Does anyone here have a mini-split in their home?

[Scarpozzi]

I have an apartment that I rent out behind my house. The AC unit that's currently installed is just a 110 volt window unit....old, probably 5500 BTU. This is extremely small for the size of the apt, though it's probably only 450sq ft and well insulated. I would like to replace it since the air isn't as cold as the tenants want it to be, but I'm thinking about putting in a mini split and running a new A/C line to feed this...when they added the apt on, they only ran 2 110 circuits and a 220....

So, has anyone got one of these units in their home? How much did it cost you? What brand do you have? I'm looking at ordering the unit and installing it myself to save about $1500 in contractor fees and an additional $700 on unit markups. Has anyone ever done this? Thanks,

-Scar

 

[cavemanmoron]

I know, and use; window unit.

link to what the heck your talking about Willis, might help.

Never heard of mini me split.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Searched google and found bizrate. Minisplit is the industry term for it...

 

[Rubycon]

OP probably means something like this.

We call them spot coolers.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn
OP probably means something like this.

We call them spot coolers.

Yeah....those are the commercial versions. Basically it's a small compressor 110 or 220 volt that runs outside and you run a pipe up to the unit. The unit can be mounted on the wall and only requires a couple of holes in the wall for power and the pipe back to the compressor....most are rotary compressors so the whole thing is quiet. Some models have heat strips in them and dehumidifiers....so you can use them year around.

 

[Eli]

How about just getting a higher BTU window unit? lol

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: Eli
How about just getting a higher BTU window unit? lol

I don't think the electrical system in the apartment could handle it. Already on the circuit next to the windows is a A/C unit, computer, microwave, and refridgerator... I don't think it could handle anything else. If the A/C and the microwave are running it pops the breaker. I want to move the unit to free up the window for light to come in and also move the sound away from the rest of the house...this would do that. I thought about putting in a PTAC unit (think motel 6 type AC unit through the wall) but they cost about the same as the mini splits.

 

[jadinolf]

Portable A/C from....ahem newegg...

 

[cavemanmoron]

Safe thing to do;
Get an electrician to add another circuit. He can use the existing circuit breaker box;
they make dual breakers that fit in a standard spot.

QO® replacement tandem circuit breakers. 20 amp, single pole. 120 Vac. 10,000 maximum amps interrupting rating. Features QWIK-OPEN® and VISI-TRIP® indicator to easily identify a tripped circuit in the load center. Tandem breakers offer two circuit protection while requiring only one pole space in the load center. For use in Old style Non-Class CTL QO® load centers.

.



Buy a New more eeficent window unit. Look for at least 9.5 eer.

For example;The new ones @6,800 btu units use less electricity,
than many older 5,100 btu sets did.

You should really get about 10,000 btu for 400 cubic foot area.

Oh, they make window units that have a small heater in them.

Home Depot also sells "built in" units you cut a hole in the wall,
for a permanent mount.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN...sults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3573&pos=n05

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: cavemanmoron
Safe thing to do;
Get an electrician to add another circuit. He can use the existing circuit breaker box;
they make dual breakers that fit in a standard spot.

QO® replacement tandem circuit breakers. 20 amp, single pole. 120 Vac. 10,000 maximum amps interrupting rating. Features QWIK-OPEN® and VISI-TRIP® indicator to easily identify a tripped circuit in the load center. Tandem breakers offer two circuit protection while requiring only one pole space in the load center. For use in Old style Non-Class CTL QO® load centers.

.



Buy a New more eeficent window unit. Look for at least 9.5 eer.

For example;The new ones @6,800 btu units use less electricity,
than many older 5,100 btu sets did.

You should really get about 10,000 btu for 400 cubic foot area.

Oh, they make window units that have a small heater in them.

Home Depot also sells "built in" units you cut a hole in the wall,
for a permanent mount.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN...sults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3573&pos=n05

Nice in theory, but no one could do a successful drop in the walls of this apartment. I am going to run a second circuit myself specifically for the AC unit if I do this....no big deal. I'm already running a new circuit next weekend for some attic fans and security lighting. I'll just do 2 more runs while I'm threading the cable through the house and to the basement. I still have to swap out my fuse box with a breaker box.....but I plan on getting two 100 amp boxes so I can later split the apartment off on its own breaker.

I was really wanting to know if anyone had any experience with the efficiency and effectiveness of one of these systems and an approximate cost. I can't do too much to the walls of the apartment because they are solid foam insulation directly behind the sheetrock.

 

[cavemanmoron]

If you can't run wires thru the walls use
flat wire conduit.

Also called "wiremold".

http://www.wiremold.com/www/consumer/products/overview/index.asp