !
 
jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
Well the problem is the unit needs to produce Heat in order to produce cool air. So if it's unable to get hot it cannot get cold. I'm going to be calling an HVAC tech. I think I just might put them in a $800 shed from Lowe's. One with two windows and large fans. That way the units kept out of the elements. But it will diminish the efficiency in warmer months if you're not moving enough air. I imagine.

When your in upper Michigan by the lake the climates totally different. It's may and we still have frost at night. It begins to snow as early as late October.

I plan on putting up a large greenhouse next year. With the black out curtains n all.

Also I know medicrropper had a similar setup in Washington, it was 16-20 tons and he was able to just use two 12" Vortex fans. I'm gonna try to ask him. I know things have been crazy since he tore down his setup...

If anyone else can help let me know and drop some knowledge feel free to let me know
 
Budley Doright

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Some ductless are designed for cold weather cooling re server rooms and some have addon kits. Don't put the units in a building unless you can ventilate the hell out of it in the summer. The units should have pan heaters or you'll be replacing fans and or boards depending on location (facing prevailing winds) Have you choosen any possible makes yet? Keep me posted and I'll help if I can. My company sells on average 5 systems a week :).
 
jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
I have natural gas and a furnace but I didn't wanna have to run the ducting, then deal with odor control just to have them fight each other. Although it would be more efficient To mount the furnace thermostat in the room and so on, my experience tells me that odor controls worse enemy is a furnace. So I figured I'd bite the bullet and get two heats pumps and two regular splits. (2) 5 ton units and (2) 4 ton units as they don't have heat pumps for the 5 tons.

I'm going to be running 48 lights, (2) 24kw rooms So they'll be off.

I did consider running just two splits and then exchanging air back n forth but it's not ideal.

I'll make sure I get a crank case heater with the model I purchase. Now is that needed for all 4 or just two with heat pumps?

Also I know that there's a 5 year warranty on the compressor. So maybe I should just say fuck it.

I'mma call the company tomorrow.

I would like to just get 4 of the same model but the short summer can have days in the upper 80s.

Only way to tell is to just jump in feet first. I'm going from a 16 light room to this. It's a different game.

Now to find two dueys....

Fun fun fun...

Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted n you feel free to keep the conversation going.
 
jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
It has a crank case heater inside it and auto defrost settings so I'm good. I'm just going to get 4 of them for now. See how it goes. Probably end up needing more eventually.
 
jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
I did consider that. I was just thinking of getting for 12 inch fans And filters and doing two in, two out.

Hydrocrunch has 1700cfm for $100. And I can get 12" tall filters for $1000 delivered. So it's $1400 but I'll save on a split unit and...... If I exchange the air back and forth in the rooms like that I don't really think I would need a Dewey... I imagine the AC would handle all my humidity. Hopefully.

Anyone know more about having one AC in two gardens?
 
Budley Doright

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Crankcase heaters keep the liquid refrigerant from migrating into the compressor when not on, that's a bad thing lol, and yup all ductless heat pumps use the windings to keep compressor warm. A few of the makes are design and certified for cold weather heating and if you check the specs it will show the btu output at certain temps. you will need aux. heat for the colder days and at a certain point the heat produced is not economically viable so you switch sources, it's called the Balance point. I believe Samsung has a heat strip in their head. As for using one central system for two environments you would probably want to Zone the system with two separate ducts and dampers, to meet the seperate requirements and two stage systems work well. Propane back up heat is cheaper here than electric but that's area dependent.
 
Budley Doright

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
nxsov180db said:
I'm basically doing that but on a smaller scale, I have 3x 4x8 tents that are on lighting cycles 8 hours apart in a sealed grow room with a 14kbtu a/c. The a/c in my setup is not enough to take the moisture out, I am not sure if it is because it does not run enough? Each of my tents goes through 5+ gallons per day (unless the plants are just starting out).
Click to expand...
If it's keeping room at temp and cycling off lots then yes most likely oversized. Try running the fan in low all the time, or dehum mode which is for the most part the same thing.
 
Carolina Dream'n

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
We had snow one year and I literally just made a small temporary hoop house over my mini split. 4 pieces of rebar. 2 pieces of pvc and some greenhouse plastic. Worked great
 
Go go n chill

Go go n chill

Well-Known Member
Most mini split companies make a "hyper heat " version that heats in sub zero conditions and they use very little electricity.im a Tech. The cooling might be a problem. You could use a fresh air intake set on a timer with a thermostat
 
Budley Doright

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Go go n chill said:
Most mini split companies make a "hyper heat " version that heats in sub zero conditions and they use very little electricity.im a Tech. The cooling might be a problem. You could use a fresh air intake set on a timer with a thermostat
Click to expand...
Quite a few are designed for cold weather cooling and are used in server rooms. If it's lower than -5 c then some require a baffle kit. Daiken and LG both have baffle kits. Even the "hyper heat" units will requir supplemental heat climate dependent.
 
Go go n chill

Go go n chill

Well-Known Member
Budley Doright said:
Quite a few are designed for cold weather cooling and are used in server rooms. If it's lower than -5 c then some require a baffle kit. Daiken and LG both have baffle kits. Even the "hyper heat" units will requir supplemental heat climate dependent.
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with the baffle kit, most companies here use lieberts for server room cooling. I'm going to check them out.
 
Budley Doright

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Yes lieberts are popular as well. A lot of the server rooms are now speced for ductless on plans. The ones I see a lot are the older water chilled units and we are switching them out for ductless.
 
jayjay777

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
I just got the crank case heater and another feature which will allow operation to -5° it says... I'm putting them up on cinder blocks. With 8' fence around it.

Now i ended up getting 3. I paid almost $7500.

The freight company just dropped them off. I was so pissed. I didn't get a phone call or sign anything. It's crazy. The younger version of me would be calling asking where they were getting 3 more sent to me or my money back.

But today's the day. Me and my buddy are going to install them. He does HVAC with license but I do everything myself too. He's mostly there to check leaks.

Headed to home Depot in an hour. Forgot to get #6 wire and few other things.... Rolling papers lol

But no, I'm going to try to do 2 24kw rooms. All scrubbers will just exchange air back n forth. But I'm force to mount 2 in one area and one in another.

Also, I do have natural gas and older furnace that I can light if things get too cold in winter night.

Hope I made a good investment.

Also, my electric went up! It was 12¢, now 14¢. Could that be because I started running my room in the day instead of at night? I wasn't notified of any increase.

My buddy wants me to buy this generator that he says will power everything using a fraction of the electric. I guess it's just a motor to alternator to inverter. I dunno I think he's crazy. There like 10k I think...

I'm babbling. I'll stop

Take care y'all. Wish me luck. Got a long day ahead.

Peace, Love & Respect

Jay
 
Go go n chill

Go go n chill

Well-Known Member
jayjay777 said:
I just got the crank case heater and another feature which will allow operation to -5° it says... I'm putting them up on cinder blocks. With 8' fence around it.

Now i ended up getting 3. I paid almost $7500.

The freight company just dropped them off. I was so pissed. I didn't get a phone call or sign anything. It's crazy. The younger version of me would be calling asking where they were getting 3 more sent to me or my money back.

But today's the day. Me and my buddy are going to install them. He does HVAC with license but I do everything myself too. He's mostly there to check leaks.

Headed to home Depot in an hour. Forgot to get #6 wire and few other things.... Rolling papers lol

But no, I'm going to try to do 2 24kw rooms. All scrubbers will just exchange air back n forth. But I'm force to mount 2 in one area and one in another.

Also, I do have natural gas and older furnace that I can light if things get too cold in winter night.

Hope I made a good investment.

Also, my electric went up! It was 12¢, now 14¢. Could that be because I started running my room in the day instead of at night? I wasn't notified of any increase.

My buddy wants me to buy this generator that he says will power everything using a fraction of the electric. I guess it's just a motor to alternator to inverter. I dunno I think he's crazy. There like 10k I think...

I'm babbling. I'll stop

Take care y'all. Wish me luck. Got a long day ahead.

Peace, Love & Respect

Jay
Click to expand...
I always use the flare sealant! It helps on those high pressure flares.and yes keep them off the ground! The small refrigerant lines down low will freeze and bust if not. Posts pics !
 
chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
Go go n chill said:
Most mini split companies make a "hyper heat " version that heats in sub zero conditions and they use very little electricity.im a Tech. The cooling might be a problem. You could use a fresh air intake set on a timer with a thermostat
Click to expand...

I think everyone with a sealed room today once used the outside cold air to do the job. This comes with its own set of issues depending upon your area, size of grow op etc.

heat tape on the bottom of the pan works great in the winter.
 
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