So my grow tent is getting in the mid 80s when lights r on and thts with my doors open. I need to cool it down so can close my doors. So was goimg to get a portable ac wondering if i need a dual or a single hose i know nothing bout this stuff then do i need to keep the ac in my tent or am i able to keep it outside of it with ductwork blowing in the tent? Really i appreciate any advice so muvh!!!
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Welcome to the community ! I recommend keeping the AC unit outside the tent because the unit itself will put off heat.
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I have looked into a one myself and this is what I came away with.
You need to be able to exhaust it outside of the space you are trying to condition. Typically a window, or possibly an attic. They create condensate. Some units collect the condensate and need to be manually emptied or drained via some connection. Some have some kind of evaporative feature that reduces the amount of compensate.
It sounds like you can close off the space that contains your tent. If this is the case you are better to condition the room and draw the conditioned air into the tent. If you exhaust the tent into the same room it is a little circular but that is how I do it. Another option is to exhaust the tent to the outside / attic - some place else.
There are also mini-split AC systems. They are basically a mini version of central air with an outdoor condenser with ducting connecting the power / temp / fan unit. They are nice but much more $$
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Yea i just domt understand my tent is literally in my basement tht stays around 72 to 75 degrees when hot and still cant keep my tent doors closed gets to hot
What are you using to exhaust the hot tent air out?? You can absolutely pipe it into your tent but keep AC outside or it will add to your heat issue. A extraction fan to remove hot air and assist in passive air intake are a must.
Following as I have the same issue. My tent gets up to 80-84 some days. I have the filtering system that takes the hot air out and two little fans in there now to circulate the air. I have this vague notion that someone on here posted that they like to grow at 90 deg and high rH but I can’t remember exactly if that was seedlings or the whole shebang and that was many, many bowls smoked ago.
To ride on your coat tails here: my question is how bad is it if the inside grow temp is in lower 80s a few hours a day? Esp if you have rH in 40-50 range and air circulated?
I have been there with this problem, I tried to add an AC to the room that I had my tent in only to see a couple degree difference after maxing the AC to 60. The problem was the heat that my light put off in an enclosed area I also had problems with humidity with the heat issues. After looking at better exhaust options and buying an AC, I eventually just replaced the light and just like that humidity and temperature issues are gone. I don’t even fill my humidifier anymore. And temperature matters alot because in high temperatures the plant takes in more water to compensate but it also takes in nutrients in the water. here’s what you get when that happens.
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So lets say i put the portable ac outside my grow tent and the portable ac has a carb filter built into it will tht carb filt even workbeing its outside of my tent?
Yea it gets in mid 80s with my doors open and really they seem like they dont mimd it its just i wanna close my doors and i know it will b way to hot then
So if i put my ac unit outside my tent and it has a carb filter built imto the ac unit will tht carb filter even work or does the carb filt have to be in the tent? Cause ill have to have somethimg venting the bad air out right without it smelling? Sorry im literally a first timer sucks got alot wrapped up into all of this and clueless!!
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Okay, so here is what I just did after looking at our set up: the small fan that came with the filter kit, etc, was the only thing bringing in outside air. I put one of the little fans on top the tent to also bring in cooler air, turned the A/C on our central unit down to 75 (it is a part of the house on a seperate thermostat) also the ceiling fan is on high in there. I also happened to find a small ocillating fan that is made to clip to grow tent poles and I am having a hard time getting the fans to stay on the horizontal poles (right now using a piece of pool noodle to make pole thicker and hold fan)
Fingers crossed! But seriously, this is what I absolutely LOVE about this as a first time grower, the constant challenges and learning and adjusting. And even when I think I messed up bad the plants just keep on growing and looking good.
Does not sound like you have a proper exhaust, which would be much cheaper to buy and cheaper to run than an AC unit. What kind of light are you using?
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Using leds and they are best va and vispectras 600 wstts and the va s are 1000 watts and a 2000 watt
Ok, nothing too crazy, I’d think you could get by with a 8" exhaust fan, if you can setup the ducting to exhaust the hot air to somewhere else, preferably outside.
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The easiest way to control temperature inside tent is to control temperature from the room you’re pulling fresh air from. ( lung room) you might consider framing off a small room in your basement 10 by 10 and control the temperature And humidity inside the room ,with your tent in the room. I think @Drinkslinger is also a basement grower might have suggestions .
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@KikiGee if not already you might consider running your lights night time an off, Daylight hours to help with temperature. Also I tie wrap a square pole to the round pole to give me a surface for my clip on fan to securely attached .those clip on fans don’t do well on round poles.
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Does your tent have an exhaust fan set up with a charcoal filter ?
6" ac infinity with charcoal filter exhausting out top, open bottom vent on tent. Fan blows out hot air and new cool air is sucked in bottom vent hole.
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Well, my buddy got a stand up Ac to go in his 8x8 tent. Has a single vent that blows the hot air outside. But it is sucking the air out of the tent, and through the condenser, and blowing it outside. Can’t really put a carbon filter on it because of the humidity that comes out, with the way they’re made to “auto-drain” by blowing it out with the air.
They make the stand up ac units with 2 ducts. That’s the way to go. Sucks air in from outside to run through the ac, and blows it back outside.
Similar to this one in the picture.
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Seem like if you’re going to spent $575 just go all in and get one of these
https://www.amazon.com/AlpicAir-Ductless-Conditioner-System-Inverter/dp/B076MHPK12/ref=sr_1_30?dchild=1&keywords=Mini+Split+System&qid=1592517045&sr=8-30
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How would I switch over light system? Right now they come on at 4 AM and off at 10 PM. Right offhand I would think reset timer at 10 PM, which would mean lights on for one day from 4 AM to 4 AM I don’t think I would want to switch to where they get too much dark right now as I am not ready for them to flower. Will it mess them up if I open the tent or work with them during the day when they are supposed to be in the dark? It is really, really hard for me to not look at them during the day, plus, my humidifier is small have to change water a few times a day. Our rH is 19% and I am doing good to keep it in the 40-50 range.
Thank you for the pole idea! It has been a challenge for sure.
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