Portable A/C question

ETC · Jul 28, 2011

Hey all,

I'm setting up my first time indoor grow tent right now. (will be posting my pics and videos this weekend on the Grow Diaries forum) I have a question with portable a/c units. How do you get them to come on at the right time? The unit I have is about 5-6 years old, has a digital control pad and will not come back on with a wall timer. When the unit shuts off, you have to manually push the 'on' button to start it again.

So is there a way around this, or are there units you guys can recommend that will work with timers? :confused0059:

Thanks,
ETC

hiboy · Jul 28, 2011

Your model doesnt have a auto restart, so if it shuts off via timer it isnt gona turn back on. So the only way around it is to leave it at 75 degrees, if it gets cooler the fan will only operate, and if it goes over the 75 the chiller will turn on
h

ETC · Jul 29, 2011

hiboy said:
Your model doesnt have a auto restart, so if it shuts off via timer it isnt gona turn back on. So the only way around it is to leave it at 75 degrees, if it gets cooler the fan will only operate, and if it goes over the 75 the chiller will turn on
h

Thanks hiboy, I was afraid of that. My unit doesn't have a thermostat on it; only a high or low setting. Any suggestions for brand/model or where to get one that won't set me back a bundle?

hiboy · Jul 29, 2011

If you can shy away from a portable i would. Window bangers are alot better. alot.
get a dual hose unit, way better. i forget what brand i have at spot #2. will check tomorrow when im there.
your looking around the 400 dollar range for a nicer one.
h

jakesterjammin · Jul 29, 2011

hiboy said:
If you can shy away from a portable i would. Window bangers are alot better. alot.
get a dual hose unit, way better. i forget what brand i have at spot #2. will check tomorrow when im there.
your looking around the 400 dollar range for a nicer one.
h

Yes, I have to agree, the portables never really do any good when growing in hot southern states... Even in the north east where I'm at, they have still do not do well in the hot months..

I setup a lot of medical grows, and IMO you will be better off getting a chiller and adding a Heat Exchanger on the lamp... It will cost a little more up front, but you will save on electric in the long run...

A 1/4HP chiller and 50gal trash can will cool a 1000w lamp no problem... Then you can also add in some stainless steel tubing into your reservoir as well to cool down your res that temp becomes to high as well...

Again it will be a little more up front, but is much more versatile and cost efficient in the long run...

1/4HP chillers are like $360, and a Heat Exchanger for the lamp is like $120.. Then again you can use the same chiller to lower res temps as well...

:hi

Gaval · Jul 30, 2011

jakesterjammin said:
Yes, I have to agree, the portables never really do any good when growing in hot southern states... Even in the north east where I'm at, they have still do not do well in the hot months..

I setup a lot of medical grows, and IMO you will be better off getting a chiller and adding a Heat Exchanger on the lamp... It will cost a little more up front, but you will save on electric in the long run...

A 1/4HP chiller and 50gal trash can will cool a 1000w lamp no problem... Then you can also add in some stainless steel tubing into your reservoir as well to cool down your res that temp becomes to high as well...

Again it will be a little more up front, but is much more versatile and cost efficient in the long run...

1/4HP chillers are like $360, and a Heat Exchanger for the lamp is like $120.. Then again you can use the same chiller to lower res temps as well...

:hi

curious Ive never used a chiller before how does this cool the lights im having a hard time trying to picture how it will work

jakesterjammin · Jul 30, 2011

Gaval said:
curious Ive never used a chiller before how does this cool the lights im having a hard time trying to picture how it will work

Well the chiller is hooked into say a 50gal reservoir which chills that water...
So 50gal reservoir has a pump that runs the water through the Heat Exchangers (ob the output side of the cool hood), through the chiller (to be chilled down again) and back to the res...

You can also use Heat Exchangers for cooling the chamber..
Then again if your res temp is on the high side, you can use 1/2" stainless steel tubing coiled in the res to cool the res temps down as well...

So your three main components would be a 50gal tote or trash can, the heat exchanger, and the 1/4hp chiller, like the images attached...
Of course you need a good blower on the lamp too....

It's a REAL nice system when setup correctly.. ;)

RMCG · Jul 30, 2011

http://t3.invalid.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFRB5is2buL0fosO5YUwaa236JV3nzvDwZeaxhlrkgkcriZVwWIA

Or just forgo putting it on your reflector and mount the icebox on a thermostatically controlled fan.

jakesterjammin · Jul 31, 2011

RMCG said:
http://t3.invalid.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFRB5is2buL0fosO5YUwaa236JV3nzvDwZeaxhlrkgkcriZVwWIA

Or just forgo putting it on your reflector and mount the icebox on a thermostatically controlled fan.

Wow, that image shows the blower creating positive pressure, on the front side of the hood..

I always setup my blowers so it's on the other side of the heat exchanger, creating negative pressure...

:wondering

ETC · Jul 31, 2011

RMCG said:
Or just forgo putting it on your reflector and mount the icebox on a thermostatically controlled fan.

RMCG thank you so much! And to think I almost got a portable unit today at Fry's.

I like the thermostat/fan idea. I think that will got better with my small area. I'm growing in a Growlab 4'x4' with a 600w set up. Just enough space to grow some nice personal organic meds for me and few other patients. :harvest:

I'll link my diary when I get my pics loaded up.

Thanks,
ETC

ETC · Jul 31, 2011

I forgot to ask. What are the best sites for ordering supplies/equipment online? There are so many, I don't know which are reputable and wich aren't.

Thanks again,
ETC

lollipopman · Jul 31, 2011

Htgsupply.com , hidhut.com, bghydro.com, stay away from wormsway

jakesterjammin · Jul 31, 2011

ETC said:
I forgot to ask. What are the best sites for ordering supplies/equipment online? There are so many, I don't know which are reputable and wich aren't.

Thanks again,
ETC

thehydrosource.com beats everyone's prices HANDS DOWN...

They charge $16 flat shipping no matter how big your order is..
Great customer support...

Then if you find a better price on something, they have a "price match" button, so they will match the price on something which you can get a better deal elsewhere....

Like I ordered All the nutes for this Nutrient Side-By-Side Testing chamber I want to do, over 120lbs and shipping was $16 from CA to the east coast!!!

Then the order I placed for my 3 ballasts and cool hoods, total weight was 163lbs, and shipping was again $16 bucks!! You cannot beat that with a dam stick!! LOL

The Joker · Jul 31, 2011

I've read that cooling a bulb significantly reduces that bulbs efficiency . Wondering if a cooled 1k suddenly is as powerful as a 600 watt with no glass.

jakesterjammin · Jul 31, 2011

The Joker said:
I've read that cooling a bulb significantly reduces that bulbs efficiency . Wondering if a cooled 1k suddenly is as powerful as a 600 watt with no glass.

Ya, I have read that as well...

That's why I have always put the blower AFTER the lamp and heat exchanger..
This way you're not cooling the bulbs, you're cooling the heat put off from the bulbs before passing it into the chamber or the room which houses the chamber.

IMO by putting the blower in front of the hood, you're blowing on the bulbs, and thus cooling the bulbs down, as opposed to cooling the heat from the bulb after the fact...

If that makes sense???

MakinGoo · Jul 31, 2011

Very intresting I'm gunna have 2 look in2 this great info..

SLO Grown · Jul 31, 2011

RMCG · Jul 31, 2011

jakesterjammin said:
Wow, that image shows the blower creating positive pressure, on the front side of the hood..

I always setup my blowers so it's on the other side of the heat exchanger, creating negative pressure...

:wondering

Except you have the potential to pull condensate on to your hot bulb, so the heat needs to be pushed through the exchanger.

jakesterjammin · Jul 31, 2011

RMCG said:
Except you have the potential to pull condensate on to your hot bulb, so the heat needs to be pushed through the exchanger.

If you're talking water condensation, pushing or pulling, to me it's going to go through that cool tube.... The blower is not going to remove the water, if we're talking enough water condensation to ruin the bulb...

Personally, I'd rather not BLOW the condensation into the lamp and at the bulb... If it happened at all because I've done a few of these setups, and I have never seen enough condensation to trash a bulb... Well unless there is a leak, then sucking or blowing, don't matter at ALL...

If I use one fan on a lamp, it goes behind the light, heat exchange or not...

ETC · Aug 2, 2011

RMCG said:
Or just forgo putting it on your reflector and mount the icebox on a thermostatically controlled fan.

Thanks RMCG,

After doing some reading and talking to my hydro supplier, I've decided to go with the chiller and fan like you suggested. Now I just need to get the $ together for the equipment!

Thanks again,
ETC

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