Shouldn't be so hard to cool 1800w

[BigBuck]

Ive been trying to figure out what the hell im doing wrong. I have a 24000 btu window mount ac unit and im trying to cool an 8x8 room with 3 600w lights, bare bulb.

Heres where it gets tricky. I dont actually have a window for the ac unit.

I framed this 8x8 room up in my garage and cut a hole in the side of the room for the ac unit. It currently dumps all the hot air into the garage.

I do have a 4 inch washer/dryer vent that goes out of the house i have been trying to vent the heat from the ac unit through to keep the garage ambient temperature down. Its not working.

I cant get my room below 79 degrees.

From what i read a 24000 btu ac unit should not have a problem cooling that amount of lights, but i think the heat it is creating is not able to escape fast enough for it to operate efficiently.

Sooo im wondering if it would be better to switch to a 14000 btu portable ac unit that i can vent directly out the washer/dryer hole, or if someone has a even better, preferably cheaper solution.

 

[MIway]

well, if you consider 80~82 the range you want to operate in, then you don't have to change anything... and the seasons are about to switch, so that should naturally allow you to run cooler, but my vote is for 80~82.

add a space heater! lol ;-)

 

[qupee]

24k btu should throw some cold air. How hot is it outside? How hot in the garage (outside the room)? Is the AC new or older?

But ya, like MIway said, you may well be just fine at 79 anyway, but if the AC's cranking all day that's not good for the power bill either.

 

[supermanlives]

vent the garage more a 4 inch aint cutting it. outdoors the ac has all the ambient air it needs. well thats my opinion. the heat/humidity from the ac aint dissipating enough causing it to draw in hott ass air and making it work less effiecently. whats the temps in garage? how about humidity levels? i would check

 

[Guest 18340]

What supermanlives said!

 

[mg75]

try to finish the grow and buy a mini-split with the proceeds.
they are only about 1500 dollars for the DIY ones. does your garage smell like ganja?

 

[sso]

i cant say there is an awful lot of an difference growing in 79f vs say 75f.

sure 75f is bit better, particularily for indicas, but i wouldnt go to a whole lot of trouble for 3 degrees..

specially with winter coming and cooler temps (well, probably, dont know where you at)

time enough in winter to plan a better solution for next summer.

 

[supermanlives]

well if the ac dont work correctly he is wasting electricity.

 

[187020]

prolly need a 8in vortex/filter to cool 1800w bare hps...peace homies

 

[budleydoright]

Unit is probably making the garage 100+ degrees. If you insulate the box you can keep more of the cold in. You are describing a sealed setup here. 80+ is fine. You'll have to seal up tight to get to 75 in which case you need co2 so where back into the 80s.

 

[Dislexus]

I got the fix

Aircool your lights, and intake the air from the garage, then exhaust outside through the hole you've already cut (but make it 6")

Should suck additional heat out, reduce electricity usage a lil. AC run a lil less, meaning less ambient heat stacking up in the garage, etc etc.

You're right on the cusp! That should get you there...

 

[RedReign]

I have a 12k btu mini split that cools my veg room no problem. Veg room has 3 bare bulb 600's and 4 4 bulb T5's.

You need to vent the heat from the garage. A couple of gable vent fans should work. But that could cause you other problems if your garage stinks (it probably does) or it is a real cold day.

 

[BigBuck]

The garage doesnt stink, but im not too worried about that anyways.All the ladies are only a few weeks in. The heat on the other hand can get way up there. I havent measured it but Id guess 100+.

I figured it out tho.

Move.

I need a garage with more ventilation or a window for the AC. Thanks for the advise.

 

[joe fresh]

Yeah, a/c compressors have a shut off temp on them, if the garage gets over a certain temp the compressor will shut off but the blower motor will continue to throw air, this is done so the compressor don't blow from being over worked

The other thing is that if the room has any cracks or space for air to pass well all the hot air will go right back into the grow room.

I would suggest making a wodden box frame around the back of the a/c to seal it completely, then make 2 vents on the box and add inline fans, then you now have an a/c that vents all the hot air right out the garage and no heat will be vented in the garage

Problem solved