New Heat Pump Mini Split

WyrTwister · 03-31-15, 06:02 AM

Just ordered , from a local vendor . a 11,800 BTU 16 SEER Friedrich mini split HP . The way I read the documentation , it is an inverter drive unit .

This will be our second mini split , to be installed in our bedroom . It is intended to take the place of an existing window shaker .

I like to / hope I learned some things during the first install and hope the install will go some what easier .

I have copper tubing left over from the first install , order insulation for the line set . Will need to scrounge the drain line , wiring and disconnect . Will either buy a mini pad or 12" x 12" flag stones to set the condenser on .

As mentioned , this MS will be located in our bedroom . Two outside walls to choose from . The one I prefer would put the inside unit above the head of out bed . I could set the unit to position the louvers as horizontally as it will go . Hopefully this would keep the air blowing directly on us .

The return would flow back over us .

If it is as quite as the one in the living room / dining room , I am not worried about the noise . Should be quieter than the window shaker .

I am expecting the remote control to be IR . There is a dresser & mirror on the wall opposite the head & foot of the bed . With the indoor unit effectively located above our head , I am wondering if we will be able ( while in bed ) to aim the RC at the mirror , bounce the IR " beam " off the mirror and back to the IR receiver at the indoor unit ?

While the SEER rating of 16 may sound low with today's technology , our central unit ( which I rarely run any more ) is 13 SEER & the living room / dining room MS is also 13 SEER . So it is some improvement . And I doubt if the energy raring of the window shaker is a world beater ?

Plus , I read the 16 SEER is enough to get us into an inverter drive compressor . This should slow down under low load conditions and improve energy usage . We live in a mostly dry climate , so I am not hugely concerned with dehumidification .

I will most likely to , again , use white aluminum rain gutter down spout to cover / hide the line set . As it comes down the exterior wall .

God bless
Wyr

Daox · 03-31-15, 10:26 AM

The mirror should reflect the IR.

It sounds like a nice upgrade to me. I still put a window shaker in my bedroom for those real hot or muggy days.

WyrTwister · 03-31-15, 04:40 PM

Being lazy , I leave the window shaker in the window 12 months a year . This results in cold drafts i9n the winter .

Probably hot air drafts in the summer , too , but not noticeable with the window shaker running .

When I get the MS running , I will probably remove the window shaker . This will , I hope make the room " tighter " all year long .

I hope the MS is large enough not to need the window shaker for supplemental cooling .

Thanks , :-)
Wyr
God bless

pinballlooking · 03-31-15, 08:29 PM

Very nice!
I don’t know the size of your bedroom but with 11,800 BTU I but you will not need the window shaker we have a 9,000 BTU unit in our bedroom and it is plenty.
our bedroom is 19' x 14' the a attached MBath 19' X 12'. once in a while in the winter when it is real cold I will have a small fan blow heat into the MBath door.

The nice thing about inverter drive is a bigger unit is not a very big deal it just runs slower.

Our remotes can be pointer almost in any direction and they work fine.

We have ours to the right of the bed it is no problem.

My oldest boy has his directly over his bed he just angles the air flow higher. When they first got the mini splits they both used sleep more they are whisper quite.

But now no one uses that mode they are plenty quite.

Take lots of pictures and good luck with the install.

NiHaoMike · 03-31-15, 09:10 PM

How dry is "dry"? If it's really dry, an evaporative cooler would probably make more sense, or at least a hybrid.

gtojohn · 03-31-15, 10:38 PM

When I pick the location for a mini major consideration is where the power will come from. Depending on your window shaker you might already have a dedicated 240 outlet nearby.
Typically in hot as heck TX 12kbtu will cover 600sqft for cooling. We tend to over emphasize cooling load while the heating load can be near double the cooling requirement. Still thats enough heating for at least 300sqft.
I've been installing a lot of the Gree minisplits, the Terra 9k is 27 seer and the 12k is rated at 25 seer. The 12k was using about 420 watts when I tested it out. Good luck! Take an amp reading if you can.

pinballlooking · 03-31-15, 10:43 PM

Have you been having good luck with the Gree?
I have three of the Gree Terra 9k 27 seer units we really like them.

WyrTwister · 04-01-15, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiHaoMike

How dry is "dry"? If it's really dry, an evaporative cooler would probably make more sense, or at least a hybrid.

We had swamp coolers for years . With our water chemistry , they are a maintenance head ache . Add in " normal " corrosion . They are a self destructive device .

I was very glad to wave goodbye to the swamp cooler . Plus the city has really raised the cost of water . :-(

God bless
Wyr

WyrTwister · 04-01-15, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtojohn

When I pick the location for a mini major consideration is where the power will come from. Depending on your window shaker you might already have a dedicated 240 outlet nearby.
Typically in hot as heck TX 12kbtu will cover 600sqft for cooling. We tend to over emphasize cooling load while the heating load can be near double the cooling requirement. Still thats enough heating for at least 300sqft.
I've been installing a lot of the Gree minisplits, the Terra 9k is 27 seer and the 12k is rated at 25 seer. The 12k was using about 420 watts when I tested it out. Good luck! Take an amp reading if you can.

Power is pretty much a non issue . A matter of me getting my fat self under the house and running a new Romex . Part of the documentation list the unit as 230 VAC . Part list it as 120 VAC . Either way is not a biggy .

I will no doubt take an amperage reading . With an inverter drive , amperage should change as the compressor " unloads " .

God bless
Wyr

03-31-15, 06:02 AM	#1
WyrTwister Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: USA Posts: 543 Thanks: 6 Thanked 44 Times in 38 Posts	New Heat Pump Mini Split Just ordered , from a local vendor . a 11,800 BTU 16 SEER Friedrich mini split HP . The way I read the documentation , it is an inverter drive unit . This will be our second mini split , to be installed in our bedroom . It is intended to take the place of an existing window shaker . I like to / hope I learned some things during the first install and hope the install will go some what easier . I have copper tubing left over from the first install , order insulation for the line set . Will need to scrounge the drain line , wiring and disconnect . Will either buy a mini pad or 12" x 12" flag stones to set the condenser on . As mentioned , this MS will be located in our bedroom . Two outside walls to choose from . The one I prefer would put the inside unit above the head of out bed . I could set the unit to position the louvers as horizontally as it will go . Hopefully this would keep the air blowing directly on us . The return would flow back over us . If it is as quite as the one in the living room / dining room , I am not worried about the noise . Should be quieter than the window shaker . I am expecting the remote control to be IR . There is a dresser & mirror on the wall opposite the head & foot of the bed . With the indoor unit effectively located above our head , I am wondering if we will be able ( while in bed ) to aim the RC at the mirror , bounce the IR " beam " off the mirror and back to the IR receiver at the indoor unit ? While the SEER rating of 16 may sound low with today's technology , our central unit ( which I rarely run any more ) is 13 SEER & the living room / dining room MS is also 13 SEER . So it is some improvement . And I doubt if the energy raring of the window shaker is a world beater ? Plus , I read the 16 SEER is enough to get us into an inverter drive compressor . This should slow down under low load conditions and improve energy usage . We live in a mostly dry climate , so I am not hugely concerned with dehumidification . I will most likely to , again , use white aluminum rain gutter down spout to cover / hide the line set . As it comes down the exterior wall . God bless Wyr

03-31-15, 10:26 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	The mirror should reflect the IR. It sounds like a nice upgrade to me. I still put a window shaker in my bedroom for those real hot or muggy days. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-31-15, 08:29 PM	#4
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Very nice! I don’t know the size of your bedroom but with 11,800 BTU I but you will not need the window shaker we have a 9,000 BTU unit in our bedroom and it is plenty. our bedroom is 19' x 14' the a attached MBath 19' X 12'. once in a while in the winter when it is real cold I will have a small fan blow heat into the MBath door. The nice thing about inverter drive is a bigger unit is not a very big deal it just runs slower. Our remotes can be pointer almost in any direction and they work fine. We have ours to the right of the bed it is no problem. My oldest boy has his directly over his bed he just angles the air flow higher. When they first got the mini splits they both used sleep more they are whisper quite. But now no one uses that mode they are plenty quite. Take lots of pictures and good luck with the install. Last edited by pinballlooking; 03-31-15 at 09:49 PM..

03-31-15, 09:10 PM	#5
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	How dry is "dry"? If it's really dry, an evaporative cooler would probably make more sense, or at least a hybrid. __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

03-31-15, 04:40 PM	#3
WyrTwister Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: USA Posts: 543 Thanks: 6 Thanked 44 Times in 38 Posts	Being lazy , I leave the window shaker in the window 12 months a year . This results in cold drafts i9n the winter . Probably hot air drafts in the summer , too , but not noticeable with the window shaker running . When I get the MS running , I will probably remove the window shaker . This will , I hope make the room " tighter " all year long . I hope the MS is large enough not to need the window shaker for supplemental cooling . Thanks , :-) Wyr God bless

03-31-15, 10:38 PM	#6
gtojohn Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 314 Thanks: 39 Thanked 50 Times in 45 Posts	When I pick the location for a mini major consideration is where the power will come from. Depending on your window shaker you might already have a dedicated 240 outlet nearby. Typically in hot as heck TX 12kbtu will cover 600sqft for cooling. We tend to over emphasize cooling load while the heating load can be near double the cooling requirement. Still thats enough heating for at least 300sqft. I've been installing a lot of the Gree minisplits, the Terra 9k is 27 seer and the 12k is rated at 25 seer. The 12k was using about 420 watts when I tested it out. Good luck! Take an amp reading if you can.

03-31-15, 10:43 PM	#7
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Have you been having good luck with the Gree? I have three of the Gree Terra 9k 27 seer units we really like them.