Best Mini Split for Grow Room
Temperature is a crucial aspect of your grow-room environment. In the winter, you need a greenhouse heater to keep things warm, while in the summer, an air conditioner is essential to offset the heat generated from components like grow lights.
Today, growers are increasingly shifting from the inefficient, traditional heating and cooling central duct systems to the more modern mini splits.
Since a mini split is relatively easy to set up, you can install it easily in virtually any space. Not only does it reduce heat, but it also gives you complete control of the temperature in the room, providing the perfect climate for your plants. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Top Mini Splits for your Grow Room
Thanks to technological advancements, the mini split market has grown tremendously in recent years. If you are shopping for a new split, you will likely be overwhelmed by the number of options available in the market.
Before approaching a dealer, therefore, it is best to go through our guide and uncover the best grow room systems available, as well as the factors to keep in mind when choosing the right unit.
Below are the top five mini splits for grow rooms as reviewed by experts and users today.
Pioneer is renowned for its mini-split prowess. The 18,000 BTU model in the acclaimed WYS range of mini splits is designed to manage the temperature and air quality of grow rooms as large as 700 square feet. If your indoor garden is bigger, you can up the capacity to 30,000 or 36,000 BTU.
The powerful outdoor unit features a durable build made of galvanized metal and coated with electrostatic epoxy paint for maximum longevity. Controlled by a variable speed inverter, the highly efficient compressor achieves a SEER rating of 19, which makes it an excellent choice for 24/7 grow-room conditioning.
The indoor units are compact and light-weight for easy installation and mobility. They come with automatic swing-air discharge louvers and permanent air filters that you can detach for washing. Inside each indoor unit is a whisper-quiet fan, which makes the system ideal for grow rooms that are adjacent to living quarters.
You can operate your Pioneer mini split conveniently using the wireless remote controller provided. Sold separately is a Wi-Fi controller kit that will allow you to monitor and adjust the conditions in your grow room from your smart mobile device.
Pioneer ships the WYS018G-19 with a full installation kit that includes mounting brackets, pre-flared 16-feet copper tubings, wall sleeve liner, interconnecting signal wiring, drain line extension, and wrapping tape. If you have some technical expertise, you can save some money by doing the installation yourself.
Pros
- Durable
build
- Energy-efficient.
- Light and compact indoor section
- Remote Wi-Fi control
- Whisper-quiet operation
- Ships with a full installation kit
- Cons
- Requires significant technical expertise to install
The Pioneer WYS018G-19 offers unparalleled heating and cooling performance. Add top-notch energy efficiency, reliable long-term service, and a full installation kit to the package, and you get what, in our opinion, is the best available mini split for grow rooms today.
- DuctlessAire 24,000 Btu 20.5 SEER Energy Star Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heat Pump
The 24,000 BTU DuctlessAire may share more than a few similarities with equivalent models from other brands, but what sets it apart is its outstanding energy efficiency. With a SEER rating of 20.5 and an Energy Star label, the system stretches the benefits of variable speed inverter control to the limit. Depending on the power supply in your grow room, you can choose either the 110-120-volt or the 208-220-volt unit for ideal compatibility.
This DuctlessAire model provides stellar performance for its size and price. Moreover, with an inbuilt leak detection system, the unit does not wait for you to notice a dip in performance to investigate a refrigerant leak.
Out of the box, the outdoor unit comes with mounting brackets and a PVC-line cover kit. It also includes a pair of 25-feet insulated refrigerant tubings that have flare connections, wall sleeve liner, wrapping tape, and putty to ease installation. The indoor section of the DuctlessAire features a stylish front panel and a remarkably quiet fan. You can conveniently toggle through the fan’s three-speed modes, including Turbo, using the multi-functional remote control.
Grow room owners like to keep tabs on their plants at all times. The DuctlessAire allows you to do just that by providing Wi-Fi capability and full compatibility with standard Android and iOS devices. To top it all off, DuctlessAire offers a comprehensive 12-month parts warranty and a 5-year compressor cover to guarantee long-term service.
Pros
- Highly efficient
- Excellent indoor unit design
- Quiet operation
- Variable fan speed modes
- Wi-Fi connectivity for smartphone control
- Cons
- Professional installation is required
The 24,000 BTU DuctlessAire is a high-performance mini split that will heat and cool your grow room effectively while keeping your energy bills low. While the installation process can be quite the challenge, the reward is a capable system that will serve you for years to come.
The Senville SENL line makes regular appearances on numerous “best mini split” lists regardless of the application. Grow room owners often go for the 24,000BTU Senville SENL-24CD because of its reliable low-temperature operation. As a low ambient kit, this system can heat a grow room when outside temperatures are as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Besides excellent performance, the compressor is controlled by an inverter system that varies the speed gradually as the system accomplishes the pre-set temperature. This factor makes the unit notably efficient, achieving a SEER rating of 17.
Both the indoor and outdoor sections of this mini split operate with a barely audible hum. If you have a bedroom or library close to your grow room, you can turn the system’s noise even lower by activating Sleep mode. The best part? You do not need to go into the room to change the settings of your mini split. With the Senville app, you can monitor the temperature in your grow room directly from your smartphone.
The SENL-24CD comes with a full installation kit. However, unless you are a licensed HVAC professional, installing the unit yourself could mean voiding the generous 12-month-parts and 60-month-compressor manufacturer’s warranty.
Pros
- Robust heating capability for low-temperature operation
- Com
mendable efficiency
- Quiet indoor and outdoor section
- s with active Sleep mode
- Smartphone connectivity
- via Wi-Fi
- Full installation kit
- Cons
- Requires professional installation
The Senville SENL-24CD is a high-quality mini split that provides excellent low-temperature performance. If you live in locations that experience cold winters, your grow room will highly benefit from this unit.
Our budget grow-room mini-split choice is the 24,000 BTU 15 SEER Okyotech Ductless Mini. Although you will find several other good options in the under $700 price range, Okyotech snatches the top position by having the highest number of positive features.
When compared to pricier items, this system matches up in more ways than one. Its indoor units are stylish and non-intrusive, and it comes with its Ozone-friendly, chlorine-free refrigerant already pre-charged. The line-sets are pre vacuumed too. Therefore, you won’t need to use a vacuum pump if you decide to install the mini split yourself.
The Okyotech boasts four operating modes: heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and ventilating. With a decent 15 SEER rating, the system will be efficient regardless of the settings you use. Your grow room will benefit immensely from the 3D Air Flow Technology. The indoor unit heats from the bottom upwards and cools from the top downwards, achieving the desired temperature much faster than your average mini split.
Toshiba ships the Okyotech with a generous 5-year warranty on the compressor and a 3-year cover for the whole unit. This speaks of the confidence that the company has in the system’s long-term reliability.
Pros
- Affordable
Stylish and compact indoor units
- Relatively easy to install
Comparatively tight range of operation
Cons
Wi-Fi connectivity
3D Air Flow Technology
If you are budget-conscious, the Okyotech 24,000 BTU arguably offers the best value for money you can get from a grow room mini split. With a range of between 19.4 and 127.4 degrees Fahrenheit, however, you will want to go with the more accomodating Senville SENL or Klimaire KSIV if your winters tend to get dramatically cold.
Klimaire has not been in the AC game for long, but its units are garnering significant praise among experts and users alike. The 24,000 BTU KSIV model is their most grow-room-friendly system, and it competes remarkably well with the other units on this list.
The outdoor unit comes pre-charged with refrigerant. It can accommodate 25 feet of refrigerant lines and includes a refrigerant leak detection monitor to protect the compressor from unnoticed refrigerant leakages. Moreover, it has low-level noise operation, and its compact design means you won’t struggle to find a suitable location for it outside your grow room.
Klimaire’s DC inverter technology achieves high efficiency by eliminating hard starts and stops. Furthermore, able to heat a grow room up from as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit, the system offers reliable temperature control even in the dead of winter.
Like all other mini splits in the KSIV range, this model comes with oscillating louvers to keep the air evenly distributed throughout your garden. The unit also boasts evaporator auto-cleaning to prevent bacteria growth and maintain a high-quality atmosphere in your grow room.
Pros
Highly efficient
Operates across a wide temperature range
Refrigerant leak detection
Quiet fan
Oscillating louvers
Auto-cleaning functionality
Cons
- Requires professional installation
For a product made by a new-comer in the HVAC game, the Klimaire KSIV 24,000 BTU mini split ticks most of the essential boxes without breaking the bank.
Choosing the right mini split for your Grow Room
The five systems above may be top of the line, but if you want the mini split that will perfectly suit your grow room, you must consider several essential factors. These include the size of your room, the number of zones you need to condition, energy efficiency, ease of installation, and extra features:
Grow Room Size
The size of your grow room is a crucial consideration when choosing your configuration. Generally, the capacity of a mini split directly corresponds to the size of space it can heat and cool effectively.
It may seem cut and dry that more BTUs equals a warmer or cooler space. However, too much capacity relative to the size of a room can cause the unit to toggle on and off constantly, which can overwork the components. A continuous on-off cycle will also disrupt moisture removal, leaving your grow room feeling unpleasantly damp and clammy.
The table below will give you a rough idea of the BTUs to go for depending on the size of your grow room, but you may want to consult a professional to ensure you get the best option.
Number of Zones
Mini splits typically come in two options: single-zone and multi-zone units. A single-zone mini split has one indoor and one outdoor unit on a 1:1 ratio. In contrast, a multi-zone system has multiple indoor units connecting to a single outdoor compressor-condenser combo. Single-zone systems typically condition the temperature of one room, but multi-zone systems can heat and cool up to five zones.
If your garden is one continuous room, a single-zone unit will likely be sufficient to keep temperatures controlled throughout the space. On the other hand, if you have separated your grow room into sections that you would like to condition independently, a multi-zone mini split is the way to go.
Compactness and energy efficiency
Mini split air conditioners are designed for compactness and efficiency because they operate as effective thermodynamically closed systems. However, efficiency varies from one unit to the next. The most reliable way to compare energy efficiency is by looking at the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of your options. The higher the ratings, the more money the unit will save you.
Some units, like the 24,000 BTU DuctlessAire mini split above, also boast an Energy Star, which indicates top-of-the-range efficiency.
Your Preferred Installation Type
Most modern mini splits are wall-mounted, but recently, manufacturers have been coming up with unique and clever installation configurations. If you do not want a permanent air conditioner hanging on the wall, you can go for a ceiling unit, which hangs on the ceiling using a recessed cassette, or a floor unit installed at the baseboards for a more discrete look.
Some mini splits also ship with a parts-and-tools kit to make installation a breeze. If you are into DIY work, you can save a significant amount of money by installing the system yourself. A proper DIY-friendly mini split will come with pre-vacuumed refrigerant sets, wall-mounting brackets, and other features that keep the installation process as straightforward as possible.
The Special Features of Your Ideal Unit
A mini split is typically a technologically endowed appliance, equipped with various user-friendly features that make it ideal for your grow room. That said, all systems are not equally gifted. To get a unit that will give you maximum convenience, you may want to prioritize a few extras.
Wi-Fi connectivity, for instance, will enable you to control the temperature in your grow room from anywhere using your smartphone. Variable-speed inverter technology will help your system operate efficiently, while adjustable louvers will enable you to dictate airflow as you see fit. If you cannot decide between two excellent mini split choices, comparing special features can effectively break the dreadlock.
Conclusion
Now that you know which are the top choices on the market and what to look for when you are out shopping, it is time to choose the mini split that will best suit your grow room. While the models we have listed will likely fit your bill, the buying guide will help you zero in on the right unit.
Deciding on the perfect ductless air conditioning equipment requires you to weigh a variety of different options. Take some time to do the pre-work, and you can rest easy knowing you are making the right investment.