Fujitsu ductless mini split

[hitek]

Does anyone have one of these units in their garage? From what I gather they are superior for cooling but leave a little to be desired for heating. This should be fine for the southeast with its relatively mild winters. I am considering putting one in an upcoming project.

 

[BoostAddiction]

I don't have any direct eperience with the Fukitsu (mine is a Daikin) but mine does a great job cooling and heating in the Mid-Atlantic area.

You might want to search for a mini-split with a high SEER; the norm has been around 10 for a long time in this segment but they are available as high as 13-14 now from Daikin and possibly others.

You'll like using the remote!

 

[BoCRon]

Mark,
I've been researching this option, yet again.
I think a minisplit with a heat pump and an additional heat strip might be the way to go. I have 3 PTAC units in my kennel that have the back up heat strip, so if the temp goes below 30 (at which point the heat pump doesn't heat) then the heat strip kicks in.
What size unit are you looking at? I've been looking at an 18000 BTU unit for my 480sf garage with a 94sf side room.
There are some less expensive options on ebay that I'm looking into.
Have you found someone locally to do your install, or will you be doing it?
Annette

 

[cw_racefan]

Mark,
I've been researching this option, yet again.
I think a minisplit with a heat pump and an additional heat strip might be the way to go. I have 3 PTAC units in my kennel that have the back up heat strip, so if the temp goes below 30 (at which point the heat pump doesn't heat) then the heat strip kicks in.
What size unit are you looking at? I've been looking at an 18000 BTU unit for my 480sf garage with a 94sf side room.
There are some less expensive options on ebay that I'm looking into.
Have you found someone locally to do your install, or will you be doing it?
Annette

I've been looking into these also, and have talked with one of the Ebay dealers (Bonaire Depot). They recommended a 24K BTU (2 ton) unit for my 1100 sq ft so I would think 18000 would be more than enough. I think you don't want to oversize, since it won't run enough to remove humidity, etc. No idea how these compare with like the Fijitsu or other more well known brands. The one thing I'm not sure of is if the ones I've looked at on Ebay have the backup heat strips or not. Mine will be for occassional use and to just keep things above freezing in the winter. If they don't have strips and I really want to warm things up quickly, I have a small torpedo heater so the strips aren't as important to me.

Craig

 

[BoCRon]

I looked at the Bonaire depot as well. I get conflicting info on what size unit I need. I was thinking a 12000 BTU unit would do the trick, but at 550sf, I think I'm right on the cusp. I'm not sure if erring on too large or too small is the way to go.
The Soleus units on ebay do have the heat strip, but I don't think they are the inverter units which are more efficient(if I'm getting my info correct).
Annette

 

[hitek]

The project I am hoping to use the Fujitsu on is just under 1,000sf. The shell will be SIP's so more energy efficient.
I have been talking to Exact Comfort in Atlanta to do all of my installs as I am not nor do I really have the desire to be an expert at HVAC...so I rely on the experts. They have installed a few in Buckhead and everyone is supposedly happy with them.
They say a max 2 ton unit for this application. The Fujitsu does not have a heat strip so it is a little slow to heat and needs to be left at a reasonable thermostat heat setting during the winter. Cooling appears to be a huge strong point which is more of an issue in the south.
Exact Comfort says he has had experience with other brands and Fujitsu is excellent

 

[JohnZ]

I didn't need the heat (have a Reznor ceiling-hung unit for that), but added cooling later (summer of '05) with a 42,000-BTU Mitsubishi ductless mini-split system for my 2500 SF super-insulated garage, and it does the job very nicely (and VERY quietly). They make them in about six smaller sizes too, and Carrier has a similar line (which wasn't available yet when I needed mine). Same models are available with combined heat and A/C. Details at the link below:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1411059

 

[hitek]

I didn't need the heat (have a Reznor ceiling-hung unit for that), but added cooling later (summer of '05) with a 42,000-BTU Mitsubishi ductless mini-split system for my 2500 SF super-insulated garage, and it does the job very nicely (and VERY quietly). They make them in about six smaller sizes too, and Carrier has a similar line (which wasn't available yet when I needed mine). Same models are available with combined heat and A/C. Details at the link below:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1411059

Hmmm, very nice. So safe to say you are quite satisfied with the unit and would do it again? I will research the Mitsu systems.

 

[JohnZ]

Hmmm, very nice. So safe to say you are quite satisfied with the unit and would do it again? I will research the Mitsu systems.

Yes, I'm very pleased with it - does the cooling job, doesn't take up any otherwise-usable space, and is incredibly quiet.

 

[Bill the Cat]

I have two 1,200 SF rentals each with 1 ton fujitsu heat pumps. The heat pumps operate down to 17deg. F and below and still maintain a COP of 2.4 or so. You won't need a heat strip unless you live in the artic or New England.

The 1 ton is more than adequate for the houses - since I installed them the residents in January the residents have never had to turn on the electric resistance heat.

BTW - the fujitsu 12RLQ and 09RLQ are the most efficient heat pumps on the market - heating and cooling - the HSPF (heating season performance factor) is 10.55 and the SEER is 21! and, since they are ductless you won't loose 20-30% of the heat through the ductwork running in the attic or crawl.

Bill the Cat

 

[rickairmedic]

I looked at the Bonaire depot as well. I get conflicting info on what size unit I need. I was thinking a 12000 BTU unit would do the trick, but at 550sf, I think I'm right on the cusp. I'm not sure if erring on too large or too small is the way to go.
The Soleus units on ebay do have the heat strip, but I don't think they are the inverter units which are more efficient(if I'm getting my info correct).
Annette

Annette 12,000btu's will be fine for 550 Sq.' as long as your space is well insulated if not them I would go around 14,000BTU . I usually figure 500 Sq.' to a ton which is 12,000btu's on older uninsulated homes.

Rick

 

[Rolling_Thunder]

Im looking at one of these for my garage! Im insulation and walling it right now and will be ordering the unit in the next week or two.

Im looking at the 18k BTU with a heat strip!

http://www.ramsond.com/MiniSplitAir.php

 

[Vicegrip]

I would use a heat pump over the AC heat strip in MD. I have 2 Mitsu units in use and they work well all winter long. even when 32 deg outside they are more efficient than a heat strip.

 

[firetruck41]

If you are most concerned about air conditioning, do NOT "go big", as you end up with high humidity because the compressor is not running enough. You can end up with a cool temperature but still be uncomfortable. It would be best to do a real calculation of what you need, not just a "rule of thumb". As building type, floor type, overhead cover/roof, insulation, windows, direction, climate, etc... all have a hand in it. I used HVAC-Calc (available online, ~$50 IIRC) to do the calculations when I installed a HVAC system in my house.

 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I would use a heat pump over the AC heat strip in MD. I have 2 Mitsu units in use and they work well all winter long. even when 32 deg outside they are more efficient than a heat strip.

The one I posted is a Heat Pump it just has a backup heatstrip for those really cold days, just like a house unit!!

 

[Bill the Cat]

I don't know what the design temperature is in your part of Ga., but I bet its above out here in Western Washington. If you have a sips walls and roof and its tight with a good floor insulatin system, you can use the Fujitsu 09rls unit and get a cooling seer of 25 and a HSPF of 12 - unless you have large cooling loads like a dozen computers or a fireplace. Do the heat loss on the structure, add in the ventilation load and see what you have. You can use electric wall heaters at the far end of the house or a propane, natural gas or pellet stove, to supply heat in the coldest weather if the heat pump won't meet the load - which I think is unlikely

 

[kvom]

I installed two Team Air mini-splits in my recent build. A 2-ton in the garage (25x36) that will be used for cooling only, and a 1.5T unit upstairs for a 600sf apartment. They were a lot cheaper than the Mitsubishi units I looked at (~$3300 for both). Both are heat pumps without the heat strip.

 

[AV8R4AA]

I bought a 18,000 BTU AC split mini here in Dallas.
800 dollars cash price.
It is NOT a heat pump. It has a AC side and electric heat strips.
Where I live the AC side is more important. I have it in the box and awaiting
finishing my 440 sq foot 2 car garage. It is a tad larger than I really need.
I am betting that a hot car in the garage with the AC unit at full Max cold
will make it quite comfortable in the garage/Man cave.

I will follow up when it is really hot here.

 

[Blue Seducer]

Kvom, can you post pics of your mini split install. I am trying to find a system for my new addition which is about the same as yours.

 

[kvom]

I might be able to get a pic later on. Basically there is an air handler high on one wall and a compressor box outside. I ran the linesets and wiring inside the studs, so it was a bit more complicated. Team Air supplies 16' of lineset and 16' cables for interconnection, so if you can get the run to be 16' or less then the hookup is a breeze. Both of mine were more than 16', so I had to use my own wiring (Romex) and also get some extra lineset to extend what came with the units.

For my upstairs unit a simpler approach would have been to just run the lineset and wiring through the wall and down the exterior wall to the compressor. Not as neat looking but easier.

 

[Dawgfan]

I have a Sanyo ductless mini-split inverter system 18000 BTU in a 30' x 40' x 14'H. It does a great job heating. It was installed in Dec. 08. I did everything except connect the tubing and pull a vacuum.

 

[kvom]

Here's a pic of the shop install:

The air handler is mounted on an interior wall about 1' below the 13' ceiling. There is a stairway behind the wall at that point, hence the drain tube needed to be routed lower until it was below the staircase, and thence through the exterior wall. With some advance planning I could likely have routed the PVC pipe through the studs. The lineset does down inside the wall and then back to the outside unit. For some reason, building codes forbid connecting the drain water to the sewer.

The upstairs unit is on an exterior wall about 25' above ground level and 9' above floor level.

Unfortunately the placement of the studs in the wall didn't allow the unit to be centered and have the lineset buried inside, so the end is exposed. the drain tube just goes out through the wall. Again some better planning could have resulted in a cleaner look. Eventually we will paint the drain tubes to match the walls.

Note the code-required switch that cuts the power leads (from the outside unit) to the air handler.

 

[JMURiz]

I installed a Mitsu unit in the garage a couple weeks back, with some help. The test run pumped out heat very nicely, look forward to testing out the AC function this humid summer.

Has a SEER rating of 16 and only takes 15A of 220v as well!

 

[TheShrine]

I have 2 18K units. One upstairs and one down. They are both AmCorAire (Toshiba guts) and both utilize Inverter Technology and both are heat pumps. Here in Central Texas we don't need heat strips...at least I don't.

Up.....

Down....