Mini Split or regular unit?

[Steel Erection]

Hey family, possibly lookin at doin another build out in the near future. The new flower room would be approximately 21 x 12, It'll be sealed fairly well running 10,000-12,000 watts air cooled hoods in a closed loop. Ballasts will not be in the room. Maybe a dehuey, pumps, timers, fans etc. The room will be insulated fairly well. Now by my calculations I am gonna need a 5 ton unit. Should I buy 2 mini splits or 1 good regular 5 ton unit. What would the pros and cons be on both? Which do you think would last longer. I'm pretty sure Im gonna run a mini split in the veg room I'm only gonna run 4-5000 watts in there. Lets hear what you guys think. I've been growin for a few years and I think one of the biggest mistakes new growers make is buying things that either they are going to wind up replacing or don't need. I wasted a lot of money till I got a little seasoned. I don't want to make the wrong decision on this one as it looks it may be a permanent build. Lets hear what you guys have to say. Thanks-SE

 

[Seed Buyer]

Given that the hoods are air cooled and your walls are insulated you could run a 4 ton unit. I would run a 4.0 ton with a central duct down the middle of the room. Mini splits do not move the air around a large room like you have. I would look at the Excel Air systems. They are plug and play pre charged units that do not require a professional hvac guy to install.

 

[blazer]

Two mini splits! one on each side of the room facing each other! Will do great!
Good to have 2 if 1 goes down you got some cooling! :stonedsmilie:

 

[mello]

Be careful if you choose to go with Excel. I've had some serious issues with their customer service; after ordering a unit they repeatedly lied that it had been shipped. For weeks it didn't show and they kept stringing me along until finally they told me they were waiting on parts for the my stealth box.

Best bet is to find an HVAC guy who can get you a real deal AC, not some overpriced bs with an inflated price for the cannabi$$$ industry.

 

[sealed138]

/\ /\ /\ this

You can usually find someone on Craigslist who is an authorized retailer that will sell you a new air handler and condenser. . Put it in place yourself and have a hvac guy hook up the freon. Then run your ducting. Way cheaper than excel. More powerful than a mini split.

You will be very happy with a dedicated central air system.
Complete control year round.

 

[Papa]

i wonder how the energy efficiency compares between the two?

also, i'm familiar with how mini-splits are very effective de-humidifiers . . . . . are regular units also?

 

[Seed Buyer]

Some mini splits have inverters and can be rated as a high as 20 seers, but these are more expensive than the non inverter mini splits most people are running. Most 1 ton mini splits ans larger split ac's on the market run around 13-15 seer. The higher the ser rating the more energy efficient but also more expensive to buy. All ac's regardless if it is a mini split, standard split, window unit or package system are basically over glorified dehumidifiers. That is why all ac units have a condensation line running out of the house or building.

 

[Seed Buyer]

The nice thing about plug and play ac's like units by Excel Air and Frost Box is anonymity. Even if I was in a legal med state I would not want some HVAC tech making $20 an hour knowing where my grow is located. I would rather pay an extra grand or so and not have my 15 light grow ripped.

 

[sealed138]

That is why you have it installed before any lights/ accessories go up.
Ac should be one of the first things done on a build.
I don't even run my ducting until after ac guy leaves.
( this was before I lived in a med state. Now I have a trustworthy hvac tech.)

 

[sealed138]

i wonder how the energy efficiency compares between the two?

also, i'm familiar with how mini-splits are very effective de-humidifiers . . . . . are regular units also?

I'd say for smaller setups mini split would be the way to go, but when u need 5 tons or more of cooling power you're better off with central air.

 

[green punk]

Will mini split turn back on if you have a power outage? Do the evaporators act as a dehumidifier. I m looking into getting a samsung. Super tired of floor unit portable.

 

[sealed138]

Yes and yes

 

[djstiks]

mitsubishi mr slims are hands down top shelf.

 

[Steel Erection]

Given that the hoods are air cooled and your walls are insulated you could run a 4 ton unit. I would run a 4.0 ton with a central duct down the middle of the room. Mini splits do not move the air around a large room like you have. I would look at the Excel Air systems. They are plug and play pre charged units that do not require a professional hvac guy to install.

This is pretty much what I was thinkin but i would want to go with the 5 ton. I want that room to be whatever temp I set it at. But yeah a central duct right down the center. Although I do like the sound of two mini splits facing each other. I like it because of the back up.

John or any of you pros have any input on this since it is your field of expertise?

Thanks guys - SE

 

[blazer]

Ya bro done it in alot of server rooms which were critical so they needed the safety of two units!:stonedsmilie:

 

[opt1c]

two units working at min load are better than one maxed out all the time... added a second unit to my room and its totally dialed now... will say that the mitsubishi units are a bit more tricked out than the fujitsu... and thats just the remotes lol... but i got a 36k btu fujitsu and a 24k btu mitsubishi; can't wait to see what happens come summer and the temps push 110

 

[sealed138]

With a central air unit and a duct running down the center there is no maxed out.
It is either running or it's not. So as long as your room is well insulated and your ac is sized right it shouldn't run constantly.
They are reliable machines that work well even on hot days ( that's when they get used the most).

 

[Seed Buyer]

You have to be careful not to oversize your ac or the unit cycle on and off constantly causing unnecessary power usage while waring the components down faster. The problem with mini splits in a large room are the smaller blowers with in the handlers. A 2 ton mini split might have a 450 ish cfm fan where as a 4 or 5 ton split system will probable have a 2000 cfm fan. That larger fan is going to distribute cool air around the room much more evenly. If you had an unlimited budget (4) 1 ton 20 seer mini splits placed evenly around the room would be the ticket. However that would leave a cluster fuck of condensers outside and a mess of refrigerant line to deal with.

 

[CannabisJohn]

I'm a pro (as some of you know). For energy usage and reliability I would install 2 ductless minis. The 4-5 ton main air unit has 1 speed so it's either on full blast or off.
An inverter style mini can match heat load and speed of compressor therefore it may run longer (removes more humidity) but overall it uses less electricity. Also with 2 units you have more reliability. Just my 2 cents. As far as air distribution one main unit with proper duct work will distribute air better. But with all the air movement in the room by the fans we install, it should not be a problem with 2 minis on opposite walls lengthwise.

 

[Steel Erection]

Thank you all for your responses. John sealed the deal 2 mini splits. Looks like the Mitsubishi or the Fujutsu. I think I remember reading that the Fujitsus ran at low ambient temps does anyone have any experience with these units working in below zero temps?- SE