12K or 18K Sanyo mini split for garage ?

[Wizzard]

Deciding between 12k (11,900) or 18k (17,500) Sanyo mini split for our insulated garage. Location is coastal Florida, very hot and humid...I do a lot of car work/engine building in the garage and a/c is a must for me at this point.

Garage: 25.5" W x 22.5' L x 9.5' H ...has a south facing wall and window, garage door faces east, ceiling is below second story so no sun on roof, surrounded by interior/exterior walls so it's insulated (I will insulate the door). No major appliances in garage.

11,900k too small? 17,500k too big?

Much appreciated!

 

[mpire]

I went with 18K for my Orlando Garage.

My garage is about the same. 26'x21.5'x10'4"

Because your garage door is facing east, I would go for the higher power unit.

I got an LG unit, arrived yesterday. $1095 on sale.

 

[787B]

There is such a thing as too big for A/Cs, especially in a humid state.

I'm not an expert so consult one before you take my word for it, but if the unit is too big it will reach the set temperature without removing enough humidity from the air. That leaves it feeling damp and clammy. If you've lived in FL long you know what that feels like (I lived in Melboring for a decade).

Mpire, I'll be curious to know if you experience cold-but-damp with a unit that big. Do the mini-splits have humidity controls?

 

[mpire]

I did the math many times over.

I would have preferred to buy a smaller unit, namely because they were much cheaper, and I would have preferred to save money.

I am also compensating for concrete block walls with no insulation, and three large garage doors facing south.

However, the basic volume calculations seem to be pointing me to the 18000 btu unit.

If you tell me I am wrong now, I will be very unhappy.

Also, the inverter compressor will slow down the to fit the space and maintain efficiency, or at least that's what I read.

 

[green.bubbly]

I am building a 24x24 insulated with R-19 in the walls and ceiling. I have a 10x8 garage door and two small windows. I just finished installing a 12k btu mini-split and with the walls and only half the ceiling insulated and large garage door cracks, it keeps it just comfortable to work in.

I am thinking that once I finish insulating the steel roof and seal up my garage door, it will be just about right. I am here in Louisiana with the same high heat/humidity as in Florida. 12k is probably slightly undersized for my 24x24 but it removes a ton of moisture.

 

[787B]

If you tell me I am wrong now, I will be very unhappy.

Oh, no, that's definitely not what I'm telling you! I haven't done the math and I'm no expert! The extra load from the big doors and block walls will definitely bring more heat in. Also sounds like the Mini-splits may be smarter than your ordinary window units in slowing down the compressor.

 

[surfer8210]

If it were me I would opt for the larger unit simply for the fact that you can add another unit onto it to feed another room. Correct me if I'm wrong but I do believe that you can add another unit to the larger one.
If not go for the larger one anyway if the cost isn't that much greater.

 

[Wizzard]

Thanks guys, with your advice and a lot more research I will be getting the bigger 18k unit. It's an inverter compressor so it can always throttle back. It will also cool the garage quicker if the door is ever opened...it is also more efficient than the 12k unit.

mpire, where did you get your LG? Many thanks

 

[mpire]

I got it at acwholesalers for 1095, free shipping.

I detailed it in another thread.

 

[Wizzard]

Cool, thanks!