Mounting outside condenser for mini split on wall.

[Kevin Hager]

Getting ready to mount a Senville 24K mini-split (130 lbs). on a wall that has hardi-board siding.

I wish the mounting bracket was a little longer, but the plan is to slot the end mount locations apx 1/2 inch outward to allow me to pick up the studs which are on 16” center. The trim pieces in the photo are centered on the studs. I could also remove the level in the middle and drill a new hole to pick up the center stud.

So my question is it absolutely necessary to pick up the studs? There is 7/16 osb behind the hardi board and the hardware includes anchors for the 3/8 lag bolts. Not sure if I trust the anchors, osb, and hardi board alone. The arms that hold the unit will only be 26” apart, so not picking up studs there. Going through all 3 pieces there will only be maybe a 1/4-1/3 of the bolt in the stud. See additional pictures. The instructions it came with are very lacking

 

[erik a]

I went for the studs and let the cross pieces span between and hold the unit.

 

[Kevin Hager]

I went for the studs and let the cross pieces span between and hold the unit.

That looks like a lot more heavy duty set up than I bought off Amazon

 

[PoorUB]

So my question is it absolutely necessary to pick up the studs?

In my opinion you need to bolt into the studs. The siding a has very little support so you would be depending on the 7/16" OSB. The only other way is if the inside wall isn't finished and you can add blocking to the back side of the OSB to lag into.

I guess if you have a cross piece that screws to the wall first as long as you catch one stud near the center and a couple lags on either side, into the OSB. Depending on how rigid the bracket is.

 

[PoorUB]

Can't you grab two studs, next to each other? Or are you trying to span the battens on the siding? I would just add a couple blocks between the bracket and siding. Do you have any 3/4" PVC trim board laying around?

 

[ipgenie]

I used two pieces of unistrut mounted horizontal to catch the studs and then attached my mounting bracket to that. Worked great and isn't really visible behind the condenser and bracket.

 

[WildBill]

I used two pieces of unistrut mounted horizontal to catch the studs and then attached my mounting bracket to that. Worked great and isn't really visible behind the condenser and bracket.

Same.

 

[WildBill]

You want it lagged into studs. They vibrate a lot. I just fixed one that someone had anchored into bricks with some sort of inserts designed for bricks, held about a year.

 

[Kevin Hager]

Today I added some leftover trim boards running horizontal, the two lower pieces is what I now plan on mounting the main horizontal bracket, picking up 3 studs after removing the level and drilling a hole in the center. I will probably go to Lowe’s and get some slightly longer lag bolts to pick up the 2 X 6 studs.

The upper trim pieces in case you are wondering is going to support the a/c line cover set that I bought, and just to the left you can see where the lines will be coming out the hole covered with tape.

As far as the inside it is not finished but also covered with OSB, so it’s hardi board then OSB then 2x6 and OSB again with open cell spray foam in the walls and on the ceiling, a little over 1,000 sqft, but with 16’ walls and 24’ at the peak, so I’m hoping 24K will do the job.

I’m also trying to keep the unit above the lower horizontal line where the siding meets because I plan on putting brick/stone up to the lower line around 3’-4’ high.

 

[pcmeiners]

Do you read other threads in this sub forum advising NOT to mount on a non brick/block wall? Did you consider noise and vibration?

 

[Kevin Hager]

Do you read other threads in this sub forum advising NOT to mount on a non brick/block wall? Did you consider noise and vibration?

No I didn’t, but I don’t have much of a choice if I want to mount it on the wall, I mean it’s already there. I figured if I hit the studs I would be ok.

 

[Raisedonadeere]

I have mounted two different locations on vinyl siding stud walls. No vibration or hum coming through the walls.

I have two more I wish were on the wall.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to or cancel vibration. Sometimes if you are not a rocket scientist you have to just roll the dice.

 

[Kevin Hager]

I have mounted two different locations on vinyl siding stud walls. No vibration or hum coming through the walls.

I have two more I wish were on the wall.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to or cancel vibration. Sometimes if you are not a rocket scientist you have to just roll the dice.

I’m not worried about noise so much, it is a shop/rv garage so not like I’m going to be sleeping out there.

Just curious why do you wish the other two were on a wall?

 

[Raisedonadeere]

They stay cleaner, easier to service, out of the way of anything that moves on the ground, be it debris or weedeater. No longer a hiding place for critters. Above ground level moisture. It just looks happier up there

 

[ipgenie]

We have one mounted to the outside laundry room wall. There is no noticeable sound or vibration in cooling mode. The first time I used it for heating, there was a strange noise coming from the laundry room. It took a minute to realize it was the mini split.
I wouldn't want one on my bedroom wall, but in the laundry room it's no problem. Quieter than the dryer running.

 

[Kevin Hager]

Here are some shots of the finished installation, I was worried about the drain line making that long horizontal run, so I ended up, dropping it straight down through some PVC right after it exited the 1st curved section of conduit.

I ended up picking up three studs on the outside mounting bracket.

The unit is quieter than my expectations, and absolutely no noise or vibration from the outside condensing unit.

Seems to work really well, but we’ll get the first real test in a couple of days. We are supposed to hit 100°F here in North Texas on Wednesday