Mini Split Install

[farrbar]

I am converting a 3 season room into my TV room. The rest of my house has baseboard radiators and high velocity AC, which would have been too expense to bring into this space.

I went with a Mini Split AC/Heat Pump, and then did some electric baseboard heat as back up (cold chicago winters).

From reading this site, the Install seems pretty easy. However, I needed to get my annual service call on my high velocity system (to protect warranty), so I figured I would get that tech to do the lineset.

I have hung the inside unit, pulled the T-Stat wire, poured a pad, set the outside unit, installed a power whip. All that needs to be done is connect/test the lines and the final power connection. This tech thinks this will take him 5 hours. This seems high to me.

Here are pics of how far I took the install.

 

[Falcon67]

Nice unit, gotta get me one of those. 5 hours? How about 1 hour with a 30 minute lunch in the middle? Many of those come pre-charged IIRC, wonder if yours is one. If so, it's hook up the lines, t-stat control and power and it's done more or less.

 

[farrbar]

Yeah, this unit is pre-charged. He has been here 2 hours so far. He has the lineset connected, unsulated, power hooked up, and neatly mounted to the side of the house. Basically looks done, has a vacum gaugue on the lines, and he has moved on to my high velocity system. At this point it looks like he will be out of here after 3 or 3.5 hours total (~1 hour of which was on my other system).

Thus, he will have spent 2-2.5 hours on mini-split. A little longer than I thought it should take, but if it is done right I'm ok with that. Afterall, it took me longer than I hoped (thought) to mount the inside unit, pour the pad and mount the outside unit (I hate mixing cement. by hand....)

 

[ghnl]

More photos, please. How did you hide the line sets on the outside wall (or did you)? I am planning a DIY install myself. I'm thinking of running the line sets through some plastic drain gutters. The line set covers sold specific for that purpose seem quite expensive...

 

[farrbar]

Ok, so he is done after 2.75 hours. Overall slow, and hit me up for $45 for "shop supplies". He did everything in his power to stretch it out 3 hours, but finally I got him to agree that he was done.

 

[farrbar]

More photos, please. How did you hide the line sets on the outside wall (or did you)? I am planning a DIY install myself. I'm thinking of running the line sets through some plastic drain gutters. The line set covers sold specific for that purpose seem quite expensive...

I have not done that yet, but my plan is to cut out the back of a down spout, and mount it. This is what was done to cover the lineset that goes up to my attic for my high velocity system.

 

[travisd]

Ok, so he is done after 2.75 hours. Overall slow, and hit me up for $45 for "shop supplies". He did everything in his power to stretch it out 3 hours, but finally I got him to agree that he was done.

I'm certainly not an HVAC tech, but taking the time to draw a good deep vacuum on the new lines/coil is, in my understanding, a good thing to do. This drives out any moisture that might be in the lines/coil, as well as ensures that that the system is leak free.

Or, he needed the extra $$

 

[farrbar]

I'm certainly not an HVAC tech, but taking the time to draw a good deep vacuum on the new lines/coil is, in my understanding, a good thing to do. This drives out any moisture that might be in the lines/coil, as well as ensures that that the system is leak free.

Or, he needed the extra $$

Yes, he was actually at my house for 4 hours, but 1.25 hours related to something else (but he did have the system under pressure during this time too).

 

[Falcon67]

I'm certainly not an HVAC tech, but taking the time to draw a good deep vacuum on the new lines/coil is, in my understanding, a good thing to do. This drives out any moisture that might be in the lines/coil, as well as ensures that that the system is leak free.

Or, he needed the extra $$

I'd pay extra for a good pulldown and test, for sure. Sounds like he did a decent job of it which is worth something for sure. I'm not a pro and I'd expect that it'd take me 2-3 times whatever my estimate was and cost 4 times more - my wife has the figures to back that up I'm pretty sure...

 

[AmickRacing]

I do HVAC for a living, and of course everything is different.
But to run the lineset, put the flares on the ends, tuck it all in the indoor unit (that part whoops me every time), and to pull a good vac I don't think 3 hours is stretching it at all considering when you have an "easy" job things never go smooth. Heck the pull down could be up to an hour itself...

His 1st guess of 5 hours was likely him covering his ****. I learned the hard way to tell someone a little longer than I thought and pleasantly surprise them vs say "oh an hour" then 10 hours later I'm still there.

I think you'll enjoy it!

 

[chevelle67]

Absolutely agree Amick