installing portable AC

I am adding AC to my 4x3x6 grow space. I have this portable AC I got of craigslist for $100. It has an exhaust hose in back and a grill in front. I was hoping someone had done this and could share their experience with me.

I cant decide if it should be inside the 3x4 grow box or if I can duct tape a duct to the front grill and put the AC next the grow box. One possibility would be to cool the whole 10x14 room that the grow box is in. I have a 2nd one in the room that I will turn off the HID and run on floros when it gets hot. But cooling the whole room seems expensive. I don't actually know though.

nobody's done this before?

normaly the portable ac untis have a temp/thermostat control in them if its out side your grow area your going to have to adjust the temp so its good in the box........ i do somthing kinda like this i have my portable ac unit going in my bed room and i have fans pushing the air to my grow rooms and fans that suck in the cold air and keep the rooms below 82 but thats with my ac unit going full blast all the way down to 61 temp .....but your right i am cooling my room instead of just the grow room. so its all up to how much room you have and if you can still do everything you need to do with out the ac being in the way

Hulk Nugs said:

normaly the portable ac untis have a temp/thermostat control in them if its out side your grow area your going to have to adjust the temp so its good in the box........ i do somthing kinda like this i have my portable ac unit going in my bed room and i have fans pushing the air to my grow rooms and fans that suck in the cold air and keep the rooms below 82 but thats with my ac unit going full blast all the way down to 61 temp .....but your right i am cooling my room instead of just the grow room. so its all up to how much room you have and if you can still do everything you need to do with out the ac being in the way

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That is good to know about the thermostat. It sounds like it would be a lot more efficient to put it inside the grow box. Did you notice how much your electric bill went up with the AC? I am guessing it uses about the same as a 400w light, or maybe more. Just cooling the whole room is way less complicated.

i dont have water or electric bills but i believe your right ... just make sure yours dosnt need a water drain two of mine dont need to drain but one does i didnt know that untell water was all over ........ thinking about it you might want to look into i believe its called a converter its like a balast makes ac be able to run off less electricity ....... i had to run a 15 amp breaker to each or my ac units i do have one of the acs hooked up to other stuff but if theres to much on one plug the breaker will blow so watch your wattage. or get power strip for all your pumps fans all your little stuff and try to plug your ac right into the socket/plug instead of the power strip your feel me.