Posted: 7/16/2010 12:05:04 AM EDT
| Can someone give me a rundown about these things? I home has forced hot water heating and as such does not have any existing air ducts. I'm assuming that installing central air with new ducts will be absurdly expensive. A few google searches bring up this ductless mini-split system. Does anyone here on ARFCOM have one? How does it work? Thoughts? |
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I've looked at them, Mitisubishi. they will still have to run 3" lines to the cooling unit inside the room you wish to control. I'm kinda fuzzy on all the details right now and I did not buy it. Seems like it was around $3k and it would control 2 spaces. Mr. Slim |
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Very popular in Korea, and also used for AC in alot of installations (FOBs, etc) we built in Iraq... You will need to run HVAC lines to each room (they are NOT 3" pipe... More like 5/8 and 3/8, or something similar - usually flexible tube, but can also be copper lines), and a condensate drain back out to 'somewhere' from each unit. They are heat-pump type devices, so they handle your heat too, not just your AC. I've seen models that do up to 4 rooms, anything more than that, and you need multiple systems. Each 'head unit' is good enough for one room. |
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Quoted:
Very popular in Korea, and also used for AC in alot of installations (FOBs, etc) we built in Iraq... You will need to run HVAC lines to each room (they are NOT 3" pipe... More like 5/8 and 3/8, or something similar - usually flexible tube, but can also be copper lines), and a condensate drain back out to 'somewhere' from each unit. They are heat-pump type devices, so they handle your heat too, not just your AC. I've seen models that do up to 4 rooms, anything more than that, and you need multiple systems. Each 'head unit' is good enough for one room. 
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I looked into this a few weeks ago, and passed because it was absurdly expensive. IIRC, it was 5800 for one unit and 2 heads, 11K for 2 units, 4 heads. I went down to lowes and bought a window unit and threw it in my window. Problem solved. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=139&t=1046208 |
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Quoted: You're correct, I mistyped. They have to have a 3" opening to run the lines. Some installers and some applications can get by with smaller openings. You will need to run HVAC lines to each room (they are NOT 3" pipe... More like 5/8 and 3/8, or something similar - usually flexible tube, but can also be copper lines), and a condensate drain back out to 'somewhere' from each unit. |
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When I was an heat A/C serviceman 20 years ago, I had worked on quite a few of these systems, most of which were in office spaces. The ones I serviced always seemed to work well and I don't recall ever having to fix one. They would only cool the room that the unit was in so they were much like a very glorified window air. I am not sure of the efficiency vs. a window air, I would assume they are better but I wouldn't know for sure. No windows or big holes in the wall needed of course, just a 3" hole for the lines and condensate, ideally for cooling you would mount it near the ceiling.
I don't ever recall seeing one in a residential setting, but this was in WI, all but the oldest houses had duct work, of course the ones that didn't I didn't really have a reason to visit so maybe there were more. If you have a basement or crawlspace and one level home you might be able to put in some simple centralized duct work feeding a couple larger rooms with with a self contained blower evaporator unit for nearly the same price as a split system but have much better cooling. The blower/evap would mount to the floor joists and have the return air opening drawing from a central hallway maybe and a length of supply air duct feeding a couple rooms then the condenser would be outside like normal. You could probably run insulated flexible duct rather than steel to save some money. |
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I just had an LG installed in a bedroom that was added onto my home before I bought it. They previous owner had run vent lines into the room, but no return. Adding a return would have been "tedious," so the AC tech suggested the mini split and closing the central AC vents. The total price for the unit, electric work, and labor was just under 4000. It took about 4 hours for two techs to install, keeps our bed room comfortable, and is almost silent. It is an AC, heater, air filter, and dehumidifier, completely programmable, and keeps my 8mo pregnant wife happy. I don't know what it will do for my cooling bills, but the central ac doesn't run nearly as much as it did prior to the mini split install.
Barring a huge, and unexpected, increase in electricity bills, I like it and recommend it. |