Portable AC or Mini Split?

So I got my 9x5 gorilla tent set up and when running my two LEDs my temps still hit over 90 when everything is sealed up. I tried what I call ghetto A/C (an inline fan blowing in cool air from outside the tent) to see if I could get my temp down to 85ish but that didn't work. I really want to go with a closed system so I can efficiently run CO2 but now need to work on getting my temp down 5-7 degrees. So my two options are portable AC or a mini split. I already have a 8000btu portable AC(need to have it shipped to me in CO from NY) but don't know 100% if it will solve my temp issue. This AC has a single exhaust hose which I've read aren't the most efficient as they use the air inside the room to cool the unit but using this would cost me 0$.

Now the other option is a mini split but I'm not quite sure how I'd make it work inside the tent? I assume I'd need to make a mounting board or something to put the unit on inside the tent. Would it be best to put the unit up top so it would better cool the room(cold air sinking) and not freeze the plants in front of it? Also what is needed for installation? I know there's two pieces to the unit(one inside tent and another that hoses connect to that cool the refrigerant) so I'd need a place to put the cooling unit, which isn't a problem. Now do u wire this thing right into a circuit or do you plug it into something? Could I wire it into a 240v cord and plug it into my MLC?

If someone who knows their stuff when it comes to mini splits could help me out it would be fucking awesome!

why wouldnt u just cool outside the tent in the room that its in? im sure the cold air would convect its way in right? they also have these cool portable AC units that u can put right in there and put a vent going out. I do have a friend that knows hvac and prolly about mini splits. Just wanted to give u a couple extra ideas! How much heat do those led's throw off?? maybe u have too many things running inside your tent, if u put the stuff outside of the tent then focus on keeping the outside tent cool it would prolly be perfect. Fans and other stuff give off heat and pumps idk what ur running. but yeah alls im saying is u might be able to tweak ur set up and get away without doing all that crazy ducting, even though itd be bad-ass

I use a standalone 1200btu unit.
I dont know if this is an option for you but i cut my unit into a wall so the intake/exhaust side is backed into a seperate room. I did this so i could have a sealed enviroment and also so my ac exhuast is free to be smelled from the outside world, elimnating the need to scrub stank filled air, since im only exhuasting air thats being pulled from a seperate room entirely.

Ive had zero problems with this i just run the 5 inch exhuast to a 5-8 reducer then have insulated 8inch ducting to a vent in my attic. I pull the insulation down over the reducer all the way up to the unit to help the warming of air around the intake.

Hope this helps and you can understand my rambling lol

there really is no comparing a portable ac to a minisplit. the mini wins hands down on everything. yes, mount it high, mine is 7" below ceiling.

The only thing inside the tent is two LEDs and 2 fans. The air outside the tent is in the low 70s ... I was pumping air from outside the tent into the tent and that didn't work. The whole point of a sealed room is so that there's no air exchange. The gorilla tent is so thick it wouldn't matter how cold it was outside the room it wouldnt have an impact on the temp inside. I wish they made an AC where the cold air came out of a hose that I could just feed into my tent. Theres no way I'm cutting into the tent so unfortunately that's outta the options. Pretty sure im just canning the whole CO2 idea cause it's already cost me about $700 for CO2 stuff and I don't have another G to drop on a mini split. Never ran CO2 before but figured with the LEDs supposedly not giving off any heat(thats not true!)I would have no issues running CO2.

NW2AZ said:

I use a standalone 1200btu unit.
I dont know if this is an option for you but i cut my unit into a wall so the intake/exhaust side is backed into a seperate room. I did this so i could have a sealed enviroment and also so my ac exhuast is free to be smelled from the outside world, elimnating the need to scrub stank filled air, since im only exhuasting air thats being pulled from a seperate room entirely.

Ive had zero problems with this i just run the 5 inch exhuast to a 5-8 reducer then have insulated 8inch ducting to a vent in my attic. I pull the insulation down over the reducer all the way up to the unit to help the warming of air around the intake.

Hope this helps and you can understand my rambling lol

Click to expand...

Are you talking about a portable unit with an exhaust or a window a/c? I have 2 portable 9000 btu a/cs but I cant figure a way to use them without exhausting air from the room with them. Im getting ready to run co2 in sealed rooms and have a diy chiller but would love to use the portables if I could. I was going to use them for dehumidifiers and put a small chiller coil on the back of it to cool the exhaust from it. My chiller will work but it is going to be alot of work to set it all up properly and time isnt on my side. If Im reading correctly you are only pumping air into the room since your intake and exhaust is on the outside of the room so wouldnt that be pumping air into your room and pressurizing?

Oh and to answer the question mini split obviously is the way to go if you have atleast a grand to drop on it and can hook it up yourself. I think you can get them now with the lines charged and quick connects but you have to run 220v to outdoor unit and 110v from outdoor unit to inside unit with lineset. Im a hvac technician and if you dont have electrical/mechanical experience I dont recommend trying to install without some assistance. It fairly simple with the precharged unit but you need to know some basics.

Mini split is more efficent. A single hose portable ac will waste your co2. I run a 8k portable and vent through the wall into the rest of my basement with no problems.

I say window unit, only because if it breaks you can just go get a new one and you don't have to call an A/C guy to fix it.

But then again I'm in an illegal state.

KrAzY80 said:

Oh and to answer the question mini split obviously is the way to go if you have atleast a grand to drop on it and can hook it up yourself. I think you can get them now with the lines charged and quick connects but you have to run 220v to outdoor unit and 110v from outdoor unit to inside unit with lineset. Im a hvac technician and if you dont have electrical/mechanical experience I dont recommend trying to install without some assistance. It fairly simple with the precharged unit but you need to know some basics.

Click to expand...

some are 120v plug in type also. if outdoor unit is 240 then inside unit is 240v fed from outside unit.

superstoner1 said:

some are 120v plug in type also. if outdoor unit is 240 then inside unit is 240v fed from outside unit.

Click to expand...

I installed LG's and all of them were 220v because they were heatpumps and the indoor is 120v that is fed from a step down transformer which controls the fan and swing operation on the indoor unit. Not that it really matters but both of us a right just depends on manufacturer and size of mini split. You can also get the 2 zone and cool a veg room and flower room.

The Count said:

The only thing inside the tent is two LEDs and 2 fans. The air outside the tent is in the low 70s ... I was pumping air from outside the tent into the tent and that didn't work. The whole point of a sealed room is so that there's no air exchange. The gorilla tent is so thick it wouldn't matter how cold it was outside the room it wouldnt have an impact on the temp inside. I wish they made an AC where the cold air came out of a hose that I could just feed into my tent. Theres no way I'm cutting into the tent so unfortunately that's outta the options. Pretty sure im just canning the whole CO2 idea cause it's already cost me about $700 for CO2 stuff and I don't have another G to drop on a mini split. Never ran CO2 before but figured with the LEDs supposedly not giving off any heat(thats not true!)I would have no issues running CO2.

Click to expand...

They do have the dual hose portable units that is just what you are asking for. The 2 hose are your exhaust hoses so their is no air exchange in the room you would just plumb the hoses out of your tent. I think they run 400-500. I have ran my grow op in my utility room with furnaces and hot water heater using the return off my basement air handler to pull through carbon filter - hood - through basement with minimal smell. Maybe just run your system simple right now for the first few grows and upgrade to co2 and sealed environment down the road. But a dual hose portable will work if you can afford it.

Krazy80 is right. Dual hose portable a/c for your particular setup. My setup will be similar to yours. I'm going to order the 5x9 gorilla tent but I will have 2x1000 watters inside. Pm me and I can tell you the exact dual hose a/c to buy

even the dual hose portables are pieces of shit. they are not sealed properly for what we are doing and a ton of enviroment and odor gets sucked out of room. plus the exhaust hose is like a huge heater. very, very, very inefficient. ive been there, dont waste your money. a 6k window unit will beat a 12k portable in cooling.

yes dual hose it the best a/c application for small rooms but on a budget most have whats on hand or can find used easily.

KrAzY80 said:

Are you talking about a portable unit with an exhaust or a window a/c? I have 2 portable 9000 btu a/cs but I cant figure a way to use them without exhausting air from the room with them. Im getting ready to run co2 in sealed rooms and have a diy chiller but would love to use the portables if I could. I was going to use them for dehumidifiers and put a small chiller coil on the back of it to cool the exhaust from it. My chiller will work but it is going to be alot of work to set it all up properly and time isnt on my side. If Im reading correctly you are only pumping air into the room since your intake and exhaust is on the outside of the room so wouldnt that be pumping air into your room and pressurizing?

Click to expand...

Yes stand alone, this creates positive pressure in the room but I have multiple exhaust fans pulling air out.
To create a sealed environment i simply turn the unit off.
This was the cheapest option for me and I havent had a heating or ventilation issue since I set it up months ago.

This does take a little knowhow with the power tools and of course sealing the edges of the unit air tight.

So basically you have only the outlet blowing cold air in and then exhaust fans pulling air out and you only run it when temps exceed set point and it sucks all the co2 out and refills to a sealed system.

Are your hoods vented outside of the system?

How often does it cycle and do you use alot of Co2 since its being sucked out?





Yes stand alone, this creates positive pressure in the room but I have multiple exhaust fans pulling air out.
To create a sealed environment i simply turn the unit off.
This was the cheapest option for me and I havent had a heating or ventilation issue since I set it up months ago.

This does take a little knowhow with the power tools and of course sealing the edges of the unit air tight.[/QUOTE]

My room is divided in half, veg/flower. Using 4 inch ducting and some small inline fans i pull the cold air from the unit to each side of the room. I create a temporary tent with mylar and velcro around the flowering plants and flood it with co2 at least once a day. My hoods that are in flower all are vented taking air from a separate room using a ho can fan. I also use two carbon filters on their own fans in separate areas of the room for odor removal and heat exhaust.

They do Google tripplite portable ac, has a 6 inch duct were the cold ac blows out and it's evaps the water so no need to dump water tray.

my 14,000btu portable 2 hose sucks 1090watts on high and was around $650 or so. mini split would be atleast twice that cost.