Transitioning To Sealed Rooms, Our First Time.

[TeterPosh]

After watching my peeps struggle with various issues we're shifting to Sealed Rooms, and will use some sort of environmental controller(s), AC/heat, humidity control, and lastly add co2, and I guess stop using the A/C hoods as normal, and maybe remove the glass once it's all complete.

Currently outside air is vented in via 6" ducting and fans to cool the room, and we run 8" A/C hoods on separate ducting and a fan, and it works ok, but the temperature and humidity (and thus VPD) swings are too much sometimes, and are sometimes outside of ideal ranges, and the consequences are getting expensive and wastes our time.

The first room we'll be converting, which will be the test bed for the other rooms, is a 256sqft (16x16x16) Flower Room at a caregiver grow, which has 16x 1000w HPS Hoods in it on a double decker shelf system just like Home Depot shelving. This location has plenty of power...

I read in one of the A/C threads here that each 1000w HPS hood is about 4000btu, and that each 1000w ballast is about 2500btu, so I'm thinking of using those numbers to try to size the AC/Heat unit appropriately. What about fans, (de)humidifiers, and co2 generators, do they generate enough heat to matter?

Any other tips as we head down this path for the first time? Any help will be appreciated for sure. I'll be rereading all related threads and trying to piece it all together myself. Thanx.

 

[CelticEBE]

Double decker eh? I don't think I would feel comfortable with something like that. The thought of watering plants that are over lights unsettles me.

Why not do some vertical lights and horizontal lights and grow massive trees?

Your btu numbers for lights are correct from what I know. Dehueys and co2 generators do generate heat. You also need to factor in how insulated the room is and what ambient temps are like.

I'd say two 5 ton ac's should do the trick for you, but like I said ambient temps will play a factor.

Have you considered doing water cooled co2?

 

[TeterPosh]

Thanks for the response.

The double decker setup works pretty well, each level has trays, then plastic over metal, no overspray or drip unless careless which is never, though working on ladders isn't the best for extended periods. But it was all there before I got there so I roll with it. :)

I put some additional details in the AC thread regarding the bldg and more.

For co2, no, I haven't looked at those. I know we are considering regular AC and water chiller systems too, but I'm just now starting to explore specific equipment.

 

[CelticEBE]

If you do go the water cooled co2 route...go with the Marey 5l. It costs a lot less than Hydro Innovations unit. I've run them for over 3 years now with no problems.

 

[JayJammer]

16x 1000w = 64,000BTU
16x Digital Ballasts = 40,000BTU
CO2 Burner = 600BTU (4-burner)
Dehum.(70 Pint) = 2,100BTU
It is also recommended to oversize your system. For a 250 sq. ft. space, about 7,500BTU is recommended.

This all adds up to about 9.5 Tons of cooling. If you take the ballasts out of the room you can reduce this by about 3 Tons.

If you're considering a water chiller, I'd say go for it. It's more efficient and doesn't mess with your humidity when it kicks on.