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) th-cam.com/users/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.
FYI, you checked the line set on the top section with soap and water, but you must have the refrigeration in the line to see if you have a leak, do this once you have the refrigerant in the lines in order to check for leaks, other than that, you did great. Thank you for posting
@@johnturner9924: Joe is saying you check the lines for leaks after you open the valves at the compressor. Not before. There is literally nothing to check. The lines come precharged means they are under vacuum. So when you open the valves at the compressor the lines become filled with the freeon. Then you check for leaks.
These are great diy units and it looks like people made some small recommendations to ensure your drain worked and there were no leaks. But anyone reading this please put your heat pump on a stand so if you have leftover pipe you can put it horizontally underneath. Having the role stand up that way vertically behind the unit causes areas for the oil that is added to the gas to collect. After some time this can be a cause of issues that include your compressor breaking down.
Make sure you always drill hole and angle downwards the drain needs pitch otherwise your units drain on will fill up and drip down inside of your wall. Very important
also In the manual it says to remove the filter and pour some water to verify that the water exits through the drain hose and does not sit in the unit. Has anyone done this? I opened up the front cover and removed the filter, are you supposed to pour the water over the fins ?
Just an FYI. We installed the non-DIY. Much much cheaper. All you need to do is nitrogen purge/vacuum the lines after hookup. The freon (410a) is already pre-loaded in the compressor. Our A/C guy did the last step for us - about 20 minutes of work. Our garage workshop is now awesome.
@@peterdutile8012 DuPont has all of the refrigerant patents/trademarks. That’s why when it runs out the EPA changes things because DuPont is in bed with the EPA.
I am going to ask a couple questions based on comments as well as a few myself. Any and all input from anyone will be appreciated. 1. I see you and others say they are pre-charged. Which is great... but what is holding the charge? When you hook them up... is there a seal on the inside that breaks when you tighten down the fitting(s)? One person below said it comes pre-charged with nitrogen. ??? If the unit is 410A where does the nitrogen go??? I dont think nitrogen would be the charge. That is usually used for pressure testing. It seems to me it would be pre-charged with 410A. But my main point/question is.... I am trying to determine how and why it is not really necessary to pull a vacuum. If there is no valve(s) on either end of the line sets.... like the cond unit itself.... what is holding the charge? Both on the line sets and the inside unit as well? 2. Has anyone pulled an amp draw on these to see exactly how many amps it pulls at peak start up as well when running? It would be nice to know.
1. Yes there is a seal inside that opens. You can hear it when it happens. 2. Download the installation instructions and you’ll have the answer. I installed a 30 AMP breaker, but that is likely overkill.
@@JasonExplainsThings Thanks! It would probably be clear as daylight if I saw it with my own eyes. But then I would have to buy it to see it. lol Anyways.... I saw that it will only be about 12 Amps probably 15 amps over time with wear and tear. I would definitely say 30 amps is not good. Improper protection. The larger the breaker the less protection you have. You may want to consider downsizing to 20 amp. Something may happen and You may be pulling more than 20 amps enough to ruin the unit or burn up a wire but not trip the breaker. Something to think about. But thanks again for info.... I come from refrigeration industry and I was trying to make sense of what held the pressured refrigerant inside but what would allow it to flow after connecting. SO there had to be a seal of some sort that once fully tightened would break that seal to let refrigerant flow. It would be advantageous for them to explain this to people. Probably would help sell a LOT more units... and more importantly.... keep a lot of negative comments down.... from people in the refrigeration industry (such as myself) and a lot of questions answered before asking... Thanks again!!!!
You do not pull a vacuum on the DIY kits. They are more friendly and need less tools. The ones that are not DIY do require a vacuum. They have different fittings on the line set
There is a separate piece to the wall sleeve so he is right it must have been missing. I have seen video where they installed the sleeve frome the ouside and facia frame backwards.
Welcome to the MRCOOL family! Your tutorial and install looks great. I also installed the 18K unit in my garage and shortly became the envy of my hood. With that said, I must share some info a few HVAC friends offered me. It was strongly suggested to me to not leave any excessive amount of the line set coiled during operation. This can create an improper oil trap on the suction line that will restrict proper flow to the condenser/compressor. Happy Cooling...
Only issue with the Mr cool diy kit is that the line sets already have the vacuum pulled so if you cut the lines to not leave the excess coiled up you'll then have to buy a vacuum pump and gauge set. You'll also then need to purge the system with nitrogen. So to keep it truly diy you'll most likely have some extra line set.
Plz don’t cut if you bought a DIY kit unless you want to recharge. You have to expand the excess line set somewhere, somehow. I choose to uncoil mine into the attic
Like you, I can only assume the sheathing/white foam has insulating properties. Not sure if removing could void any warranty issues down the road. I will offer that as I plumbed mine through the wall and into the attic to my outside unit, some of the sheathing was torn. My section of line set that is exposed to the outside elements still has this insulation. I also chose to camouflage it with a PVC line set cover kit. You can scoop this up from your friends at Amazon.
The extra line set should be horizontal and not sitting in the vertical position. It’s going to create an oil trap. Oil will not properly return to the compressor.
Why did you spray the connections at 7:20 when it wasn’t even pressurized? In order for the leak detection to work, something has to pressure the lines. You didn’t open up the lines till later one.
So is there any way to run the lineset from the indoor unit out of a hole that was below where it would sit? Is it all blocked off from coming down the interior wall first? I'd rather use an existing exhaust cut out than drill a new one way up on my inside and outside wall if possible.
I was thinking of installing a 12,000 btu system in my garage which is 400 square feet. Was curious how big your garage is and if you think mine would need the 18k size that you installed.
Doing mine this week, I'm getting confused on those big sheaths on lines Are they necessary for insulation they seem so bulky and not sure to cut them.off?
You can tell he didn't really read the directions. Lineset from inside unit should have been taped with condensate tube at the bottom. Hole through wall should have been drilled at slight downward angle. Not supposed to button up lines until you connect to the condenser and open the refrigerant valves. Only then does checking for leaks do anything. I have installed the same system, and this weekend I will be finishing up a second install (18k dual zone). You CAN disconnect the lines as long as you first shut both refrigerant valves on the condenser. I know, because I had to replace my gen 3 18k condenser (under warranty).
Hi,.. Is the line set directional?... That's to say.... R the connectors specific to the indoor /outdoor units? Mine came with no identifying marks to orient correctly.... Thanks.
@@JasonExplainsThings Hey,... thanks for the reply! I checked,..many many times and 3 days waiting for tech support at Mr Cool to respond.... Seems like no one remembers how they attached the lineset , or weather it mattered....
Jason Explains Things Hey thinking of getting the 12k unit. Does this company provide the black tape you wrapped around connectors when you connected the lineset to the line from unit. Also you said to wrap the excess coil with UV tape. Did they provide you that also? Thanks
How much of a rough estimate would it cost to hire an electrician to hook up all the electrical wiring considering the location of the electrical panel being 4 ft away from the mini split?
That lineset Is it precharged with refrigerant or Nitrogen? Manufacturers like Lennox, carrier, so on Charge the indoor unit with nitrogen to protect it from Moisture, air contamination Condenser unit precharged with refrigerant Nitrogen is non condensable & have to be vented Then vacuumed down to 500 micron at least B/C as soon as nitrogen is vented it'll be displaced by atmospheric air, humidity Air humidity will cause acid to be formed when it comes contactor with refrigerant oil If nitrogen is not vented you've just introduced non condensable gas into Refrigeration system
Hello, was looking at this mini split unit for my garage. I have a 800sf garage, was thinking to go with the 2 ton, but I need it more for heating the A/C, how is the heating in this unit, and is it possible to install indoors in garage attic? And if anyone who has used this unit, how is it overall?
Just a little tip if you are doing this, don't run the drain line up make sure its going down to pull the condensation down as it works with gravity and not a pump
Hello, just watched your video. The indoor unit seemed easy to install. What is powering the fan motor etc as i seen the 2 refrigerant lines and the drsin, is there a power wire that runs and we just dont see it?
We have an 18,000 BTU Mr. cool mini split. With the heater on the unit seems to go on and off is this normal? And the unit is not perfectly quiet is that normal? I have been searching videos and articles but cannot find any answers thank you for any input
I can hear it click on and off while heating. It's pretty darn quiet for me. About the same volume as a small desk fan. I'd check to see if you have dust buildup or something.
Lines are precharged and under pressure with valves that only open when you tighten the connection. Only thing in them is refrigerant under pressure, no air no moisture. .
Great video man. I am actually looking at getting the same one you have. I’m in the middle of building the house and getting permission from builder to drill my hole for the wiring from inside garage to exterior in advance before they put the hardy plank siding. Any ideas on where I can get the cardboard template ? Trying to get one in advance as I’m still a 3 months away from ordering the mini split. Thanks
Been thinking about getting this mini split. The package comes with 25ft of precharged line. I am a little tight in distance from indoor unit to outdoor unit. Is the length of line already attached to the indoor unit included in the 25ft or is the line actually 25 ft. The 3-4 feet extra attached to the indoor unit may make the difference as to whether I can make it work. I have watched a ton of videos on this mini split and yours was one of the best. Thanks.
You don't have to have the outdoor unit on the ground they make kits to mount it to the side of a house or building. You could easily gain the few feet you need with that. You really don't have 3 or 4 usable feet on the back of the indoor unit you have a foot at most
@@JasonExplainsThings you're doing a great job tho! It takes time to build that following and the quality of your videos will help to facilitate that. I'm going to use this vid to help install a split unit for my mom's room cuz she only has one small window. I definitely appreciate your help! Any home DIY how-to content is great! My next project is inspecting and correcting my attic insulation. Maybe that would be good content material for a future video? Broadening content to other categories like health & fitness would help as well. It's funny, I see some how-to videos throw in a (hot) female to help with their project to drive views and it works, lol
Mr. Explains Things won't talk electricity 😜... But I will. I can't imagine it being an issue for one key reason: voltage is constantly in flux, it'll drift from 240+ to 217ish at my house in Montana.
@@playgroundchooser correct. Most residential area are supplied 120/240 volts. As in the transformer that supply’s your house takes a given “primary” voltage (7200v, 14400v) and converts to “secondary” voltage. 120 volts phase to ground, 240 volts phase to phase. Most utilities are given a +- 5% allowance of voltage they give customers.
Sure, so my shop is 576 sq ft. The 12k is rated for a max square feet of 500. Especially since this is a shop/garage with large older doors I wanted to have overkill instead of going past the capacity of the heat pump. If it was under 500 I would’ve gone with the 12 k.
Hi Jason, thanks for the video. Question…. I’m getting one of these units within a week but for my garage they suggested 12K unit and I have a 2 car garage. Any reason why you got 18K for yours? I was thinking about an 18K seeing as I live in Miami Fl cause of the heat but the rep said I wouldn’t need it. What’s your thought? Thanks
I chose the 18k based on square footage. MR COOL‘s website has a page that gives different options based on square footage and ceiling height. 18K was slight overkill for my 24x24 foot shop.
@@JasonExplainsThings if you had to do it again would you go down to 12K. My garage is 22x21 with 10’ ceiling. My biggest concern is the heat here in Miami but with that said my garage will have very insulated doors (my next TH-cam project) and surrounded by concrete walls. I’m sorry, I know you can’t give me an answer but I’m asking whom ever can help as not to overkill the garage
@@JasonExplainsThings I have a question about the unit. My building is a detached garage( separate from my home) but close by. The building has electrical ran to it from the house main box. Will I need to run this system off that or install its own electrical box ?
Nope. That’s what the drain line from the inside unit running to the Outside is for. Only your head ( inside unit) has an evaporator coil that produces condensate. The condenser (outside unit) produces no water
@@johnrobinson1989 How about in the winter? My unit the coils freeze over, and the unit will defrost the coils by reversing direction for a while, which then causes it to drain water. In the air condition mode it does not do this, but for heating it does.
Awesome video Jason! A couple of questions, 1. What width of Line Set Hide Cover you used, if you were happy with the quality can you add that to the links in the description? 2. Can the line set exit to be on the left side of the air handler instead of the right? Thank you!
@@JasonExplainsThings What part of the US are you in? I'm looking at installing one in a similar sized garage in AZ and am curious to know which model I'd need.
@@DIYAroundTheHome I'll jump in here and try to answer. Look online and call Mr Cool. Too many factors can make this vary wildly. Is the garage insulated. Does it have windows? Are you planning on using it all summer or just when you want to work on stuff? Are you planning on pulling hot cars in the garage in July and then working on them. I did a 36K system for 750ft2 and it's overkill for now. I have not started parking inside yet and I wanted the extra power for when I do. Good luck, great systems.
@@JasonExplainsThings I don't know how old that sign is, but my folks have had it since the early 80s at least. Great find, those go for good money in the PNW.
Check your copper line sets that white ISO POLAR insulation is causing an acidic climate when wet that creates pin holes in the copper. I pulled out a run and put up a video of it leaking through little pin holes over a 15 ft span. Still have another 160 Ft to pull out and the suppliers and manufacturers are trying to hide the failure and pass costs on to you.
I have disconnected the lines to move the unit forgot to close the lines now I gotta see what’s going to happen. Also what refrigerant is needed in case I need to refill and anyone else not getting enough heat it’s just warm
Even if you close the lines you'll still loose refrigerant due to what's in the lines and indoor unit. You will now have to pull a vacuum and evacuate the whole system or you'll will have tons of issues, and you'll most likely not get very much heating and cooling. The refrigerant needed is 410a. You will need to se how much the system requires and have a accurate amount put in the system, this requires special tools. By disconnecting the system you have now made to where you will need a professional or a lot of special tools and the knowledge of hvac
Hard to say because I was recording a video at the same time. I installed the break out box for the electrical on a separate day as well. The pad took and afternoon to make and a few days to cure (you don't want to drill into concrete too soon). I'd say maybe 3-4 hours for the installation of the mini-split (for just that step).
Hi Justin, yeah I've been using it to heat quite a bit lately. I have a natural gas heater (that's been in the shop before I bought the house) that I use to heat the shop up from cold, but then I use the heat pump after that. It works great and is much quieter than the natural gas heater. I'd imagine it could do the job entirely on it's own. But since I have it I use the natural gas heater somewhat because it's cheaper to run.
@@JasonExplainsThings Laugh all you want, I have seen the federal emails which were sent to Mr. Cools lawyer, and according to the EPA, even changing or connecting pre-charged lines violates the law. But you are probably a paid influencer and do not give a darn as you got your unit free, with the Mr. Cool 'Mislead the public' Influencer guidelines right? Why not contact your Influencer contact back and ask them about DIY and Code 608, and are the DIYs legal?
Another great video - looks like the shop's really coming along! Looking forward to seeing more! Btw not sure if its just me, but TH-cam won't let me enable notifications for your channel... I get an error saying "This action is turned off for content made for kids".
That's really weird. I have all my videos and channel default as "not made for kids." If you could email me a screen grab at jasonexplainsthings@gmail.com I'll pass that along to TH-cam.
Your outdoor unit seems awfully close to your neighbor's wall. About as close as I want to put mine (Pionneer - about 55db) to my neighbor's bedroom... How loud is the outdoor unit? Did your neighbor hear anything?
@@JasonExplainsThings and so you do not hear that outdoor unit from inside your house? that'd be darn amazing indeed (I am just really concerned for my neighbor and how close 15ft this unit will be from their bedroom). Thanks!
It's no different then having a heat pump, people have them across the usa, can you occasionally hear them? Yes. Are they loud and annoying? Honestly no. They are really quite and rarely hear anything. Occasionally if it goes into defrost mode you may hear it that's about it. If you get permits and it's approved there isn't much the neighbors can say. Not to mention these are used in Europe and Asia where you will see 100s of them mounted to the sides of high rise apartment buildings.
For really specific instructions check out the linked PDF. I briefly talk about it in the video that you want (if I remember correctly) at least 6 inches from the ceiling. But the instructions go over that.
@@JasonExplainsThings I'm so sorry i fat fingered that lol how HIGH and low does the temp range? well your from WA state as am i, i was looking for a HVAC that can heat and cool. that being said does this do both? ALSO your videos are awesome man
@@JasonExplainsThings Home Depot gives many more options for hose length. For instance on a dual zone unit it will be labeled 1675 which means one 16 foot line and one 75 foot line. Right now, Lowes does not give you these options.
@@JasonExplainsThings yup...its wonderful when everything works. go read the reviews when it doesn't . I will be installing one next month not MC for various reasons.... THANK YOU for making your vid and those like you...seriously I really appreciate it you will indirectly have save me tons of $$...
I guess you now know you checked for the leak on the downspout line when there was no refrigerant in it. You said the "line" was pre-charged. Nope. The outdoor unit was pre-charged and until you opened the allen key value, there was no refrigerant in the line you previously checked for a leak.
Use a torque wrench. the specs are in the manual. If you get snow raise the outdoor unit. coil the extra piping horizontally so as not to cause an oil trap. talk about maintenance
Dude… I know. But the amount of hate you get from showing 220 wiring and not being an electrician (even though it’s not any more complicated than 110) is epic.
@@JasonExplainsThings But to be clear the indoor unit got it's electrical from the main condenser and the only electrical part from the head unit is to the condenser?
7:00 refrigerant lines are not pre-charged. 410A charge is inside the condenser unit. Don't care for having several feet of line just coiled up outside. I would cut lines to length and braise on new fittings.
The main cost of installing a heat pump is the HVAC (my buddy had one put in and it was $2500 in labor)... the wiring is easy and only costs maybe 1-2 hours of an electricians time. Also there's a video all about the wiring in the description. Cheers.
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) th-cam.com/users/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.
FYI, you checked the line set on the top section with soap and water, but you must have the refrigeration in the line to see if you have a leak, do this once you have the refrigerant in the lines in order to check for leaks, other than that, you did great. Thank you for posting
these lines come precharged
@@johnturner9924: Joe is saying you check the lines for leaks after you open the valves at the compressor. Not before. There is literally nothing to check. The lines come precharged means they are under vacuum. So when you open the valves at the compressor the lines become filled with the freeon. Then you check for leaks.
@@55afishead That was what I was saying.
These are great diy units and it looks like people made some small recommendations to ensure your drain worked and there were no leaks. But anyone reading this please put your heat pump on a stand so if you have leftover pipe you can put it horizontally underneath. Having the role stand up that way vertically behind the unit causes areas for the oil that is added to the gas to collect. After some time this can be a cause of issues that include your compressor breaking down.
Make sure you always drill hole and angle downwards the drain needs pitch otherwise your units drain on will fill up and drip down inside of your wall. Very important
also In the manual it says to remove the filter and pour some water to verify that the water exits through the drain hose and does not sit in the unit. Has anyone done this? I opened up the front cover and removed the filter, are you supposed to pour the water over the fins ?
I doubt it would make a big difference in that thin wall, so relax
Just an FYI. We installed the non-DIY. Much much cheaper. All you need to do is nitrogen purge/vacuum the lines after hookup. The freon (410a) is already pre-loaded in the compressor. Our A/C guy did the last step for us - about 20 minutes of work. Our garage workshop is now awesome.
Great advice.
Not Freon! That went away! It’s Puron or just R410a! Freon is a registered trade mark of DuPont.
@@peterdutile8012 I remember that time I Xerox'd a document too. I did specify R410a ...pedantic much?
@@peterdutile8012 DuPont has all of the refrigerant patents/trademarks. That’s why when it runs out the EPA changes things because DuPont is in bed with the EPA.
Third gen does not have charged lines so it is best to check for leaks only after opening the freon lines with the allen wrench.
You have video for isolation for garage door
Great presentation, you've got a knack for making videos.
I am going to ask a couple questions based on comments as well as a few myself. Any and all input from anyone will be appreciated.
1. I see you and others say they are pre-charged. Which is great... but what is holding the charge? When you hook them up... is there a seal on the inside that breaks when you tighten down the fitting(s)? One person below said it comes pre-charged with nitrogen. ??? If the unit is 410A where does the nitrogen go??? I dont think nitrogen would be the charge. That is usually used for pressure testing. It seems to me it would be pre-charged with 410A. But my main point/question is.... I am trying to determine how and why it is not really necessary to pull a vacuum. If there is no valve(s) on either end of the line sets.... like the cond unit itself.... what is holding the charge? Both on the line sets and the inside unit as well?
2. Has anyone pulled an amp draw on these to see exactly how many amps it pulls at peak start up as well when running? It would be nice to know.
1. Yes there is a seal inside that opens. You can hear it when it happens.
2. Download the installation instructions and you’ll have the answer. I installed a 30 AMP breaker, but that is likely overkill.
@@JasonExplainsThings Thanks! It would probably be clear as daylight if I saw it with my own eyes. But then I would have to buy it to see it. lol Anyways.... I saw that it will only be about 12 Amps probably 15 amps over time with wear and tear. I would definitely say 30 amps is not good. Improper protection. The larger the breaker the less protection you have. You may want to consider downsizing to 20 amp. Something may happen and You may be pulling more than 20 amps enough to ruin the unit or burn up a wire but not trip the breaker. Something to think about. But thanks again for info.... I come from refrigeration industry and I was trying to make sense of what held the pressured refrigerant inside but what would allow it to flow after connecting. SO there had to be a seal of some sort that once fully tightened would break that seal to let refrigerant flow. It would be advantageous for them to explain this to people. Probably would help sell a LOT more units... and more importantly.... keep a lot of negative comments down.... from people in the refrigeration industry (such as myself) and a lot of questions answered before asking... Thanks again!!!!
@@adamgusse9484 agreed 30 amp not really protection other than a short
You do not pull a vacuum on the DIY kits. They are more friendly and need less tools. The ones that are not DIY do require a vacuum. They have different fittings on the line set
Hello the piece you we’re looking for is in the inside of the house.
The hole on inside is covered by the blower unit. Reverse the tube
There is a separate piece to the wall sleeve so he is right it must have been missing. I have seen video where they installed the sleeve frome the ouside and facia frame backwards.
Do you have a link to the sound deadening pad and insulation you used to wrap the refrigerant lines?
Included with the heat pump. 👍
Welcome to the MRCOOL family! Your tutorial and install looks great. I also installed the 18K unit in my garage and shortly became the envy of my hood. With that said, I must share some info a few HVAC friends offered me. It was strongly suggested to me to not leave any excessive amount of the line set coiled during operation. This can create an improper oil trap on the suction line that will restrict proper flow to the condenser/compressor. Happy Cooling...
Only issue with the Mr cool diy kit is that the line sets already have the vacuum pulled so if you cut the lines to not leave the excess coiled up you'll then have to buy a vacuum pump and gauge set. You'll also then need to purge the system with nitrogen. So to keep it truly diy you'll most likely have some extra line set.
Plz don’t cut if you bought a DIY kit unless you want to recharge. You have to expand the excess line set somewhere, somehow. I choose to uncoil mine into the attic
Just make sure the excess coil is stored in a horizontal orientation to avoid the oil trap situation
Hello is the bulky white sheath necessary to keep? I assume its for insulation? Just seems very bulky. Ty
Like you, I can only assume the sheathing/white foam has insulating properties. Not sure if removing could void any warranty issues down the road. I will offer that as I plumbed mine through the wall and into the attic to my outside unit, some of the sheathing was torn. My section of line set that is exposed to the outside elements still has this insulation. I also chose to camouflage it with a PVC line set cover kit. You can scoop this up from your friends at Amazon.
@4:09 shouldn’t that hole be at a non-level/downward direction for condensate drainage?
Shouldn’t be a problem. The hose starts up higher inside the unit. And I followed the instructions pretty darn closely. :-)
The extra line set should be horizontal and not sitting in the vertical position. It’s going to create an oil trap. Oil will not properly return to the compressor.
Why did you spray the connections at 7:20 when it wasn’t even pressurized? In order for the leak detection to work, something has to pressure the lines. You didn’t open up the lines till later one.
The lines are pre-charged. See my update video addressing this criticism and linked references.
So is there any way to run the lineset from the indoor unit out of a hole that was below where it would sit? Is it all blocked off from coming down the interior wall first? I'd rather use an existing exhaust cut out than drill a new one way up on my inside and outside wall if possible.
I'd check out the linked instructions or email Mr Cool to answer those questions.
Hi. Is there supposed to be a "whooshing" sound when connecting the bottom refrigerant connection? Can't find anything on this. Thanks
Yes, I heard a slight noise like that.
I noticed that little portage a/c unit in your garage with the vent tube going out the window! Was that not enough to cool down your garage?
I was thinking of installing a 12,000 btu system in my garage which is 400 square feet. Was curious how big your garage is and if you think mine would need the 18k size that you installed.
Was also thi king 12000
What’d you go with? Debating on the mini split vs a 12,000 BTU window unit for my garage as well
Very useful video. What kind of Romex did you go with: 10/3 or 10/2?
Check the install instruction pdf for all that info. I wired it up based on that.
Doing mine this week, I'm getting confused on those big sheaths on lines
Are they necessary for insulation they seem so bulky and not sure to cut them.off?
If you remove the insulation you will be losing efficiency cause the the cooling run will absorb outside heat before it can cool inside.
When you opened up the valve did you leave them open and started the mini split or did you close them back up
Leave them open.
what are the dimensions of the concrete pad you made?
What was that little black piece you used to fill up the dead space in the hole you fed the communication cable through on the condenser?
):
You can tell he didn't really read the directions. Lineset from inside unit should have been taped with condensate tube at the bottom. Hole through wall should have been drilled at slight downward angle. Not supposed to button up lines until you connect to the condenser and open the refrigerant valves. Only then does checking for leaks do anything. I have installed the same system, and this weekend I will be finishing up a second install (18k dual zone).
You CAN disconnect the lines as long as you first shut both refrigerant valves on the condenser. I know, because I had to replace my gen 3 18k condenser (under warranty).
Hi,.. Is the line set directional?... That's to say.... R the connectors specific to the indoor /outdoor units? Mine came with no identifying marks to orient correctly.... Thanks.
This was almost a year ago, but if I remember right I don’t think it mattered. Check the instructions though. :-)
@@JasonExplainsThings Hey,... thanks for the reply! I checked,..many many times and 3 days waiting for tech support at Mr Cool to respond.... Seems like no one remembers how they attached the lineset , or weather it mattered....
Can this unit be wall mounted on the exterior like some of the other garage units available?
Yep. They sell a Mount I believe.
Jason Explains Things Hey thinking of getting the 12k unit. Does this company provide the black tape you wrapped around connectors when you connected the lineset to the line from unit. Also you said to wrap the excess coil with UV tape. Did they provide you that also? Thanks
Yes, and yes. :-). Although I did run out of the UV tape.
I only wish my exterior wall was this easy to drill thru, I have concrete blocks and lathe on top of that. Its a nightmare
How much of a rough estimate would it cost to hire an electrician to hook up all the electrical wiring considering the location of the electrical panel being 4 ft away from the mini split?
That my friend is a question with so many variables I'd have no way to give you an estimate.
Still running well ?
That lineset Is it precharged with refrigerant or Nitrogen?
Manufacturers like Lennox, carrier, so on
Charge the indoor unit with nitrogen to protect it from
Moisture, air contamination
Condenser unit precharged with refrigerant
Nitrogen is non condensable & have to be vented
Then vacuumed down to 500 micron at least
B/C as soon as nitrogen is vented it'll be displaced by atmospheric air, humidity
Air humidity will cause acid to be formed when it comes contactor with refrigerant oil
If nitrogen is not vented you've just introduced non condensable gas into Refrigeration system
Hello, was looking at this mini split unit for my garage. I have a 800sf garage, was thinking to go with the 2 ton, but I need it more for heating the A/C, how is the heating in this unit, and is it possible to install indoors in garage attic? And if anyone who has used this unit, how is it overall?
Did you figure things out yet?
Do you have a link for the bolts you used to secure the compressor?
Do you know what model number this is?
Can i install this on an interior wall and run the lines up and through the attic?
Yeah I've seen a few people did it that way. You'll just want to make sure the lines are long enough.
Just a little tip if you are doing this, don't run the drain line up make sure its going down to pull the condensation down as it works with gravity and not a pump
Hello, just watched your video. The indoor unit seemed easy to install. What is powering the fan motor etc as i seen the 2 refrigerant lines and the drsin, is there a power wire that runs and we just dont see it?
Yeah there's a power cord as well along with the refrigerant lines and drain hose.
We have an 18,000 BTU Mr. cool mini split. With the heater on the unit seems to go on and off is this normal? And the unit is not perfectly quiet is that normal? I have been searching videos and articles but cannot find any answers thank you for any input
I can hear it click on and off while heating. It's pretty darn quiet for me. About the same volume as a small desk fan. I'd check to see if you have dust buildup or something.
@@JasonExplainsThings OK thank you I’m calling Mr. cool tomorrow to see if there’s someone in my area who can do a service
Can these wall-mounted units be mounted to the ceiling?
Check the linked install instructions, but I’m pretty sure they need to be mounted to a wall.
What about all of the air and moisture in the lines running to the head unit? No mention of any means to manage that?
That’s what the condensation hose is for.
Condensation hose? Lol no that’s for condensation. Think he’s talking about the copper lines that you never bothered to pull a vacuum on.
@@DuragDusse Exactly. Still don’t understand how these DIY systems get around that.
Lines are precharged and under pressure with valves that only open when you tighten the connection. Only thing in them is refrigerant under pressure, no air no moisture. .
What knife?
Great video man. I am actually looking at getting the same one you have. I’m in the middle of building the house and getting permission from builder to drill my hole for the wiring from inside garage to exterior in advance before they put the hardy plank siding. Any ideas on where I can get the cardboard template ? Trying to get one in advance as I’m still a 3 months away from ordering the mini split. Thanks
Hmmm... great question. Not sure. I think the basic measurements are online, for people that lose the template. But I’m not sure.
Email the Mr cool customer service. They most likely won't send you a template but the will give you a picture wth measurements and layout
Been thinking about getting this mini split. The package comes with 25ft of precharged line. I am a little tight in distance from indoor unit to outdoor unit. Is the length of line already attached to the indoor unit included in the 25ft or is the line actually 25 ft. The 3-4 feet extra attached to the indoor unit may make the difference as to whether I can make it work. I have watched a ton of videos on this mini split and yours was one of the best. Thanks.
I honestly don’t know. That’s a great question.
You don't have to have the outdoor unit on the ground they make kits to mount it to the side of a house or building. You could easily gain the few feet you need with that. You really don't have 3 or 4 usable feet on the back of the indoor unit you have a foot at most
@@T6Tarek Thanks for the reply. As it is, I have already bought and installed the unit. Works great so far, and I had plenty of length in the line.
Great EVERYTHING! Clear and straightforward how-to with great editing and sound. I LOVE the quick but not annoying Instagram plug too!
Thanks man. I try to make the “go here” and subscribe messages as low impact as possible. Growing a channel is tough.
@@JasonExplainsThings you're doing a great job tho! It takes time to build that following and the quality of your videos will help to facilitate that. I'm going to use this vid to help install a split unit for my mom's room cuz she only has one small window. I definitely appreciate your help! Any home DIY how-to content is great! My next project is inspecting and correcting my attic insulation. Maybe that would be good content material for a future video? Broadening content to other categories like health & fitness would help as well.
It's funny, I see some how-to videos throw in a (hot) female to help with their project to drive views and it works, lol
The unit says 230 volt I'm in the USA will 220 volt work or the same ?
I’d guess so, but I’d check with them.
Mr. Explains Things won't talk electricity 😜... But I will.
I can't imagine it being an issue for one key reason: voltage is constantly in flux, it'll drift from 240+ to 217ish at my house in Montana.
@@playgroundchooser correct. Most residential area are supplied 120/240 volts. As in the transformer that supply’s your house takes a given “primary” voltage (7200v, 14400v) and converts to “secondary” voltage. 120 volts phase to ground, 240 volts phase to phase. Most utilities are given a +- 5% allowance of voltage they give customers.
220 230 240 ok to run with here in fl power goes up n down😏
Great video, I am in search for one that has a cooling only feature since I love in Florida. Does anyone know if mrcool sells that model?
just dont' turn the heat function on. you'll save about $100 vs one that is AC only and code requires heat in most areas.
Hi. Can you explain why you chose 18k vs 12k. your shop looks like less than 500sqft?
Sure, so my shop is 576 sq ft. The 12k is rated for a max square feet of 500. Especially since this is a shop/garage with large older doors I wanted to have overkill instead of going past the capacity of the heat pump. If it was under 500 I would’ve gone with the 12 k.
Thanks! Love your channel!
Hi Jason, thanks for the video. Question…. I’m getting one of these units within a week but for my garage they suggested 12K unit and I have a 2 car garage. Any reason why you got 18K for yours? I was thinking about an 18K seeing as I live in Miami Fl cause of the heat but the rep said I wouldn’t need it. What’s your thought? Thanks
I chose the 18k based on square footage. MR COOL‘s website has a page that gives different options based on square footage and ceiling height. 18K was slight overkill for my 24x24 foot shop.
@@JasonExplainsThings if you had to do it again would you go down to 12K. My garage is 22x21 with 10’ ceiling. My biggest concern is the heat here in Miami but with that said my garage will have very insulated doors (my next TH-cam project) and surrounded by concrete walls. I’m sorry, I know you can’t give me an answer but I’m asking whom ever can help as not to overkill the garage
@@JasonExplainsThings I have a question about the unit. My building is a detached garage( separate from my home) but close by. The building has electrical ran to it from the house main box. Will I need to run this system off that or install its own electrical box ?
What about vacuuming out the air?
For that you'd want an air cleaner or filtration system. The heat pump has some filtration.
Did the kit come with the tape you wrapped around the lines?
Yep.
I know this is late, but what do you think about the 1981 d150?
I'm curious if the outside unit drips water or produces condensation?
There is a drain I believe. That’s why it’s elevated on feet a bit.
Nope. That’s what the drain line from the inside unit running to the Outside is for. Only your head ( inside unit) has an evaporator coil that produces condensate. The condenser (outside unit) produces no water
@@johnrobinson1989 How about in the winter? My unit the coils freeze over, and the unit will defrost the coils by reversing direction for a while, which then causes it to drain water. In the air condition mode it does not do this, but for heating it does.
Both inside and outside are condenser depending if in heat or cool mode. As such they both have to drain.
Awesome video Jason! A couple of questions, 1. What width of Line Set Hide Cover you used, if you were happy with the quality can you add that to the links in the description? 2. Can the line set exit to be on the left side of the air handler instead of the right? Thank you!
1. Idk
2. It must exit on the right
2nd gen allowed for line set to exit on either side, read instruction manual to verify if 3rd gen has that option. I bet it does.
Use wood screws to mount the plate to the studs, not deck screws, but good video.
oh Jesus
Great video! You’ve got lots of energy. How big is y
The space your cooling?
24’x24’
@@JasonExplainsThings What part of the US are you in? I'm looking at installing one in a similar sized garage in AZ and am curious to know which model I'd need.
@@DIYAroundTheHome I'll jump in here and try to answer. Look online and call Mr Cool. Too many factors can make this vary wildly. Is the garage insulated. Does it have windows? Are you planning on using it all summer or just when you want to work on stuff? Are you planning on pulling hot cars in the garage in July and then working on them. I did a 36K system for 750ft2 and it's overkill for now. I have not started parking inside yet and I wanted the extra power for when I do. Good luck, great systems.
Oh man! I love that Rainier beer sign. My folks have had the same one hanging in their dining room since I was a kid.
My wife found that for me. Super Awesome.
@@JasonExplainsThings I don't know how old that sign is, but my folks have had it since the early 80s at least. Great find, those go for good money in the PNW.
I’m digging the steel toe safety flip flops. Where can one acquire such footwear?
LOL... I wish I could remember because they're falling apart and I love those flip flops.
Check your copper line sets that white ISO POLAR insulation is causing an acidic climate when wet that creates pin holes in the copper. I pulled out a run and put up a video of it leaking through little pin holes over a 15 ft span. Still have another 160 Ft to pull out and the suppliers and manufacturers are trying to hide the failure and pass costs on to you.
That's funny to spray soft & water on the 1st valve to test if there's a leak without running the refrigerant in it? 😂 Anyway nice video tutorial.
Thank you I have been waiting for a few months to install mine as I am afraid of screwing it up you have helped me so much.
Fantastic.
I have disconnected the lines to move the unit forgot to close the lines now I gotta see what’s going to happen. Also what refrigerant is needed in case I need to refill and anyone else not getting enough heat it’s just warm
Even if you close the lines you'll still loose refrigerant due to what's in the lines and indoor unit. You will now have to pull a vacuum and evacuate the whole system or you'll will have tons of issues, and you'll most likely not get very much heating and cooling. The refrigerant needed is 410a. You will need to se how much the system requires and have a accurate amount put in the system, this requires special tools. By disconnecting the system you have now made to where you will need a professional or a lot of special tools and the knowledge of hvac
Once you do that you have to hire a professional, handling refrigerant requires a EPA license which usually hvac professional carries.
How many hours did this take to install?
Hard to say because I was recording a video at the same time. I installed the break out box for the electrical on a separate day as well. The pad took and afternoon to make and a few days to cure (you don't want to drill into concrete too soon). I'd say maybe 3-4 hours for the installation of the mini-split (for just that step).
Was hoping we were talking about the compressor being in the garage
Great stuff! Thanks for the video
You’re welcome! With temps in the 100’s it’s a life saver. Also check out my video about adding a radiant barrier to garage doors. Also a big help.
Is Mr Cool the only choice for self-charged diy systems?
It’s the only option I’m aware of. Holding up nicely 6 months later.
I know it's because the lines are pre-charged...but I can't stand that loop of lines. Looks great otherwise though!
Totally agree. It would be nice if they maybe gave you a couple options for per-determined lengths.
@@JasonExplainsThings They do, they have a 16ft precharged line.
How well does it heat? Have you tried it yet?
Hi Justin, yeah I've been using it to heat quite a bit lately. I have a natural gas heater (that's been in the shop before I bought the house) that I use to heat the shop up from cold, but then I use the heat pump after that. It works great and is much quieter than the natural gas heater. I'd imagine it could do the job entirely on it's own. But since I have it I use the natural gas heater somewhat because it's cheaper to run.
@@JasonExplainsThings how far north are you?
Great job,thanks
Nice video. However under code 608 of the EPA, installing D.I.Y units yourself if not a HVAC certified and licensed technician is illegal.
🤣
@@JasonExplainsThings Laugh all you want, I have seen the federal emails which were sent to Mr. Cools lawyer, and according to the EPA, even changing or connecting pre-charged lines violates the law. But you are probably a paid influencer and do not give a darn as you got your unit free, with the Mr. Cool 'Mislead the public' Influencer guidelines right? Why not contact your Influencer contact back and ask them about DIY and Code 608, and are the DIYs legal?
@@mrcoolhvactruths Code 608 Enforcer to the rescue!!!
you did help me make my choice,thank you
Another great video - looks like the shop's really coming along! Looking forward to seeing more!
Btw not sure if its just me, but TH-cam won't let me enable notifications for your channel... I get an error saying "This action is turned off for content made for kids".
That's interesting, maybe he changed something recently. I've enabled notifications, but it was awhile ago.
That's really weird. I have all my videos and channel default as "not made for kids." If you could email me a screen grab at jasonexplainsthings@gmail.com I'll pass that along to TH-cam.
Will do 👍🏻
Sent to TH-cam. It’s definitely not set as “for kids” so I have no idea why it did that. Thanks man!
@@JasonExplainsThings Sure thing.
Your outdoor unit seems awfully close to your neighbor's wall. About as close as I want to put mine (Pionneer - about 55db) to my neighbor's bedroom... How loud is the outdoor unit? Did your neighbor hear anything?
Not my neighbor... that’s just the side of my house (installed in a shop). 👍
Its also pretty darn quiet.
@@JasonExplainsThings and so you do not hear that outdoor unit from inside your house? that'd be darn amazing indeed (I am just really concerned for my neighbor and how close 15ft this unit will be from their bedroom). Thanks!
It's no different then having a heat pump, people have them across the usa, can you occasionally hear them? Yes. Are they loud and annoying? Honestly no. They are really quite and rarely hear anything. Occasionally if it goes into defrost mode you may hear it that's about it. If you get permits and it's approved there isn't much the neighbors can say. Not to mention these are used in Europe and Asia where you will see 100s of them mounted to the sides of high rise apartment buildings.
Is the indoor unit powered from the outside unit via the “communications wires” or does it require it’s own separate power supply?
The wiring from indoor to outdoor includes power.
hey great job on this video! my question to you is how hight and low can you set the temp? I WANT TO BUY THIS BUT HAVE THAT MAIN QUESTION
For really specific instructions check out the linked PDF. I briefly talk about it in the video that you want (if I remember correctly) at least 6 inches from the ceiling. But the instructions go over that.
@@JasonExplainsThings I'm so sorry i fat fingered that lol how HIGH and low does the temp range? well your from WA state as am i, i was looking for a HVAC that can heat and cool. that being said does this do both? ALSO your videos are awesome man
Thanks for the video man.
Have a good one.
Total cost?
Didn't include an exact price because it fluctuates a lot. Links in the description go right to it.
Thanks
You could have bought the 16' hose rather than the 25'. Losing heat/cooling through that extra hose.
That wasn’t an option with Lowe’s, but yeah that would be great.
@@JasonExplainsThings Home Depot gives many more options for hose length. For instance on a dual zone unit it will be labeled 1675 which means one 16 foot line and one 75 foot line. Right now, Lowes does not give you these options.
LOL you will need an HVAC tech if you want warranty....love the DIY and warranty conflict...have fun.
Over 2 years later and hasn't skipped a beat.
@@JasonExplainsThings yup...its wonderful when everything works. go read the reviews when it doesn't . I will be installing one next month not MC for various reasons.... THANK YOU for making your vid and those like you...seriously I really appreciate it you will indirectly have save me tons of $$...
I guess you now know you checked for the leak on the downspout line when there was no refrigerant in it. You said the "line" was pre-charged. Nope. The outdoor unit was pre-charged and until you opened the allen key value, there was no refrigerant in the line you previously checked for a leak.
So you know more than the manufacturer? I hope you called them up to correct them. mrcool.com/blog/pre-charged-line-sets-real-right/
you are too damn smart for your own good. ASSuming you know how these DiY kits work. OK genius, time to apologize and eat crow.
so why are you just repeating what others said? fell better?
good job bro. just for future, please keep the music level low.
Use a torque wrench. the specs are in the manual. If you get snow raise the outdoor unit. coil the extra piping horizontally so as not to cause an oil trap. talk about maintenance
“Let’s move on to electrical!” “Okay so not showing electrical.”
Lmao Good straight forward video though.
Dude… I know. But the amount of hate you get from showing 220 wiring and not being an electrician (even though it’s not any more complicated than 110) is epic.
@@JasonExplainsThings But to be clear the indoor unit got it's electrical from the main condenser and the only electrical part from the head unit is to the condenser?
Looks nice lord, i need one like this installed, any suggestion? in Charlotte, NC
Nice video. On a side note your kids must watch alot of blippi
Great video, i am a diy guy so i am going to put one in my shop next month. Take care, god bless
Nice! Have fun!
Save money now call a hvac tech next year hahah
only if the line set leaks, otherwise good to go.
Works perfectly with no issues over a year later.
Nice
hvac owner here. ok so not bad but hate the left over coil of line you have there. definitely diy for cheap.
Gr8! TY!
Thanks for the info good job explaining everything 🕎🕎
Thanks!
You drained it into your foundation?
7:00 refrigerant lines are not pre-charged. 410A charge is inside the condenser unit. Don't care for having several feet of line just coiled up outside. I would cut lines to length and braise on new fittings.
Wrong. To find the answer all you need to do is check the instruction pdf I linked too in the description.
@@JasonExplainsThings I stand corrected..
I hope everyone installs these DIY mini splits themselves. It'll keep all the HVAC guys in business.
Running perfectly years later. Sorry to disappoint.
I love how most of these videos they skip the steps when it comes to wiring to your home ele box!
Reason for it is the amount of hate you get for showing wiring on TH-cam. I linked to a PDF that shows everything you need.
did you actually watch the video where he explains why?
I could still hear you, so I did click on another video... Then I had to come back to comment...
Good... Gooooooood.
Also should of put the outdoor up on legs to get off the ground for defrost ans snow since its a heat pump
isn't the whole point of the install video - installing the electrical
The main cost of installing a heat pump is the HVAC (my buddy had one put in and it was $2500 in labor)... the wiring is easy and only costs maybe 1-2 hours of an electricians time. Also there's a video all about the wiring in the description. Cheers.
your lines were not pressurized with +or - pressure when you tested for leaks not good.
If you don’t believe me you can read the linked instructions which I was following throughout the project.
I BET ,HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEAKS,THE LINE WASN'T CHARGED LOL
Lines are charged. You can check my update video that has linked resources.
Rolling up the lineset is the fucking worst idea ever. I do hvac for a living and wow what a bad idea.