Different Head Types for Mini Splits

jb99 · 12-20-16, 10:21 PM

Hello,

I am curious to know what considerations are there for choosing a head type, installation location, general guidelines for install, etc.

Sorry for the dumb questions... I am coming here after being sucked into the radiant floor heat camp for a while.

Thanks,

jb99

jeff5may · 12-21-16, 07:34 AM

The most common indoor unit for a mini-split is a wall mount. They are made to function as a point source for a single zone.

The next most common is the ceiling cassette unit. Same basic functionality as a wall unit. But they are either mounted to the bottom of the ceiling or recessed in it.

Most of the other indoor units are some sort of duct retrofit unit. They usually hide away from view somewhere and don't contain a thermostat internally. They act as a slave to another controlling device.

People base their lives'work and livelihood providing answers to the questions you ask. Due to the custom nature of homes, the considerations are many. First come the heat load questions. Then come the airflow questions, since most all mini-split indoor units are forced air. Then come the control and integration scheme. Finally (or first), aesthetic and styling preferences are addressed.

So let's hear about what you have, what you need, what you may change, and what you would like to keep about your existing system. More information is better in this topic. Do you plan on doing much work yourself, or will you farm most of the work out? There are many active members with literally ages of experience at your disposal today, patiently waiting to read about what you write next.

jb99 · 12-21-16, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the recommendations. My plan is to build a 1500 sq.ft. 26x32 Timber Frame enclosed by SIPs. The site is flat and the style of the house will be a saltbox design with the long section of the roof facing north. The south side of the house (the colonial style elevation) will have a reasonable amount of windows but it will not be a huge "pure passive solar" amount of glazing. For a long time, I have been planning for a radiant floor system, but I am starting to think that the money required could be better spent implementing a continuous air barrier and perhaps using a Ductless Mini Split system with a modest soapstone or masonry heater for the super cold days. The site is in southeastern Idaho (high desert, cold winters). My goal is to avoid fossil fuels in my mechanical infrastructure. I might not install PV's initially, but I am orienting the structure so that it would work in the future. It's always hard to know if the Ductless Mini Split Heat Pumps and the technology is going to work in this environment. I need to rework my heat calculations, but I am seeing 22,000 BTU/hr load on a design temp of -15 Degrees Fahrenheit.

It seems to me that the risk comes in by planning for a system when the structure needs to meet a tightness to have the system be successful. That's probably a lot of information for now... I have been in the radiant floor heat "echo chamber" for a while so I am just trying to come up to speed on who the big HP players are... And where they are going...

I just learned the difference between the RCC and the DMS heat pumps. That's a start I suppose.

What are the places online with the most current industry DMS Heat Pump information?

Thanks.

12-20-16, 10:21 PM	#1
jb99 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Boston Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Different Head Types for Mini Splits Hello, I am curious to know what considerations are there for choosing a head type, installation location, general guidelines for install, etc. Sorry for the dumb questions... I am coming here after being sucked into the radiant floor heat camp for a while. Thanks, jb99

12-21-16, 07:34 AM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	The most common indoor unit for a mini-split is a wall mount. They are made to function as a point source for a single zone. The next most common is the ceiling cassette unit. Same basic functionality as a wall unit. But they are either mounted to the bottom of the ceiling or recessed in it. Most of the other indoor units are some sort of duct retrofit unit. They usually hide away from view somewhere and don't contain a thermostat internally. They act as a slave to another controlling device. People base their lives'work and livelihood providing answers to the questions you ask. Due to the custom nature of homes, the considerations are many. First come the heat load questions. Then come the airflow questions, since most all mini-split indoor units are forced air. Then come the control and integration scheme. Finally (or first), aesthetic and styling preferences are addressed. So let's hear about what you have, what you need, what you may change, and what you would like to keep about your existing system. More information is better in this topic. Do you plan on doing much work yourself, or will you farm most of the work out? There are many active members with literally ages of experience at your disposal today, patiently waiting to read about what you write next. Last edited by jeff5may; 12-21-16 at 09:19 AM..

12-21-16, 10:22 AM	#3
jb99 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Boston Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the recommendations. My plan is to build a 1500 sq.ft. 26x32 Timber Frame enclosed by SIPs. The site is flat and the style of the house will be a saltbox design with the long section of the roof facing north. The south side of the house (the colonial style elevation) will have a reasonable amount of windows but it will not be a huge "pure passive solar" amount of glazing. For a long time, I have been planning for a radiant floor system, but I am starting to think that the money required could be better spent implementing a continuous air barrier and perhaps using a Ductless Mini Split system with a modest soapstone or masonry heater for the super cold days. The site is in southeastern Idaho (high desert, cold winters). My goal is to avoid fossil fuels in my mechanical infrastructure. I might not install PV's initially, but I am orienting the structure so that it would work in the future. It's always hard to know if the Ductless Mini Split Heat Pumps and the technology is going to work in this environment. I need to rework my heat calculations, but I am seeing 22,000 BTU/hr load on a design temp of -15 Degrees Fahrenheit. It seems to me that the risk comes in by planning for a system when the structure needs to meet a tightness to have the system be successful. That's probably a lot of information for now... I have been in the radiant floor heat "echo chamber" for a while so I am just trying to come up to speed on who the big HP players are... And where they are going... I just learned the difference between the RCC and the DMS heat pumps. That's a start I suppose. What are the places online with the most current industry DMS Heat Pump information? Thanks.