Planning a 4800 air-cooled/sealed room remodel of sorts 2cents anyone

[CannaDestroyer]

Ive been looking into the sealed room concept, and it's got curious to the point that i must try it. So I going to remodel my room by sealing it and adding a mini-split ac and growzilla hoods. (Ill be using the new ones with 6" vents) My space is 8' x 10' ill be using an 8'x'8' of that for growing in. There will be four hoods spaced even thoughout the 8'x8' area each with 2 600w agrosun bulbs giving me 75w psf. i will set up two duct lines for cooling, each line will have a Can-Fan 8 HO (8" cfm 737) pulling air from outside through two reflectors and back outside. (the runs will be for the most part straight and i figure about a 10' long including reflectors) Next an mini-split ac i figure i only need an 18,000 btu but the 24,000 is only a bit more so ill probably go with that. A burner and sentinel cppm-1 will add co2. im still researching a carbon filter so any thoughts on that are helpful

and some questions for my fellow ic'ers
1. do you think the can-fan is big enough? i used the CFM=watts/4 and then added some for bends and because extra flow is better
2. should i go with 6" or 8" duct and why? i read in a thread about this but i cant find it now, but theres a mathamatical way to figure out which is better. all thoughts are welcome
3. any recomendations on a well built 18000 btu ac
4. can a split ac be installed in a basement, the wire, drain hose etc would have to be piped up about 12" and outside between the floor joist. maybe i could mount to the ceiling and 90 out the back of ac then straight out through the floor joist

Looking for answers to these ?s and any constructive thoughts

i have two 8" inline fans rated at 500 cfm that i will add to the reflectors as well if needed. after looking at this http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=95259 i just might really need these, have to see when its set up as people seem to be getting away with much less

 

[julsbagell]

I have a totally sealed room 3000 watts of light, dehumidifier,12000 btu mini split in the peak of summer 100 degrees outside I can keep my room at 65 degrees if I want to. the mini splits are so efficient you could prob get way with 9000 btu in your room with 4 600s but the 12ooo btu would be expandable Ill post some pics later.

 

[CannaDestroyer]

really appreciate the input but i'm wondering are you using a co2 burner as well, and yes please add some pics hehe something else came to mind is your room a basement or above ground just curious about insulation

 

[julsbagell]

heres a few pics the room is 8x12 we built it in my garage were temps get 100 plus no burner just a dual tank co2 with ppm3 controller we keep the ballasts in the room not a problem w the mini split.

 

[CannaDestroyer]

julsbagell i don't if you read wrong or typed wrong but ill have eight 600s just in four reflectors. none the less your info is still greatly appreacted and helps me put this cooling thing in better perspective

 

[julsbagell]

Go with the 18000 btu Itll be more than enough I thought you were running 4 hoods you could very easily run 4800 with no air cooling with 18000 for sure.since your aircooling your hoods theres no telling how many lights you could do 10 or 12 easily youll be amazed how good they work youll never go back . I think I saw 18000 btu units for 1300.00 with the lineset. I paid 400.00 for the install in case you were wondering.

 

[Whatever]

What's the maximum cfm that can be flowed through a 6" opening cause that's where your restriction is. I'm thinking use the two 500cfm fans on one circuit and dial back the exhaust a tad to maintain positive pressure in the hoods and use the 737cfm fan dialed back to just push through the other circuit. Yes you'd be running 8" fans into ultimately 6" openings but if your ac is strong enough no problem. Canopy temps can be moderated by circulating the air just at the tops. Insulate your hoods with two layers of double foil covered mini bubble wrap and here's a few pics of something I did to help retain heat in the ducting where using inflexible insulating ducting was not possible. I created a tube using the double foil covered stuff and got great heat retention while maintaining duct flexibility.

The pics are from a 4800 watt, 8 x 600w, setup I did and in the summer did not work. It was an open system. Ultimately I reconfigured and went with 2 309cfm fans cooling the 2 600 watt hoods on the outside and one 447cfm Vortex cooling the middle 4 600 watt hoods...live and learn.

 

[drelow31@yahoo.]

8-600s thats just plain bad ass

 

[Whatever]

8-600s thats just plain bad ass

I haven't run a closed system yet...only because in the place I live temps are cool enough, even late at night in the middle of summer, I haven't needed to. Here's a side view of a grow I did in an open space...

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

sorry but that was failed from the get-go.
inginuity on the single fan, 4 intakes is a disaster, but feaseable. tubing nightmare. sucking heat kills the fans too.

really appreciate the input but i'm wondering are you using a co2 burner as well, and yes please add some pics hehe something else came to mind is your room a basement or above ground just curious about insulation

CO2 is a must in a sealed room, im glad your going with it. id sugest 8" equip, you can always upgrade the room later or get speed-controllers for the fans to lower the noise, if thats an issue.

mylar on the walls for light reflection and insulation and your golden.
18K is enough 24K is enough, but check craigslist, i wanted a 24k, but swooped on a 15k for 150$ vs. $550 for the 24k(tax etc).

why agrosun bulbs? why not 1 ag and 1 hps or mh?

 

[CannaDestroyer]

digtalhippy: so glad you stoped in you've inspired me with your grows. i already have the enviroment taken care of as far as white walls, air circulation, etc, etc. you ask why just agrosun, well a couple reasons, first i get them for 50 bucks a piece, the plants seem to like them better than just a regular hps, and though i would love nothing more than to go all MH that requires 1000 watters (probably end up with light bleaching with this setup) or switching to conversion bulbs and im not to sure about these. i've pretty much decided on a Friedrich 18000btu mini-split seer rating 19 as my ac unit however im still wondering if any of you have hvac experience or just know if its possible to install one of these if the outside unit will be higher than the inside part

 

[00420]

lights = 19200btu
^aircooled/2 = 9600btu
roomsize = 3200btu
other = 7000btu ( ballast,fan's,ect )

=19,800btu

if the mini splits are so efficient like julsbagell says 18,000 should be plenty and if your using digi ballast you will get away with 15,000 you dont want to go to big on a/c or you will have hum prob's and have to add a dehu witch add's more heat as well

 

[00420]

digtalhippy: however im still wondering if any of you have hvac experience or just know if its possible to install one of these if the outside unit will be higher than the inside part

i dont have any experience with mini splits, but from all the reading i have done on them (im looking to buy really soon for my whole house) the outside unit is made to be mounted on rooftop or side's of the house to keep them off the ground i have seen pic's where they where mounted on the 2nd story of a house and ran 1st story rooms....

 

[CannaDestroyer]

i am using lumatek ballasts (purple ones) and yes i agree 18000 should do the job nicely. i also have a dehumidifer if needed, but im hoping the ac will take care of things.

 

[00420]

i am using lumatek ballasts (purple ones) and yes i agree 18000 should do the job nicely. i also have a dehumidifer if needed, but im hoping the ac will take care of things.

with lumatek ballast & 18,000 a/c in that size room you will be able to add 2 more 600's later if you want to

 

[PharmaCan]

i dont have any experience with mini splits, but from all the reading i have done on them (im looking to buy really soon for my whole house) the outside unit is made to be mounted on rooftop or side's of the house to keep them off the ground i have seen pic's where they where mounted on the 2nd story of a house and ran 1st story rooms....

Mini-splits were actually designed in Asia for retro-fit on multi-story apartment buildings where dropping a window a/c from the 20th floor could be problematic to the people milling about below.

 

[G33k Speak]

IIRC, max airflow through a 6in tube is around 240 CFM.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[Whatever]

sorry but that was failed from the get-go.
inginuity on the single fan, 4 intakes is a disaster, but feaseable. tubing nightmare. sucking heat kills the fans too.

It worked fantastic for about 9 months of the year...definitely not a disaster. The heat got recirculated most of the year and dumped in the summer. Even after a few years of working it that space not much I'd do different considering the room/house layout, concrete walls, neighbors like 10' away on either side, etc.

CannaDestroyer...you're running the Agrosuns just fine in those purple Lumateks? Just seen lot's of problems with bulb compatability in the Lumateks and never tried the Agrosuns and was using GE's. For $50 worth a shot I guess.

 

[Whatever]

IIRC, max airflow through a 6in tube is around 240 CFM.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

Don't know enough to say but something don't sound right considering a 6" Vortex is rated at 447 cfm. I was just wondering how much air you could stuff through two 6" hoods inline regarding CannaDestroyers available fans.

 

[G33k Speak]

Don't know enough to say but something don't sound right considering a 6" Vortex is rated at 447 cfm. I was just wondering how much air you could stuff through two 6" hoods inline regarding CannaDestroyers available fans.

The fan may be rated @ 447, but that's in a 6inch straight duct in a lab.
If you use flexi-duct, or have any bends etc, it goes way down.