AC help!

[datura_kid]

hi guys and girls,

for my upcomming batch of babies i will need AC unit as i run 4x400w in 6m2 room. Somehow, i always got to do the show over the winter months so i never needed AC, but now i have no other choice, and have encountered problems...

my first thought was the simplest one - movable unit which i just place and make hot air exhaust into my exhaust vent...but as i was searching the stores to buy one, non of these have autorestart function, so they can continue working on same parameters as they were before timer shutts it down (during lights off).

So my main question is if i leave it always on, so it keeps certain temperature which would be the same night and day, would that make any "harm" to the babies? I've always kept temps lower when the lights are off, and if the temps are the same will it interfere with their natural cylcle? I believe there shouldnt be any bigger issues but would not like to invest in this only to figure that its not ok when i see problems with babies...

my other option is normal AC with external unti/engine, but i cannot go explaining people what is this one for...so i thozught to put external unit on attic but all people i talked to advised me against it because it would be too hot for it there, even considering the fact that attic has ventilation holes...

 

[erwingruber]

hmmm , i am making a reasearch for my A/C setup too , you have a point here.
If you have your plants @ 80F lights and AC on
and the outside temps at nightime is 85+
you must leave AC always on so you will have always 80F , what the plants will think about it ??
(two AC units in timers with different temps )

I am watching for the responses here

 

[Bozo]

Unless you have a fan back up to ventilate your room in the event of an AC failure I wouldnt use a portable with out auto restart.
Same temp 24/7 is not gonna hurt em

I wouldnt use a portable and what ever you end up with should auto restart..Unless you exchange the air in the room to control RH you may also need a dehumidifyer for sumer time AC/ sealed up unless your portable does both and even then it may not keep up, hard to tell really till its hot outside and rooms fulla flowers


erwingruber you would be much better off buying a nice climate controller that controlled your temps ...As far as I know (from what i read here and there)if you run no co2 best temps are 78 lights on and 3 degrees cooler lights off 75.I am not claiming these numbers to be right but after much reading and trial and error it is what I belive

 

[hoosierdaddy]

In the summer I run my cab's ac unit all the time. They love it.

 

[datura_kid]

@erwingruber: temperatures are very discussable because they varie alot depending on meassuring location, and (depending on strain for start) they can generally take alot of abuse, but will most likely be better in colder than hotter temps...

2 AC units would not make any difference if they are without autorestart...all i need is one with autorestart so it can cool off during lights on, and nights should be ok without it even during summer i believe...my problem is as i described, i dont have a place to put external unit of standard wall AC without having to explain it, my only idea was attic but i was advised against it from several people that work with AC.


@bozo: its not a sealed CO2 room, its ventilated with two 8" fans, but still if AC fails they cannot lower temps more than the outside air is...it wouldnt make any permanent damage to them if its some shorter period of time...i once made a mistake with programing ventilation and they were in approx. 35 C during lights on for like 12 hours (in veg) and there was heat stress but they recovered in a day or two...

as far as dehummidifying goes, all those portables that i looked at had this option, but as i heard all AC's dehummidify air as they work, which makes sense cuz cold air can hold less water...

but, as you say, you cannot know any of this exactly until its summer and room full of babies...

@yourmydaddy: thanks, thats a good news

 

[datura_kid]

ok, i found few with autorestart but their prices are double at least...found one whirpool for decent price 2,7 kW, do you think this would be adequate for 6m2 space with 1600w HPS?

 

[datura_kid]

dont want to be boring ass, but i really need this info! Will AC within 2,5-3,5kW range be enough to cool down this room?

 

[JoeBlunt420]

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=95259

 

[datura_kid]

thanks joe, exactly what i needed =)