MR COOL mini split ac REVIEW needed
- Thread starter AZpilot
- Start date
cre73
Well-known member
AZpilot, what is driving you towards the Mr Cool? I am getting ready to take the plunge on a pioneer unit due to the reviews here and on Amazon. I haven't been able to find really anything on these units?
cre73
Well-known member
Gosh darn you, I had my mind made up now I'm second guessing myself. With this warranty I'm thinking pretty hard about it. I am going to call Ingrams cooling in the morning and ask a few questions.
chrispyny
Well-known member
Unfortunate as most people only decide to take time to post up negative reviews of a product they have an issue with. Usually those that don't have problems are those that set it, and forget it.
It's when you see people posting up issues, or questions and problems about something, that tells you to steer clear.
I looked at it briefly and you would think this brand would be flooding Amazon with hundreds of review by now. But that isn't the case.
Only like 3-4 reviews on a site that sells it. The next choice is only a few hundred dollars more with lots of reviews.
Only like 3-4 reviews on a site that sells it. The next choice is only a few hundred dollars more with lots of reviews.
cre73
Well-known member
What is the next choice that has the same option of DIY that MrCool has. The few hundred dollars is the difference of buying equipment to vacuum or to pay someone.
I bought the Friedrich breeze made for self install. Just run the lineset through the wall and a special connector plugs into the compressor unit. The electrical stays inside so I don't have to knock another hole in the wall and install disconnect switch and conduit etc.
Ok so it was $1600 and you may want to buy a pioneer or gree if you can find someone to charge it or decide to buy the gauges etc. or go with mr cool.
But mine was up and running in few hours. I just plugged the unit into one of the receptacle in the garage. I looked at the reviews and downloaded all their manuals to look before making the decision.
I should be posting a write up on the install on this section of the forum soon.
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wornoutoldman
Well-known member
You need help from this guy:
cre73
Well-known member
I saw the Friedrich units also. Couldnt justify the extra money over the MrCool unit. The only interesting part of the Friedrich was the flexible stainless line set. No worries of kinks with it. The biggest turn off for both systems was the 25ft lineset. I only needed about 12 feet, don't like the looks of the coiled lineset behind the compressor.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I installed a 24k btu Breeze setup a couple years ago in my living room and am happy with it. The prices for an installed system (got quotes on Mitsubishi and Fujitsu) were insane, so I went DIY.
I opened up the wall, ran the lineset in and was able to keep the extra in a basement wall before exiting the house to connect it. I originally thought I'd loop it behind the unit, but the lineset is so stiff, that the loop would have been quite large.
I opened up the wall, ran the lineset in and was able to keep the extra in a basement wall before exiting the house to connect it. I originally thought I'd loop it behind the unit, but the lineset is so stiff, that the loop would have been quite large.
LG 18K mini split.
sgiss
Member
I debated between MrCool and Fredrich, both DIY systems. Ordered Fredrich bc it is a known brand name. Turns out, they have discontinued the DIY series. I am waiting on a MrCool from Ingrams now.
gopokes
Member
I just installed the 24k Mr Cool in my garage, ordered it from Ingrams as well. Lowest temp I could get to was 73 when it was about 96 outside. My garage is 25x30 with full insulation, and 2 insulated garage doors. I thought 73 was pretty good for as hot out as it was. It does have to run continuously to keep that temperature though. The one complaint I have was more about Ingrams than the unit itself. They told me to use a two and a half inch hole say for the lineset instead of the 90mm that the Mr Cool instructions call for. After I bough the hole saw, and 2 inch pvc I realized the lineset wouldn't fit through it. I just ended up cutting two holes and it worked out ok.
gtae07
Well-known member
I've noticed that the fan seems to run continuously, even when I set it to 85 on the "cool" setting (for during the week when I'm not out there). But I don't think the cooling part runs.
I waited till the unit arrived to measure the passthrough hole. I was just expecting the lineset to be disconnected at both ends. Tried to be careful and not wind up short; wound up with almost 3 feet left over. Would have moved it over a bit more if I'd known.
gopokes
Member
The compressor is definitely running. I set it to 70, and the lowest it can get to is 73. It has to run constantly to stay there. The sales guy at Ingrams told me the two ton unit would be more than plenty. I'm thinking now that I should have gone bigger.
Todd.Brock
Well-known member
Does the specs sheet list the maximum cool down? I always thought 25 or 30 degrees was about what A/c could cool. I know that's a WAG based on a million different factors....
gopokes
Member
Haven't checked that. Talked to Ingrams support guys, and they again claim that the unit should be more than enough to cool down my space. I've asked them for some troubleshooting advice to verify I have everything correctly set. I'll respond if I get any new info from them.
Have you tried leaving it on for a couple days. Since every item in the garage has to cool down otherwise they emit heat.
Also the mini split slows the cooling power a few degrees before what you set to so it would "converge" to the set point
Also the mini split slows the cooling power a few degrees before what you set to so it would "converge" to the set point
gopokes
Member
That is what I'm going to try next. Also need to talk my wife into leaving her car outside, and not open the garage door. Hopefully that will help get the temp of everything in the garage down as well.
Fixin'Stuff
Well-known member
The typical BTU requirement calc is used to determine what is required for keeping a space comfortable. If you let you garage heat up (and ALL the stuff in it heats up as well) then it will take quite a while to remove all of the BTU's that are stored in the cars, tools, drywall, slab, etc. 
Plus, while you're trying to remove all of that heat, the outdoor sun and hot air are trying to move their heat into your space.
Plus, while you're trying to remove all of that heat, the outdoor sun and hot air are trying to move their heat into your space.cory58
Well-known member
I'm not an engineer, but have been in the commercial real estate/property management business for 24 years. My understanding is that commercial and residential cooling systems are designed to maintain output temp at a max difference to the return temperature (delta T), which I've been told is usually 20-25 degrees. That's just a design criteria. The delta T could be anything you design it to be - a walk-in freezer is just an air conditioning system on steroids.
I'm sure a real mechanical engineer on the forum will correct any inaccuracies in my post.
Cory
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matt_i
Well-known member
The A/C can remove a certain amount of heat per time, in other words heat flow. Measured (or rated) in BTU/hr or kW which are also units of mechanical power.
Heat flow, which always flows from hot to cold, is input from the outside of the building, via ambient, sun load/radiant heat, etc, and the flow is resisted by insulation and differences in conductivity.
The greater the temperature difference between outside and in, the faster the flow. The greater the insulation or thermal resistance, the slower the flow.
Typical A/C runs to a target temperature setpoint with a simple on/off controller (thermostat). When it cycles off, it means the A/C has enough heat flow capacity to maintain the temperature.
However consider the cases where the A/C is undersized, we see our first 150F day, the building is too large, etc. The A/C will run nonstop without stopping, at which point its heat flow capacity is maxed out.
There is a "Manual J" set of calculations that an engineer or HVAC pro can do which logically steps thru many factors related to heat transfer. I believe they shoot for an A/C internal target temp of 75F on the hottest day of the year when the A/C is maxed out. many times A/C gets oversized and can do more heat removal in a shorter time and theoretically reach a lower internal temp, but there are problems with that scenario also.
The above is oversimplified but just to point out the design has more to do with heat flows to maintain an internal temp than trying to maintain a delta temp. The other side of the coin would be heating where the flow is basically reversed, we put heat inside and its sucked out by the ambient. We want it to be comfortable on the coldest day in 100 years, so the parameters are changed somewhat.
Heat flow, which always flows from hot to cold, is input from the outside of the building, via ambient, sun load/radiant heat, etc, and the flow is resisted by insulation and differences in conductivity.
The greater the temperature difference between outside and in, the faster the flow. The greater the insulation or thermal resistance, the slower the flow.
Typical A/C runs to a target temperature setpoint with a simple on/off controller (thermostat). When it cycles off, it means the A/C has enough heat flow capacity to maintain the temperature.
However consider the cases where the A/C is undersized, we see our first 150F day, the building is too large, etc. The A/C will run nonstop without stopping, at which point its heat flow capacity is maxed out.
There is a "Manual J" set of calculations that an engineer or HVAC pro can do which logically steps thru many factors related to heat transfer. I believe they shoot for an A/C internal target temp of 75F on the hottest day of the year when the A/C is maxed out. many times A/C gets oversized and can do more heat removal in a shorter time and theoretically reach a lower internal temp, but there are problems with that scenario also.
The above is oversimplified but just to point out the design has more to do with heat flows to maintain an internal temp than trying to maintain a delta temp. The other side of the coin would be heating where the flow is basically reversed, we put heat inside and its sucked out by the ambient. We want it to be comfortable on the coldest day in 100 years, so the parameters are changed somewhat.
gopokes
Member
So last week after I posted, I turned the unit on from my phone around 1:00 PM. By the time I got home around 6:30, it was already down to about 85 or so which was pretty good. I left it on the rest of the weekend, to see what it would do after it got everything inside the garage cooled down. Friday morning it was down to 72, and hung around there most of the day until the sun got over to the west side of the house (where the outer garage wall is) and it creeped back up to 75 until the sun went down.
I set the temp to 70 when I went to bed, and checked again Saturday morning when I got up, and there it was right at 70 degrees! It held there until around 11:00 am, and started coming up a little as it warmed up outside. I think it could have gotten down below 70 if I would have set it lower, but I didn't think about it, because I would never actually have it that low anyway.
Ultimately I am very happy with the performance. I set it at 78 just so it won't have to work so long to get everything cooled back down now. If I turn it on before I leave work, it will get to around 75 by the time I get home which is about a 30 minute drive.
I set the temp to 70 when I went to bed, and checked again Saturday morning when I got up, and there it was right at 70 degrees! It held there until around 11:00 am, and started coming up a little as it warmed up outside. I think it could have gotten down below 70 if I would have set it lower, but I didn't think about it, because I would never actually have it that low anyway.
Ultimately I am very happy with the performance. I set it at 78 just so it won't have to work so long to get everything cooled back down now. If I turn it on before I leave work, it will get to around 75 by the time I get home which is about a 30 minute drive.
Razorsedge
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2015
- Messages
- 26
What is your ceiling height? And what size are your doors?
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I was hoping the 24k can get under 750 sq feet down further. Unless you have over 10 foot ceiling height. But hard to say as we don't know how hot it was outside. I suspect after the hottest days it would work a lot easier
gopokes
Member
My ceiling is 8 1/2 foot, and I've got 2 9x7 garage doors. It got up over 100 through the weekend, so I think it's pretty good.
jconnor3
Well-known member
Gopokes - for your 24k unit, can you give me the details on the electrical you ran from your main box to the outside cutoff? What size wire and what size/type of breaker you used is really all I need. Thanks!
gopokes
Member
I actually had an electrician come run that for me, but they ran a 30 amp line and breaker with a quick disconnect on the wall outside by where I installed mine. He left a 6 foot whip for me to connect it to the unit. I need to get some pictures of my install. It is a little different because I decided to run my lines inside, and not have the lineset showing down the side of the house. Actually my wife decided that for me.
Since I ran the lineset that way, I had to build out a standoff from the wall, so the lineset could turn down and not get kinked. It's not the cleanest look, but it is in the garage after all.
benz_dr
Active member
Installed a 24K Mr Cool last week in my shop.Actual install time with wiring and disconnect about 6''.5 hrs. Bought from Home Depot, came 2 days early to my door in rural Arkansas. Total cost $1700-unit,shipping,breaker,wire,fuses,disconnect. Very pleased so far. Have been in heat advisory, shop cool. HVAC pro wanted $5K.
jconnor3
Well-known member
So it was just a single 30 amp breaker not a double? I'm assuming they used the orange 10-2 or 10-3 wire as well?
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
The fan needs to run to know what the temp is in the room. The evap will turn on accordingly.
However, just be mindful of placement - depending on proximity. Fan constantly on may be a annoyance depending on location
benz_dr
Active member
Racer10x, my shop is 32x54