Finished installing my "non-DIY" mini split

[Syberia]

Took me about two weeks of working on it inconsistently, multiple trips to Home Depot, and a few days of waiting for some 90 degree flare elbows from Amazon to arrive after I linked the original line set trying to bend it too tightly, but I finally got my 24k Mr. Cool Advantage up and running today. Didn't get a chance to test it out too much as I had to leave the house shortly after finishing but it held vacuum and blows cold air so there's that.






Finished insulating the garage earlier this year and it doesn't get nearly as hot as it used to but still needs some help when it's approaching or over 100.

And before anyone asks, no disconnect because my sub panel is outdoors and just to the left of the first picture. It's my understanding that a disconnect is not needed if the breaker is within line of sight.

I filmed the entire installation process, but it will take me several days to edit the video.

 

[wayfarer770]

what special tools did you have to buy? Nice work !

 

[tmshort]

Looks very nice. What lineset cover did you use?

 

[Syberia]

what special tools did you have to buy? Nice work !

Well, I shouldn't have had to buy a vacuum pump or gauge set, since I already had them from automotive A/C work, but my Harbor Freight gauge set leaked and my no-name vacuum pump was completely seized up so I purchased new (and better) ones. I also had to get a micron gauge and mini-split adapters. Also a flaring tool but that is optional and only needed if you plan to shorten the lineset.

Extra pieces I needed that didn't come with the unit were the mounting brackets and strut since the feet didn't line up with my studs, and the lineset cover. And a pair of 90 degree flare elbows, but that was my own fault for trying to bend the tubing too sharply and kinking it.

Looks very nice. What lineset cover did you use?

I used this lineset cover from Amazon. It came in two 5 foot sections, which I cut up and modified into the shape I wanted, because the instructions called for at least 10 feet of line between the indoor and outdoor unit, and I didn't like the idea of coiling it up behind the condenser as many people do. I noticed that most people use the cheap plastic covers, however the sun here has a habit of destroying anything plastic that's left outdoors for a few summers.

I made the piece at the bottom that the lines and control wire come out of from some scrap sheet metal; it was not included with the cover.

 

[Terry D]

Looks great

 

[Git]

That turned out really nice

 

[Syberia]

I put up a video if anyone wants to know exactly what's involved in installing one of these

 

[glennm]

Enjoyed the video! i installed one last fall, there is something very satisfying with a dyi install!

 

[captain14]

Very good. I’ll look at your video later this afternoon.

 

[kelpaso1]

You are going to hate having that mounted on wall brackets. Mine was like that when they installed it and it vibrated the wall. Wasn't loud but really annoying when the garage is quiet. I made a metal stand and put that on a concrete block. The silence now is deafening.

 

[Syberia]

Been running it all morning packing for a camping trip. I hear a slight humming, nothing more. The sound of the airflow from the blower is louder than any compressor noise transmitted through the wall.

I wanted it off the ground because our entire lot is dirt and unless I poured a hugely oversized pad, I'd get mud inside every time it rains.

FYI, it's currently 98 degrees outside and I'm having no trouble maintaining 72 inside. Doesn't take more than a few minutes to cool back down after opening and closing the door.

 

[kelpaso1]

Been running it all morning packing for a camping trip. I hear a slight humming, nothing more. The sound of the airflow from the blower is louder than any compressor noise transmitted through the wall.

I wanted it off the ground because our entire lot is dirt and unless I poured a hugely oversized pad, I'd get mud inside every time it rains.

FYI, it's currently 98 degrees outside and I'm having no trouble maintaining 72 inside. Doesn't take more than a few minutes to cool back down after opening and closing the door.

Ok, but wait till winter when it amps up and down. And you don't set them on the ground anyway. My stand is 3 feet off the ground. I laugh at my neighbors that have them sitting on a pad at ground level only to be covered in 3 feet of snow in the winter and have to dig them out. EDIT I see you live in CA but this info is for if you live where it snows.

 

[pizza]

I put up a video if anyone wants to know exactly what's involved in installing one of these

SUPER nice video. thanks.

i followed most of that, but i have zero refrigeration exp and have a couple of questions.
you mentioned that it needs 10' of line without removing any refrigerant.
where did the refrigerant come from? did the kit include a canister of it, and you're just supposed to add all of it?
if you use less than 10' of line for example, how do you know how much to add? you just reach a target pressure for a given ambient temp (some table is provided?)?
and can't you just not add all of it? why would you need to remove?

but if you do need to remove some, i'm guessing you need to collect it in a bottle if you're environmentally conscious?

 

[Syberia]

The refrigerant is sealed in the compressor, so once you attach everything and check for leaks, simply open the valves and that will pressurize the system.

I "think" the correct way to adjust would be to pump it all out into a recovery tank (requires $$$ equipment) and then add the correct charge back in by weight. The manual says how much to add/remove for extra or less lineset, however my advice would be to stay within the recommend pre-charged length (10 to 25 feet in my case).

Since the compressor is variable speed, you cannot rely on pressure to get the right charge. That's why you would have to pump it all out and recharge by weight.

 

[ckanderson]

You are going to hate having that mounted on wall brackets. Mine was like that when they installed it and it vibrated the wall. Wasn't loud but really annoying when the garage is quiet. I made a metal stand and put that on a concrete block. The silence now is deafening.

Strange… I just mounted mine to a wall and you could hear a mouse fart over the sound of the condenser. Maybe your fan is out of balance or something?

 

[yeldogt]

Strange… I just mounted mine to a wall and you could hear a mouse fart over the sound of the condenser. Maybe your fan is out of balance or something?

The larger units have more of a harmonic cycle -- especially in heat mode. I did my first three head 30k BTU using a wall mount -- it's on a heavy block/ brick wall w/ rubber mounts and I can hear the vibrations. No one else does ---

I'm sure the 9k and 12k units would be silent on most walls ..... when you get to 15k BTU's most manufacturers bump up the case size and fans.

 

[liliysdad]

I just installed a 24k BTU Pioneer on wall brackets in my pole barn shop, and it is completely silent inside.

 

[vavet]

Congrats! That's a great installation. I love the lineset cover. I bought the Mr Cool plastic set. Yours looks much better.

I would give up a lot of other things I used to think were necessary for a garage before I gave up my mini-split now. It makes working in there so much more pleasant year round.

 

[chrispyny]

Very well done sir. I installed my 18k btu 2 head pioneer on my outside garage wall like you. Even at full blast, i have to strain to hear it running. And it’s just a quiet hum. Actually my 24k btu fujitsu on a 6” concrete pad i poured, spaced away from my foundation is way louder.
i think pioneer units are great. Would do all over again.

 

[Syberia]

Congrats! That's a great installation. I love the lineset cover. I bought the Mr Cool plastic set. Yours looks much better.

I would give up a lot of other things I used to think were necessary for a garage before I gave up my mini-split now. It makes working in there so much more pleasant year round.

Thank you. Yeah, my garage used to just be for storage since it got so hot out there. I ended up doing work outside in the dirt where I could at least have a fan pointed at me, instead of inside. I hated going in there just to grab some tools or use the drill press in the middle of summer. I figured since I got an electric car I'd be parking and charging in there, I might as well make it comfortable enough to work in as well. I doubt 120+ indoor temperatures on a daily basis would do the battery any favors either.

Very well done sir. I installed my 18k btu 2 head pioneer on my outside garage wall like you. Even at full blast, i have to strain to hear it running. And it’s just a quiet hum. Actually my 24k btu fujitsu on a 6” concrete pad i poured, spaced away from my foundation is way louder.
i think pioneer units are great. Would do all over again.

Just like you, if I strain, I can notice a slight hum. About like a refrigerator running, but it isn't bothersome. Certainly not like the window units I'm used to in other parts of the house (which might get replaced with one or two multi-head mini splits, since our central air is terrible). Would also be cheaper to run than a space heater for those rooms that our central heat doesn't quite reach very well.

 

[Syberia]

Final update: 105 degrees according to the thermometer just outside, fluctuating between 69-72 inside with the thermostat set to 72.

Which is great because I need to do some work on my trailer. At this time last year, I couldn't be out here at all even with the door up and a massive fan pointed at me because the heat just radiated down from the ceiling and off of every object in here.

 

[paulsomlo]

Just watched the video - if it's not too much trouble, could you post links or PNs of the gauge set, micron gauge, vacuum pump, and any adapters you needed?

Also, what would be the cost differential between the Mr. Cool Advantage and the comparable DIY version?

 

[Syberia]

Delete

 

[Syberia]

Vacuum pump
Gauge set
Micron gauge
Mini split adapters (ended up not using as I found one included in the box with the vacuum pump)
Flaring tool (not needed unless you plan to shorten your lines or screw them up like I did...)


At the time I purchased, the cost difference between the two units was somewhere between $600-700 ($1100-ish for Advantage and $1800-ish for DIY), and on top of that, the DIY version was out of stock so I couldn't get it even if I wanted to. The tools and supplies I bought ate up most of the difference, however this won't be the only mini split I install and I've also done A/C work on multiple cars so I'm sure I'll use them again.

You can buy cheaper versions of the gauge set and vacuum pump, however this was my second time buying them because my cheap vacuum seized up and my cheap gauge set leaked so I went with name brand stuff this time. All the micron gauges I found were expensive, however you might be able to get away with not having one by just vacuuming it down overnight and then letting it sit for just as long to make sure the pressure doesn't rise.

The line set cover was overpriced. Next time I'm just going to use some square metal downspout which is much cheaper since I'm going to paint it anyways.

Normally I'll use the wifi feature to turn the unit on an hour or so before I plan to go out and work but today I was out at the store for some parts and forgot my phone. Temperature on my breezeway showed 106, garage showed 90, within 2 hours or less it hit the set point of 72.

I also put some 90 degree pieces of pipe insulation over the flare elbows because they sweated and wrapped the exposed insulation in foil tape. No more sweating and the insulated bundle does not feel cold to the touch anymore.

 

[tonyciambrone]

In our climate I would certainly spend the extra $60 bux to do all 304SS unistrut.

Looks like it's not a factor where you live

 

[paulsomlo]

Vacuum pump
Gauge set
Micron gauge
Mini split adapters (ended up not using as I found one included in the box with the vacuum pump)
Flaring tool (not needed unless you plan to shorten your lines or screw them up like I did...)

Thank You!

 

[yeldogt]

Vacuum pump
Gauge set
Micron gauge
Mini split adapters (ended up not using as I found one included in the box with the vacuum pump)
Flaring tool (not needed unless you plan to shorten your lines or screw them up like I did...)


At the time I purchased, the cost difference between the two units was somewhere between $600-700 ($1100-ish for Advantage and $1800-ish for DIY), and on top of that, the DIY version was out of stock so I couldn't get it even if I wanted to. The tools and supplies I bought ate up most of the difference, however this won't be the only mini split I install and I've also done A/C work on multiple cars so I'm sure I'll use them again.

You can buy cheaper versions of the gauge set and vacuum pump, however this was my second time buying them because my cheap vacuum seized up and my cheap gauge set leaked so I went with name brand stuff this time. All the micron gauges I found were expensive, however you might be able to get away with not having one by just vacuuming it down overnight and then letting it sit for just as long to make sure the pressure doesn't rise.

The line set cover was overpriced. Next time I'm just going to use some square metal downspout which is much cheaper since I'm going to paint it anyways.

Normally I'll use the wifi feature to turn the unit on an hour or so before I plan to go out and work but today I was out at the store for some parts and forgot my phone. Temperature on my breezeway showed 106, garage showed 90, within 2 hours or less it hit the set point of 72.

I also put some 90 degree pieces of pipe insulation over the flare elbows because they sweated and wrapped the exposed insulation in foil tape. No more sweating and the insulated bundle does not feel cold to the touch anymore.

so the single stage pump is enough ?

 

[Syberia]

It got it down to low 300s before I shut it off which is below the commonly accepted standard of 500.