4x8 tent in garage, venting & AC help

[vyserage]

So I'm thinking of moving my 4x8 grow tent into the garage as the inside is not an option. The biggest issue I'll have is high temps in summer as last year summer even got well over 90f in tent (inside the tent while inside the house). In the garage is bound to be even hotter.

I need help in figuring out the best cost effective way.

I can purchase a portable AC unit and set it at an acceptable 75 to 80f either inside the tent with venting exhaust out, or outside the tent venting cool air inside the tent(there really a difference?). Issue is I'm just exhausting all the cool air out of tent ducts and into garage. To help combat this, I could have the 400cfm fan bring in air from one of the ports for only 15 minutes out of every hour rather than it be on all the time filling the tent with hot air from garage. Is 15 minutes out of every hour sufficient air exchange?

The whole purpose of air exchange is adding a fresh supply of co2 correct? If true then couldn't I build a enclosed room in the garage, add co2 around 1500ppm and place the AC inside to keep it cooled and not worry about air exchange?

I'm so far leaning towards just placing the 4x8 tent in garage with the portable AC (inside or outside tent??) Set at 80f. The inline fan that's just bringing in outside garage air would only fire every hour for 15 minutes for air exchange but would of course create a positive pressure and blow out cold air too. If the AC unit is outside the tent and is coming on atleast once an hour, would that alone provide enough fresh air (co2 exchange) as it's sucki g air from the garage and not recirculating the air inside the tent?

 

[Lowrider72]

Take my advice, dont do this... Keep some mums inside, have a few months off in summer. Quality in hot grows will suffer badly....and battling the heat sucks.
Been there, done that....

 

[BooMtoLate]

You would be best with ac blowing into garage and exhaust in the tent sucking hot air out. Open the flap at bottom of tent to suck in chilled air into tent. I’d run inline fan 24/7, as for co2 I don’t think there’s a point because you won’t be able to replenish it fast enough with the exhaust running.

 

[vyserage]

You would be best with ac blowing into garage and exhaust in the tent sucking hot air out. Open the flap at bottom of tent to suck in chilled air into tent. I’d run inline fan 24/7, as for co2 I don’t think there’s a point because you won’t be able to replenish it fast enough with the exhaust running.

If the AC were blowing in the garage it would never turn off and be a huge drain on electric. I'm going to assume you had in mind a duct routing the cool air into the air duct on bottom of tent. Even then, having a 24/7 inline up top sucking out air would mean I'm exhausting all my cool air too which in turn is essentially making the AC kick on practically just as often as if it were cooling the entire garage which isn't an option sadly.

 

[BooMtoLate]

No I figured just blowing ac into the garage, just to cool it

 

[BooMtoLate]

Or kick the inline fan on couple times an hour.

 

[vyserage]

No I figured just blowing ac into the garage, just to cool it

Unfortunately its a large garage with no drywall/insulation and as like all garages, lots of air leaks. All that cool air would leak out fairly fast and result in ac being on often, draining electric

 

[vyserage]

Or kick the inline fan on couple times an hour.

That's what I was thinking, if the AC is keeping it say 80f all the time inside tent then the next important thing would be air exchange atleast 15 minutes out of every hour. Which begs the next question should I go that route. I wonder if the AC being outside tent and blowing inside, would it be supplying plenty of fresh air (co2) to the plants as well? Because since it's outside the tent, it's drawing garage air rather than recirculating the same air inside tent should the AC be inside the tent.

 

[BooMtoLate]

I’m kinda in the same boat, I was thinking of building a 6x6 room in my garage.

 

[BooMtoLate]

You might have to add some kind of fresh air intake in garage. What kind of ac, like a window unit or portable?

 

[vyserage]

You might have to add some kind of fresh air intake in garage. What kind of ac, like a window unit or portable?

I'm pretty sure all the air leaks in a garage is plenty of exchange for co2. I faintly remember people mentioning that a few times.

Portable

 

[BooMtoLate]

Controlling temps is really annoying, but once you get it figured out you will be rockin.

 

[vyserage]

Controlling temps is really annoying, but once you get it figured out you will be rockin.

Ya it is. Then I also have to factor in electric cost and try to keep it low and running efficiently lol.

I'm torn between 2 options. The one I've been discussing and option B where I build a seperate enclosed 4x8 area or so, and seal it up nicely so I can throw in the AC to keep it 80f and say screw ventilation by adding in a compressed co2 system which would run me $425, plus 250 for the AC lol.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Keep in mind

The portable ac sucks juice. In my house in the room with my hps and 8bulb t5, and all the other stuffs, it popped my breaker, and my house is new. Assuming 15amp breaker

So you could have that issue too

 

[vyserage]

Just placing this here for my future reference as I'm so forgetful haha


"2 types of rooms sealed, no need to vent or bring air in open, the reason for air exchanges is to bring fresh c02 in. that's it, regardless of what the plant does at night or day.but the plant does only use the c02 with the lights on nothing goes in or out of my sealed room but me and my plants. "

"You DO NOT vent a sealed room. What's the point of spending thousands on AC's, dehueys, and Co2 systems if your just going to vent with outside air? Your AC's/Heater makes sure the temp is PERFECT at all times, your dehueys keep your RH in check at all times, and your Co2 system keep Co2 levels in check with lights on. If you vent, you are just throwing everything off balance and the room has to work harder to get it back to where it should. Dialed in rooms produce dialed in buds.

 

[Pbass]

Do a experiment run with your cheap seeds and no temp equipment! Sounds cost prohibitive any way you look at it otherwise!

 

[vyserage]

Keep in mind

The portable ac sucks juice. In my house in the room with my hps and 8bulb t5, and all the other stuffs, it popped my breaker, and my house is new. Assuming 15amp breaker

So you could have that issue too

That's very true, I'd have to make sure my AC is running on a seperate breaker vs my lights otherwise it likely would flip it lol

Do a experiment run with your cheap seeds and no temp equipment! Sounds cost prohibitive any way you look at it otherwise!

Definitely going to get costly! I'll be using clones from a mother plant so that is an option. I expect the temps over 100f tho, as is every summer. Our heat wave in California hasn't started yet lol

 

[Pbass]

How about a big fan and drip system? For some reason I'm getting a mental picture that pot plants would love 100f, a nice breeze and lots of cool water.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Inside isn't outside...lol

Mine at 94 in my tent where Not happy...lol

 

[Pbass]

I'm sure that was with full on fan action and best watering practices as well @Chris Scorpio ...I could see the restriction of airflow in a 4x8 being a issue for moving air for sure.

I've got it, lose the tent! Just grow in the garage. Then you can really ramp up the airflow, between transpiration and a good hot weather watering routine you think they'd have a chance? The AC is gonna put you in the poor house.

You'll have to excuse me since I've got my light situation somewhat stable I'm now on to obsessing about energy consumption lol!