Air Conditioners in Rooms

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fourtwentychat

Well-Known Member
I'm a bit confused on how proper design incorporates AC units (Window Style or Portable). Both appear to exhaust only very little to the outside, but this isn't really the question or important here I guess.

The question is: How is the constant introduction of fresh air handled, when the fresh air being introduced into the room may be very warm (IE 90 degree air from the outside during the summer)?

So, if an AC is cooling a room constantly, and fresh air is also being brought into the room from the outside (constant air exchange), then isn't this somewhat defeating the purpose of the AC? That is, I can't really imagine an AC unit cooling a room faster than say a 6" or 8" Can Fan is bringing warm air in (passively).

I realize that fresh air from the outside is not 100% necessary in that things will still work. That is, instead of exhausting air out, while introducing fresh air in (as in the example above) the room room could instead simply use the AC unit, while scrubbing and re-circulating the same scrubbed air. I realize this works, but I thought that the proper design was to always have new air being introduced. So, assuming proper design, how is fresh air incorporated into an AC'd room?
 
trichlone fiend

trichlone fiend

New Member
...what is needed from freash air, is the co2.
You can make an airtight room, include an a/c and co2 enrichment.
...I use this type of a/c (double hose)
double hose airconditioner.jpg
 
W

Wohjew

Well-Known Member
trichlone fiend said:
...what is needed from freash air, is the co2.
You can make an airtight room, include an a/c and co2 enrichment.
...I use this type of a/c (double hose) nice trich, do you vent that AC out of a basement room ? the vent hoses arent very long, i see yours going up . im putting mine in the basement as i speak. mine only has one vent hose i just took a break :mrgreen:im not running sealed . i got aircoold lights drawing from another room window. im scrubbing the air in room and venting the room for 10 mins on the hour. should work i hope . i also got the AC exhuast going into a garbage can . inside the garbage can is a small carbon filter with small fan exhausting out my dryer vent . hoping this works as well with the garbage can and filter im hoping to stop the AC from venting smelly sir outside. Didt mean to hijack your thread just throw this out there
Click to expand...
 
cowboylogic

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
The air that is exhausted out the back is isolated from the room air being circulated in the front of the unit. Most have a fresh air vent you can open or close. Even open though very little outside is introduced into the room. And if your not using CO2 then just going in and out of the room a few times a day is enough to introduce fresh air.
 
NLXSK1

NLXSK1

Well-Known Member
fourtwentychat said:
I'm a bit confused on how proper design incorporates AC units (Window Style or Portable). Both appear to exhaust only very little to the outside, but this isn't really the question or important here I guess.

The question is: How is the constant introduction of fresh air handled, when the fresh air being introduced into the room may be very warm (IE 90 degree air from the outside during the summer)?

So, if an AC is cooling a room constantly, and fresh air is also being brought into the room from the outside (constant air exchange), then isn't this somewhat defeating the purpose of the AC? That is, I can't really imagine an AC unit cooling a room faster than say a 6" or 8" Can Fan is bringing warm air in (passively).

I realize that fresh air from the outside is not 100% necessary in that things will still work. That is, instead of exhausting air out, while introducing fresh air in (as in the example above) the room room could instead simply use the AC unit, while scrubbing and re-circulating the same scrubbed air. I realize this works, but I thought that the proper design was to always have new air being introduced. So, assuming proper design, how is fresh air incorporated into an AC'd room?
Click to expand...
A window unit exchanges ZERO air with the outside unless you open a vent. This allows you to cool the room to the temperature of your choosing. You dont have to protect these from smell exchange.

A portable unit needs fresh air and a place to dump warm air. Typically these units cannot cool the room 10 degrees lower than the fresh air source. These units need to be filtered to hide smell.
 
NLXSK1

NLXSK1

Well-Known Member
Can you hold it in your hand?

They should get up to 120 degrees maybe but not too hot to hold.
 
KingIV20

KingIV20

Active Member
Wohjew said:
is it normal for the vent hose to get really hot and flimsy?>
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Like the guy above me said, it shouldn't get TOO hot; but keep in mind that that hose is the AC's only way to get rid of the heat, so yea it will be hot.
 
R3DROCk9

R3DROCk9

Active Member
Fourtwentychat

Are you serious??? A/C works better than a fan to cool a room bc it introduces cooled air (60 degrees) into the room, passive fan cooling uses ambient temps.

Hope this helps...
 
S

shizz

Well-Known Member
i think i under stand. the piont of fresh air is co2. so u want to move fresh air in or introduc co2. u want to now how to cool the air if its 90degrees outside. air conditioners work. but if u dont have this option. u can pull cooler from ur basement. threw ur grow area and out. or u can pull from tthe outside look for a shaded area over a sunny side of the house. iv seen people us old standing freezers. they cut two hole in the side of it and run ducting to it. they also ran a smaller intake into the freezer. they used what they had. i woulndt us a freezer or fridge they cost to much to run like that. lots of difernt thing u can do. we could help out more if we new ur growing area. basement gargage attic ect.
 
F

fourtwentychat

Well-Known Member
RoyalDanknessCaregiving said:
R3DROCk9 - I think you misread the question...
Click to expand...
Thanks Royal; I was just about to tell him to re-read the question. The "Are you serious" remark was a bit presumptuous and unwarranted.

Anyway, Cowboylogic answered my question specifically, and a few others provided some insight. I *did* understand that AC units do not provide any real air exchange. I was simply concerned with how fresh air (CO2) would be handled (correctly) in an AC'd room. From the valid replies, it appears that there are two options when dealing with an AC'd setup:

1) Air tight room (or near air tight) with C02 system of sorts.
2) Just open door(s) to this room a couple times of day to introduce a new stream of "fresh air" into the room.

#2 is what I was initially unsure of (not having C02). It just seemed to be a non-elegant solution (which kind of bugs me), but I suppose it's the only other option (since bringing in the warm outside air would defeat the AC's purpose).

Ah, and also shizz made a good suggestion:

3) Using the basement air instead of outside for air in the event that you have an AC unit, a basement, and do not have a C02 system.

Thanks everyone.
 
cowboylogic

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
Another small bit of info. The average CO2 levels outdoors is about 400ppm. Average indoors about 600-800 ppm. And the average growers aim when using supplemental CO2 is around 1500 ppm.
 
mr. green thumb 01

mr. green thumb 01

New Member
i use an intake and a a/c it still keeps the room a sh*t load cooler than with out approx. 15 degrees. I always wondered the same thing... am I defeating the purpose of the a/c when im using an intake with 90 degree+ temps, so then I decided to cut off the intake during the hottest times of the day...which is also when my lights are out and the plants dont photosynthesize then so they dont use co2. It seems to be helping also...I dont really like the opening the door a couple times a day idea, I like all my stuff to be automated so you dont have to constantly be going in the room 2-3 times a day...
 
sixstring2112

sixstring2112

Well-Known Member
NLXSK1 said:
A window unit exchanges ZERO air with the outside unless you open a vent. This allows you to cool the room to the temperature of your choosing. You dont have to protect these from smell exchange.

A portable unit needs fresh air and a place to dump warm air. Typically these units cannot cool the room 10 degrees lower than the fresh air source. These units need to be filtered to hide smell.
Click to expand...
this is not always the case as all a/c units are not made the same,my window unit does let smell out, not alot but you can smell the skunk a little. as far as portables go , some do not need fresh air they get it from the same pipe that vents hot air. it just depends how much you spend i guess. and my porpable will cool my room right down to 60F, the lowest setting.you get what you pay for i guess, and mine was not cheap.
 
M

mydixiewrecked

New Member
NLXSK1

NLXSK1

Well-Known Member
mydixiewrecked said:
you can also use a ductless a/c, a/c doesn't just blow cold air, it is a heat transfer system, heat is absorbed by the refrigerant and taken to a location and dissposed of. With supplemental c02, there is no need for fresh air, your goal is to maintain a 1500 ppm at all times, the plants will inhale it and exhale 02.
http://cgi.ebay.com/18-000BTU-Ductless-COOLING-ONLY-AIR-CONDITIONER-R410A-/320559291013?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Air_Conditioner&hash=item4aa2d29a85
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Yep, these are called ductless or mini-split A/C systems. But these typically go for $1500 and up installed and need someone with HVAC knowledge. I paid $3100 for mine and it rocks but for most people that is out of their price range.
 
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