Blueridge MS from alpinehomeair.com

[cookingdude555]

Hi everyone, first post here from Salt Lake City. I am looking to add some mini splits to my house, mainly for cooling. I have a central AC, but I am not a big fan of the quick cool down, then gradual heat up that it goes through. I love when the AC is on, but I like the inverter aspect of the MS for a more even cooling.

I have been looking at various sites for options, and came across alpinehomeair.com. They have a brand called blueridge that is a re-branded Gree from the "Neo" line. They have a 9000 BTU 22 seer and a 12000 BTU 20 seer unit that interest me for zoning 5 rooms at my house. I know, 5 minis outside seems crazy, but zoning really is appealing.

I know that the load of 4 of the rooms would not require 1 ton of cooling, but I am considering the larger unit due to its turn down. If you compare the submittals for both units:

www alpinehomeair com/related/Submittal%20BMKH09-22YN4GA.pdf
www alpinehomeair com/related/Submittal%20BMKH12-20YN4GA.pdf

(had to remove links because of my first post, but you can reassemble by putting periods back)

You will see that the capacity range on the larger unit is actually lower. My concern with a mini in two of the rooms is that the load is not very high, and in one case it will cycle some. This room is north facing with only one exterior wall, and one window. I am thinking that even though it is a bigger unit, comfort will be just a little better if I buy a unit that has a greater range of capacity on the low end.

Part of me believes I should just get the 1 ton unit for all of the rooms where I want to put them because of the lower turn down rate. Then if I want to turn off sections of the house during the day, one unit running where it is located may even keep a large surrounding area cool, not just the room where it is located.

So what do you all think, 3/4 or 1 ton for smaller bedrooms?

[jeff5may]

Cookingdude,

Welcome to the forums!

For smaller bedrooms, 1/2 to 3/4 ton is good. For a master bed/bath, it depends on the size and energy efficiency. 3/4 to 1 ton is good for a 250 sq ft footprint, maybe more capacity if heat gain or loss (underinsulated, tv + computer running constantly, etc.) is an issue. Better to err on the larger capacity, so you won't run out of capacity when you need it the most.

FYI, Gree has some new units out that perform better in frigid weather. Xringer took the plunge on one recently and has been chronicling his experience with the unit. From doing a self-install to operation details to power usage, the unit seems to be a solid performer. He has another Sanyo system running that is much like what you are considering. He has learned to shut down the Sanyo when outdoor temps drop below about 10-15 degF. The new Gree "Crown" 18KBTU system has performed well for him down into sub-zero outdoor conditions this winter, and he is already considering replacing the Sanyo with another of the Gree rigs in the near future.

Read all about it here.

[cookingdude555]

Thanks for your reply, Jeff. I am kind of leaning in your direction, more capacity is better. Since the 9000 runs between 3500-9600 on its cooling capacity range, and the 12000 runs 3100-13000 on its capacity, my thought is the 12000 might be more comfortable since it turns down more and has a better (although only about 10% better) chance of staying on once the set temp in the room is met. I would rather the mini stays on, modulating, than cycling on and off all the time. I have that already with my 3 ton central AC.

Regarding the heat, I dont plan on using these very much for heat. Natural gas is pretty cheap, and I pay about $100 to heat my home in december and january here in an average Utah winter. We get down into the teens for low temps in the winter frequently, rarely below 10 degrees (maybe 4-5 nights a year), and even more rare that we are below 0. My furnace is built to handle extreme temps as is (80% eff 100,000 BTU, delivering 80,000 BTU to the home). Since I have taken the allergy filters out and use the cheap fiberglass ones, and also have clean the inside AC coil, my furnace is running better than it did when new 14 years ago. I see an opportunity to use these when the temp is moderate, around 30-40, but heating will become more of a priority when I get some PV installed and have a power surplus.

I read all of Xringers install posts, thanks for pointing that out. I spent a lot of time reading his posts and success stories of others. I will definitely start my own thread this spring when I install the first unit.

John

[pinballlooking]

I have three bedrooms with Gree Terra 9,000 BTU uints.
Terra Series - Ductless Wall Mount Heating and Cooling | Gree Comfort
When in cooling mode the fan runs all the time. In heating mode the fan cycles. I have had really good luck with these units in bed rooms.

I also have five mini split heads installed so I don't think that is crazy.

These units will freeze you out of the bedroom if you want. They keep a very good temp in the bedrooms I like to keep the bed room cool so I need a cover in the summer I sleep better than way. I really like the 1 degree adjust at a time with the Gree. my LG units work really but adjust 2 degree at a time. I do not like that as well it is harder to find just right temp setting.

My install
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/geothe...t-install.html

We have a similar NG heating as you that I have not run in a couple years we just use the Mini splits to heat with so we can heat with solar power.