Contractor suggests mini splits, now I'm unsure

[davejo]

I haven't decided how to mount the outside unit yet. I dragged a 600 pound flatrock over thinking it would be a good mounting surface as well as a nice landscaping element. further thought has me leaning towards a wall mount solution but I have not yet drilled into the block wall.

Its possible I'll have to lengthen one of the line sets but won't know until I finalize the outside unit position.

I was thinking the pro guy could do the flares for me but I guess that is more money. Did you junk the lineset flares for the inside units as well? I didn't figure on doing this and maybe I didn't give myself enough leash to pull that off...

 

[tab2]

I am sure the tech who you have come out can do the flares. I tossed all the lineset flares. You won't even lose an inch when you reflare with the Mitsubishi ones. As long as you don't mess it up. It took me a handful of times to get it right. Twice I didn't put the nut on before I flared.

I'm in MA so I needed to get my unit off the ground so it's on a bracket. The install looks cleaner than I thought it would on a bracket.

 

[Firebrick43]

Cheap flaring tools can work but take some diligence. You will still cause some mis shaped flare. Good tools actually roll the flare. I have ridgid 345(45 degree) and 377 (37 degree) flare tools and the work wonderful if you cut the tube straight. Can't recall the last time I messed one up. Imperial rollaflare tools are the same. Also make sure you tubing cutter is actually sharp. Dull wheels cause the metal to work harden and then it cracks when flared or the nut tightened. One last note, the manual should mention some antiseieze and a torque for the flare nuts. It's pretty critical for long term leak free performance. To tight is just as bad as to loose.

 

[dsimatt]

I'm in MA so I needed to get my unit off the ground so it's on a bracket. The install looks cleaner than I thought it would on a bracket.

Why did you have to put the unit off the ground and do you need to reinforce the wall you mounted it to?

I've had 2 coworkers with convention ac systems both quit working because of mice chewing on wires and these mini's are a lot more complex so it something when I do mine I want to do.

 

[justinjoyal]

Why did you have to put the unit off the ground and do you need to reinforce the wall you mounted it to?



I've had 2 coworkers with convention ac systems both quit working because of mice chewing on wires and these mini's are a lot more complex so it something when I do mine I want to do.

The unit needs to sit higher so it doesn't get buried in snow.

A typical exterior wall doesn't need to be reinforced.

 

[Slednut]

I installed my outside unit 9 feet off the ground. The great thing is it’s out of the way and rodents etc can’t get to it.

It's the garage wall and in the winter you can hear it running from inside the garage. It's a low hum, if it was a living space it would have been a mistake.

 

[tab2]

The unit needs to sit higher so it doesn't get buried in snow.

A typical exterior wall doesn't need to be reinforced.

Yup, snow. My building is brick so I just used 4 Tapcons.

I installed my outside unit 9 feet off the ground. The great thing is it’s out of the way and rodents etc can’t get to it.

It's the garage wall and in the winter you can hear it running from inside the garage. It's a low hum, if it was a living space it would have been a mistake.

I haven't had a winter with mine yet, but it is silent in cooling from the inside. But like I just said, it is on a brick exterior.

 

[justinjoyal]

During winter the unit is noisier and sound travels better so people usually notice the unit functionning more than in the summertime.

Mounting the unit on brick or concrete helps with the sound.

 

[dsimatt]

During winter the unit is noisier and sound travels better so people usually notice the unit functionning more than in the summertime.

Mounting the unit on brick or concrete helps with the sound.

Good info here, the way my house is it will be the one that you really can hear it running if I mounted to the house, all the ones around here I see are on slabs but the mice thing concerns me.

 

[davejo]

I have some 3 inch channel I could make brackets out of to bolt it to the block wall. Maybe some vibration isolators or other ideas?

The inside lines are coming through my basement. I need to penetrate the block wall to get them out to the outside unit. Should I just make my hole right where the output fittings are located on the unit? IE line emerges from wall and lines up directly on the flared port of the outdoor unit without any extra or redundant lineset outside...

thanks for all the advice

 

[slodat]

How's the hyper heat working out?

 

[dsimatt]

My hyper heat got a workout today, -20 outside and I was concerned because it took about 30 minutes heat up time before putting out decent heat. It's been going all day and putting out plenty of heat now.

 

[slodat]

My hyper heat got a workout today, -20 outside and I was concerned because it took about 30 minutes heat up time before putting out decent heat. It's been going all day and putting out plenty of heat now.

Which unit(s) did you end up going with?

 

[dsimatt]

Just a single head Mitsubishi 18k unit, the indoor head has the infrared eye so it can shut airflow where needed which is nice. I set my hot water heat at 72 and use the mini split to raise the temps in the living room area when we are there. The temps this week have been the coldest I've run it in, this morning was -22 and it took awhile to put out heat but once it did was plenty warm.

 

[PoorOwner]

Just a single head Mitsubishi 18k unit, the indoor head has the infrared eye so it can shut airflow where needed which is nice. I set my hot water heat at 72 and use the mini split to raise the temps in the living room area when we are there. The temps this week have been the coldest I've run it in, this morning was -22 and it took awhile to put out heat but once it did was plenty warm.

How long does it run until it needs to defrost?

 

[dsimatt]

How long does it run until it needs to defrost?

In the extreme cold about 40 minutes thou I wasn't paying to much attention, normally it's well over a hour before it has to cycle to defrost.