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Thread: Mini Split Install Done!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Prairie Village, KS
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    397

    Mini Split Install Done!

    Just finished my mini split install. I did everything but the copper connections and vacuuming. Those two items I left to an HVAC tech that charged me $150. I am sitting here watching the thermometer in my shop climb and it's glorious!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
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    854
    That's awesome. I would love to hear some details on the unit, the space being heated, tye install etc.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
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    Prairie Village, KS
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Mac View Post
    That's awesome. I would love to hear some details on the unit, the space being heated, tye install etc.
    This is the unit: https://www.pioneerminisplit.com/col...ystem-full-set

    Install was easy once I figured out each step. I spent way more time looking up how to do things than actually doing them. The instructions weren't great but probably bar for the course for stuff like this unit.

    Two car garage, 476 sf, insulated walls but no ceiling insulation.

    I'll have a video of the install done hopefully this weekend.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    1,740
    Thanks for the info. I’m getting one this summer since waiting for my heater to cycle is no fun.

    By the way insulate your ceiling. No reason to let the heat or AC get away.
    Don

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
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    854
    Looking forward to the video. I am trying to figure out which mini split to get for my 3 car garage. But before that, I need to get a better seal on my garage door.

    Did you give any thought to getting a Mitsubishi mini split?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Posts
    75
    About to pull the trigger on this upgrade to the new shop within the next month or two. I'll be looking forward to the video as well.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    'Glad it went well! As I've noted previously, I'm considering making this move, too. My ceiling gets done first, however...and that's happening real soon now.

    Question for you...does the connection from the inside unit to the outside unit have to exit the building directly behind the inside unit or can the connections be routed "up and over". I'm asking because my shop exterior walls are 8" thick block and it would be far easier to route "up and over" through the soffit or down and through the former window.
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 02-01-2018 at 10:34 AM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Prairie Village, KS
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Mac View Post
    Looking forward to the video. I am trying to figure out which mini split to get for my 3 car garage. But before that, I need to get a better seal on my garage door.

    Did you give any thought to getting a Mitsubishi mini split?
    I looked into Mitsubishi but the comparable unit was over twice as much. I definitely went on the cheap but I was pushing my budget anyway. I hope I got the Grizzly of mini splits and not the Harbor Freight.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
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    Prairie Village, KS
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    'Glad it went well! As I've noted previously, I'm considering making this move, too. My ceiling gets done first, however...and that's happening real soon now.

    Question for you...does the connection from the inside unit to the outside unit have to exit the building directly behind the inside unit or can the connections be routed "up and over". I'm asking because my shop exterior walls are 8" thick block and it would be far easier to route "up and over" through the soffit or down and through the former window.
    On the unit I bought, you can take the lineset and signal wire straight back from the unit (on either the right or left) through the wall or you can run it out either the left or right on the wall. You cant go up though. Part of that lineset bundle is the drainage tube and it needs to start going down right out of the unit. When you drill the hole through the wall you have to go at a downward angle.

    You can get creative with the drain but then I believe you would be required to get a condensate pump.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    Yea, after I asked the question, I actually looked at the install manual for your unit and it was helpful in understanding the options. I suspect that "relatively speaking", other mini-split systems have similar setups. It's not actually a problem...I'll just need to locate the wall unit just low enough on the wall so the pass-through can go out via the original window opening. Depending on the physical size of the unit, it's bottom will be quite a few inches higher than the current window AC unit. Doing this will be easy since I plan on actually removing the window that's, um...embedded...inside of what is effectively a temporary wall anyway. I originally left it there thinking that someday, someone else might want the window to be a window again, but getting rid of the thing will make for a much better and less creative insulation solution. It leaks like a sieve now!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,889
    The lineset can go upwards but the drain has to slope down all the way. The drain can run totally separate from the lineset. If you have too the drain can be pumped uphill. But then you run into problems of float switch or pump failure causing unnoticed flooding.
    When I put one on a interior wall of my bedroom I ran the lineset down inside the wall with the gravity drain. Then I separated the drain and ran it in pvc sloped to the top of the mudsill and out through the exterior wall. I insulated the drainline separately so it would not sweat and cause mold under the house. I do not really know if that was necessary or not. I have never noticed any condensation coming out the drain. But summer humidity here is very low.
    Bill D
    Last edited by Bill Dufour; 02-01-2018 at 11:20 PM.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Fallbrook, California
    Posts
    3,562
    Thank you for the information. I’m planning to add a mini-split to my 960 sq. ft. shop/garage building. Would like to know how well the Pioneer unit is working for you.
    Don Bullock
    Woebgon Bassets
    AKC Championss

    The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.
    -- Edward John Phelps

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,889
    One tip on installing the mounting plate is to feel free to drill extra holes that line up with your studs. I had to move a few screw locations a few inches to keep it where I wanted. I used fender washers at the new locations and two screws replaced one at each site.
    A real lever type tubing bender is much better then the coil spring type. I could use my car air conditioning gauge manifold set to connect the vacuum pump. You have to buy an adapter for the mini split connection($5 on the bay)
    I ended up with a good used vacuum pump and flaring set for about $100. which is less then an ac tech would charge. Since the tools were mine, not rented, I pulled the vacuum and held it overnight just to be sure. You could flush the lines with any dry inert gas if you feel the need. Ar, N or CO2 are cheap
    I ended up using 48" feet of tubing so I had to add about one ounce of extra freon. This was an excuse to buy an accurate electronic scale.
    Bill D

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Prairie Village, KS
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    Quote Originally Posted by Don Bullock View Post
    Thank you for the information. I’m planning to add a mini-split to my 960 sq. ft. shop/garage building. Would like to know how well the Pioneer unit is working for you.
    Working well so far. Was about 20 degrees outside when I was in the shop last night and it was a 65 in the shop. I turned it up to 70 just to see how it would do and about 10 minutes later I said "nope, too hot" and turned it back down to 64.

    You can only hear the unit when you stop everything you're doing and really listen for it. The outdoor unit is super quiet as well.

    It was 10 degrees this morning when I left for work and it was 60 in the shop and it's supposed to get really cold the next few days here so it will get a workout. Interested to see what my electric bill does.

  15. #15
    When I did mine, I ran the drain straight down into a PVC pipe which exited separately near the floor level. I did have to cut a long narrow hole in the wall to install it this way.

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