Temperature and humidity are critical for great grows. For 2022, our experts have found two dehumidifier units lead the pack in efficiency, reliability, and design.
Greenlight Distribution recommends the Quest 506 Dehumidifier and the Quest 335 Dehumidifier. Both are designed specifically for cannabis cultivation and both check every box for our team. Additionally, they qualify for significant energy rebates.
Before we examine our reasons for selecting these two workhorses, let’s review the critical importance of HVAC design for successful commercial cannabis cultivation.
Why Climate is Critical for Commercial Cannabis Cultivators
Correct climate control is crucial to successful cannabis cultivation. It means the difference between success and failure.
That’s because changes in temperature and humidity can affect cell structure and cause stress on your plants. Even small variations can mean the difference between average cannabis and amazing cannabis. Dead spots in air flow can limit plant development and create breeding grounds for harmful conditions.
And if an HVAC unit fails – even for a short time – you could stunt growth or even lose a crop completely.
When a commercial facility’s environmental conditions are out of standard levels, plants become vulnerable to molds, disease, and mites. These issues are difficult to control and can quickly lead to a devastating crop loss.
Fortunately, technologies related to heating, ventilation, cooling and dehumidification are improving as the commercial cannabis industry grows.
Cannabis HVAC has come a long way in the journey from hobby growing to commercial cannabis cultivation sites. In the early days, cultivators were forced to use equipment designed for other purposes to control their grow room climate. Not anymore.
Modern HVAC technology has caught up with the demands of indoor growing. Today’s cannabis HVAC units can provide the perfect indoor growing environment.
There is a big difference between a typical interior space and a large cannabis cultivation room. Grow lights create a lot of heat. Cannabis plants create a lot of humidity. Traditional HVAC systems are simply not designed to handle this load.
That’s why successful cannabis cultivators use industrial applications for climate control.
Go with an Expert
You are not cooling an office building or a warehouse full of car parts. You are growing the best cannabis in the world! And that requires an investment in the proper equipment and design.
We always recommend working with HVAC professionals who are experienced in cannabis cultivation, not human comfort.
The experts at Greenlight work exclusively with cannabis cultivators. That means every HVAC system we sell is engineered for growing the best possible cannabis. Not tomatoes. Not lettuce. Cannabis.
Selecting an HVAC System
The major functions of any HVAC system are cooling (air conditioning) and drying (dehumidification).
Your plants will tell you what and how much they want to drink and you can use modern cannabis HVAC technology to provide the correct environment for maximum transpiration.
But architecting your HVAC strategy is not easy. Of all your mechanical systems, this one has the most direct impact on consistent flower quality. Your climate control system is the beating heart of your entire operation. It’s also your most expensive equipment investment.
Air Flow
Many veteran cultivators list air flow as a top concern. Proper air flow prevents the dreaded micro-climates in your grow room. Poor micro-climates are responsible for those underperforming plants in the back corners of your room.
How do you eliminate underperforming micro-climates? Start with continuous air mixing in the first 24 inches above the canopy.
And don’t forget about the airflow beneath your benching. Mold, fungus, bacteria and mildew are the enemies of your plants. Prevent and stop them at all costs!
Proper air flow requires thoughtful equipment spacing and ductwork.
Equipment Spacing
Your HVAC unit positioning and duct work layout are critical to a good HVAC plan. Think “K.I.S.S.” here and Keep It Simple, Stupid. The simpler the better. Don’t run ductwork more than 20 feet in length and keep as few bends in the ductwork as possible.
Proper ventilation runs are also important. Keep the air flowing! Remember that the more static pressure you have, the less dehumidification and airflow you get.
Placement of your dehumidifiers is also critical. Installing dehumidifiers above your lights is ideal. For maximum efficiency, make sure the filters and exhausts are at least four feet from any wall.
In addition, make sure air conditioning ducting is not blowing directly into the dehumidifier. This can overload the system, decrease capacity and lower efficiency.
Greenlight can help you plan your air flow with our Air Flow Mapping Tool. This virtual technology allows you to see, analyze and optimize your airflow design in the planning stage.
How Much HVAC Do You Need?
One method of determining your total load is computing the total volume of air that needs to be cooled and dehumidified and then over-designing your dehumidifier plan. That allows you to account for increases in plant density and lighting. Another approach is to plan for redundancy. Many veteran cultivators install multiple units for the same room. This maximizes backup support in case one of the units fails.
Our Recommendations for 2022
Two of the best cannabis HVAC units on the market for 2022 are the Quest 335 Dehumidifier and the Quest 506 Dehumidifier.
These units are engineered specifically for cannabis cultivation, are extremely energy-efficient, are among the most reliable and proven equipment in the industry, and qualify for significant energy rebates.
The Quest 506 Dehumidifier
Robust and efficient, the Quest 506 is the cannabis industry’s first 500-pint dehumidifier and a powerful and flexible workhorse.
Commonly used in indoor growing facilities, greenhouses, warehouses and other large industrial areas, the 506 dehumidifier is available for a variety of uses and installations.
Its 506 pint capacity makes it one of the most powerful commercial dehumidifiers on the market. This Quest dehumidifier is proudly made in America, can be hung or placed on the floor, and offers an impressive MERV 13 filtration system.
View the Quest 506 Dehumidifier.
The Quest 335 Dehumidifier
The Quest 335 is the most efficient dehumidifier we have ever found. To prove it, Quest allows cultivators to calculate their savings with their own data using its Cost Savings Calculator.
We like that the Quest 335 is engineered specifically for commercial cannabis growers who face heavy workloads in grow houses filled with moisture-producing crops.
True to its model name, the unit can process 335 pints of water at 80 degrees / 60% RH. And it accomplishes that at the most efficient unit rate at 9.3 pts/kwh.
The 335 has patented multi-coil technology that works like this: When air enters the dehumidifier, the first set of refrigerant-filled coils cools the air but doesn’t remove moisture.
Then the air hits the second coil, where the unit’s evaporator drops the air temperature below the dew point.
Lastly, air passes over the third coil, and energy is recovered and recycled to further improve efficiency.
And to improve efficiency even more, the 335 also has a variable speed fan that helps the machine stay close to optimum efficiency even if the filter clogs or other static pressure is added.
Coupled with a customized pressure switch, the 335’s variable speed fan automatically compensates for increased static pressure inside the dehumidifier. Why does that matter? Because as static pressure increases, air flow through the unit decreases, resulting in decreased performance.
On the monitoring side, the 335 has incorporated external controls from Wellington. The controls are easy to read and don’t have to be wired directly to the unit. Quest has also added a dark mode, which is imperative for many cultivators.
The machine is also completely serviceable without removing the unit from the ceiling (replacing the refrigeration unit is the only exception). All panels can easily be removed and the unit can be rinsed out with a hose.
View the Quest 335 Dehumidifier.
Energy Rebates
One final benefit of investing in HVAC is the amount of energy rebates available for cultivators who purchase or upgrade their units .
Greenlight works with Seinergy, our rebate partner, to find every local, state and federal rebate available to our cultivators. The rebate experts do all the work for you. Quest units can qualify for tens of thousands of dollars in rebates. Talk to Greenlight before your purchase to qualify for the most rebate incentives.
Here are actual rebates for Quest HVAC purchases:
Check out this table for some of the forecasted rebate savings you can achieve with Quest products:
Commercial cultivators have many options to optimize their cannabis HVAC. We recommend going with the most advanced technology and over-designing with redundancy to ensure that your growing environment is never compromised.
The cultivation industry is littered with stories of flower production not meeting quality standards due to poor airflow and impacted growing environments caused by a poor cannabis HVAC plan.
Don’t be one of these stories. Contact us at sales@growwithgreenlight.com today. We will get the best HVAC designers and strategists on your HVAC plan and reward you with every energy rebate that you deserve.a
About Greenlight Distribution
Greenlight Distribution provides best in class growing equipment at low prices for commercial cannabis cultivation. As a total growth partner, Greenlight sells more than 6,000 growing products, provides personalized consultation and design services, and delivers innovative financing solutions. As a direct lender to the industry, Greenlight provides debt capital to finance large purchases, manage cash flow, expand operations, and grow your cultivation business.