Need bracing for wall mounted air handler

[ericm]

Every place I've stayed with a mini split has had the air handler bolted to the wall. Normally it's just a quiet fan noise. Unless its on turbo then its a louder fan noise.

 

[Codyboy]

I have a hard time relying on hope.

150 lbs doesn't seem like much weight but here's the thing. Throw up a 150 lb kid on the end of those horizontal brackets and tell them to start jumping around. You would be impressed by how much things move. Hour after hour and day after day little movement adds up.

Wall mount can work but give yourself every best option. Do you have the line sets already attached?

It's a lot less work to do it right at the beginning vs. fixing down the road. If you have problems it will be more than a vibrating air handler that needs fixing.
The strongest points of your vertical brackets are at the girt attachment locations. Right now the horizontal brackets are mounted well below a strong point. The free end of the vertical channel has a lot of room to flex and move.
If you want to get a better chance with hope, try putting the unit at a height where mounting point of brackets are at the girt attachment points. It would help to add isolation pads and try to keep the steel from rattling. Do the 45 degree threaded rod into the closer holes. I get the wrench thing, but man. . . Run the rod through the bottom bracket and tighten everything from easier access points.

I know it seems like a hassle to redo the mount. It's way less hassle than the options if hope doesn't work.
One big issue with steel on steel with steel fasteners is movement. Foam is a nice comfort level reinforcement. It's still not steel. If things start moving, the fastener holes start to wear, the girts are loose, tin is loose, and all of a sudden you have pieces of a building hanging around each other.

I see what you're saying about movement.
And this was the case before I added the angles and bolted the unit to the horizontal struts.

Now its sturdy and doesn't flex.
I see it no different than adding an angle brace to a wall, then adding 3 more walls that are braced as well.
I don't believe the analogy of a kid hanging off it and swinging around is the same.
Maybe a kid hanging and wiggling his toes. Yeah.

As far as rattling steel on steel on steel...

The girts are welded to each other member.

The whole unit is screwed together panel to panel. Ive never seen a unit tear itself apart and its steel on steel with tiny sheet metal screws.

Maybe instead of "hope" i should have said i don't believe it will be an issue.

I think at condenser would possibly have issues as there are 2 rotating forces in play with the fan(s) and compressor.
This is one moving part of just a fan.

The minisplits hang on a wall and don't tear themselves or the structure apart.

Would this be any different?

 

[Fav Onefour]

I'm sure it will be fine.
I can't see the girt structure very well on your building. I've dealt with some pretty light fastening systems and thin gauge metal. I'm glad you clarified the build assembly.

Steel skin buildings are great if they don't flex or move. If they have movement that's another story. Each fastener location has the potential to start leaking. Foam is the perfect trap for that water.

I was only trying to help prevent the long term issues that I've seen. Neighbor has a building that I'd call the perfect example. The build is too light for the 22' wall height and he started to see billowing during high wind events. He sprayed it with foam five years ago with hope that would help sturdy up the worst walls. It did seem tighter for awhile but is now moving again. Fasteners are easy to find on those walls. Right around six feet height and upward, the fasteners are leaving rust streaks.

 

[Codyboy]

I got my duct hood built and installed.
Not as pretty as I wanted due to the metal I got.
Was supposed to be 26 gauge but got home and it was 22.
A little difficult to cut and bend by hand. So the bends didn't come out as crisp as I wanted.
But it fit and will be functional.

This is just temporary until I figure out my ductwork , then I'll replace it with a plenum.