rockcrawler
Well-known member
For a steel building (R-Panel).
Pros and Cons of each?
Pros and Cons of each?
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Mini-Split Condenser Outside Mount - Wall vs Ground
- Thread starter rockcrawler
- Start date
kbeefy
Well-known member
Looks like your in TX, so it might not matter, but the heat pump in my last house was mounted on a concrete pad and risers 3 inches off the pad. In the winter, the condensate would freeze and glaciate into a large ice flow. One winter it got thick enough to encase the lower end of the Condensor and broke it.
When I installed my mini-split last year I mounted it on the wall for that reason.
When I installed my mini-split last year I mounted it on the wall for that reason.
jack stand
Well-known member
Take any extra measures you can to eliminate vibrations resonating in to the wall.For a steel building (R-Panel).
Pros and Cons of each?
We have this installation and it's not terrible, but our place is very quiet. Quiet enough for most people not to comprehend. (I can hear the transformer humm for the low voltage hvac controls)
We've become used to it.
Notgrownup
Well-known member
I built a wooden 4x4 frame for mine at my shop, I would do it again. I wouldn’t want mine mountedon the wall because of vibration transfer. No matter how smooth they run.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
Formed 3.5" slabs with composite 4"x4" legs (Home Depot), concrete filled, raising off the slabs 18" to keep snow and debris away from my 5 minisplits. I would not think of mounting any on a wall.
OP
rockcrawler
Well-known member
The ground mount with the bracket kit that elevates it sounds like the way to go. I’m already nervous about cutting that huge hole in my shop for the line set and I’d rather not poke more holes for the wall mount. I just don’t want water leaks. I’ll be mounting the interior units at about 8‘ to 9’ and will be putting in plywood walls later. So, I’ll probably just run the line set inside the wall and cut the hole for it close the the ground so the least amount of line set is outside. This will save me from having to purchase a line set cover kit. I’ve never done concrete work, but it looks pretty simple. Is there a preferred grommet / bracket to run the line set through R-Panel that will seal out water and bugs?
pcmeiners
Well-known member
Did an inside of wall install, PIA but worth it to me. Tubing needs to be be bent carefully. I have 2x4 walls, so a hole though the beams is not possible with foam jacket linesets; would be too large to be legal. The option is to carve out the beam face a minimum amount, then install the lineset, with a metal plate, a little wider than the beams, about 6" long over it, I believe the metal blanks I ordered off Ebay were an 1/8 or 3/32" (?) so no Sheetrock screw could possible go through them. I tried to leave a bit extra lineset in the wall in case you find you need a bit more.
After I ran the lineset, installed the plates, flared the inside lines I peeled back the insulation and found some A-hole purposely dented the lines a foot back from the cut end at the compressor end, someone used a hammer on it, though it did not show on the insulation. Anyway I had managed to leave about 18" extra in the wall. Took me 2 hours to get that extra back to the compressor end so I had enough with the damaged area removed.
"I’ve never done concrete work, but it looks pretty simple."
Home depot, premix extra strength concrete sacks, 60 or 80 lbs
Wall collar, expensive though.....
Cheaper on Ebay.....
After I ran the lineset, installed the plates, flared the inside lines I peeled back the insulation and found some A-hole purposely dented the lines a foot back from the cut end at the compressor end, someone used a hammer on it, though it did not show on the insulation. Anyway I had managed to leave about 18" extra in the wall. Took me 2 hours to get that extra back to the compressor end so I had enough with the damaged area removed.
"I’ve never done concrete work, but it looks pretty simple."
Home depot, premix extra strength concrete sacks, 60 or 80 lbs
Wall collar, expensive though.....
Cheaper on Ebay.....
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American Locomotive
Well-known member
One friend did a wall mount, but his building had a tall foundation wall, and we built a custom bracket to anchor it into the foundation. No vibration, but there's like 10" of concrete it's stuck into.
Another friend we poured small pads, and made steel brackets to raise them about a foot off the ground.
I would not do a wall mount on a steel or wood sided building. It will definitely transfer vibration into the space - even the best minisplits get a little buzzy when heating in the winter. Concrete walls are a different story.
Another friend we poured small pads, and made steel brackets to raise them about a foot off the ground.
I would not do a wall mount on a steel or wood sided building. It will definitely transfer vibration into the space - even the best minisplits get a little buzzy when heating in the winter. Concrete walls are a different story.
OP
rockcrawler
Well-known member
Did an inside of wall install, PIA but worth it to me. Tubing needs to be be bent carefully. I have 2x4 walls, so a hole though the beams is not possible with foam jacket linesets; would be too large to be legal. The option is to carve out the beam face a minimum amount, then install the lineset, with a metal plate, a little wider than the beams, about 6" long over it, I believe the metal blanks I ordered off Ebay were an 1/8 or 3/32" (?) so no Sheetrock screw could possible go through them. I tried to leave a bit extra lineset in the wall in case you find you need a bit more.
After I ran the lineset, installed the plates, flared the inside lines I peeled back the insulation and found some A-hole purposely dented the lines a foot back from the cut end at the compressor end, someone used a hammer on it, though it did not show on the insulation. Anyway I had managed to leave about 18" extra in the wall. Took me 2 hours to get that extra back to the compressor end so I had enough with the damaged area removed.
"I’ve never done concrete work, but it looks pretty simple."
Home depot, premix extra strength concrete sacks, 60 or 80 lbs
Wall collar, expensive though.....
Cheaper on Ebay.....
Thanks for the seal suggestion. I’ll probably use that, or something similar. I have 8” purlins that I’ll be attaching the plywood to, so I’ll have plenty of room to hide extra line set and the bends won’t have to be too tight. And, I can just punch a hole in the purlin to pass the line set through.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
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Definitely raise the unit. It helps keep the condenser clean from the low swirling dusty wind and will help keep critters out of it. It is a drag when snakes crawl up into the pcb area and blow the boards. If you check the specs on your evaporator I think you will find it calls for a height of 7-8’ off the floor. Going higher throws off the temperature settings. You can probably live with it but just be aware of it going in. The Stat sensor is on the evaporator coil. Check for options from your manuf.
You shouldn't have any extra lineset to hide. Cut the lineset to the correct link and reflare. If you're planning on using a set with precharged linesets, you can buy all the tools you need to do it right for less than the cost premium of the precharged sets. (and as bonus, you can buy something more efficicent, though the difference isn't as big as it used to be.)Thanks for the seal suggestion. I’ll probably use that, or something similar. I have 8” purlins that I’ll be attaching the plywood to, so I’ll have plenty of room to hide extra line set and the bends won’t have to be too tight. And, I can just punch a hole in the purlin to pass the line set through.