Does anyone see a reason why I shouldn't run the AC and Drain lines from a mini split inside the walls of a pole barn? It is metal outside with insulated walls. I don't like the look of the lines running down the outside wall. I just have to take the plywood off the wall to install it. Any downsides?
Mini Split AC lines ran in wall of pole barn
- Thread starter pdave
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Trey T
Well-known member
That would be the most appropriate way. The lines are exactly the same type of lines used on homes, which are installed "inside the walls".
When you see lines exposed (even w/ cover) at exterior walls, those are retrofit installs, not originals (mini-split or conventional).
When you see lines exposed (even w/ cover) at exterior walls, those are retrofit installs, not originals (mini-split or conventional).
no problem although I have heard of installer prefer not to do that incase there is a leak later they cannot inspect it. If you can, put the plywood so that right under the indoor unit comes off as one piece and you can inspect the flare fittings which will be around 16" down on the right hand side.
Diesel Dan
Well-known member
That's how I'm doing my house, in wall line sets.
Milton Shaw
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Mt sister added on to her house and put another unit upstairs in the new addition. Installed it worked one day and then out of Freon. Contractor could not understand it and had to trouble shoot the system and eventually found they had driven nails through the lines putting baseboards on the second floor. Fixed and recharged it and then left. Worked two days, out of Freon again. Same carpenter had nailed baseboard in ground floor through the lines again. Make sure you use nailing plates of at least 1/8 steel to keep nail guns from doing this to you. Those commercially made nail plates won't stop most nail guns that I have seen..
That "carpenter" should be locating the vertical studs and nailing the baseboard to the studs for the top part of the baseboards, however the "contractor" should have located the lines and protected them a bit better
I have ALWAYS had difficulty putting the line set, the drain and the power supply behind the evaporator. The drain is the biggest consideration. It has to be right or you end up with mold/mildew issues. I would make a long rectangular cut in the wall where the mounting bracket will hang. Bring you line set up on the left and lay it off across to the right. having the larger cut-out makes it much easier to get everything in and be able to close the evap onto the mounting bracket. I don't do a lot of these, but was surprised how light the mounting brackets have become. Use toggles at the corners of the bracket or the evap may not lay flat on the wall. Once you get everything mounted and closed up pour water into the drain pan and confirm it is draining fully.It can certainly be done but it is so much more of a hassle than running it outside.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
How do you do an inside corner ? Install the corner section and braze the incoming and outgoing lines ?
75gmck25
Well-known member
If I was doing this in a pole barn, I would frame it so that I had a removable panel over the area where the lines are run. You could use a 1/3 or 1/2 sheet of plywood, painted to match the inside wall, and held in with screws, or even velcro fasteners behind it. That way I could pull the access panel off if there was a need to inspect the line set.
Bruce
Bruce
