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Question: Cooling 10k mini-split or window unit?

G

Guest 18340

Here's a vid that will help you a lot...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUJMzKPwjbI
The tech in the vid uses all the gadgets but he's showing how to do by the book. In reality all I've ever seen techs use was a pump and gauge set to install a mini.
I don't know about the quality of the pumps harborfreight sells but make sure you get a
2 stage pump otherwise you may not get a deep enough vacuum.
I bought the same pump as the guy in the vid...
Their are a few techs on these boards and I'm sure they can set you right on which pump to buy.
 
L

louie

Member
Thanks for the links! evlme2, I REALLY appreciate all the tips! Super helpful!!! I think I'm going to order that gauge you linked me to and a 31000 btu mr. slim next week along with picking up a 2 stage pump from harbor freight. I'll keep you updated, I'll probably have more questions too lol. Thanks again my man!
 
G

Guest 18340

No problem louie:tiphat:
mg75, those are decent prices but Mr.Whisper are nothing more than cheap no frills brand, and the seer rating (16) is the minimum for an inverter model.
If people look at the warranties of mini's theyll notice that the compressor, no matter what brand (Hitachi, Toshiba, etc), is the part with the highest warranty. That's because the compressor is usually NOT the part that fails, it's the cheap electronics on them that carries the low warranty. Because it's the cheap electronics that fail.
My first mini split was an Amcor, and it had a Toshiba compressor and a warranty of 5 years (Compressor) and 1 year (parts). 2 weeks after being installed by a licensed hvac tech, the PC board in the outside unit shorted out. It took me a year(!!!!!!!!!!!!) to find a replacement PC board.
See, 99% of those cheap mini's are ALL made by the same Chinese company, Chigo. They sell them as "white labels" (no name on them) and the distributor who buys them slaps on their own name on them.
Amcor is now called Pridiom. Same exact AC, just a dif name. It's buyer beware out there. It took me two years of endless research to figure all this out. If I can help even one person avoid the same mistakes I made then I'm happy:)
 
M

mg75

Member
evlme2 said:
No problem louie:tiphat:
mg75, those are decent prices but Mr.Whisper are nothing more than cheap no frills brand, and the seer rating (16) is the minimum for an inverter model.
If people look at the warranties of mini's theyll notice that the compressor, no matter what brand (Hitachi, Toshiba, etc), is the part with the highest warranty. That's because the compressor is usually NOT the part that fails, it's the cheap electronics on them that carries the low warranty. Because it's the cheap electronics that fail.
My first mini split was an Amcor, and it had a Toshiba compressor and a warranty of 5 years (Compressor) and 1 year (parts). 2 weeks after being installed by a licensed hvac tech, the PC board in the outside unit shorted out. It took me a year(!!!!!!!!!!!!) to find a replacement PC board.
See, 99% of those cheap mini's are ALL made by the same Chinese company, Chigo. They sell them as "white labels" (no name on them) and the distributor who buys them slaps on their own name on them.
Amcor is now called Pridiom. Same exact AC, just a dif name. It's buyer beware out there. It took me two years of endless research to figure all this out. If I can help even one person avoid the same mistakes I made then I'm happy:)
Click to expand...

thanks for the heads up!
 
L

louie

Member
Question for ya elvme2, so the AC im looking to get is this one:

http://www.acwholesalers.com/Mitsubishi_Mr_Slim_mitsubishi_air_conditioner_p/11977.htm

Now in the specs section it says the linesets are: 3/8" & 5/8",

so does that mean I have to get the r410a gauge set that is 5/8" instead of 1/4" (I see this gauge set comes in a few different sizes)? Also the 2 stage pump that I am looking at has 1/4" SAE intake fiitting (is this right also)?

This is the pump:

http://www.harborfreight.com/two-stage-3-cfm-air-vacuum-pump-66466.html

I just wanted to make sure I am getting all the right stuff. I am going to order the gauges from the company you recommended, but the one you linked me to says 1/4". Thanks my man!
 
G

Guest 18340

No. The gauge set I linked is the one you need, it's the exact one I bought.
The service port valve (where you'll be screwing one of those hoses onto) is a different size/has nothing to do with the size of the line set.
Some mini splits require a service port adapter like this one;http://kingersons.biz/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=447&categoryID=106
I too was confused at first so I bought the adapter, come to find out that the Mitsu's come with a 1/4 service port valve as standard.
If, however, you find that you do need the adapter then the one I linked is the one you'll want.
 
L

louie

Member
Right on. One more question for ya, how big of a hole did you have to drill through the side of your house to get the electrical and lines through? 3", 4", etc?
 
L

louie

Member
So I went to home depot and all they had was 2.5" (masonry bit for drilling through cement), do you think this will work or is that pushing it?
 
G

Guest 18340

That should work. If not, take a hammer and chisel to it. The hole doesn't have to be perfectly round, just big enough to pass the two line sets and a drain hose. The line sets will come with foam insulation on them.
Be very careful when you bend the line set!
 
L

louie

Member
So I am debating between 2 mini splits right now, one with just cooling capabilities and one with cooling and heating. Now I will never use the heating option on the heating unit, but have heard that the unit that can cool and heat can be used during the winter (it gets down to like 15 degree farenheit) in colder temps (in AC mode). Do you have any knowledge of the differences? Is the heating and cooling unit capable of operating in AC mode at lower temps than the cooling only unit? Is there really that big of a difference?
 
G

Guest 18340

Both the models you're looking at can cool down to 14F outside temps.
Some models can cool down to zero or even -5 outdoor temps. Those are usually tagged as "low ambient cooling".
In most cases it matters not whether they are cool only or cool and heat pump, they'll cool down to the same outdoor temps. Most cases...
 
C

cannascholar

Member
I had a hell of a time maintaining a 10k with a 24,5 window unit, given your summer temps your crop would be toast.

I now use the 24,5 LG window unit and a 2 ton frost box. The frost box comes with precharged lines so I that sold me on it. It has a 13 seer rating which makes me wonder if I got ripped off, I paid 3k for the thing. It also pulls a cool 12 amps. Thanks for all the valuable info evlme2!
 
R

RedRain

evlme2 said:
Both the models you're looking at can cool down to 14F outside temps.
Some models can cool down to zero or even -5 outdoor temps. Those are usually tagged as "low ambient cooling".
In most cases it matters not whether they are cool only or cool and heat pump, they'll cool down to the same outdoor temps. Most cases...
Click to expand...

ac mini splits will not operate in as cold conditions as a mini split heat pump



3kw per ton or 3kw per 12,000 BTU is the general rule of thumb for cooling

mini splits are great for rentals

you get any HVAC company to install quick connects so u can break down the system, hide it, move it without having a tech to recover the refrigerant from your lines. makes it easy as pie..you dont any vacuum pumps, guages or anything like that. plus it makes it easy to take in for servicing repair

R410a is a very picky refrigerant, take it from someone who does this for a living!!! You can go without a micron guage, but you will never be sure if you are below 500 microns. Depending on the length of the system, contamination, and just to be sure, run your vac pump for 2 hrs. You can hope and pray that u pulled enough vac, but if you dont have a pump you dont really know and are half assing it, like not using a torque wrench on a critcal bolt on your engine!! Take the extra time to pull vac for 2 hrs and make sure that your system holds vac for a few hours.

Cheers
 
G

Guest 18340

RedRain said:
ac mini splits will not operate in as cold conditions as a mini split heat pump



3kw per ton or 3kw per 12,000 BTU is the general rule of thumb for cooling

mini splits are great for rentals

you get any HVAC company to install quick connects so u can break down the system, hide it, move it without having a tech to recover the refrigerant from your lines. makes it easy as pie..you dont any vacuum pumps, guages or anything like that. plus it makes it easy to take in for servicing repair

R410a is a very picky refrigerant, take it from someone who does this for a living!!! You can go without a micron guage, but you will never be sure if you are below 500 microns. Depending on the length of the system, contamination, and just to be sure, run your vac pump for 2 hrs. You can hope and pray that u pulled enough vac, but if you dont have a pump you dont really know and are half assing it, like not using a torque wrench on a critcal bolt on your engine!! Take the extra time to pull vac for 2 hrs and make sure that your system holds vac for a few hours.

Cheers
Click to expand...
He sent me a pm with a link for two minis plits, one with heat one without. According to the specs, both cool down to 14 degrees.
Check for yourself;https://www.acwholesalers.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/MSY-D30NA-MUY-D30NA Submittal.pdf
And the Heat pump model;https://www.acwholesalers.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/MSZ-D30NA-MUZ-D30NA Submittal.pdf
Clearly both cool down to 14 f outside temps.
 
growinman

growinman

Member
So how would a person be able to have one of these in thier apt?? I mean where would you put the 'outdoor' unit?
I am in a similar situation in that I want my outdoor unit to be as stealth as possible. Can the outdoor unit be put into some sort of sound deadening box, or say a shed if enough ventilation?
So I am just curious if you guys do anything for the outdoor units, how loud are they?, and do you just let them go unchecked......?
Thanks for any info---I just ordered one last week and it should be here any day and I am just now setting up for it......

peace
gman
 
C

chefro420

growinman said:
So how would a person be able to have one of these in thier apt?? I mean where would you put the 'outdoor' unit?
I am in a similar situation in that I want my outdoor unit to be as stealth as possible. Can the outdoor unit be put into some sort of sound deadening box, or say a shed if enough ventilation?
So I am just curious if you guys do anything for the outdoor units, how loud are they?, and do you just let them go unchecked......?
Thanks for any info---I just ordered one last week and it should be here any day and I am just now setting up for it......

peace
gman
Click to expand...


Mine is very quiet ! The units are Outside my bathroom window , and i can hear my neighbors a/c units 90 feet away over mine!!!

:dance013:
 
C

cannascholar

Member
Yea you're gonna be more worried about concealing it than deafening it! I had to look at the fan blades to make sure it was on.
 
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