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Mini Split for LARGE Warehouse?

AWDTERROR

Member
Hey, So I just wanted to get some opinions of mini split air conditioners for good size warehouse. Multiple 2-3 Ton units.


Room 1 W 37.5x L 40x H 12' W/ 60kw Double End HPS and 26 Tons of AC
Room 2 W 37.5x L 40x H 12' W/ 60kw Double End HPS and 24 Tons of AC
Veg Room 3 W 25 x L 40x H 12' W/ 8kw Double End MH and 4 TOns of AC


There would be multiple Air handlers on each wall so the max distance each 24,000btu Mini split would need to push would be 18-20' Feet


I usually use multiple 5 Ton Split system ACs and they work amazing as i'm sure you know but wanted to get everyone's opinions as I am on a strict Amperage limit and these mini splits seem to use much less than tradition 13-16 seer central air type.
 

queequeg152

Active member
Veteran
what you and most people fail to understand is that minisplits are not that much more efficient in this constant load model when compared to a simpler and properly sized split unit.

minisplits are king for shit like home garage renovations etc because they can very their load very effectivly to match the hour to hour heat gain from the sun and environment.

when you put a minisplit inside a grow room with.... 200kbtuh internal heat gain, and maby 20kbuth heat gain at peak design load, your load is not goign to vary appreciably.

the ONLY convincing design reason to go with a minisplit inho is in very small grows where the heat gain is small or equivelant with respect to the external heat gain.

however, minisplits are also about an order of magnitude easier to buy and install when compared to a conventional split system. so there is that... but price per ton of cooling?

minisplits are 2-3x the cost. so make your decisions with that in mind.
 

AWDTERROR

Member
I appreciate the replies. I figured I wouldn't get to many people advocating using them in a place that large.

Anybody every run fabric ducts with regular split system 5 tons?
 

queequeg152

Active member
Veteran
I appreciate the replies. I figured I wouldn't get to many people advocating using them in a place that large.

Anybody every run fabric ducts with regular split system 5 tons?

are you thinking that fabric duct will be cheaper? or that you could regularly clean it? or that you could re locate it somewhere else easily?

this stuff is fairly expensive from what i understand.
it can be cleaned, but its not as easy to clean as you might think... like cleaning a 30' condom.
it can be relocated easily though.. .most systems ive seen have the duct hanging on a taut wire. when the hvac system is not in use, the duct is slid off the wire and stored somewhere... or just collected into a wad at one end of the wire.



problem with fabric ducts is they require fairly high amounts of static pressure to inflate properly and reliably.

using regular air handler units with regular blowers and no media air filters... you probably have .5 inches of static pressure available at 1600-1800 cfm. this duct really is not meant for home ac units. they generally need quite high static pressures to inflate properly.

thats RIGHT on the border of what is possible with fabric ducts... however you would probably need to maintain that static pressure by reducing the diameter after each of the duct take offs.

i really like fabric ducts... especially with stuff like gyms and halls etc that are no occupied on a regular basis. but in your case its probably not going to work well, but feel free to prove me wrong with your own research.
 

Mikell

Dipshit Know-Nothing
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I appreciate the replies. I figured I wouldn't get to many people advocating using them in a place that large.

Anybody every run fabric ducts with regular split system 5 tons?



You gotta stop trying to think man.



There's no polite way about it. That kind of brainwork leads to the unemployment line.
 

AWDTERROR

Member
I saw them in a friendS location and they seemed to do well. His had like a skeleton inside of it so it stayed in the cylindrical shape. I think it was called Skelacore?

Thanks for all the info though I'm just thinking of different ideas.
I'll keep it the way I have been doing it and stopen looking for ways to improve it.

Mikell I've done very well for myself by thinking things out. Not sure how asking a question about an alternative method to distribute air is going to lead me to the unemployment line but none the less thank for the comment
 

queequeg152

Active member
Veteran
interesting. it would be nice to be able to salvage the duct work... but cost is still an issue im guessing.

ask your friend what he payed though. im betting its far and away more than something like 1" matt faced duct board.
 
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