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#1
10-20-2009, 12:58 AM
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Royal Sovereign ARP-1000ES
http://www.royalsovereign.com/products Overview: The following is a review of the Royal Sovereign Model ARP-1000ES Portable Air Conditioning Unit. I am not an HVAC Technician, but have owned three seperate window units in my time to base my review off of. Basically, I am no expert, just giving a simple review for anyone that is looking to buy a Portable AC unit for their grow op.  Specifications/Details:  A quick rundown of this unit's features.
Power Requirements: A standard grounded 15AMP 115volt outlet is all that is necessary for the AC Unit. When the AC mode is on, the unit is pulling up to 950 watts. In my case, I had already gone through the hassle of running extra breakers and dedicated power runs to the room, but you might have to do this if you want to install a portable AC! 950 watts is a lot as we all know, and if you already have lights, fans, and all the other bells and whistles running, another dedicated line might also be necessary. In my case I have lights on their own breaker, AC unit on its own breaker, and everything else in between on their own breaker. Window Exhaust Kit: I chose not to use this kit, against the advice of the site's FAQ. There is nothing wrong with this kit as far as functionality, and the window bar is made of a pretty sturdy plastic material. (surprisingly) I chose not to use it because of security reasons. I would rather NOT have my window ajar 24x7 in order to exhaust my AC unit, plus I did not buy a window AC unit for the very same reason.  
Alternative Exhaust: Installing the Portable AC unit was very very easy!  I suppose the most time consuming part was creating an alternative exhaust for the unit, something that isn't necessary for everyone! Here are the items I used to create an alternative exhaust::
Here is the process I went through to create the alternative exhaust:
 AC Mode Review/Performance: I installed this unit in a 180 sq. foot room. In the specs you probably noticed its good for up to 400. This unit is actually cooling a room that is housing a grow closet. The grow closet is pulling air from the room constantly, so if the room is cool, the closets are also. Since air is constantly being pulled from the room, I purchased a larger BTU model. 8,000 would have normally done a room of this size just fine in most cases. The room has cooled down from 86 to 78 within an hours time no problem while temperatures outside range in the mid 90s. The fan was set to high during this time, and the AC temperature was at 78 degrees. The central AC to the house was at 85 degrees and the door to the room is kept closed. When the room reaches the desired level, the unit runs with the Fan on only and the exhaust is also turned off. I also placed a standard oscillating fan in front of the AC unit that is rotating the air around the room more efficiently. During times when both grow lights are active the AC unit does not show any signs of trouble cooling the main room down. These lights are again in the closet and each have their own exhaust fans, but its good to know that the Portable AC unit is doing one of the jobs that it was intended to do. Dehumidifier Mode: I thought at first when I purchased this unit that it would dehumidify while cooling, but that is not exactly the case. The unit has to actually be put on dehumidifier mode, which keeps it from performing its AC functions. I would not recommend this unit if you are looking to get an 'all in on solution.' Then again, if for some reason you only need to dehumidify in the winter...this might be just for you.  Fan Mode: This pretty much just keeps air circulating in the room. I suggest getting a fan if you are only to use this mode, but thats stating the obvious. Again, this mode runs automatically between AC cycles, but it does not indicate this on the control panel display. Growroom Temperatures: The unit was mainly purchased to stem the tide of high temperatures during daytime hours. It is not economical for me to keep my house at a steady temperature, which I understand is not the case for everyone, but is in my locale. Instead of cooling the whole house, keeping just the room cool I have the grow closet in seems more practical for the long hours I am not in the home. Results: Average Temperature in both Vegetative Room and Flowering Room Dropped by 6 Degrees. Veg Room - 400 watt Metal Halide Flowering Room - 600 watt HPS
Carbon Dioxide During Co2 emissions the exhaust is cut in the Flowering room for 10 minutes while the light's independent exhaust pulling air from the main room remains active. Temperature still increases during this time period and spikes at the end of the 10 minutes. Here are the old and current spikes from my temperature readings:
I can deal with 82 Degrees any day, and the time it takes to cool back down to 76 is around 5 minutes. This has enabled me to regulate Co2 twice an hour instead of once. Air Filter This unit does not truly filter air. It has a simple air filter on the back that is designed to capture small particles before the intake uses the air. It is simple to remove and clean which is another plus. Water Buildup & Drainage This unit does not require water drainage in nearly every operational environment is what the product description claims. In my environment this holds to be true at least!
Although there is a drainage hole and rubber plug on the bottom, I have never used it. The unit also has the ability to shut down and tell you with an indicator light if the water reservoir does get too full. You then simply drain it using the bottom plug and are back in business. My guess is that if you live in an area of high humidity, you might still have to drain. Conclusion: I needed an AC unit that provided me the following:
Yes I had to create my own exhaust to make it secure, but it would not have been possible with a window unit. I suppose this can be applied to all Portable AC Stand Alone Units. The room housing the grow closet is easily cooled, and this in turn has brought down both my grow room temperature averages and spikes. I love the fact that I do not have to worry about the water buildup. In fact, it is half the reason why I chose this model based upon reviews of others stating the same great results. I would not get a Portable AC unit if it did not have this feature because I just dont have the time to babysit something that I need to depend on to cool in an automated fashion. This unit is definitely not for everyone, simply because every grow room is different. Be sure to research whats best for your own needs (like BTU's!!!) before diving into such a large purchase. Most importantly though, be sure you even need the darn thing to begin with.  - Fred  |
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#3
11-04-2009, 12:59 AM
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Just an Update, this model will NOT Remember previous settings or turn itself back on if power is lost and then restored. This means it will not work well with temperature activated power outlets or timers.
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#4
11-04-2009, 03:28 AM
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I own the ARP-1200EX which is a 12,000 btu, dual-hose unit, but I'm not happy with it at all. I found very mixed reviews of Royal Sovereign products, but I thought I'd try it anyways. Seeing as it was put into a 10x10 room I thought it would work well despite a few poor reviews, but I was mistaken. It only managed to cool the room with 2x400w HPS and a few CFLs to 74 degrees. Without the AC, it was running around 82 degrees. I was sorely disappointed because when sticking a 1 ton AC unit into a tiny room, I should expect to see snow! So I essentially paid $600+utilities for 8 degrees. In the end, the increased yield didn't offset the extra cost in electricity, so it sits in my closet collecting dust.
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#5
11-04-2009, 10:11 PM
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#6
11-04-2009, 10:43 PM
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Yeah that part sucks I have a port ac similar to yours cooling a closet but the actual a/c is in the closet cooling a 400 and 600w. I have have it on a timer so it shuts off when lights go out but I have to turn it on every day manually or i just leave it on 24/7 if i'm going to be gone its on a shelf about 5 foot off the ground the exhaust goes into the ceiling. Under the a/c I have a 5 gallon bucket that collects the water (I use the water to feed my girls) I can get 5 gallons of water in about 3 or 4 days(its very humid here) in the winter alot less though.
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#7
11-05-2009, 12:29 AM
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Royal Sovereign ARP-1000ES Portable AC Review
Just go to your local hardware store and you can find at least a few.
Linear Mode
