Hvac question.

If I have a 3 ton ac and I rig it to where it has a 12 inch main duct, then 2, 12 inch ducts coming out the side into 2 tents that are 10x10x6.5, do you think that would be using all/ most of the ac unit?
I currently have 2, 10 inch ducts, which if my research is correct, then I’m not using all of the ac I could. Right?
Inside the 2 tents I’ll have 4000w hps each.
if my first message was confusing, let me know and I’ll see if I can word it better.

Could you just cool the room the tents are in and vent the tents to / from that room? Using it as a lung room?

They make some mini splits that are designed to be ducted and have a duct size thats proper for them. You could use one of those and run their duct size as far as possible then have take offs for the tents. Let the tents exhaust passively into the room where the AC return would be located.

You can even get those with multiple zones and have one evaporator coil / blower for each tent if you really wanna get slick. Then you can set them independently.

Single Zone example:


2 Zone Example (select slim ducted for both zones):

A 12 inch main duct really just provides enough airflow for that
Reducers will increase static pressure and move air at a higher velocity

You definitely don't want to restrict the unit duct size as that can cause it to freeze up the evaporator coil.

The best setup for what you wanna do is the two zone ducted system I showed. One for each tent. If 18,000 BTU is enough for the tent then thats gonna rock. You can set each tent with it's own thermostat and if the tents run on different schedules they will get what they need. You could put the head inside the tent even if you get creative lol, id still wanna anchor it to the joists above but you could do that through the tent using strut channel and threaded rod. Then you don't have to even bother with ducts or return air.

Here are a few others, a little more costly but more efficient. Just select the ducted option for both zones.

TreeFiddy350 said:

Inside the 2 tents I’ll have 4000w hps each.

Click to expand...

I would say that 4kW will definitely use the 18,000 (1.5 ton) capacity. Perhaps more. I have 4 ton units and 10kW of DE and SE mix maxes them out and I am in a basement. Summers they really struggle. Personally I would want a little more than 18,000 BTU/hr for the 4kW. Now if you have two tents and they are on a 12/12 flip then you could use a 2 ton unit and set it such that it cools the lung room and the tents ventilate to and from that room.

I basically have 1 room that is about 30x30. It’s not insulated very well. It is only temporary until the first few months of next year.
I figure with it not being insulated very well that I will be good on temps for the meantime since it’s about to start getting cold here. well... cooler anyways. Eventually I’ll move to rooms and won’t have to deal with tents.
im trying to make it work for the next... maybe 5-6 months I guess.
Each tent will be flip flop. One going during the day and the other going at night time.
right now I guess the main room would be the lung room? Sorry not too familiar with theterminology. It brings air in through the bottom of the ac unit and then that goes up and out. Then it has the main duct and that main duct will be a 12 inch with 2, 12 inch ducts vented to each tent. In each tent is also 2 inline fans cooling 2 lights per inline fan. AND the heat from the lights is being pushed out of the building.

Well you may wanna setup the fans cooling the lights so they arent grabbing the conditioned tent air and blowing it outside.

If the AC unit is a conventional r-22 unit (not an inverter mini split) don't plan on it working when the temperatures are cool outside. Usually when it hits somewhere in the 50's outside your evaporator coil will freeze up.

Anyways some pics would help, PM them to me if you want.

Renfro said:

Well you may wanna setup the fans cooling the lights so they arent grabbing the conditioned tent air and blowing it outside.

If the AC unit is a conventional r-22 unit (not an inverter mini split) don't plan on it working when the temperatures are cool outside. Usually when it hits somewhere in the 50's outside your evaporator coil will freeze up.

Anyways some pics would help, PM them to me if you want.

Click to expand...

I’ll shoot you a message tomorrow.