# Mini-Split Heat Pump Price Reality Check



## DBoon

Some background - I'm just starting a two to three year process of renovation of an ~1800 two-story craftsman house in Central NY.  This summer the focus is on some structural repairs to two of the three barns, and not so much the house.  However, I am installing a 5.3 kW solar array in the fall and I thought I would get some pricing on mini-split heat pumps to provide winter heating as a near-term way to use the solar production and also to serve (ultimately) as the winter backup to the indoor wood boiler system I'll be installing in the future as part of the renovation.  Ultimately, the heat loss at 0 degree F outdoor temperature will be (my estimate) ~20,000 BTUs/hour (I know how to calculate this with high accuracy).  

I was shocked to get a price of $10,000 for a two-ton system.  I will be calling for some clarification from the company that prepared the quotation (their quotation doesn't list enough detail for me to understand all that they are providing).  What it does list is as follows:

Qty. 1 outdoor condensor - not clear if this is 24,000 BTU two-zone or larger with >2 zones - no part number is given.  SEER rating is 21
Qty. 1 SLZ-KA12 Ceiling Cassette Unit
Qty. 1 MSZ-GE12 High Wall Mounted Unit
Installation, breaker panel additions, and remote controls for heating units.

I am waiting to get a quotation from a second Mitsubishi installer.  I am in a rural area, but I will also be trying to locate an LG or Fujitsu dealer as well to see if their prices are more reasonable.  

Is there any other advice can be offered regarding price, sizing, or efficiency in order to get this closer to a $5-6k install?


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## begreen

Seems a bit high, especially with the drop in the yen. You might ask pen what he paid for his system last year. Are the refrigerant line runs long or difficult? FYI, if you want the best heating, make sure that this is for the Mitsubishi H2i hyper-heat condenser. I think that model is the PUZ-A24NHA4, but check that. Note that the SEER rating is less important than the HSPF if heating is the primary goal.

To save some money, would you consider installing the exterior and the interior units and wiring them? Then it is just a matter of running the refrigerant lines, connect, charge and test. Also, consider using two wall mount units if that makes installation much easier.


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## DBoon

Hi begreen, at these prices, I would consider installation myself - on-line pricing is way way cheaper.  I value what a local contractor can add for installation and maintenance/repair, but I don't value this as a 2.5x markup.  

The runs are not long, the installation is not what I would consider to be complex.  And the hyper-heat units weren't quoted, despite my clear instructions as to how the units would be used.  I think this contractor is ultimately an interesting "first-step" learning experience and someone I will not be using.  

I can find Fujitsu dealers near me, but no LG dealers.  I might call a Fujitsu contractor on Monday.


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## peakbagger

I have a contractor coming in a couple of weeks to give me a free estimate for a 1 ton Misubishi that I can buy for $1,600 delivered. I can pay a pro to come charge up the lines and make the warrantee legit for about $100 and installation for me is about 4 hours plus the time to fabricate a mounting bracket.


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## spirilis

I got some quotes recently, both Mitsubishi.  Not much detail to talk about, one was an over-the-phone rough quote based on my description of how I wanted it, 3 ton setup $11K.  The other was a salesman who came in and surveyed the house, also 3 ton total (split between 2t and 1t separate outdoor units) and that was $17.5K.  Needless to say I laughed at both of them.  This looks like good 'ole fashioned capitalism at work--they know the products are good and efficient, so they charge out the nose to inflate the value.  Problem is the equipment isn't that expensive and it's extremely widespread elsewhere in the world.  Reality will catch up to these HVAC shops some day.


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## begreen

Note that the devil is in the details. Mitsubishi (and others) have many models. Ask for references for similar installations of mini-splits. If none, pass. For pricing, check to see if your local utilities and/or state have incentives.


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## DBoon

Hi peakbagger, I've been thinking the same thing.  I can get what I want on-line for about $2500.  Mitsubishi allows access to all of their installation documentation on-line, and I downloaded all of that over the weekend.  The install looks pretty straightforward with the exception of the refrigerant charge.  What kind of contractor are you getting to do that?  Just curious.  I'm assuming you've already arranged with an HVAC contractor to do this....


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## peakbagger

The local electrical contractor is a Mitsubishi Rep. I installed the units and ran the cable and tubing but didn't connect them at either end. I also mounted the disconnect and drilled all the holes in the floor joists for him to run the power cable to the electrical panel. So he got a couple of hours of labor. Of course some folks say that the vacuum pump should be run for several hours, left overnight and then checked in the morning which didn't happen but the reality is most installers are flat rate and they are going to do the same thing, pump it down, let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, check the gauges and if it didn't leak, open the valve.

I had called a couple of other Mitsubishi reps and they were willing to do the pump down for warranty purposes. They figure some revenue is better than none.


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## Floydian

Hey folks,

I have also received several quotes for Mitsubishi and Fujistu (Hyper Heat and Halcyon models) ranging from $3500 to 4500 per unit installed. I am only interested in the high performance units and this means one outside unit to one inside unit(wall cassette only). All the other combinations really drop off when the temps are low. Check those specs closely!

I agree the prices seem high, especially when you consider the online prices available but be aware that internet sales are NOT supported by Mitsubishi or Fujitsu.

I am not saying don't go the internet route, just know that you likely wont have warranty coverage even if installed by a licensed HVAC tech as the unit was not sold in the "proper" manner. Manufacturer >regional distributor> authorized dealer/installer. 

BTW, the super insulated house I am building for my folks will be getting a Fujitsu 12RLS2 installed next week for 3500. It will easily heat the 1100 sq ft main level down to below 0 and "should" have a seasonal COP of 3.5+(heating) and provide a little cooling/dehumidification as needed. I am pretty happy with what they will be getting for that price.

Also, from my research these mini splits can be a bit of a headache if not properly commissioned  from the get go and they wont achieve their rated output as such.

Noah


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## Ashful

I paid $3500 installed (3rd floor!) for a Mitsubishi 2 ton mini split with AC only.  I was quoted $4200 with heat and AC in same location.


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## DBoon

Hello All, 

Thanks for all the advice.  Things are getting more realistic.  After asking for a requote for just a 18kBTU Mitsubishi hyper-heat with a single wall-mounted unit, the price is $5k to $5.5k, depending on whether the connection to the breaker is made and who the quote is from.  

The 2nd contractor I talked to gave me good advice to bring the cost down.  He didn't just send a quotation.  What was quoted was listed for $2250 on eComfort.com, plus about $250 of additional installation items would be required.  So figure $2500.  I figure this is what he is probably buying the unit for (wholesale), adding 30% and then installation costs.  I think $5k is somewhat reasonable, but think it should be a little closer to $4.5k.  Any thoughts?


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## begreen

Are you factoring in and state or federal incentives? Does the local power co. offer any breaks?


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## georgepds

DBoon said:


> ...
> I am waiting to get a quotation from a second Mitsubishi installer.  I am in a rural area, but I will also be trying to locate an LG or Fujitsu dealer as well to see if their prices are more reasonable.
> 
> Is there any other advice can be offered regarding price, sizing, or efficiency in order to get this closer to a $5-6k install?



I had a 1 ton (12 kBTU/hr) Fujitsu RLS2 installed last summer. Installed price was $3800. Rebates ( state $500, feds $300) will bring it down to $3000. When I was searching for prices, they varied from $3800 to $5800. the most expensive units were the Mitsubishi ones. For some reason, there were no LG dealers close to me, but plenty of Mitsubishi and Fujitsu dealers. If you DIY, you can find a unit on line for ~$1500. The problem is the manufacturer will not respect the warranty. That, and you have to have the right vacuum pumps and meters to purge the lines before you let the in the refrigerant.

When my unit was installed it took 2 HVAC guys from 8 am to 4 pm, and two electricians from 2 pm to 4 pm, so the relatively expensive install price, for that type of skilled labor, is not that bad


The other thing to look out for, if you live in a cold area, is low temperature performance. My unit will put out heat at -5F,but some units will do so at -20F. The older units would not go below +20F. The rule of thumb for sizing is a moderately insulated house in a class 4 heating zone needs about 1 ton of cooling for every 600 ft^2 of floor space. Mitsubishi has a sizing calculator

http://www.acdirect.com/mitsubishi_learning_center.php?li=2

As to efficiency there are three measures: SEER, HSPF and EER..here are the numbers Massachusetts looks for to qualify for the rebate HSPF >10 SEER>20 EER  >13

The Fujitsu RLS2 had   HSPF 12, SEER 25, and EER 13.8

You can search the ASHRE directory for units that meet your efficiency requirements. It's not the most friendly site, but I managed to find more than 30 units that met all 3 requirements.

http://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/ac/defaultSearch.aspx


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## DBoon

Hi begreen, unfortunately the local power company (NYSEG) offers no incentives for this type of equipment.  NYSERDA may offer something, so I'll have to check that out further, but I don't think anything is available.  I don't qualify for the Federal rebates (used them already).  

Hi georgepds, I've been focusing on the Mitsubishi HyperHeat units, which operate really well at cold temperatures (common in my area).  The HSPF for the 18,000 BTU unit is 10.3 with 100% of rating at 5 degrees F and 73% of rating at -13 degrees F.  I don't need much cooling capacity, so the EER and SEER really aren't that important to me.  For $2000 less, I'd consider the Fujitsu with 10 HSPF and worse low temp performance.  I'll check that out.  Thanks for the advice on that.  

I've done a heat loss calc on existing structure (30,000+ BTU) and with improvements (18,000 BTU) at 0 degrees F.  I'll either get a 1 or 1-1/2 ton unit.  I won't consider old-style heat pump technology as I have had unhappy experiences with these and the wife won't learn how to operate it correctly (turns temp up too quickly and puts it into auxiliary resistance heat mode).


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## sesmith

My 2 cents from living in an 1840 farmhouse, also in central NY.  Can you really get your heat loss that low, at least without going to extremes?  If you get it that low, is the wood boiler overkill most of the year?  I'm also surprised that the minisplit quote is as high as you got.  I'll bet that for the price of a new wood boiler plus the price of the mini split (s) you could do a ground source heat pump (with tax incentives included) for a similar cost.  You would have one central system that did it all and supplied central ac and much of your hot water, as well.  Just an idea.

I have all the wood necessary on my property to heat our place (we used a wood stove).  An injury (you can never plan these things) got me out of the wood heating business a couple of years ago.  We went the ground source heat pump route, and I can say I couldn't buy firewood for what the heat pump costs to run.  I know the air source units keep getting better and better, but I'd do ground source again, given the choice, on an older home like mine in our climate.  We haven't done anything with solar, but currently buy all our electric power as wind power through NYSEG.  With the heat pump, utilities are very inexpensive.


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## DBoon

Hi sesmith, I appreciate the advice on the GSHP.  About where in Central NY are you located?

I've done the heat calcs on my remodel, and I can really get it that low, and not by going to crazy extremes - 3-1/2" of closed-cell foam in the walls, 5-1/2" of foam in the attic roof, and 1/2" foam on the outside.  The house is not terribly big (~1700 square feet).  I've done the calcs on my existing house and correlated that back to oil usage knowing boiler efficiency and heating degree days and I was within 10%, so I know I am doing the calcs correctly.  I'm going to use the foam insulation since it will air-seal the house really well and allow me to skip that separate step. 

I talked to an installer about a GSHP a few weeks ago.  Realistically, I can't have the type of heating system I want with a GSHP.  My wife and I have a lot of dust and mold allergies.  When we moved into a house with cast iron radiators, we were more allergy symptom free than with any forced air heating system.  The GSHP is really optimized for forced (ducted) hot/cool air or low temperature hydronic.  I don't want the former (allergies), and I can't install the latter.  But you are right, the pricing for one GSHP system is less than a mini-split + boiler - a two ton GSHP system would be about $10k after tax credit incentives.  But then I pay some operating costs since my solar install is not large enough to run that and supply everything else and/or I pay more for additional solar (I want to be 100% self-sufficient in electricity).  Frankly, I want my "cash out the door" to be as close to zero as possible, going forward, for any utilities.   

First step is to install the mini-split ASHP if I can get that for ~$4500 (I think I can).  This will nearly heat the entire house except in extreme cold, and will give me a shoulder season heater (and AC as well) essentially for free since my solar system is slightly oversized for my other electricity needs.  Next step is to decide what my final heating system will be - I have a year or two to go before I have to make that decision.  If I take the long view (10+ years = long view, and I expect to be in the house for 20 years or more), a good wood boiler that my wife will use makes sense and fits with my environmental desires, even if it wasn't the most optimum investment.  I might also just stay with a wood stove, but I would rather have the boiler since it is more zonable.  At the end of the day, my wife just wants heat in every room without too much work, and I want to reduce my carbon footprint.  I'm remodeling the house of my dreams, and I am fortunate to be able to afford to do what I want instead of what I can afford, at least that is what I think right now


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## sesmith

Sounds like a good plan.

We're in Newfield.  FWIW, don't make the assumption that a GSHP system will be similar to any other forced air system you have used.  We did replace all our duct work with our installation, and have found that the large HEPA air filter in the system acts as a whole house air filter (we also have mold and dust allergies).  Since the installation of the heat pump, our house has never been more dust and allergen free than it is now (other than our golden retriever).  The air quality is much better than when we heated previously with the wood stove or oil (forced air).  We also had a whole house humidifier added to the system, which only gets any use late into the winter.  Air temperature between rooms only varies by a degree and the t-stat stays within a degree of it's set point, usually right at the set point.


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## btuser

I thought people with allergies liked HVAC because they could control humidity and filter air more effectively.


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## Ashful

btuser said:


> I thought people with allergies liked HVAC because they could control humidity and filter air more effectively.


Two schools of thought on that.  While the benefits you suggest are feasible, most allergists recommend shopping for a house with radiators.  I suspect this has a lot to do with the fact that these systems (particularly humidifiers) have the potential to do far more harm than good, if improperly sized, installed, or maintained.  Also, traditional forced-air systems without advanced filters and humidification play hell on allergies.


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## peakbagger

Mini Split Home Depot install results, A one ton Mitsubishi Hyper heat mini spit installed with me wirign and installing a non fused disconnect was estimated at $4,100 minus $400 utility rebate. I can buy the same unit shipped to my house for $1600 plus a line set kit for $100. Contractor sends a two man crew. I installed one solo a few years back and paid a local HVAC tech $150 to do the final hookup.


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## Ashful

peakbagger said:


> Mini Split Home Depot install results, A one ton Mitsubishi Hyper heat mini spit installed with me wirign and installing a non fused disconnect was estimated at $4,100 minus $400 utility rebate. I can buy the same unit shipped to my house for $1600 plus a line set kit for $100. Contractor sends a two man crew. I installed one solo a few years back and paid a local HVAC tech $150 to do the final hookup.


Exactly how I've handled all my installs.  I provide hookup at condenser, they install system.  Price is roughly $3500 for AC only, or $4200 with heat option.  I've done three already, two more planned for near future.


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## peakbagger

I bit the bullet, $1621 for a Mitsubishi hyper heat delivered. Will need to buy a line set and few accessories once I get the two major units installed but I can buy a spare for the price difference installed. If I can figure out how to get the NH rebate, I can buy three.

If anyone has a source of the plastic that they use to make the tubing job look pretty and reduce UV damage, I am all ears.


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## woodgeek

peakbagger said:


> I bit the bullet, $1621 for a Mitsubishi hyper heat delivered. Will need to buy a line set and few accessories once I get the two major units installed but I can buy a spare for the price difference installed. If I can figure out how to get the NH rebate, I can buy three.
> 
> If anyone has a source of the plastic that they use to make the tubing job look pretty and reduce UV damage, I am all ears.



Dunno, a lot of outfits just use gutter downspout pipe.


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## Seasoned Oak

DBoon said:


> I was shocked to get a price of $10,000 for a two-ton system.


Sounds like an awful lot of profit in that 10K
You can buy a 2 ton  system for about $1500 at Home depot. Install it yourself ,and if you dont feel comfortable hooking up the lines and charging it, hire that part out. Some of the units come pre-charged.


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## peakbagger

FYI - Here is a source for the accessories to install a minisplit

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/he...nditioning/ductless-installation-supplies?p=2


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## DBoon

Hello All, I received a very reasonable price from a Fujitsu dealer - $3200 for a one outdoor unit/one indoor unit 15RLS2H.  This is equivalent to the Mitsubishi hyper-heat units in low temperature performance, and almost the same ratings above 0 degrees F.  It also puts out nearly as much as the Mitsubishi unit at similar temperatures above 0 degrees.  Not only is the quoted price a lot better than the Mitsubishi 18kBTU unit ($5k and up), but the inside unit is a little smaller and less obtrusive looking, and it has a "drying" mode (dehumidifies without heating the room) and I don't believe the Mitsubishi unit had that (the Mitsubushi website is remarkably awful, and their literature isn't much better - it is hard to understand what they sell and how it performs).

I'm paying for the install - thanks for all the encouragement to do this myself, but I just don't have the time to invest in that, and I want to have someone my wife can count on for service if something goes wrong and I am not around. 

I never would have considered one of these units in my climate, but the various postings on this site extolling their virtues and performance really changed my mind, so thanks all for the good advice and user experiences over the last couple of years.


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## brian89gp

I've always been surprised at mini-split pricing.

Just throwing it out there for the DIY types, not to change the mind of the thread starter, take a look at air-to-water AC/heat pumps.  The market is coming around and there are a few manufacturers making the products now but also on the same hand it is very easy to DIY buy craigslisting the condensor and buying your own coil.  If you have a system already in place that can use 120* water to heat then this product adds the benefit that it is a hydronic system and it is much easier for the DIY person to mess with water pipes then refrigerant piping.
http://www.electromn.com/gen/noraire.htm


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## peakbagger

Well, my one ton mini split arrived yesterday, the flexduct supplier went on backorder but I discovered that Pex Supply has the product so all the goodies are ordered. I expect to start hanging the equipment in the next day or so and go from there. I have the gear to pump the lines down but once I have everything roughed in I will make the call to the local HVAC folks to see if they will do if for me for reasonable price.


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## Seasoned Oak

I was surprised to find the lines are seperate with some systems and they are pricy ,about $200 for 25Ft line.


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## Ashful

Just a follow-up to my original post.  I just had another mini-split installed (yes, I am racking up a ridiculous number of these things, but they're an easy way to heat/cool an isolated space), and paid $3176 with the heat pump option for a Mitsubishi MSZ/MUZ GE12NA rig.  Here's the quote.

The "power wiring not included," statement refers to the fact that I offered to run the service wiring out thru the exterior wall from my breaker panel for them.  They installed their exterior disconnect box, and did all wiring between the outdoor and indoor units, along with the plumbing.


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## peakbagger

That is not a bad price. I expect the similar unit and the tubing plus the plastic duct between the two units will be roughly $1850. So $1,350 to install beats the $2,650 quote from Home Depot. Of course considering its a half day install for someone up to speed on these units, its still a good days profit.


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## Ashful

In my case, they ran 100 feet of copper tubing, included in the pricing above.  I would not accept plastic / pex on an HVAC install.  Once I open up a wall to run lines, I expect them to outlive me.  I don't want to be tearing them out for a re-do in 20 years.


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## begreen

I've never heard of pex being used for refrigerant lines. I would think the oil in them would damage plastic. Pex could be used with an air to water heat exchanger though.


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## Seasoned Oak

Joful said:


> Just a follow-up to my original post.  I just had another mini-split installed (yes, I am racking up a ridiculous number of these things, but they're an easy way to heat/cool an isolated space), and paid $3176 with the heat pump option for a Mitsubishi MSZ/MUZ GE12NA rig.  Here's the quote.
> ]


So is that first quote for a system that WONT heat just cold air? And the second one will do both cold and warm air?


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## Ashful

Yep.  They sell both AC only and AC+Heat pump versions.  I've had both quoted a few times, for different installs, and the diff is usually $500-$700, depending on tonnage.


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## Seasoned Oak

Joful said:


> Yep.  They sell both AC only and AC+Heat pump versions.  I've had both quoted a few times, for different installs, and the diff is usually $500-$700, depending on tonnage.


No way would i want just AC for the cost diff. Most places in the US even down south get cold now and then.


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## Ashful

Seasoned Oak said:


> No way would i want just AC for the cost diff. Most places in the US even down south get cold now and then.


I did AC only for the minisplit on the third floor of my old house.  In that case, I already had another heating system, and even that ran infrequently due to heat rising from the floors below.  The system I just installed on Friday, in the room above the attached garage, is AC+heat pump.  I wish they had AC + heat pump + propane backup... but they don't make that configuration.


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## woodgeek

Joful said:


> I did AC only for the minisplit on the third floor of my old house.  In that case, I already had another heating system, and even that ran infrequently due to heat rising from the floors below.  The system I just installed on Friday, in the room above the attached garage, is AC+heat pump.  I wish they had AC + heat pump + propane backup... but they don't make that configuration.



huh?  Shirley your HP BTUs are cheaper than propane BTUs?


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## Ashful

woodgeek said:


> huh?  Shirley your HP BTUs are cheaper than propane BTUs?


Most of the time, yes.  Then there's that inevitable low-temperature cost cross-over, although I don't know where that actually lies with a modern mini-split.  I suspect it's low enough that we may only hit it a few evenings each winter... but haven't sought out any literature on it, as it's not an option.


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## woodgeek

Joful said:


> Most of the time, yes.  Then there's that inevitable low-temperature cost cross-over, although I don't know where that actually lies with a modern mini-split.  I suspect it's low enough that we may only hit it a few evenings each winter... but haven't sought out any literature on it, as it's not an option.



My guess from looking at the numbers is such a temp is almost certainly well below zero F at local propane/kWh costs.  No worries.


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## Seasoned Oak

woodgeek said:


> My guess from looking at the numbers is such a temp is almost certainly well below zero F at local propane/kWh costs.  No worries.


Yes the new units work down below zero now,although im sure they are more costly to run in those kind of temps as is propane.


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## woodgeek

**rolls up sleeves**

1 gallone Propane = 91,500 BTU.  At 80% eff that is 74 kBTU output.  This is equivalent to 74/3.414 = 21.7 kWh elec if you were using strip heat.

If elec is $0.15/cents per kWh, then the BTU content output of a gallon of propane would be like $0.15*22 = *$3.30*, if you used strip heat.  I have seen local Propane prices higher than that around here, and $0.15/kWh is not cheap either.  I paid $0.135 last month.

In practice, I would expect the COP of a MSHP to be at least 2.5 at 15°F, which is the 99% design temp for Philly.  At that cost the BTU output of a gallon of propane costs $3.30/2.5 = $1.32.  Unless you can get Propane for $1.32/gallon in Philly, the HP will be cheaper.  

I've heard of folks around here paying $5/gallon on prebuy!! 

I would expect the COP would drop to 2 around the low single digits, but that would still beat Propane at $1.65 gallon, and Joful prob doesn't hit single digits at all most years.


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## Ashful

Thanks for the analysis, woodgeek!  I probably only hit single digit lows a couple of nights, every other year.  Definitely the exception, but I have seen -5F to -10F a few times here, in my 40 years.  Most if the time, we consider teens (F) pretty damn cold.


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## Seasoned Oak

Joful said:


> Thanks for the analysis, woodgeek!  I probably only hit single digit lows a couple of nights, every other year.  Definitely the exception, but I have seen -5F to -10F a few times here, in my 40 years.  Most if the time, we consider teens (F) pretty damn cold.


THats why we have wood stoves,for the kind of cold only a wood stove can laugh at.


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## begreen

Seasoned Oak said:


> Yes the new units work down below zero now,although im sure they are more costly to run in those kind of temps as is propane.


 I didn't realize they draw a lot more amps at low temps, thought they just run longer.


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## Seasoned Oak

begreen said:


> I didn't realize they draw a lot more amps at low temps, thought they just run longer.


From what i understand they never shut off ,just run faster or slower depending on load.  Maximum Amp draw is fairly low.


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## begreen

They definitely shut off. I have watched the outside unit cycle on and off at 15F. But they can run at low speed for a long time if that is all that's needed and heat/cool is still being called for. That is usually at a much lower speed.  If you light the wood stove, the sun warms up the place or run the oven for a baking spree and the room gets above the thermostat set temp the unit shuts off completely.


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## Ashful

Yep, they cycle off.  In my case, wood stove is not a factor, as this mini-split is in a part of the house not connected to either wood stove, separated by double firewalls and surrounded by unheated attic.


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## Hogwildz

My folks had 2 LG units installed(2 outdoor units & 2 indoor wall units inside) for $5,500.00 about 5 or so years ago.
I find it hard to believe that would have doubled.


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## peakbagger

Well, its all installed and wired. I have a HVAC tech that is supposed to stop by today to hook up the line set and pump it down. The biggest challenge was to get the wiring hooked to the indoor unit. The terminal box is buried inside and getting the case off requires a lot of careful gentle prying. Plus they forget to mention that an additional access panel needs to be removed.

The trade off for not buying and having it installed by a dealer is they are not responsible for warranty work or unit replacement. If its dead I get to ship I back to Florida.

I think a lot of the pricing for the installation is that it wouldn't take a lot longer to set up two or three than one and can easily be done in a day. I think most contractors just schedule a days worth of labor. I was quoted $75 per hour including drive time for the firm doing the final set up. Therefore $600  for labor for 6 hours labor and 2 hours drive time. (they actually have another job in the area and plan to do both in one day so I only pay for half the drive time). I have roughly $2,000 in materials (unit, tubing, wiring, breaker, disconnect, line set cover, and control wiring). So the cost should have been in the $3,000 range which I would have paid. Considering I got a $4,500 estimate from Home Depots qualified contractor, the dealer  (a different firms) is figuring in the cost of a spare unit on the shelf.  The $4,500 estimate assumed that I would run wires to the disconnect so there was even more profit in the install quote.

Hopefully my last post will be a successful install and then I have a winter of "free" heat as I plan to use my surplus solar to run it.


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## peakbagger

Up and running and cranking out the heat. About 1.5 hours to install line set , connect, nitrogen purge, vacuum the lines and test.

 After watching them, the next one is getting done by myself.


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## old_Philly_frame

Ashful said:


> I paid $3500 installed (3rd floor!) for a Mitsubishi 2 ton mini split with AC only.  I was quoted $4200 with heat and AC in same location.


HI,

I have an old frame single home with practically no insulation and very difficult to add insulation. I've been looking at heat heat pump ductless for a while, but the installed prices do seem a bit ridiculous. Could you please share your installer with me, that price seems reasonable. 

Thanks


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