Mini split A/C which you can use like a portable, or way to build it?

[flat9]

Okay I realize the thread title may seem a bit strange, but here's my situation. Have a grow tent inside an extra bedroom inside an apartment. The building rules say that I cannot put stuff out on the balcony (yes, they bitch about this and I don't want to draw any extra attention), the windows are horizontally-sliding and thus I cannot use a window unit. People do, however, use portables and exhaust the heat with the horizontal sliding window kit thing. Thus, I figure I could build my own using acrylic, attach a duct flange, and hook up the exhaust to there... using a portable.

The only problem is that portables inside a grow tent suck ass -- not efficient, leak CO2, necessitate me filtering the exhaust, etc. So my question is for anyone who has a mini split out there, is there a smart way you can build a box such that you can send the exhaust of the exterior unit through a duct as in a portable? This would solve all of my problems... I don't want the bedroom itself to get ridiculously hot as a result of that thing being inside the bedroom.

 

[Hammerhead]

IMO no. to capture the heat from the compressor then exhaust it no way. You would be better off making a AC BOX for a window banger. you cant see the AC from outside. the box gets mounted inside then the ac gets mounted to the box.

 

[flat9]

Have any designs? It's kind of hard to visualize what you're talking about. Also, how do I get that inside of a grow tent w/o exhausting the smell? I suppose I can cool the room within which the grow tent resides and do passive intake? Is that what you're suggesting?

 

[farmari]

This might be a dumb question but could you put the portable AC in the bedroom outside the tent? Filter the tent exhaust, tent takes air from the bedroom and exhausts into the bedroom.

There are a few threads on the site about making a box for a window AC to use indoors. Here's a couple:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=1643957

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=4000296

 

[Coconutz]

Not worth it either way

 

[flat9]

Coconutz do you mind expounding on that thought?

 

[seebobski]

I wouldn't buy a mini split but u have one it would work . The intended outside unit needs air in thru condenser coils and the fan pulls it thru, duct fresh air in and heat out. A window unit has intake air on the sides of ac that's outside the window that's your intake the back is heat out. A good window ac box will beat any portable available at hydro, home box stores. All ACs have 3 basic parts : evaporator coils compressor and condenser coils. the difference is how and where they put those components and what other components they add into the units. The higher S.e.e.R. rating units also have more materials into those units to perform higher function ( like copper).

 

[ChemDgMillionre]

How many watts are u trying to cool?

Look into wine cellar refrigeration .. They run off condensers which are kept in mechanical space, so nothing on the exterior. Just needs to be houses in a room with ambient temps not too low or high, and of course you'll need an exchange of air.

 

[Treetroit City]

Okay I realize the thread title may seem a bit strange, but here's my situation. Have a grow tent inside an extra bedroom inside an apartment. The building rules say that I cannot put stuff out on the balcony (yes, they bitch about this and I don't want to draw any extra attention), the windows are horizontally-sliding and thus I cannot use a window unit. People do, however, use portables and exhaust the heat with the horizontal sliding window kit thing. Thus, I figure I could build my own using acrylic, attach a duct flange, and hook up the exhaust to there... using a portable.

They make AC's for just such an occasion.

 

[Coconutz]

Coconutz do you mind expounding on that thought?

If this is just to cool a small tent you will end up spending more on running the AC than the lights.
Theres no way buying weed wouldnt be cheaper unless you are stuck paying $400oz or something

 

[flat9]

They make AC's for just such an occasion.

View Image

Thanks I had seen casement window A/Cs but that leads to a couple of other problems. Firstly, just outside the window in the room I'm trying to use there's a bunch of bars (think balcony rail bars but placed right next to the window). I have a maximum of about 18" from the edge of the window sill on the inside to the bars to play with. Most of these A/C's are rather large depth-wise, and 18" won't do it, especially if it happens to be heavier on the portion that is inside than the portion that is outside...

 

[flat9]

If this is just to cool a small tent you will end up spending more on running the AC than the lights.
Theres no way buying weed wouldnt be cheaper unless you are stuck paying $400oz or something

Define small? It'd be 10 x 10. Growing for medical purposes, not for myself.

 

[flat9]

I wouldn't buy a mini split but u have one it would work . The intended outside unit needs air in thru condenser coils and the fan pulls it thru, duct fresh air in and heat out. A window unit has intake air on the sides of ac that's outside the window that's your intake the back is heat out. A good window ac box will beat any portable available at hydro, home box stores. All ACs have 3 basic parts : evaporator coils compressor and condenser coils. the difference is how and where they put those components and what other components they add into the units. The higher S.e.e.R. rating units also have more materials into those units to perform higher function ( like copper).

Hey thanks so much for the input seebobski! There's just one problem - I'm not quite sure I understand what a "window AC box" is. Forgive me if this is a very obvious thing common to growers -- I have been running w/o A/Cs and now am just looking into going w/ a sealed room...

EDIT: Is this basically what you're talking about? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI3rviFUK-k

Also, wouldn't it make sense for the intake to be on the inside of the room rather than the outside? It seems like it'd be way more efficient for window units to (further) cool air that is already cool than to cool air that is hot. Or is this just a space issue ... need lots of intake so they put it on the outside? At any rate, if the unit will be on the inside of the room anyway, that point is irrelevant, but just curious.

What about smell of the A/C exhaust if I put the window box unit inside the tent? Do you just run your carbon filter and fan inside the tent non-stop? Would I need an additional inline carbon filter for the A/C exhaust?

 

[flat9]

How many watts are u trying to cool?

Look into wine cellar refrigeration .. They run off condensers which are kept in mechanical space, so nothing on the exterior. Just needs to be houses in a room with ambient temps not too low or high, and of course you'll need an exchange of air.

Ha! I love your name on here Chem. I have a chem 91 I just put into flower. Curious how this is going to turn out, but a rub of the stems left an absolutely wonderful scent on my hands.

Anyway, I'm not sure I understand the wine cellar thing. All cooling generates heat, right? I have to exhaust it someway or another...

 

[flat9]

seebobski is this what you meant?

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=4000296

Forgive me for my ignorance on this...

 

[ChemDgMillionre]

it puts off little heat. its a mini split, just a very small mini split. this type of condenser is usually kept in the attic, or in the case of a wine cellar it'd be in a basement mechanical space. these spaces are conditioned, therefore they arent freely exchanging air outside. just a passive conditioned exchange is enough to cool the condenser.

again, i dont know what kind of grow your trying to cool. if you run duct & hoods, and your just looking for a little more control over the environment, a setup like im describing might do you well.

 

[seebobski]

seebobski is this what you meant?

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=4000296

Forgive me for my ignorance on this...

Yes
Air in on the sides and heat out the back. Keep ducts short and straight as possible. You may need a inline fan to help move the heat. Also carbon filter if your building skills can't seal your box.

 

[seebobski]

Also I wouldn't duct the front of the unit, run it in the room to cool. Just the back hot side with fresh air ducting.

 

[flat9]

Sweet. Cheers for the tips. Now where to find one that's sufficient for about 4 or 5 kw...

 

[Hammerhead]

no its a mdf box made and installed on the wall over the hole window. you leave the window open. Install the window AC on the box. the back end is not visible its inside the box. Soe also put a inline to help exhaust the hot air out the window.