Sealed room / pressure / CO2 help please!!

jerimedz

Member
Hey fellas,

I need some major input on the room I built. My co2 is being depleted quickly and the pressure in my room is way to much.

What I did was install two 14000 BTU portable AC (Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable) Mini-Split wouldn't work for this location. but I placed both units outside of my grow room. I cut the dry wall where the units blow and with metal made a sealed enclosure so the units blow inside the room. The ac isn't blowing any air from inside out. The room it self is totally sealed. I sealed the first room then built a room around it with 2x4s and sealed that also. The room is 14x12x8 I have 16 plants inside under 5000 watts in RDWC the chillers are outside of the room. I'm using co2 tanks, I set my co2 for on 6 CFH for 20 mins on and 45 mins off and the co2 gets depleted in about 10 mins, it also doesn't get up to 1500ppm only to about 900. I spent a lot money and time rebuilding this room and this is driving me crazy!!! Please help me fellas!!
 

jerimedz

Member
Is co2 burner out of the question for you?
Yeah Burnout and why the room isn't filling up to 1500 ppm and staying there for at least an hour? When I use the online calculators at that rate and my room size it should fill up 1500ppm. Are my plants really using the co2 that fast??
 

ROCKTOTO

Well-Known Member
Yeah Burnout and why the room isn't filling up to 1500 ppm and staying there for at least an hour? When I use the online calculators at that rate and my room size it should fill up 1500ppm. Are my plants really using the co2 that fast??
I doubt it ,have you check for leaks ,look at the regulator connection make sure your grommet isn't leaking also.
 

jerimedz

Member
I doubt it ,have you check for leaks ,look at the regulator connection make sure your grommet isn't leaking also.
The co2 tank is in the grow room and I have a co2 monitor and a camera inside facing the monitor and it raises when I set it and then just falls back down. There's no way the room has holes. I even had a carbon filter connected to the outside, but not running obviously I took it down and sealed it off. I'm thinking the room has way too much that's not allowing it to fill up, but where is the co2 going that fast? The plants are eating it is my only other guess.. I just can't figure it out man I'm stumped!!
 

MJCanada

Well-Known Member
I'm not an expert on sealed grows, but I have some experience with HVAC.

Have your AC units froze on you? That is a good indication that your cold air isn't moving past the condenser fast enough, which means a positive air pressure situation on your cold out pipes.

If they aren't freezing up, that means you have air leaks in where the AC unit is pushing the air into it.

You can only pressurize so much before one of the 2 situations happen.

My guess is that you have leaks somewhere and your CO2 is leaking through those places because of the pressurized environment.
 

jerimedz

Member
I'm not an expert on sealed grows, but I have some experience with HVAC.

Have your AC units froze on you? That is a good indication that your cold air isn't moving past the condenser fast enough, which means a positive air pressure situation on your cold out pipes.

If they aren't freezing up, that means you have air leaks in where the AC unit is pushing the air into it.

You can only pressurize so much before one of the 2 situations happen.

My guess is that you have leaks somewhere and your CO2 is leaking through those places because of the pressurized environment.
No havnt froze up on me, but the units are actually sitting outside of the grow room just blowing in through a custom sealed vent hole i made. The room is tight sealed I built a room within a room and sealed even the 2x4 joints. Then I panda filmed the whole room. I'm guessing because the unit it self isn't in the room and the hoses going out it's creating too much pressure, that part I know forsure, but where is the co2 going? The plants are pretty big, but they are eating the co2 that fast? Maybe next round put the units inside he grow room and take the hoses out so that way it's pulling the air inside the room and cooling that?
 

MJCanada

Well-Known Member
Did you seal your electrical boxes? both vapor/tuck tape and foam seals for the plates?

Many people forget about that step during their insulation phases in regular house builds.
 

jerimedz

Member
I'm not an expert on sealed grows, but I have some experience with HVAC.

Have your AC units froze on you? That is a good indication that your cold air isn't moving past the condenser fast enough, which means a positive air pressure situation on your cold out pipes.

If they aren't freezing up, that means you have air leaks in where the AC unit is pushing the air into it.

You can only pressurize so much before one of the 2 situations happen.

My guess is that you have leaks somewhere and your CO2 is leaking through those places because of the pressurized environment.
Maybe the room is just too small
Did you seal your electrical boxes? both vapor/tuck tape and foam seals for the plates?

Many people forget about that step during their insulation phases in regular house builds.
Yeah the plugs that I'm not using i silver taped them closed.
 

jerimedz

Member
Maybe the room is just too small

Yeah the plugs that I'm not using i silver taped them closed.
Yeah that's the next thing I was thinking the room is just too small for the amount of air I'm trying to push in. What if I run 8inch ducting maybe 15 feet from one end of the room to the other just so I can get extra air inside? In a loop trough my veg room next door? That's what I was thinking next. It's just I can't take apart this room, money/time.
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Normal ACs are usually not airtight between the inside part and the outside part. Any little crack between the two sides will obviously result in air being moved in one direction or the other. Since you said there was a pressure buildup it looks like the inside fan is winning the tug of war. You need a split AC, simple as that.
 

jerimedz

Member
Normal ACs are usually not airtight between the inside part and the outside part. Any little crack between the two sides will obviously result in air being moved in one direction or the other. Since you said there was a pressure buildup it looks like the inside fan is winning the tug of war. You need a split AC, simple as that.
Yeah I would of went that route, but the location makes it very hard to get a mini split up. Thanks
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Yeah I would of went that route, but the location makes it very hard to get a mini split up. Thanks
Guess you have to up the CO2 release then, or just be okay with the lower level. That's like twice atmospheric anyway. Only so much is practical to do with what you have available.
 
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