# Mini-Split heating/cooling units



## fossil (Aug 24, 2012)

I'm beginning to seriously consider this as a solution to the summer heat in both my house and my guest apartment. House has electric forced air furnace, which is very effective at heating, but no A/C. I could have A/C retroed into the existing system, but I think it would be very expensive, and I don't want to cool the whole house...just my bedroom. The apartment is in-wall electric heaters, and again, no A/C. Both spaces have a lot of westward-facing glass, much of it up high with no window covering at all. There are days in the summers here when both those spaces get really uncomfortably warm.  The heat load on the room (it's a one-room apartment) is horrendous when the sun gets down to where it's beating directly in through those high windows. My bedroom in the house is similar. Gonna start, I think, by looking into the Mitsubishis...open to all suggestions. Thanks, Rick


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## fossil (Aug 24, 2012)

Pic of the west face of the building where the one-room guest apartment is (second floor).  The offending windows are the high three.  In mid-summer when the sun gets down to where it can blast right in through those windows, that room can get to be really way too hot to be comfortable, and then stay that way right up through an average bedtime.  Not good.    Over in the house, my bedroom is similarly configured and situated, and has the same problem.  Rick


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## BrotherBart (Aug 24, 2012)

Got the same sun angle problems here fossil. But not as classy a house. So the 5,000 Btu window units from Target on closeout at $30 each have kept me from jumping on the mini-splits.

But the heating side of the mini-splits have me thinking...


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## begreen (Aug 24, 2012)

The first line of defense is to reduce the solar gain. That will make it an easier job to cool for the heat pump. Otherwise it's like trying to improve gas mileage with 500# of cement blocks in the trunk. Look into blinds, solar film, or other options.


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## fossil (Aug 25, 2012)

Yeah, BB, I don't have the right kind of windows in either application to mount a traditional window unit. Had one that I built right into my shop in Virginia, and it worked like a charm...but I just have no place for that solution here. In my case, heating's not really the problem (although these little guys might be competitive with what I'm running now)...the big deal for me is cooling, and really only during about 4 months out of the year ( and no appreciable humidity ever..._nothing_ like NOVA!). The fact that these things don't care if you even have windows makes them very flexible so far as locating the two units. I'm liking it more and more the more I think about it. Rick


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## fossil (Aug 25, 2012)

Yeah, BG, you're absolutely right.  And I'll have to resume my work on that angle.  After the huge remodel of the house, when we moved out of our apartment (having lived up there for ~1 yr) and back across the driveway (2009), I knew we needed to address that west-facing summertime heat load problem in both buildings.  I was looking at films, screens, awnings, all those sorts of things, and talking with our window treatment/wood flooring guy about it.  Well, then _things_ happened (late 2010) to take my attention away from pretty much everything.  I'm just now finding that I'm able to think mostly about today and tomorrow instead of always yesterday.  Rest assured I'll somehow turn away all the nasty summer BTU's I can before I set the dogs loose on the ones that make it through my defenses.  Rick


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## woodgeek (Aug 25, 2012)

As BG noted, solar film works great on E/W facing glass for just this problem, and any shape of window.  Most cut visible light transmission by ~50%, but the human eye doesn't notice the change.


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## ROVERT (Aug 25, 2012)

Ductless units should work nicely for you. I don't have any experience with Mitsubishi units, but I imagine they are on par with the likes of LG and Sanyo (now Panasonic) which I've had good experiences with. I think they will be more than competitive with your current heat. I would say these will save you a considerable amount over straight electric heat. The fact that you want to install AC anyway means the cheaper heat is pure bonus.

You should have them sized properly for the spaces they will condition. Many contractors tend not to run heating/cooling loads. They just size from experience and then add a little bit "to be on the safe side". This is partly the consumers fault because they don't understand how AC is supposed to work. When home owners complain about air conditioners running too long and not cooling down fast enough when they are actually properly sized, contractors are encouraged to oversize units.

In a climate like we have here in the east, this means systems that do not effectively remove humidity. Around here we have lots of well insulated, 2000 sq ft houses with 3 1/2 and 4 ton heat pumps. They certainly keep the houses cool, but they don't keep them as comfortable as they should. Oversizing shouldn't be as much of a problem in a low humidity climate, but it is still best to have it sized properly for best efficiency.


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## semipro (Aug 25, 2012)

Agreed on what ROVERT said about over-sizing systems.  Also, looking for a contractor that uses "Manual J" or at least knows what it is would be a good start finding someone competent.  
I'm wondering how important cooling humidity control will be in Bend though  If I recall right its very dry there.


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## fossil (Aug 25, 2012)

It's _very_ dry here (high desert country)...humidity control is not one of my aims.  Having lived in Northern Virginia for 12 years, I do know exactly what you're talking about (aside from the fact that I'm a Mechanical Engineer).  Cooling is the primary objective, and possibly taking over the winter heating duties from the in-wall mounted electrics up in the apartment.  The contractor who built the building shown above in 2007 and remodeled our home in 2008 is a good friend and a long time Bend resident.  When I tell him what I'm considering doing, he'll put me in touch with exactly whoever I need to talk to here.  He knows everyone anyone needs to know in the building trades around here.

First I'm going to look into the solar film, plus maybe the retractable awning for the west deck off the house that I was looking at in early 2010.  Thanks much for sharing your knowledge & experience, folks...I really appreciate it.  Rick


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## BrotherBart (Aug 25, 2012)

The mini-splits have had my attention for a couple of years. Replacing the old heat pump isn't attractive because of the duct work loses and the fact that since it isn't zoned to keep the upstairs cool you are paying to freeze to death down stairs because our roof gets full sun while the trees shade the downstairs. What I could never figure out is how many units and where in a typical center hall colonial house. Nine rooms, not counting three bathrooms, with only the kitchen and family room not separated by walls and narrow doorways for air movement. Not many problems setting up a natural convection for heating with wood but a nightmare for figuring out how many and where with mini-splits for cooling. Especially upstairs for the four bedrooms.


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## fossil (Aug 25, 2012)

Yeah, just like my house back there. We had central A/C which was built in with a NG heater. Can't imagine how I would have managed that with little separate units. Out here it's a much more straightforward deal. There are only two rooms I care about...my bedroom in the house, and the apartment in the other building. I can obviously live without doing anything about it, as I've been here 5 years and I'm still breathing. Back in NOVA, I'd have long since been dead by now.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 25, 2012)

I'm still cussing the guy that talked me into transferring here on the promise of it being a 18 to 24 month deal 30 years ago and then moving me back to Texas. He died six months after the move. Yeah, I know he got the worst end of the deal but still...


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## Hogwildz (Aug 26, 2012)

BB, the mini splits can range from one outside unit for one inside head, to one outside unit to 4 inside heads, and any combination in between. May be just what you are looking for.
I have ductboard with forced air. And the tape is coming apart on the ducting, also flex branches. The whole system is trash as far as I am concerned. Seriously thinking of mini splits here too. The addition has no basement or ducting, so that will be minis all the way. Might as well get the ones with the heating capabilities also.
I just recently stumbled on the fact that Home Depot sells mini splits now.

Prolly better seer ratings out there but here is a link to HD's stuff:
http://www.homedepot.com/Building-M...ENT_ID&langId=-1&storeId=10051&searchNav=true


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## begreen (Aug 26, 2012)

Haven't heard of those HD brands. Are they out of China?


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## peakbagger (Aug 26, 2012)

One thing to keep in mind with Mini Splits in areas with snow is that they dont deal well with snow dropping off a roof or being left full of snow all winter. I have mine mounted on a shelf up on the ground ont he back of my house with a removable pitched roof over the unit. The back roof of the house  is a 12/12 pitch and when the snow does let loose, it could trash the outdor unit. I have had a few of these events since the unit went in and the add on roof has protected it.


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## velvetfoot (Aug 27, 2012)

Can a homeowner install one himself?  I've seen videos on the web and it doesn't seem that hard.  The lines are precharged, or something, and all you have to do is open a valve?  Thing is, could you get a service technician to come over to fix things if the install went bad (like a leak), or something breaks in the future?  I can see not having a warranty if a professional doesn't install it, but it might be worth a shot to save some money.


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## ROVERT (Aug 27, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> Can a homeowner install one himself? I've seen videos on the web and it doesn't seem that hard. The lines are precharged, or something, and all you have to do is open a valve? Thing is, could you get a service technician to come over to fix things if the install went bad (like a leak), or something breaks in the future? I can see not having a warranty if a professional doesn't install it, but it might be worth a shot to save some money.


 
The condensing unit is typically pre-charged for up to 25 feet of lineset, but just opening a valve is not all there is to it. You need to evacuate the lines/evap unit prior to charging the system. You also technically need a gauge set to check the system and EPA cert.

A homeowner could do it, just not correctly or legally without certification and some pricey equipment.


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## Jags (Aug 27, 2012)

I am a bit confused about the heating side of the mini-splits.  In Rick's case he is using electric wall heaters (at 100% efficient ratings).  What tech on the mini-splits, which I assume are electric - will allow for cheaper heating?


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## ROVERT (Aug 27, 2012)

Jags said:


> I am a bit confused about the heating side of the mini-splits. In Rick's case he is using electric wall heaters (at 100% efficient ratings). What tech on the mini-splits, which I assume are electric - will allow for cheaper heating?


 
It's a heat pump. Down to a certain temperature, depending on the equipment/system, an air to air heat pump is more energy efficient than resistance electric. If it weren't, no one would ever bother with heat pumps, they would just use electric strip heat in the air handler. Typically heat pumps lose their effectiveness in the 25-35 deg ambient temperature range, but newer equipment is improving upon this.


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## begreen (Aug 27, 2012)

It's an air conditioner working in reverse. The unit in heatpump mode extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it via refrigerant to the indoor exchanger. Modern inverter scroll compressors have really improved this technology. It is not uncommon for the best of these units to work fairly well below 10. A couple winters ago I visited an old farmhouse that was being heated by a Fujitsu mini-split. It was 14outside and the house was toasty warm.


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## begreen (Aug 27, 2012)

Redirected to the green room with a permanent link to the DIY forum.


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## Jags (Aug 27, 2012)

Got it.


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## Highbeam (Aug 27, 2012)

Jags said:


> I am a bit confused about the heating side of the mini-splits. In Rick's case he is using electric wall heaters (at 100% efficient ratings). What tech on the mini-splits, which I assume are electric - will allow for cheaper heating?


 
Resistance heat is always 100% efficient. Heat pumps are often over 300% efficient. They actually deliver more heat to the space than you provide the unit because the heat pump uses your energy input to extract heat from the air. That's also why they don't work as well in low temps because there isn't much heat to be squeezed out of 2 degree air.

I'm a fan of minisplits. Great replacement for baseboard heaters since you already have the dedicated 220 volt circuit. Unfortuantely the inside unit looks like something you would see in an RV or a motel room wall heater. It is a challenge to make the indoor unit look acceptable.

Sounds like a BK eh? Ugly but the ultimate in utility.


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## backpack09 (Aug 28, 2012)

Untrue.  If you would like to trade an arm and a leg, LG now offers this indoor unit:  http://www.lg-dfs.com/art-cool-gallery.aspx


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## Highbeam (Aug 29, 2012)

backpack09 said:


> Untrue. If you would like to trade an arm and a leg, LG now offers this indoor unit: http://www.lg-dfs.com/art-cool-gallery.aspx


 
That is not a standard unit. We're not talking about the odd, ultra expensive, rare, option. That's like saying that this here woman has three legs so you shouldn't complain about the rest of the women with two!

The good news is that these companies realize how stupid the indoor units look and some are trying to make an effort to fix it. I think that as time goes on, you will see more attractive options available in the main product line. It is crucial to the survivial and even the broad acceptance of this technology.


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## begreen (Aug 29, 2012)

The indoor units look ok, better than a lot of window units. I've seen them in many homes, from classic old farmhouses to contemporaries. I don't think there'll be a major industry change anytime soon.


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## ROVERT (Aug 29, 2012)

begreen said:


> The indoor units look ok, better than a lot of window units. I've seen them in many homes, from classic old farmhouses to contemporaries. I don't think there'll be a major industry change anytime soon.


 
I have to say I'm in the camp that is of the opinion that the standard indoor units look pretty bad hanging on the wall. I'm not saying you can't get used to them, but they are definitely not aesthetically pleasing. To me they give a room that "motel" vibe. They are much better than they used to be though.

I do think there will be an industry change. I think products like Art Cool (which isn't much more expensive these days) and ceiling cassettes will become more of the norm. Technology is being developed that means you don't have to have a box hanging on the wall to enjoy the benefits of a mini split. Twenty years ago mini split indoor units were four times the size of what they are today and were typically mounted low on the wall, which inhibited furniture placement. They have become much less obtrusive and I think that trend will continue. I think multi zone mini splits with ceiling cassettes will begin to see a lot of use in new construction.

Everything continues to get smaller. I see no reason to think that we'll keep mounting these largish appliance looking boxes on the wall when it will not be necessary to do so.


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## begreen (Aug 29, 2012)

In warmer climates they often are mounted high on the walls. That makes them less obtrusive, but less ideal for heating. Some companies also make these units with indoor handlers that hide in the attic, false ceiling or basement and then get ducted. For me the thing that make a place really get that motel vibe is cheap Walmart art. A magic fingers bed in the living room will really do it too.


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## Highbeam (Aug 30, 2012)

begreen said:


> In warmer climates they often are mounted high on the walls. That makes them less obtrusive, but less ideal for heating. Some companies also make these units with indoor handlers that hide in the attic, false ceiling or basement and then get ducted. For me the thing that make a place really get that motel vibe is cheap Walmart art. A magic fingers bed in the living room will really do it too.


 
The headboards that are bolted to the wall as to prevent "slapping". But I don't hink hotel, I think travel trailer. The A/C unit in a travel trailer is flush mounted to the ceiling and even less ugly than this big herking inside unit of the minisplit. I don't want to feel like my house is a trailer.


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## begreen (Aug 30, 2012)

No problem, don't install one. It's your home and how it looks to you is important. My wife made the same argument against putting in a Mansfield. She won.


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## ROVERT (Aug 30, 2012)

Maybe they'll start making them look like tastefully designed C/I wood stoves. You could bring the line set in through the faux smoke pipe. You'd still have to sneak the condensate line out somewhere.


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## begreen (Aug 30, 2012)

You could do that via the OAK.


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## Woody Stover (Sep 1, 2012)

BrotherBart said:


> the heating side of the mini-splits have me thinking...


Yeah, we can't leave in the Winter unless we have someone come by to stoke the stove. Pets would still have to be fed though...
This Summer wasn't too bad since the humidity was low, but I'm about ready for a little AC to get us through the normal bad stretches of heat/humidity.
Should be easy to do here; 720 sqft main room and a 270 bedroom, one level.
Wow, those HomeDespot units are dirt-cheap (probably with good reason.) Seeing the Fred Couples ads for the Mitsu, I figured they would be two or three thousand anyway...


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## sesmith (Sep 2, 2012)

Fossil, here's a link to a study that NREL did on the mitsubishi and fugitsu mini-splits:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...lYHIDw&usg=AFQjCNHvBSsZZccqSEDYNrHHgB68rXalOg

It may be of some help in your decision.  It will at least speak to your mech. E background


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## Highbeam (Sep 4, 2012)

begreen said:


> No problem, don't install one. It's your home and how it looks to you is important.


 
Now that's not very nice. Stating the obvious isn't your normal MO.

A cast iron faux stove indoor unit, now there's a million dollar idea.


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## fossil (Sep 4, 2012)

sesmith said:


> Fossil, here's a link to a study that NREL did on the mitsubishi and fugitsu mini-splits:
> 
> http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy11osti/52175.pdf&ei=zmRBUJH8H-rY6gHSlYHIDw&usg=AFQjCNHvBSsZZccqSEDYNrHHgB68rXalOg
> 
> It may be of some help in your decision. It will at least speak to your mech. E background


 
Thanks. I'll give 'er a look.  Rick


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## Thomas Anderson (Sep 4, 2012)

Low hanging fruit: potted shrubs/vines on the balcony with sufficient foliage to cast shade, high albedo curtains to reflect light back out, or low-e window films.

Since you said humidity is not a problem, a swamp cooler would be a more efficient method of cooling than an air conditioner or heat pump.  Even just a simple water feature in the room (e.g. a small copper wall fountain) may reduce the temperature several degrees.


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## begreen (Sep 4, 2012)

Highbeam said:


> Now that's not very nice. Stating the obvious isn't your normal MO.
> 
> A cast iron faux stove indoor unit, now there's a million dollar idea.


 
Sorry, didn't mean to challenge. I've learned from this thread that some folks just plain don't like the looks of these things. My comment was meant to endorse that feeling. If you don't like it, that's fine. That's why I suggested earlier that there are alternatives including a hidden air handler that can be ducted. Or, perhaps one could remove the cowling and build the guts into a custom enclosure that fits the home decor? Maybe a wood or stone surround?


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## begreen (Sep 4, 2012)

Thomas Anderson said:


> Low hanging fruit: potted shrubs/vines on the balcony with sufficient foliage to cast shade, high albedo curtains to reflect light back out, or low-e window films.
> 
> Since you said humidity is not a problem, a swamp cooler would be a more efficient method of cooling than an air conditioner or heat pump. Even just a simple water feature in the room (e.g. a small copper wall fountain) may reduce the temperature several degrees.


 
Not a working solution in a high humidity environment or climate. It just adds insult to misery.


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## Iembalm4aLiving (Sep 12, 2012)

We've got 2 Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split systems installed in our house (which has hot water heating) and we've been thrilled with them.  They're quiet and amazingly efficient.  I recommend them highly.


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## fossil (Sep 12, 2012)

gd9704 said:


> We've got 2 Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split systems installed in our house (which has hot water heating) and we've been thrilled with them. They're quiet and amazingly efficient. I recommend them highly.


 
Do you look to them for mostly heating or mostly cooling, or pretty much equally both?


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## Iembalm4aLiving (Sep 13, 2012)

My Mr. Slims are the cooling only units.  My hot water heating system has 3 zones, so I already had the ability to turn down areas of the house not being used when it came to heating.  A/C was my main concern, as not having any air ducts in the house would have made installing central air super expensive.


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## velvetfoot (Sep 13, 2012)

It's good to know they're quiet.  Hard to match the tick tick noise of the baseboard radiators, but then, for me, the source of that tick tick noise is the oil-fired boiler.  

Was it tough running the electric?  Did each unit need to have a circuit run?  I'd have to get to the second floor.


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## ROVERT (Sep 13, 2012)

velvetfoot said:


> It's good to know they're quiet. Hard to match the tick tick noise of the baseboard radiators, but then, for me, the source of that tick tick noise is the oil-fired boiler.
> 
> Was it tough running the electric? Did each unit need to have a circuit run? I'd have to get to the second floor.


 
Each ductless system should have its own circuit. The electric goes up the outside of the house with the lineset and condensate line. Unless you are trying to run everything inside the walls (which would typically be cost prohibitive in anything but new construction or an extensive remodel), you don't have to worry about getting the power to the indoor unit. There are a variety of configurations that require different supply circuits. Some units are 220 v, some are 110 v, and some use low voltage air handlers. The only circuit necessary, though, should be an appropriately sized circuit to the outdoor unit.


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## velvetfoot (Sep 13, 2012)

Thanks!  I didn't know that.  And, the outdoor unit would probably be at ground level, more accessable for wiring.


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## fossil (Sep 13, 2012)

gd9704 said:


> My Mr. Slims are the cooling only units. My hot water heating system has 3 zones, so I already had the ability to turn down areas of the house not being used when it came to heating. A/C was my main concern, as not having any air ducts in the house would have made installing central air super expensive.


 
That's interesting about your units being "cool only".  I'll have to look into that, as cooling is what I'm most interested in.  My home has an installed forced air heating system, but adding A/C to it would not only be very expensive, but also a waste, as I'm only ever interested in a room or two being comfortable.  Thanks for that lead.  Rick


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## RustyShackleford (Oct 2, 2012)

ROVERT said:


> Each ductless system should have its own circuit.


Why ? This is a big issue for me, because I want to add a mini-split for an addition. I'd put the compressor (outdoor unit) near the compressor for my existing heat-pump, which is on a 60-amp circuit (from an old inefficient HVAC) but has only 35-amp labeling and 16 amps running current. So the 12,000 btu/hr mini-split I'm looking at (20-amp breaker and 5.5 amp RLA) could EASILY live on the same circuit. I hate to run another circuit, because it's far from the breaker box and I'm short on spare slots. When the heat-pump dies (it's 15 years old and only 11 SEER) I'd add a second mini-split and that'd handle my whole house, hopefully. If it really MUST be on a separate circuit, I suppose I could run a sub-panel off the 60-amp circuit.


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## ROVERT (Oct 2, 2012)

RustyShackleford said:


> Why ? This is a big issue for me, because I want to add a mini-split for an addition. I'd put the compressor (outdoor unit) near the compressor for my existing heat-pump, which is on a 60-amp circuit (from an old inefficient HVAC) but has only 35-amp labeling and 16 amps running current. So the 12,000 btu/hr mini-split I'm looking at (20-amp breaker and 5.5 amp RLA) could EASILY live on the same circuit. I hate to run another circuit, because it's far from the breaker box and I'm short on spare slots. When the heat-pump dies (it's 15 years old and only 11 SEER) I'd add a second mini-split and that'd handle my whole house, hopefully. If it really MUST be on a separate circuit, I suppose I could run a sub-panel off the 60-amp circuit.


 
So you're planning on running a 12 wire right off of the 60 A circuit disconnect to run a mini split? Breakers are used for a reason, I would suggest the sub-panel. The mini split will likely specify a maximum breaker size of 25A, that shouldn't be exceeded.


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## RustyShackleford (Oct 2, 2012)

ROVERT said:


> So you're planning on running a 12 wire right off of the 60 A circuit disconnect to run a mini split? Breakers are used for a reason, I would suggest the sub-panel. The mini split will likely specify a maximum breaker size of 25A, that shouldn't be exceeded.


Thanks for responding. The circuit is controlled by a 60 amp double-pole breaker in my main box. I'd run the 60-amp rated wire to two fused service disconnects, one for the old heat-pump (an existing one with 35 amp fuses) and one for the new mini-split (with 20 amp fuses, as spec'ed for the mini-split). Either daisy-chained per usual wiring techniques, or via a blind junction box in the crawlspace; whatever I do, I'd still use 6ga wire, since of course it's a no-no to have any wire on the circuit that can't handle the breaker-size current

If that isn't kosher, I'd do as you suggest and run a sub-panel off the 60 amp breaker. It'd have 35 and 20 amp breakers for the two units. Hopefully I can position the sub-panel so as to be close enough to both compressors - I think the service disconnect only needs to be "within sight" and I can easily achieve that. I wonder if it would be a problem that 35+20 is more than 80% of 60 ?

Also, the wire going from the 60-amp breaker in the main box to the disconnect for the existing heatpump is 6-2 (IOW, no neutral). I know subpanels are required to keep neutral and ground separate, but I'd have no neutral. Neither does the existing heat-pump have a neutral (just two hots), and it turns out the mini-split has only two hots and a ground also.   So hopefully it's ok not to have separate neutrals and ground in the sub-panel if those are the only loads.


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## begreen (Oct 2, 2012)

RustyShackleford said:


> Why ? This is a big issue for me, because I want to add a mini-split for an addition. I'd put the compressor (outdoor unit) near the compressor for my existing heat-pump, which is on a 60-amp circuit (from an old inefficient HVAC) but has only 35-amp labeling and 16 amps running current. So the 12,000 btu/hr mini-split I'm looking at (20-amp breaker and 5.5 amp RLA) could EASILY live on the same circuit. I hate to run another circuit, because it's far from the breaker box and I'm short on spare slots. When the heat-pump dies (it's 15 years old and only 11 SEER) I'd add a second mini-split and that'd handle my whole house, hopefully. If it really MUST be on a separate circuit, I suppose I could run a sub-panel off the 60-amp circuit.


 
This is a tangent better addressed in the DIY section. Can you pick it up there?


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## RustyShackleford (Oct 3, 2012)

begreen said:


> This is a tangent better addressed in the DIY section. Can you pick it up there?


Done.


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## begreen (Oct 3, 2012)

Thanks. Hopefully that will get some electrician's eyeballs on it.


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## hilbiliarkiboi (Oct 3, 2012)

I have been in the drywall business for over 40 years, and alot of our business is rework/refresh/remodel.
@ 6'2" I allways got the ceiling work - dis/reassembling alot of fixtures- and learned at a very young age that the light does not have to be on for power to be present in the box.     That said, I have been shocked well over a hundred times with 15/20 amps.  It's used to be kinda funny, but in my old age I can hurt myself trying to get away from it.  

IMPROPER INSTALATION OF 240V @ 60 AMPS IS DEADLY.

Just sayin'    I do alot of my owm electrical work, and I would do the grounded subpanel jusr to keep it from having to be redone in the future.
All that for $a . 02


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## begreen (Oct 3, 2012)

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/adding-a-mini-split-to-same-circuit-as-heat-pump.91192/


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## Dunragit (Nov 8, 2012)

fossil said:


> Pic of the west face of the building where the one-room guest apartment is (second floor). The offending windows are the high three. In mid-summer when the sun gets down to where it can blast right in through those windows, that room can get to be really way too hot to be comfortable, and then stay that way right up through an average bedtime. Not good.  Over in the house, my bedroom is similarly configured and situated, and has the same problem. Rick
> 
> View attachment 72576


 
that is a beautiful house


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## jjs777_fzr (Nov 24, 2012)

I have nothing but good things to say about the mini-split AC. This one is by United Refrigeration. It is AC only no heat pump although my remote would be the same for both.
I installed this in my 'sun room' which is the SW side of the house. It think it is a 9k BTU unit which is able to cool both my sun room it is located and the adjacent dining room - about 700sq/ft.
My AC guy (friend of a friend) picked up the components and I installed and ran the electrical and lineset. When he arrived he made the final connections. I think I got everything at the time for under $1200 including install but that was about 6 years ago when I built my addition.
Gone are the days of lifting 1980's 200lb window AC units. Actually I think it started out as 120lb ac window ac units but as I aged so did the weight increase on the window units.
The quiet factor is what I enjoy - both inside and outside units are whisper quiet.
I've measured the temperature drop to be between 18-25 degrees as shot with the centech ir temp gun as the air exits the unit. I think thats right where it should be.
I used a 2" pvc pipe from the back of the indoor unit to protect the drainage line routed outside.

Had I been educated about these things I would have opted for one of the multi-zone units - where a single outdoor compressor can feed up to four indoor units - now thats slick.

Edit - oh and behind the tv and ac is the stairway to my upstairs - so that's where I have stored over 1ton of wood bricks, over 1 ton of pellets and my wifes xmas presents for the kids. It's a wok in progress...I want to build a swing out bookcase of sorts to house my hifi system and still allow access to my stash


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