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AC Boxes Made Easy (to understand and build)
- Thread starter hoosierdaddy
- Start date
Bump for the swealtering summer!!!
DD
DD
Here is my problem- I understand that the size of the ducting and fans are critical in running an efficient AC Box. But everyone's circumstances are not always ideal. I am limited in the space where I can exhaust my ducting to a safe place. Without going into too much detail, the area is very narrow and I can at best fit 2 x 4" ducts through this narrow space.
The setup will be as follows-
2,200 watts in a 6' x 6' x 7' room and a 10,000 BTU Window AC mounted through the wall, using a lung room for "intake." After much consideration and failing with a portable AC, my only real option is to build an "AC Box" around the exhaust portion of the AC and cut two 4" holes in the back of this box. These two 4" ducts will run individually 20' into my attic, eventually linking up using a Y-split and reducer and to a single 10", 800 CFM inline fan. This is just a concept at this point. Will this work?
Thank you for any information. This thread has been inspirational and very helpful.
The setup will be as follows-
2,200 watts in a 6' x 6' x 7' room and a 10,000 BTU Window AC mounted through the wall, using a lung room for "intake." After much consideration and failing with a portable AC, my only real option is to build an "AC Box" around the exhaust portion of the AC and cut two 4" holes in the back of this box. These two 4" ducts will run individually 20' into my attic, eventually linking up using a Y-split and reducer and to a single 10", 800 CFM inline fan. This is just a concept at this point. Will this work?
Thank you for any information. This thread has been inspirational and very helpful.
I
Inspired333
Material Question
Material Question
Hey everyone, and HOOSIER (is he banned now or something?).
Great thread, I've also read CannaBean's and another great one I found at this site "hydrocanna" that had a slight twist in design I really dug; here's the link for that one.
I've been familiar with these threads for a long time now.
Q: My question is what material should I use for the box enclosure?
I checked out home depot. Here are the materials I found:
-MDF type board (hardboard, handy panel) in 1/8" and 1/4"
-Birch (or other) plywood in 1/8" and 1/4"
-Foam Insulation "sheet" (Owens Corning) in 1/2" --> It's rated at R3, but I think only R at 75F.
Pink stuff.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040358
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040359
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040360
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040361
My though process on how to/what materials to use to construct the box:
The O.P. of this thread, I think, ended up using a similar type of stiff insulation board to make his AC box; I believe it was blue, and taped it with aluminum tape.
So,
Wood isn't really gonna insulate and will heat up and transmit the heat into the room.
1) Make out of only the Pink Foam insulation, taped together with aluminum tape.
2) Make out of the birch ply wood (or MDF type board) either 1/4" or 1/8", and then; cover that box in either Reflectix OR the Pink Foam insulation.
Q: Think using the Pink Foam insulation alone will have any problems/issues/work?
Q: If I use, say, the 1/8" birch, should I put pink Foam/Reflectix on the outside or inside of the wood box, and which do you think I should use to cover the wood box with?
I think the box made of just foam insulation would be the easiest, but if it wont be..sturdy enough or something else I'm not thinking of then I would choose a different method.
Thanks for the original thread and all the info/comments etc.
Material Question
Hey everyone, and HOOSIER (is he banned now or something?).
Great thread, I've also read CannaBean's and another great one I found at this site "hydrocanna" that had a slight twist in design I really dug; here's the link for that one.
I've been familiar with these threads for a long time now.
Q: My question is what material should I use for the box enclosure?
I checked out home depot. Here are the materials I found:
-MDF type board (hardboard, handy panel) in 1/8" and 1/4"
-Birch (or other) plywood in 1/8" and 1/4"
-Foam Insulation "sheet" (Owens Corning) in 1/2" --> It's rated at R3, but I think only R at 75F.
Pink stuff.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040358
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040359
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040360
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=44383&pictureid=1040361
My though process on how to/what materials to use to construct the box:
The O.P. of this thread, I think, ended up using a similar type of stiff insulation board to make his AC box; I believe it was blue, and taped it with aluminum tape.
So,
Wood isn't really gonna insulate and will heat up and transmit the heat into the room.
1) Make out of only the Pink Foam insulation, taped together with aluminum tape.
2) Make out of the birch ply wood (or MDF type board) either 1/4" or 1/8", and then; cover that box in either Reflectix OR the Pink Foam insulation.
Q: Think using the Pink Foam insulation alone will have any problems/issues/work?
Q: If I use, say, the 1/8" birch, should I put pink Foam/Reflectix on the outside or inside of the wood box, and which do you think I should use to cover the wood box with?
I think the box made of just foam insulation would be the easiest, but if it wont be..sturdy enough or something else I'm not thinking of then I would choose a different method.
Thanks for the original thread and all the info/comments etc.
Last edited:
I
Inspired333
Biggidy Bump
BlueGrassToker
Active member
The OP used the Owens Corning insulation sheets @ 1/2"
The sheets w/aluminum tape at the seams are fine to use alone. Its just ductwork of sorts...dont try to stack things on it.
The sheets w/aluminum tape at the seams are fine to use alone. Its just ductwork of sorts...dont try to stack things on it.
I
Inspired333
Thank you, sir
Thank you, sir
Yea I looked for that type that is backed with aluminum. Couldn't find it. Oh well.
I'll use some combo of what I listed.
Thanks man.
Thank you, sir
Yea I looked for that type that is backed with aluminum. Couldn't find it. Oh well.
I'll use some combo of what I listed.
Thanks man.
BlueGrassToker
Active member
The thing to remember is that the exhaust air will be up around 140+F so what it first sees after exiting the unit is important. Not likely birch will ignight at that temp but safety is always paramoint. What that sort of temp can do is expand things more than one might envision. Things that arent rated for isulating may see lots of expanding and contracting which can cause loose joints etc...
I
Inspired333
Good points on heat. So what would your suggestion(s) be based on that?
Using some type of metal on the inside of said 'box'? Either the foil lined foam or lining the whole inside with foil tape?
Or would just using the pink foam insulation be enough?
Using some type of metal on the inside of said 'box'? Either the foil lined foam or lining the whole inside with foil tape?
Or would just using the pink foam insulation be enough?
thelaughingman
Active member
sup inspired333 what about cutting and taping aluminum foil to you're foam?
BGT needn't to worry about thermal expansion or contraction
BGT needn't to worry about thermal expansion or contraction
Don't know if this has been discussed yet (Long thread and haven't had time to read the whole thing) but what about condensate? has anyone needed to design some type of DIY drip pan? I understand the slinger is supposed to use the extra moisture for cooling the coils but this alone won't take care of all the build up itself. anyone notice any puddles on their floors?
thelaughingman
Active member
HOVAH.. can you test your room to see how hot it will get in there..?
CowboySpcd
Member
This ought to be a sticky...
Yah, it should! 
If hoosierdaddy is out there under another guise, much props my man!
I've been looking at this thread for yrs, thinking, "If I was smart, I'd do this and be able to grow year-round."
My old portable can't even get me thru the shoulders of summer anymore, so I finally did it last weekend.
I used 1 1/2" sheathing for the walls. Using the 1st exhaust fan I ever had in my 1st ID rm. an old attic fan, pushing the exhaust into attic.
Have 6" insulated ducting pulling air in thru attic end vent. Just hooked up to an inline booster fan right now, will switch out my Vortex if needed. Haven't seen any real heat yet, but doing it's job properly for now.
Grow4Flow, most folks run a dehumidifier as well. I built in 2 trap doors up thru the exhaust chamber to be able to get into the attic if need be. I can easily check for condensate thru the 1st. Also A/C was placed on a towel, in part for vibration reduction, but also can deduce problems via wicking action.
If hoosierdaddy is out there under another guise, much props my man!
I've been looking at this thread for yrs, thinking, "If I was smart, I'd do this and be able to grow year-round."
My old portable can't even get me thru the shoulders of summer anymore, so I finally did it last weekend.
I used 1 1/2" sheathing for the walls. Using the 1st exhaust fan I ever had in my 1st ID rm. an old attic fan, pushing the exhaust into attic.
Have 6" insulated ducting pulling air in thru attic end vent. Just hooked up to an inline booster fan right now, will switch out my Vortex if needed. Haven't seen any real heat yet, but doing it's job properly for now.
Grow4Flow, most folks run a dehumidifier as well. I built in 2 trap doors up thru the exhaust chamber to be able to get into the attic if need be. I can easily check for condensate thru the 1st. Also A/C was placed on a towel, in part for vibration reduction, but also can deduce problems via wicking action.
HL,
I too use a Dehu but only during Flower of course. During Veg i raise the RH to 70+%. What im worried about is if the floors outside the grow space will start collecting puddles and possibly creating a mold issue elsewhere, I've seen puddles form outside of windows before when using these things just to cool my master bedroom during the Summer.
I too use a Dehu but only during Flower of course. During Veg i raise the RH to 70+%. What im worried about is if the floors outside the grow space will start collecting puddles and possibly creating a mold issue elsewhere, I've seen puddles form outside of windows before when using these things just to cool my master bedroom during the Summer.
