I put a Daikin 3 ton compressor with 2 1.5 ton heads in my detached garage a couple years ago. Before the minisplit I had a 3.5 ton heat pump. The unit was downstairs, which is my shop. the upstairs is my wife's studio. About 450 sf up and 625 down. The old unit would run and I would have to turn the TV up 20 notches because of the fan noise. The upstairs was always warmer in the summer.

The mini split is awesome. We each have a thermostat so she can have the temp how she wants it and so can I. The outside unit is super quiet. I used to be out by the pool and could hear the outside unit running in the summer. Not any more. I cannot hear it at all.

I highly recommend them.

I have 7 Mitsubishi mini-splits with two compressors.

One smaller compressor is running 3 units and the larger one is running 4.

One compressor is on the left side and one is on the back right side of the house.

The mini-split is running rooms on each side of the house, one or two per floor. We have three floors.

We were gutting a lot of the rooms so all the Freon lines and power are in the walls.

I had a 1.5 ton Mistu. Mr Slim for 18 years without any operating issues. It needed a disassembly/cleaning every year or two depending on gunk build-up of fan vanes because of unvented kitchen and limited bath venting. Remodeled the house in 2020-2021 and installed two Daikin heat-pumps. 3-ton and 1.5 ton. 3 ton is 4 head (18K main floor and 3-9K bedrooms). 1.5 is for finished basement. Daikin has been good for the year so far.

If it's just a few days a year and not even every year, why not just put window units in where needed?

A split system is going to be pricey for needing it 5 days a year every few years.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
If it's just a few days a year and not even every year, why not just put window units in where needed?

A split system is going to be pricey for needing it 5 days a year every few years.

I posted this yesterday which you apparently missed.
"...window units are also non-starters here ...due to window designs."

Bald,

We have two Mitsubishi,s.

One think to watch for…is the terms of the warranty.

Mitsubishi requires to have the scheduled maintenance done by an authorized dealer. It can’t be done yourself.

If you don’t do this, it voids the warranty.

Window units do not need to go into windows persae.

So with mini splits they provide heat in the winter, don't they?


Are you talking about doing the whole house in them or isolating a couple area's.


There are solutions to make the house more comfortable without doing a full scale job to accomplishing it. If you are going to do a complete renovation on an older three story home you are talking huge $ Which is fine if you have the budget for it.

I would give Excam Man's advice some thought in doing an actual system vs mini splits. Probably a better system overall and the cost will probably be similar. He can elaborate on that.

quote:

Originally posted by Patriot:
Bald,

We have two Mitsubishi,s.

One think to watch for…is the terms of the warranty.

Mitsubishi requires to have the scheduled maintenance done by an authorized dealer. It can’t be done yourself.

If you don’t do this, it voids the warranty.

Good to know. Thanks!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
Curious if you have ever had to pull the blower wheel for cleaning?

Some units will get caked with fungus and shit, all while the air filters are clean.
On the variable units, it will ramp down to a trickle of airflow/capacity.

We had a fungus problem with our first unit, a Mitsubishi, which my wife had installed by a no-name local HVAC guy.
 
Two years later, we had several installed by our regular HVAC team, who uses only Trane. When they replaced the Mitsubishi, it was discovered the hole bored through the wall was straight through, not angled at all, thus water was standing in the inside drain pan, and thus fungus. Since we went all Trane and with a trusted local company that are Trane experts, we've had no fungus problems. We have a 3 ton, a 2 ton, and a second 3 ton that is driving three 1 ton head units for the great room and kitchen.
 
I would heartily recommend picking the installer rather than the brand.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
They work great, but will require regular cleanings. Depending on conditions, every couple years. Which is a complete PITA when you consider cleaning them while trying to protect the interior furnishings and wall.

Mitshubishi is the industries mini-split leader.

Once you get the hang of it the cleaning is not that bad.... use painters tape to hold a big yard waste garbage bag against the wall and so it will drip into a bin.... and figure out how to get the cover off... you basically remove the screws and then pry the plastic tabs out....

watch the YouTube video for Mitsibushi.... the only issue I have with it is the cover is a lot harder to get off than the guy shows.

We have 5 Mitsibushies and they work well....

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
If it's just a few days a year and not even every year, why not just put window units in where needed?

A split system is going to be pricey for needing it 5 days a year every few years.

I posted this yesterday which you apparently missed.
"...window units are also non-starters here ...due to window designs."

What's up with the windows? Are they nailed shut?

The estimator for a local well regarded plumbing/heating/cooling contractor visited today. They're a "diamond dealer" for Mitsubishi although they carry other brands like Fujitsu, Daikin, etc.

There is no requirement for a maintenance contract here locally for Mitsubishi split units.

I expect a written estimate in a week for a 3 ton unit with two zones.

I have owned my two Fujitsu units for a number of years now and am 100% happy with them. They are installed in my workshop (40'X 40'). One handles when I am working only at my workbench, and the other is for the lift area. They handle both the heating and cooling for me, but it doesn't get cold here like it does for the OP.......but it sure does get a lot hotter!!!

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

There is no requirement for a maintenance contract here locally for Mitsubishi split units.

The requirement isn't from Misubishi.

The required maintenance comes from the units fan becoming plugged with crap.

Of coarse, my original post may have been interpreted wrong. I mean, we already have ORC stating I recommended a standard system.

I had one in our bedroom at our old house and I had one installed in our bedroom at our brand new home we had built in 2020. They are fantastic at cooling, it turns our bedroom into a meat locker.

The main reason I got one for the new house, my wife was a nurse on the overnight shift and I didn't want the whole house A/C running non stop since one of us would usually be sleeping.

We had considered a mini-split system to cool the always-hot bedroom but it wasn't cost effective so we went with this:



Easy installation with windows almost completely down, which adds to security. One year later, it is still humming along, cooling the master bedroom efficiently.

quote:

Of coarse, my original post may have been interpreted wrong. I mean, we already have ORC stating I recommended a standard system.

Sorry Excam Man, I must have dreamt that. For some reason I had it in my mind you did.
I must have got that from another thread or something on a similar HVAC thread.

Sorry.

quote:

Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:
Easy installation with windows almost completely down, which adds to security. One year later, it is still humming along, cooling the master bedroom efficiently.

You cite windows with a lift opening where mine are either casement crank side or horizonal slide openings, neither anywhere as convenient for placing RAC units. In the former they don't fit, in the later you have to install "filler" panels. Then there's condensation control.... Top it off when you factor their capabilities. The upstairs master bedroom opens up from the stairs leading to it with no door. The main level is a quite large contiguous living room / dining room / kitchen space. RACs are simply not a good fit.

Nope... thanks but mini-split AC / heat is the best solution for us here.

The heat option is very nice to have as well. Me and the Mrs like it a little warmer sometimes when… um… I’m rubbing her feet.

quote:

Originally posted by Veeper:
The heat option is very nice to have as well

The heat option is nice, but it is about the most expensive form of heat you can get, being resistance coils @240V.