4 or 6k watt room build

So my friend wants to turn his grow room to a veg room and build a flower room in his garage. We're going to put a wall up and I'm doing a sub panel for the electricity. It's going to have vended hoods and c02.

Now I have no experience with mini split systems. I'm wondering what size I need to buy.

My second question is my main panel is 200amps and my friends house is a big 5 bed room. It only has one 5 ton ac and one kitchen. I'm kind of worried about tripping the main breaker in the summer when the house a/c is on and the grow room.

The veg room is going to be 2k watts with a window a/c unit.

It's close to me thinking the main panel might need to be upgrade to 400amp service.

Any sparkys out there with ideas ? I was a residential electrician for 6 years, from 2001 to 2007, so I'll call and ask some people but between the house and 2 rooms they will be using a lot of power.

Well of to learn stuff, any input is welcome

Well mini splits use 18-20 amps and come the largest size for a house is 24,000 btu. A 1000 watt digital ballast uses apox 6 amps a pice. So for the flower room I'm looking at 56 amps for lighting and heating/cooling. Then there's fans and exhaust fans for the hoods. C02 regulator. So I'm looking at a 100 amp subpanel that will use less than 70 amps with everything on.

The veg room will be drawing about 25 amps when on. It needs anew window unit not sure what size it will be so I'm just going with 10amps ac and 2 1000 watt ballast and probably a 600.

So both rooms on at one time will draw less than 100amps. Now to find out if there's enough power left to run the house. But man if the water heater a/c and range on all at one time it seems close.

Maybe LEDs for veg to save power.

well I have to find out the starting amps of everything in the house to calculate the amp needs of the house or a amp meter I guess

Really no one is going to say anything?

norcal mmj said:

So my friend wants to turn his grow room to a veg room and build a flower room in his garage. We're going to put a wall up and I'm doing a sub panel for the electricity. It's going to have vended hoods and c02.

Now I have no experience with mini split systems. I'm wondering what size I need to buy.

My second question is my main panel is 200amps and my friends house is a big 5 bed room. It only has one 5 ton ac and one kitchen. I'm kind of worried about tripping the main breaker in the summer when the house a/c is on and the grow room.

The veg room is going to be 2k watts with a window a/c unit.

It's close to me thinking the main panel might need to be upgrade to 400amp service.

Any sparkys out there with ideas ? I was a residential electrician for 6 years, from 2001 to 2007, so I'll call and ask some people but between the house and 2 rooms they will be using a lot of power.

Well of to learn stuff, any input is welcome

Click to expand...

4k btu per 1k watts vented.minisplits come larger than 24k btu. Get one with inverter technology. Look into your winter weather. If it gets below freezing you may have issues with the condensor outside.ditch the window ac. Wire everything 240.

No one can tell u the amp usage until you add everything up.

Thanks. I was thinking out loud mostly.

Should be able to add breakers if theres spots open in the box for lamps and split unit. Thats what i did.

And wanted to see what people had to say.

Panel is kind of full. The old grow room/veg room takes a bit and its a big house. The budget will affect that. The mini split is expensive but a must have

norcal mmj said:

Panel is kind of full. The old grow room/veg room takes a bit and its a big house. The budget will affect that. The mini split is expensive but a must have

Click to expand...

Most of the instructions tell you to have a dedicated circuit for the mini split. I also added a surge protector on the outside fuse panel.

Will be having a sub panel with circuits for ever thing.

MustangStudFarm said:

Most of the instructions tell you to have a dedicated circuit for the mini split. I also added a surge protector on the outside fuse panel.

Click to expand...

By surge protector, do you mean a gfci circuit breaker?

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Split-Surge-Protector-Replacement/dp/B00SYYL7VA

adower said:

4k btu per 1k watts vented.minisplits come larger than 24k btu. Get one with inverter technology. Look into your winter weather. If it gets below freezing you may have issues with the condensor outside.ditch the window ac. Wire everything 240.

No one can tell u the amp usage until you add everything up.

Click to expand...

I would love to not have a window unit but then, how would I cool the veg room. Can't afford 2 mini splits.

Thanks @MustangStudFarm, mini splits are new to me.

norcal mmj said:

Thanks @MustangStudFarm, mini splits are new to me.

Click to expand...

I thought that mine had developed a leak last night!!! I found spots of oil mixed with water... I think that it was the Nylog oil that I applied GENEROUSLY to the flares lol. I used a lot of it and the condensate is helping it drip... Still ice cold. They are something to be proud of!

Growing indoors with the right equipment for a "never have a problem again" controlled climate growroom(s) is mighty right expensive on initial cost and gut wrenching on a monthly basis. Believe that.