Help designing cost effective sealed room

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I currently have access a large walk-in closet.

The real problem is that I have zero access to ventilation. I don't want to cut a hole through to the roof, and I don't want to tie into the a/c system as the system controls the temperature for my whole house and not just that one closet.

If I can somehow keep temps down, I could fit at least 20-25 plants in there no problem with the use of a light mover.

What are my ventilation options?

Sealed room with c02 and portable ac unit?

I plan to have 2 600w hps. Please help ICMAG.

 

[C21H30O2]

I currently have access a large walk-in closet.

The real problem is that I have zero access to ventilation. I don't want to cut a hole through to the roof, and I don't want to tie into the a/c system as the system controls the temperature for my whole house and not just that one closet.

If I can somehow keep temps down, I could fit at least 20-25 plants in there no problem with the use of a light mover.

What are my ventilation options?

Sealed room with c02 and portable ac unit?

I plan to have 2 600w hps. Please help ICMAG.

dont use a portable a/c. does the room (not the closet) have a window if so you can use a window a/c and make an a/c box pretty much you use ducting to connect the window to the exhaust of the ac unit.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

The window is all the way on the other side of the room from the closet. An 8 inch duct coming out the closet door and across the floor and out the window would be ablout as far from stealthy as I can get. I want to contain everything relating to the grow INSIDE the walk in closet.

What is your fear regarding a portable a/c? Just not enough cooling power?

 

[C21H30O2]

The window is all the way on the other side of the room from the closet. An 8 inch duct coming out the closet door and across the floor and out the window would be ablout as far from stealthy as I can get. I want to contain everything relating to the grow INSIDE the walk in closet.

What is your fear regarding a portable a/c? Just not enough cooling power?

if you are using mechanical power to cool air then heat must be generated and exhausted making portable a/c pretty inefficient. u might want to consider buidling a super easy super cheap cab from light wood and black/white poly tarp. place it right next to the window and cut a hole in the back for the window a/c if you seal it well you can even run co2.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

A cab grow is to small for what I want. I need to find a way to use the closet space with no windows. I guess I could cut a hole out to the roof if I had to, but I'd like to avoid that.

 

[Pot Pimp]

What is the ceiling made of? How is it finished? It's only going to get a LOT worse if you don't do this right; your problems will compound exponentially when the plants get bigger.

 

[marx2k]

Are you able to vent into the room from the closet? Remove the door from the hinges, set up pandafilm with velcro or a lightproof zipper and exhaust the cooltubes via ducting through the panda film into the room

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I do have access to the HVAC line that runs from the ac unit to the room on the other side of the closet wall. Ideally, I would love to make another zone with its own thermostat and temp settings in the closet. I just worry about my cooling bill if I have to cool my entire apartment along with the closet (I amagine it would run almost 24/7). I know very little about HVAC, but I guess the first step would be to remove the drywall and see what the HVAC lines look like.

Hopefully, if I post pics someone here can assist me in diverting lines, running exhaust and so forth.

Any ideas how much it would cost me to install a new thermostat and new zone to my cooling unit to independantly control the temp of my closet? That would save me a lot of headaches.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

Are you able to vent into the room from the closet? Remove the door from the hinges, set up pandafilm with velcro or a lightproof zipper and exhaust the cooltubes via ducting through the panda film into the room

Removing the door is not an option for me. My landlord hasn't showed up in two years, but you never know. I'd perfer not to have something suspicious looking in plain view. I either have to cut a hole in the roof or alter the HVAC system in some way.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

Damn good solution. Like I said, my only worry is using ac in the rest of the apartment at the same time. My electric bill would be crazy.

 

[In Vino Veritas]

Bignugget, I like what you did at that rental. I can easily do that in my closet.. Question, how do you keep stanky air from back flooding your ac when it's off?

 

[NiteTiger]

Sounds like you're going to have to give on something. A sealed room with no air cooled lights, and no a/c just isn't gonna happen. You've GOT to vent that heat somewhere.

Hole in the wall, hole in the ceiling, it all patches the same, and easily at that.

You're obviously looking commercial based on your statements, so just bite the bullet. Even if you can't repair it, you should be able to pay the deposit.

Cut your holes, do it right, make your money, and fix it on the way out.

Or, play around, try to find ways to keep from doing it right, kill your plants, then have to do it all over again. Your call.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I cleaned the space out and invesitgated. The place ready made to grow in.


In the closet itself, there is a hole in the floor where an HVAC grating would go, except it it empty. This happens to be located right above the HVAC line going to the downstairs bedroom. I should be able to tape that one off, tap into the line and run ac directly to my plants!

If that isn't enough, there is also a circuit running directly to the breaker box but has never been connected. It almost looks as if there was going to be an upstairs bathroom and the builder decided to make it a large closet instead.

I also figured I could easily relocate the thermostat by running it along the wire I found inside the hole that leads to the breaker box (which is right next to AC unit).

In addition to all that, there is a huge grate on the wall outside the closet with nothing but sheetrock on ther side of it. It looks as if i can easily run an intake from one side of the huge grating, run it through my lights, and pump the hot (but clean) exhuast air out the other side of the grating.

The only thing I am unsire of it is how to prevent stinky air from feeding back into the AC line when the air is not on. I suppose I could constantly exhaust it out the large grating after running it through my scrubber, but I was hoping for a way that didn't require an extra fan or extra electric usage.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I was thinking of making a series of 12 DWC buckets or so on a single controller. I have everything I'd need except a powerhead. Any idea suggestions on what one to buy or how much such a device would cost?

Also, I have access to industrial grade 55 gallon plastic drums. I plan on using one as a large reservior.

 

[NiteTiger]

Yeah, you're going to need to create a negative pressure environment to prevent the smell leakage. Most do this exactly like you said, scrubbed exhausting.

Sounds like an awesome spot though Do it up right!

 

[pico]

I don't see how you plan on running a sealed room with a central AC unit. If I am correct, it is only blowing cold air in to the closet, not sucking the hot air out. Right? So when the AC is on you will have air being blown in a sealed room that has to go somewhere. It will go out in the holes and cracks in the door and will smell up your apartment. It will also blow out all your CO2 you are trying to keep in the room.

Do you have a camera to take a picture of the closet?

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

Holy shit! I just priced res chillers. Good lord!

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I don't see how you plan on running a sealed room with a central AC unit. If I am correct, it is only blowing cold air in to the closet, not sucking the hot air out. Right? So when the AC is on you will have air being blown in a sealed room that has to go somewhere. It will go out in the holes and cracks in the door and will smell up your apartment. It will also blow out all your CO2 you are trying to keep in the room.

Do you have a camera to take a picture of the closet?

I couldn't really think of another way to keep the room cool that would be effective. I am open to hearing whatever thoughts you might have to help me increase my success. And no, no camera. Sorry.

 

[pico]

Well I personally don't think that is an option at all. Like I said, it isn't a sealed room if you have an AC blowing out all your CO2. Plus the central AC is designed to cool off a large space, not a tiny closet. So it will be cycling on and off a lot and could cost more than a smaller AC unit specifically for this room.

If I was you (and maybe I am) I would figure out a way to get some intake/exaust in that room. Maybe you can disconnect that pipe from the AC system and somehow intake/exaust through there? Like instead of cold air coming in through that pipe, you push hot air back the other way and maybe somewhere along the way the pipe goes is an easier option to exaust outside..... If you could exaust through there and have a passive intake through your door/window in room then you could be in business.

Or if you really want to do a sealed room you could take out the door and put a window AC in there and aircool your lights through the door. Doors are like 100 bucks tops and it is just 3 pins that hold it in place. A 10 minute job to replace if landlord wants to come by.

You are going to have to do some sort of modifications. Don't be afraid to punch through walls, sheetrock is cheap and fairly easy to patch.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I am not really too tied to a sealed room if i can keep things cool and growing well otherwise. What would be the major advantages to doing it the way you propose?

After examination, I definitely have a place I can pull in room temp air, run it through my lights, and exhaust it back out. I worry how well a portable AC would work in a 15 x 6 closet
Thoughts?