DIY Mini Split Install: 3 Regrets After 1 Year of Use
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2023
- Now that it's been a year since I installed my mini split, here are my three biggest regrets regarding the DIY Mini Split install process as well as an update on how my mini split has performed through the harsh winter and the hot summer. #minisplit #tosot #heatingairconditioning
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This is how that DIY RUclips channels SHOULD do it. Update, be transparent about errors, possible improvements, afterthoughts, etc. Thank you for the integrity, time, effort, and information.
I know you're planning to cover the refrigerant lines but, when you wrap them in the tape do it from the bottom towards the top. If you start at the top the overlap is the wrong way and feeds all of the rain etc inside the wrapping which is exactly what you're trying to avoid
Good tip!!
Makes sense
Waiting for a third video follow-up touching that subject 😅
GREAT ADVICE! (but if he puts that weatherproof cover over it it will protect it.) but still good info
Wish I'd thought of that!
Great to see video's dedicated to DIY people. Here in Australia any authority, trades people completely discourage any DIY. You will not see any videos on DIY electrical installation for example done by Australian's. Every non-qualified person is treated like an idiot in this country. With the internet and videos like this any intelligent person can do a really great job on almost any technical install.
I recently installed an 8KW Fujitsu Mini Split I decided to buy the vacuum pump and gauges and Nitrogen, Flaring tools , trunking and so on. The unit has been running virtually 24hrs a day in heat mode and has saved me so much money in electricity costs. Soon be entering summer where temps are expected to get to over 40 degrees C. Thank you so much for the Americans that have a can do attitude with these videos.
I’m so glad you made this update. The original really bugged me for all these issues, but great that you took comments seriously and reconsidered.
I used your original video to do my first Mini Split and found it VERY useful. I was also happy to see these updates. I especially like DIYers who are willing to put out there what mistakes, or improvements they would make. For that, you got a new subscriber. Luckly, I have electrical experience and used both the correct wiring and the breaker. I also cut the pipe to the exact size and flared the ends. All in all - It has been keeping me cool during these weeks of 105 deg+ days here in Texas.
I absolutely love follow-up videos like this. I always wonder how installs are doing after a few months and years. Nils, thank you for this informative video.
I appreciate this one year updates. It really helps with my decisions and planning. You have had the most useful information in regards to mini splits.
Definitely the line covers. I didn't like the color of the plastic so I used 2 coats of spray primer and then painted with the same exterior paint I use on my siding. Looks sharp!
Kudos to you for addressing the Issues you caused, doing everything by the book makes it safer for everyone.
When you change the breaker, if it really bothers you, put colored tape on the wire ends to make them ANY color you want. (The wires wont care) 😊
That would be up to AHJ, as far as the NEC: 250.119
Edit, exception 1 to 200.6(A) allows to phase romex
# 10 gauge would definitely be overkill! However, since you already had the Romex, I would have used it also. The only real drawback is Romex with three # 10 wires within the Romex jacket would be EXTREMELY difficult to work with ❗️
I agree that color coding the white conductor as “red” would be a good idea.
Since this was a DIY job, you probably didn’t pull any permits. I’m not sure how your jurisdiction would view that.
Actually, at the end of the day, safety is the overriding issue. Any DIY project should be done in a professional craftsman like manner and following the NEC code. It’s driven by fire safety and electrical safety.
@@BartlettTFD The 10ga was a bit overkill, but better than under sizing. In this case go by the makers specs, they said it required 15 amps, so 14ga and 15 amp breaker.
@@davidmarquardt903410 gauge wire won't hurt anything. In fact, it is better as it has lower resistance. There is no need to change it. Just put red electrical tape at the ends of the white wire to indicate it is a hot wire. It is the breaker that he replaced that matters as it limits the max current allowed.
I work on these things all the time and unfortunately you follow the directions to a T which is fine until it breaks and then you realize oh my God I have made it to where I have to tear it all apart just to get to the flares for the drains There are some tricks that I use to make it easier to work on equipment after it is installed number one never put the mounting bracket flat against the wall. If you pump it out a half inch to 3/4 with plywood or sheet rock it makes it much easier to get to the backside especially if your sheet rock isn’t perfectly flat. The first problem most mini splits half is the wheel on the blower gets full of mold! They all do amount of what brand. So when you taking the plastic cover off to get to the wheel to clean you make it much easier on yourself. Also, it gives you some slack with the drain line in case you have to blow the drain line out. I never tape all three lines together like you did, because keeping the drain separate makes it much more accessible down the road when a clogged up good luck to future installs I admire your fearlessness and tackling such a project however, don’t be shy about asking for help and many fellow people that watch DIY RUclipsrs get plenty in put from their audience good luck in future endeavors
Nils, it takes quite a person to publically admit any shortcomings. Well done, you! I like knowing your opinion after time of use. Thank you for posting.
Or just another Mormon…
The word intentional is a good one.
Really nice tight editing and production values! Thanks for caring about your audience to do this followup
I have had your 1st vid on repeat for a minute now planning my install, and am So grateful for this update. My husband passed unexpectedly and I'm thrown into in a whole new world of diy by myself, so I'm trying to sponge everything. And while a lot can't be trusted on YT, I have faith in the candor in which you present yourself and your information. Thank you!
You can do it!
Most of these units are awesome! These units are very picky about keeping the filters and coils clean every couple months.
Technically working with r410a needs epa cert 608. Involves test . Just for 5lb charges and below, is theceasiest to get. There are other sections of certs for other systems. 20 years ago didn't matter. It's all changed if pushed,it can be big monetary fi e. Leaking the refrigerantvinto atmosphere on purpose is verboten. And when you finish the hook ups are you installing the locks that go on the refrigerant lines at tge access ports,required now. Pink fircr410a..different colors for different stuff
Very well done! I just finished my Mr. COOL ones. I went with Mr. Cool for the 7 year warranty as well as the fact that I didn’t want to mess with flaring. I got the line set covers and they are a ROYAL pain to install! You have to drill anchor holes in the side of your house and install anchors. All those holes make me worry about moisture intrusion but we live in so California so not as big of a deal. I plan on priming and painting to match the house when I repaint the house. I also really HATE the coil and will probably get a professional HVAC contractor to come and trim my lines for me. It voids the warranty on Mr. Cool so I may just have to live with it. It’s on the side of my house where no one can see it and I rarely go so, not a big deal. Ironically we have had a cooler summer in San Diego so I haven’t had to run the unit too much but when I do it freezes me out. My electrician ran THHN inside the conduit, 10 gauge. One thing he did to save me money is we got a 500 foot roll of wire and he just did 3 cuts, one for each color and then he color coded it at each end. You don’t need to go to Home Depot and Pay $2 a foot to custom cut 3 colors of wire for you when you can get a bulk roll of wire from an electrical supply place or the depot.
I’ve had five EG4 mini splits installed and love them. Very professionally installed and all work great.
Installed my TOSOT as soon as the building (Greenhouse/Solar Shed) was ready, based upon your video. I, too, as a controls engineer, did all the wiring to code, but I didn't see the issue about the plumbing until I had already charged the system. After doing essentially what you ended up doing, i.e. physically routing the excess in a horizontal spiral ABOVE the compressor, It should be fine. It has also ran very well and although it has greenhouse windows to cope with as well as Texas sun, it does pretty well. In the cold, it also worked very well, even down to zero, but I used the "anti freeze pipe mode (in the manual!) which automatically keeps the greenhouse (and my wife's citrus bushes) at 42 degrees or higher. That is very frugal and was the primary reason for getting a mini-split. Thanks again for the update sir!!!
Thanks for posting your updates! I didn’t do mine yet but I did read the comments and were going to implement those changes you highlighted. Again thanks for doing this video it helped me to feel more confident in doing it myself!!
Kudos for the clear and precise videos as well as admitting what is wrong and be willing to fix it
THHN is for use in a dry environment. Outside conducts are considered to be a wet environment, not dry, so THWN is the correct conductor rating. Usually, conductors are dual rated THHN/THWN so you may be good to go.
Good catch. It's also worth mentioning that aside from being a pain to pull, the Romex/NM-B used originally wasn't appropriate for wet locations, and that the inside of exterior conduits are considered a wet location by the NEC.
Most thhn sold is thwn.
I can't remember the last time I saw a spool of wire without the dual THHN/THWN rating. Is standard thhn even made anymore?
Thanks for sharing. I’m almost ready to buy everything and install my new system.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with these mini splits!
About 3 years ago I installed a Pioneer Mini Split system and I love it, It did order a WIFI dongle with it so I can control the unit from my phone.
It has been in the mid to upper 90's here in Tennessee and it has done an outstanding job keeping shop cool. This past winter we got well below freezing for several days and it kept the shop warm. If I had to to do over again I would have mounted it on the side of my workshop like you did, I mounted mine on a concrete pad and ever year in the fall I have to keep clearing away the leaves. Some day I will make a screen to keep the leaves out.
Finally got it up and running. The only delays we had was because we realized we needed some extra parts (I’ll list that below) ruclips.net/user/postUgkxihMYiJNXcHdbH-7ihymsLz61l7jVyb5O . So we have a loft where our current hvac just couldn’t seem to keep cool during the summer. We have been using a window unit since we bought this house over 6 years ago (all the houses in this neighborhood were built in the 80’s and majority of the houses built like ours use a window unit). I hate window units because they are just so noisy and the one we had really only cools one side of the loft. I had contemplated upgrading our current HVAC, but with all the rising prices these days, it would take years before saving up enough to do that. With the advice of my father-in-law (used to run an HVAC business), he recommended we get an inverter instead. We thought we bought everything we needed, but there were just a few other parts we didn’t anticipate needing (which is what caused most of our delay). My friend and father-in-law did all the work to get it installed and running and now we have nice cool air circulating nicely throughout the entire loft. It is very quiet and even the outside unit is much quieter than our main HVAC unit. Saved ourselves thousands getting this.
I wouldn't worry about that 10 gauge wiring. I think it's a non-issue. The idea is that you only want to use THHN with the concern being heat. However, with the 16 gauge being enough and you stepping up to 10 gauge, you'll never heat that wire up unless it's a dead short. At which point a 15 amp breaker will trip.
I was just going to comment this same thing.
I looked into what kind of wire is in Romex/NM. Everything I found said it was THHN.
Stripping off the sheeting is not allowed per NEC. I believe this is because the wire inside has no markings therefore the wire cannot be identified.
The 30 amp breaker was the worst mistake. And 16 gauge is not even good for 15 apps so a 15 amp breaker would have still been too big for 16 gauge
Because of your install… I installed my own… I did buy the line covers as an extra layer of protection… summer here is in the plus 100’s… I did follow the electrical requirements… I am also happy
Thanks for the great tips, and also for explaining the WHY and the HOW and mistakes. We learn from others, and without knowing what others have tried incorrectly can't learn! Just "do what I do" is not enough. So, thank you again for that.
Some comments:
- A 14.4KBTU unit is $100 more than a 12KBTU unit and the process is the same. Suggest to your viewers to figure out their sqft and usage and go with the biggest unit.
- Voltage is not relevant wo wire gauge but amperage is. For up to 15AWG 12AWG is sufficient and 10AWG is fine too. You lose no money points for using 10 gauge wire
- You want to share the interior unit ground with the outside unit, OR bore a hole and put in a copper rod and use an external ground. Avoiding that last option means 10/4 not 10/3, with RED and BLACK being hots on two-legs ("split phase") and white for neutral/common and green for ground.
- If humidity is a common thing in your neck of the woods, DO NOT OVERSIZE THE UNIT. It will run less, and waste more time removing humidity before cooling, then sit dormant as the temperature climbs. In contrast a properly sized unit will remove humidity and run MORE of the time, contnuing to keep the temps cool and humidity low. The same WORK is accomplished and the same ENERGY is spent only over a cycle that has smaller "humps" and longer run times for the smaller unit. Don't undersize -- that will cause it not to be able to "keep up" which we call "unable to satisfy [requirements of cooling or thermostat]"
- You could still cut the excess cord. You just need a vacuum pump and a gauge set. These are $100 at Harbor Freight (yeah I know....) and you can return them after you use them if you like OR rent them out to your neighbors at $10/pop and have it pay for itself in under a year. Personally I'd just leave them up on a shelf for the next time an HVAC unit dies. (Which if you're going there, get a universal start capacitor and refrigerant bottle as well).
- You're spot on in changing the breaker down to 15A .. and maybe explaining why would help. SOMETHING needs to be the first thing to blow. We want that to be NOT the motor, NOT the wiring, but the breaker. Sized appropriately it will do exactly that. For a 12K BTU unit (up to my fave the 14.4KBTU unit) a 15A breaker is sufficient. That's also what sits behind most of our north-American receptacles (NEMA 5-15R).
Gosh, how unethical to return a tool after using it!
Im getting ready to buy a few of these!!! this review IS Sooo much helping me!!
I just used the same brand of line set covers you bought and they worked well.
I had the same issue with sun rot on the line set insulation. So,..I installed the cover kit a year after I installed our 18k Pioneer and it seemed to help the unit cool since the line set is on the SW side of the house. It's a good investment. Oh and it's been cooling really well even while it's been 117°F outside. Good video topic. 👍
That’s so hot! Glad it’s keeping up Andrew it sounds like we’re on the same page. Got my line set cover on the way.
I also didn't bother to buy the line covers with my initial pioneer order. The first install I used PVC pipe a section of downspout. The next one involved the lines running along an interior wall so pipe and gutter just seemed a little too rustic. So, extra shipping for line covers. I got three sets for the remaining units and I also needed a 25' lineset for one install. In the third year, no regrets.
@@LRN2DIY
The outdoor nameplate gives operating current and some display the maximum safe circuit breaker value. And if that's not on the nameplate, it's discoverable in the manufacturer's specs. Then wire is sized to that breaker value. There's no harm to come from going fatter in wire than the NEC minimum, except to the pocket book. For a 15A breaker, 14ga will do. And the electrons don't care what insulation color is. An electrician knows what a 220 circuit is. But if you need to remind yourself (or warn some future DIYer), color the white red with a permanent magic marker. I don't think you'll find a Romex with blk/red/gnd and it would be a waste to go -3w/g to get red. That's only needed when feeding a load with a neutral connection, because the ground connection is free of operating current. And it's fine to put Romex in conduit, you just have to maintain the space requirement of the NEC.
Enjoyed the video thanks for the updates too.
Months ago,I watched your Original Install video-- I opted for a(24,000 BTU) Senville Unit... I called the Company directly and got a nice Discount plus Free freight -- I decided to make a set of videos(Senville Heat Pump Install Series Parts 1-7)-- Everything went smoothly, except with the Evaporator drainage hose-- On my 1st Night of operation I,LITERALLY, filled 2 five gallon buckets from running my Central Air Unit....Thanks for taking the time to explain and SHOW people on how to do the installs
Best explanation I’ve gotten so far, thanks for the info.
Great review. I too did diy mini split installs a year ago. I watched several youtube videos first. Fortunately I bought a Wi-Fi unit and it is great. I also purchased the necessary equipment to do a professional install. Really minor dollars. My first install looked very much like yours and I have actually removed and reinstalled it the right way becomming an expert at evacuation and refilling of freon. Its easy and paying an AC person is a huge waste. The second Mini split install went much better and actually averaged out my tool purchase dollars. I have since then helped 2 neighbors install their mini splits and they were grateful for my " Expertise". The outdoor covers do make everything look very nice. Even though it doesn't get that cold where I'm at the 110° summer temperature the cooling part of the mini split works perfectly. Overall to cool my house uses considerably less electricity. Thanks for your videos.
Very cool that you jumped in with both feet and learned so much! That's awesome. I'm sure your friends are grateful for your expertise as well!
Hey, great video!...I can tell that your very comprehensive presentation was intentional.😉...Seriously the info here is great, thanks!
I love that "intentional." I agree 100%
Purchased my 18k wifi Tosot unit off their website yesterday with 15% discount. Will be cutting the lines to min length of 10 feet. 15amp breaker with 12-2 romex through the attic to disconnect on back wall of garage. Thanks for the videos.
Thank you for the update Nils. A man of integrity. I found a deal at Home Depot on the 18k TOSOT with WiFi and will follow your instructions. Thank you for taking the time. I'm grateful for the information. TOSOT: Give him a new one with WiFi!
Kudos for self-acknowledging your "intentional" habit. I didn't actually notice you using it, but none the less. FYI i also used to use "intentional" a lot. One day my keynote coach suggested i consider "purposeful" as an occasional alternative. IMO volleying between the two made my public speaking stronger:) thanks for your videos.
Well done - thank for you this invaluable resource!
Haha you got me worried as I followed your instructions earlier this year :-) Great to see these are small details ☺
Thank you for the follow-up. My biggest complaint about DIY RUclips content creators is how often they edit out their missteps. My pet peeve is the car people.
Thanks for the follow up. I’m
Learning a lot as I go. We have an old house and I’m
Discovering a lot of issues. So the simple project is now replacing the whole panel and tracing each circuit.
The primary job of the breaker is to protect the wire so you don’t have basically a melting fuse in the walls of your house. It also protects the equipment. But if your breaker is 30A and your wire is 15A (just as an example), that means your wire is actually the fuse or the breaker, and that’s very bad. Never ever put a bigger breaker in somewhere that keeps tripping for example.
Also, the 230v will mean you’ll have a suspiciously low current. So we thing “20A? For an ac?” Well, it’s 20a at 230. That’s like 40a at 120 in terms of power.
But do follow the recommendations and there’s no need to oversized the wire. That just costs more. And also consider the distance run for drops. Also glad you mentioned the no Romex in conduit. I’m finding a lot of that in this rewiring job.
I'll add on to how great it is to show your flaws and what you learned. Thanks for the honesty. I'm looking to add a couple split systems (AC/DC) soon this info help in my research. Thanks
I installed one Tosot in the living room. A 2nd one is on the way for the bedroom. I plan on using a white plastic downspout as the cover for the line set.
I used your initial video to help me so thanks for that. I actually ended up installing three units in a large shop and one regret I have is that I installed them to the outside wall using L-Brackets very similar to yours. I find the units to be quite loud in terms of vibrating the walls and I regret not putting them on a pedestal or something that was isolated from the building exterior. Several companies make stands for these and I wish I had used one....
GOOD POINT ON VIBRATING WALLS!! I also think a pedestal might be better. a cement footing.
Thank you I really enjoyed these videos
Thanks a lot for the 1 year review, n pointers.
Thank you for the video. It shows humility to admit some mistakes made. We are always learning. Aesthetics is important. I am the same way in that regard.
Thanks for your Vid man good stuff :) .
This video showed up after I was watching the other one! I left the comment as it was and jest letting you know am happy that you corrected the wiring coloration usage! I do however hope you changed the circuit breaker to the correct amperage for the unit! having that coil of tubing under the outside unit, be sure to add some protection in-case it's struck with an object whilst cutting your lawn or weed eating around the house/shop!
I put a 12K BTU Pioneer unit w/ the WiFi module in the basement in my last house. I cut the lines to length, pumped them down, etc. It worked really well, except for two things. One was that the drain line would occasionally get blocked by algae growth. It had the recommended slope and wasn't very long. As a result, several times I had water back up and run down the wall. I'm not sure if it was supposed to have a sensor for that or not, but if it did, it didn't work. The other problem with that model is overall temperature setting. It uses the handheld remote as a "thermostat", but it didn't do a very good job. I would much prefer to have a hardwired thermostat as an option. If the unit can't "see" the remote (which is an infrared based, not radio), it falls back to the internal sensor. Since mini-splits are usually mounted closer to the ceiling, it'll always thinks it's warmer than it actually is. But as far as cooling and heating the basement area, the overall reliability, and just how darn quiet they are, they're awesome.
Carrier & Trane Mitsubishi have an option for wired remotes. But of course they’re more pricey.
These mini splits typically don't have any way to tell you if the condensate drain is backed up. It is up to the user to check and maintain the drains.
On most brands, the remote just sends commands. It doesn't have a thermostat, and it doesn't "see" commands from the indoor unit. The indoor room temp is monitored by a sensor in the indoor unit, and the mini split's CPU manages the compressor and indoor/outdoor fans to maintain the preset temperature.
@@gregordiseth6651 Somewhat correct. You can configure the mini-split to use the temperature sent by the remote. Which means when you're not pointing the remote at the unit, you need to remember to set it down where the head can still "see" it, e.g., not pointing into the wall. As far as the condensate level, you'd think it would be easy enough to put a float switch or sensor in the drain pan under the coils and cut the unit off when water is present. Which is exactly what's in the condensate pump or drain pan of a typical household HVAC unit.
They have smaller condensate pumps you can fit behind these cassette units, you just need to wire it to the units electrical. I'm not really for DIY when it comes to this, its my job and there's a lot to it than people think especiallyrefrigeration.. but yeah get a condensate pump ,should help.
I had to run my line voltage through the attic from one garage to another and out to the disconnect. I have a low voltage friend who actually ran the wires in the attic but I made all the connections. He didn't want to use THHN as I wanted so mine also was all ran in one continuous piece of Romex. I have the inside unit above my Snap-On boxes with white lineset covers running down the inside garage wall mostly behind the boxes. I came out low so the lineset covers on the outside would be covered by the landscaping on the horizontal run to the condenser. All you see on the outside is the condenser hanging on the hurricane rated wall bracket. I ran brown covers on the outside to match the gutters even though you can't see them. I ran waterproof conduit under the outside lineset. I also placed the condenser far out enough that I didn't have any coiling. It really is a nice install.
While in general for split systems you cannot have coiled linesets, for mini splits, it's not actually bad. This is because they run at low superheat, and they have a bit of liquid refrigerant return so that oil doesn't get trapped.
Even Gree is OK with this, because with their units, a 10 ft lineset minimum length is mandatory.
I just put one in this week. I had a vacuum level of 68 microns after waiting 5 min after isolating from the vacuum pump. If you can't achieve that, you will have leaks, and ignoring it will only cause major issues later.
I installed mine last week -- 12000BTU Tosot with built-in WiFi, using your $100 discount code from your original video (thanks). I also insulated my garage overhead door and sealed things up pretty well. Loving that I can finally use my garage hobby shop in comfort during this endless FL heatwave. That reminds me: "Alexa, turn on garage ac" ('coz I'll be heading out there shortly).
Nice!
Did you pull a permit?
@@Mawyman2316 I'll plead the 5th to that. ;-) Heck, it's in a cinder-block garage!
After having mine installed for my A/C unit, I was told to spray foam the bottom end to seal it from critters accessing that runway to your attic.
Great job learning from your mistakes and putting out a video follow up
In the summer of 2020, I installed a MrCool mini-split in my shop. Then, in the Fall, I asked my A/C guy to shorten the lines to get rid of the large coil of excess line. He did it for less than $100. (He did it while he was checking the pressures and cleaning our other A/C units. IIRC, the amount he charged us in 2020 for the service call was less than $50 more than what he'd charged in 2019.) I think it's a great way to make sure your DIY install was done correctly and to get rid of excess length in your lines.
Love this video! I've had a split units in my garage for over ten years and they are fabulous!! I did a DIY around 12 years ago and it died a few years ago. Now I have a different brand but a name brand and it was installed by a professional. Mine is 110VAC with a remote control that has the sensor in it that the AC watches. I'm in Las Vegas and it's been 110F-115F for the last couple of weeks and the AC can keep up with it. I did get lucky because the only place I could put the outside unit is on the east side of the house, which puts it in the shade in the (hot) afternoon. Mine costs me about $100 per month to run.
100 a month for how many btu and or units?
Thanks for the video. I watched your install video and am thinking of a few mini splits. We built our home in 1989 and had central air with 2 zones. We added on with using the second zone which doesn’t work well for my office/ham shack and am planning on mini splits to replace that unit. Also I am building a wood/metal shop in the garage which I am going to put a mini split in with hanging plastic strips to not cool the car space but just the shop space. Thanks again for being transparent. Tell you wife I like being intentional too. 😂
Excellent video Brother
As an HVAC professional I am glad you kept the loop. The reason being is with inverter compressor systems they tend to migrate oil the loops ensure that you have proper oil return
How does that work ? Does the bottom of the loop not trap liquids ?
The reason is mini splits run at low superheat and expect liquid returns. So it just hits the accumulator and won't hurt the compressor.
Also if he were to remove some of the cover line it could change the amount of Refrigerant used in the system.
Clark, you give good information, HOWEVER, when looking into a Medigap plan in Georgia
I just bought two 9k BTU TOSOT mini splits for $529 each on a WOOT! flash deal. thanks for this video, made it an easy decision to snatch them up.
When ordering a lineset cover kit order a 4 inch kit. I have intalled three minisplits, on the first two I used 3 inch kits and on the third I used a 4 inch kit. The extra inch in width makes the install much easier.
About to do an install myself and found your updates useful. Only feedback is that the gauge of the wire is primarily relevant to the current flowing through it, not the voltage. Going with 220 system actually allows you to use thinner wire as current is half for the same amount of power over 110v lines.
If you are concerned with 220, keep in mind that it is symmetrical relative to neutral, so both phases are essentially 110v unless you happen to short them. In the next update perhaps you can dispel the idea that you need thicker wire to run such a (relatively) low power system.
Just to make sure you know, I appreciate your video's and your content, they are wonderful and have helped me a lot. Certainly didn't mean to disparage your channel or content with the comments about Whynter A/C systems being sold on Amazon.
I installed my unit in my travel trailer. Works so good. I used plastic downspouts to hide my tubing
I wish more DIY channels would do this kind of videos. There isn't a single project i had the afterthought ''well, i've done that perfectly'', i always wish i could redo it again or at the very least done some steps differently.
I still learn everytime i do something, and i always hit moments i have to stop and think about this unforeseen situation.
With all those homeowner experience years, i still have ''problems'' to solve everytime i'm on something, I can't help it.
Where i've improved the most tho, it's to give better estimate to my wife about how long i'll need to accomplish next project.
Me encantó tu vídeo muy informativo thanks a lot for sharing .
I don't have any regrets about any of my install, because my last unit was replacemented with a larger BTU rating. (1) I chose to mount my evaporator on my concrete foundation wall for 2 reasons; a - I had enough exposed concrete foundation to do so, but more importantly, b - since my split-mini is being used in my HT/audio listening room, I didn't want to risk possible vibrations from the condenser leaking into the room using the wall as a baffle. And, I offset the condenser as much as I could, away from the main install wall. So far so good.
(2) Another issue I had to deal with, with this new unit (Pioneer), was the pre-bent lineset coming from the inside evaporator. It would have been near impossible to bend them prior to putting them through the inside wall and making a 90 degree turn. There just wasn't enough room. So, I had to bend them on the outside and using my pipe bending tool, was not able to get a clean, short 90 degree bend coming down along the outside wall. The top 3rd of the lineset was sticking out from the outside wall withn a bigger bend than I wanted. So ultimately, I had to DIY a wood enclosure around the lineset that ran from the hole about halfway down the outside wall. It looks fine, but since my unit is on the backside of the house, it is not exposed to neighbors visually, as it back up to a 'forever green' easement on our property. I painted the enclosure the same color as our cedar siding and it blends in nicely. The other half of the lineset is covered with plastic shrouding you ended up using.
Excellent ! Thanks !
At least you fixed it and showed what you did wrong. That's more than i can say for most people these days
Great video. Wiring code is complicated for a DIYer as I found out. Romex inside conduit indoors might be OK, but leaving the plastic sheathing there is also a percentage of volume of the conduit cross sectional area that you can exceed. It's based on a formula and not easy to figure out. Romex can't be used at all in conduit outdoors, wet, or underground. Around my house there is lots of that done by licensed electricians. I stripped out 12/2 Romex from the sheathing and used the wires in conduit for a project. Also not to code. Same as THHN off a spool but not labeled. I heard some manufacturers have the specs on a data sheet that might be accepted. It's all accessible to pull new wire if needed. Where I'm at it's $200 per hour and they don't know when their electricians can get to you. Worry about code later or forget it.
These DYI mini-splits are great, a fraction of the cost. Mr. Cool units I've installed came with 25' lines. That's a lot to string out and avoid coiling, even if just for appearance. A coil looks hokey. Mr. Cool's pre-charged lines is a nice feature but they don't have a DYI 9,000 BTU model. Also, pre-charged lines if they need to be shortened means a lot things to consider well beyond a DIYer. Even 16' lines are a challenge for adjacent bedrooms. I just did 3 with Senville 9,000 BTU units.
I can appreciate a follow up with mistakes made. DIYers are bad about not doing that on here. You're electrical mistakes were not dangerous, but I am glad you took the time to correct them. As a DIYer myself, my goal is to do a project in a way that a pro wouldn't be able to tell a DIYer did it. I do this by learning the things needed well ahead of time. I usually take 6 months to read up and and watch various youtube videos before taking on a major project and did the same with my minisplit. Biggest mistake I see DIYers do with them is not bothering to flush the lineset with nitrogren a few times before putting them under a vacuum. It will work without that, but it is going to shorten the life of your unit to some degree.
Nitrogen test is a quick way to find leaks, but is not easy and cost effective for a DIYer. DIYers can check leaks without using nitrogen on a newly installed system by using a micron gauge and the refrigerant in the lineset.
@@acefr8816NO! Do not do this! You don't know how many times I've been called to a system that is not working and it is flat, because of this practice.
@@superscifi12 It is definitely doable without nitrogen. I agree that Nitrogen test is a quick way to check leak under positive pressure, but one can partially release the refrigerant, check for leak and then fully release the refrigerant and run it in heat mode to check for leak again to achieve the same result. The nitrogen is not going to be at higher pressure than the refrigerant under heat mode.
Thank you for sharing the links and your tips. No need to search lol 🙏🏽
for the line covers vinyl gutter down spouts work great
We used 4" plastic eaves trough turned against the wall with the line underneath it. It looks great, matches the trough on the house and gives me all the protection I need.
My thoughts exactly. How did you do the top of the gutter? Standard en dcap?
@@TheOldGuyPhil Exactly. Keeps water from running down the inside of the trough.
If stranded No. 16 AWG came with the unit, then it is correct and safe. Good video, enjoyed watching.
Enjoyed the follow up video and the regrets are pretty obvious. One thing I dislike about the DIY mini-splits are the coils of extra refrigeration line because they come pre-charged. I paid a HVAC contractor to do a proper install of the lines which consisted of evacuating, cutting to proper length, installing and recharging...$ well spent.
The unit I put in maybe 12-15 years ago was a DIY. Worked well but never great. It died a few years ago and like you, had a professional put this one it. It cools noticeably better, and in a Las Vegas summer, that's important.
the lines can be any length to a point , the charge is weighed in ,
@@VegasMikeP229More likely the new technology is what’s better, not the probinstallation.
Great to see the follow up. I will say our units in Arizona are struggling a little but we have had this record heat! When I say struggling a little the unit I installed down stairs is set to 72 and its 110-116 out and the room is still sitting at 74-78. So its still working like a champ and our electric bill has been running $100 or so less than usual. Very happy with our installs earlier this year.
Record heat??? That's funny. Do some research. 1913 still holds the records
Your problem might be the unit is just a little undersize for the area or needed more then one indoor unit. These systems are very forgiving and going up one size won't hurt anything.
@@Bryan-Hensley Are you saying that they aren't experiencing record heat?
@@keithwiebe1787 He is just a big bad RUclips toll.
@@johnunsicker7440 Yeah, I agree. The upstairs unit is definitely undersized and should have been larger. This install was sort of a proof of concept for me. Around here they are only "garage" units and most installers balk at installing them in the house. Yet they are used all over the world outside of the US. They are still saving us money this summer which proves their value. I think over the fall/winter I am going to install a few more in my office and guest room. Also upgrade the units already installed. We have used the main central AC very little so far.
I also installed a Tosot based on your videos to include the Sensibo although I am wishing I would have went another route (Sensibo) or waited until Tosot had the wifi option integrated in their units.
The electrical wire needs to match the breaker's ampacity. Some inspectors will check for this with a magnifying glass. I did the same instsallation an I'm using a 20A 2P. CB. Some localities won't allow the larger breaker, so you need to check carefully. Some inspectors will check to see if your circuit breaker is labeled as an "HACR" (Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) circuit breaker. Good job on your installation and your regrets are very honest👍👍👍👍
EXACTLY why I did the research on the companies in my area that do installations of these, a picked a few of the highly rated ones, got my estimates, and decided on one of those companies. Install went perfectly, taking about 3.5 hours. Could NEVER have done it myself with no issues, and I'm pretty darned handy. If you have any doubts in your ability to do the installation yourself, HIIRE a PROFESSIONAL COMPANY with a good reputation to do the job - it'll save many headaches. I'm loving my new mini split system.
Do you plan on doing a video on how to shorten the refrigerant lines? Thanks! BTW I'm a big fan of your DIY videos. Keep up the GREAT work! You have saved me tons of money doing the DIY thing.
Nils, saw the original last year and this update…A+. I have a pole barn, spray insulation but the trusses are 4’ on center. I was looking for a cassette system. Do you know whether or not they are as efficient?
I'm going with the EG4 unit. It has a built-in mppt solar charge controller. Just add some solar panels and you have free ac during the day.
Just like to add one thing. its not the voltage that determines the wire size; its the amperage. Actually a 220 volt can use a smaller wire size than a 110 volt because it it takes less amounts of amps to produce the same amount of power when increasing 110v to 220v. The formula is voltage x current = power. Just don't let 220 or 240 volts cause you to use a bigger wire size. Wire size is based on amps only. Thanks for adding the corrections.
Might want to add one more regret. I noticed that you used white zip ties to lace up the leftover tubing on the outside. Unfortunately white zip ties are not UV proof. Might want to take a few minutes and replace them with black zip ties. Other than that, great follow up video.
Thanks for the update. How big is your shop and is it detached from the house?
I learned from some HVAC guys, who were doing an install at my condo, that you want to minimize the refrigerant line length, or the unit won't work as well. About those line covers: it looks like the cover would have required an angle in your line near 90 degrees. I believe the HVAC guys said every right angle like that effectively adds 5 feet of length to your refrigerant lines, hurting the effectiveness of the unit. If you had added the 90 degree angle and also cut your lines shorter, those changes might have cancelled out.
Lolol. They used to leaved loops of copper line laying in attics because there were companies selling precharged units kits with 50ft of copper. One size fits most kind of deal, it easier just to leave the excess behind.
Using #10 THHN-2 is perfectly fine and efficient.
Cutting your tubing short depends on the manufacturer’s instructions.
But there is a reason that the manufacturer specifies a minimum tubing length, e.g., 3 m.
Cutting a 25’ set to 13’ is okay. Cutting a 10’ set to 3’ might create a problem.
Check with the manufacturer.
You can still add the pvc line cover for the pipes, you can use tape to mark over the white wire it's not even a big deal.
The breaker yes I would definitely go with a lower amp for future safety concerns.
those discolored are just a cheap AC tape, why bother by it? just buy new tape and wrap it
When covering refrigerant lines I used gutter down spouts and two 90 els and strap it to the wall.
I have been researching these for my wood shop and one thing I have come across is damaging the unit with shop dust. The fix is to add a filter box to the system. There have been many reports of limited life from these units without a filter box. You might want to look into it.
The shown line set cover is $5/foot. I used 2x3 inch vinyl downspouts to encase my total of 150 feet (4 indoor units). I used a saw to split it down the middle of the back side. Less than a dollar per foot.
no name units are junk
mitsubishi are best
Mitsubishi offers a 7 year Warranty. The ACiQ store-brand offered 11 years on the compressor. If it's junk, I will get them to replace it. Made by Midea, IIRC. @@user-li6ne4fk4g
that's not correct, get the proper line hide..it's better, and looks better
Be careful if you decide to shorten your lines, they're metric. A 1/4" flaring tool will not flare the 6mm line. Sure, you could wrap it with sandpaper, aluminum foil, or any of the other materials that have been used, but why? Get a flaring tool that's got metric and imperial. Great videos, big fan. I really like your style and delivery. I've watched many of your videos. And by the way, it's because of you that I took got a Tosot. My unit does have the WiFi and I can control it via Alexa, so that's super convenient!
I would add if you don’t already rubber isolator pads between the wall brackets and the condenser.
I got a Tosot based on your video. I installed it myself (except Disconnect Electric) and I am happy with mine. My garage/workshop temp runs at 78 in summer and 68 in winter. Perfect so far!
Power doesn’t limit itself because you change a breaker. You will not get less power consumption by changing a breaker. A device will pull what it designed to until the breaker trips if not properly rated. So having the correct rated breaker is the right thing to do for the proper over current protection. But your ac will not draw less because you down sized a breaker.