DIY Window Ac Unit in Grow Room?

[Guy Incognito]

Hi everybody!

I'm looking to cool down my 5x5 garage grow room. The summer heat and my light are keeping my temps above 75F almost constantly this weekend, even with the passive intake coming from an AC cooled basement room.

Would it be ok to install a window ac unit in one of the sides of the box leading out to the garage? I know a split would be better, but I have this extra window unit laying around and want to give it a shot, unless that's a bad idea. Thanks!

 

[JP1]

I use a window ac in my garage plugged into an inkbird with the sensor in the tent and it works fine. But 75 is fine, especially if you have good humidity in your garage

 

[Guy Incognito]

Is yours directly attached to the side of the tent?

I have a solid room built from wood and drywall. I want to cut hole in the drywall and mount it right there.

I'm good at 75F now because I'm in week one. But my light is only at 20 percent intensity right now. I turned it up to 30 percent intensity last night and the temp in my room went up to 78F. The exhaust fan was running constantly and couldn't vent it back down to 75F.

 

[Doug58]

In the house I currently own I use two small 8,000 btu window air conditioners to cool down the entire house, upstairs and down. They put out a good amount of heat on the exhaust side to the outdoors. I was thinking about installing one in my shop room in my pole barn which is enclosed and insulated and exhausting it out into the uninsulated portion of the pole barn which has roof vents. I have a 4'x4' grow tent in the shop. My shop is much larger than 5'x5'.

I believe a window air conditioner would be way oversized if it is just used in a 5'x5' space. I would think a portable air conditioner would work better as they are a bit larger than a dehumidifier and use a flexible vent much like an exhaust fan vent which you could extend to vent out a window to exhaust heat and humidity outside your garage.

If you use a window air conditioner in such a small space I'd go with the smallest available, likely 5,000 btu. If in US, the Energy Star models would likely be best than some older larger unit. From Wal-Mart many models are available for just over $100.00 and will cool 100 to 150 square feet. Set the temperature control high enough that it rarely needs to kick on.

 

[JP1]

Mine is mounted to the exterior wall of the garage. Cools the garage to about 70ish to keep the tent at 75. I leave the ac set at 65 and the inkbird turns it on and off when it needs

 

[Guy Incognito]

Mine is mounted to the exterior wall of the garage. Cools the garage to about 70ish to keep the tent at 75. I leave the ac set at 65 and the inkbird turns it on and off when it needs

Nice! My air intake is coming from my temp controlled basement, so I don't need to cool down my garage. Just need a little more cooling capability inside the box for when I turn the light up to 100% intensity during later growth stages.

 

[automan2]

I recently added a portable 7000btu hvac/dehumidifier that allows lot of adjustment of modes for changing needs of grow space parameters control. Sure gotta control humidity during heavy flower...

 

[Doug58]

I recently added a portable 7000btu hvac/dehumidifier that allows lot of adjustment of modes for changing needs of grow space parameters control. Sure gotta control humidity during heavy flower...

The problem with portable air conditioners is that they are more expensive and the quality is lower in my experience. I had one and after two years it began leaking from the water collection tank. In a garage it probably wouldn't be a big deal but it negates the moisture removal function from the air if it happens. I had another one, Cree brand, that had a major recall as they were responsible for house fires.

Received a full refund after sending in tags, stickers and the cut cord from the unit to the manufacturer to make the unit inoperable.

 

[automan2]

The problem with portable air conditioners is that they are more expensive and the quality is lower in my experience. I had one and after two years it began leaking the from the water collection tank. In a garage it probably wouldn't be a big deal but it negates the moisture removal function from the air if it happens. I had another one, Cree brand, that had a major recall as they were responsible for house fires.

Received a full refund after sending in tags, stickers and the cut cord from the unit to the manufacturer to make the unit inoperable.

I was lucky enough to purchase my unit used for really really cheap...known for leakage, a simple catch tray cures all....and yes, making sure all electrical componentry is up for it.

 

[Doug58]

I was lucky enough to purchase my unit used for really really cheap...known for leakage, a simple catch tray cures all....and yes, making sure all electrical componentry is up for it.

Yeah, they usually have a drain plug which can be adapted to drain with some tubing into a floor drain or out through a wall if it is in an outbuilding where you can easily drill through an outer wall.