DIY Mini-Split Install: I did NOT expect this...
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ค. 2023
- Thanks to MRCOOL: mrcooldiy.com/
Subscribe and follow my Podcast on Apple or Spotify!
Apple: apple.co/32AOwgU
Spotify: spoti.fi/3FXNg4X
Sign up for our twice-weekly newsletter:
buildshownetwork.com/newsletter
To sponsor a video or advertise with us visit:
www.buildproductions.com
Want to learn more about building? thebuildshow.com/
The Build Show on Instagram: / thebuildshow
Huge thanks to our Show sponsors Builders FirstSource, Polyguard, Huber, Rockwool & Viewrail for helping to make these videos possible! These are all trusted companies that Matt has worked with for years and trusts their products in the homes he builds. We would highly encourage you to check out their websites for more info.
www.bldr.com/
polyguard.com/
www.Huberwood.com
www.Viewrail.com
www.Rockwool.com
![[TH] VCT Masters Shanghai Playoffs DAY 3 // FNC vs FUT | EDG vs PRX](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pw2T5v0ogDI/mqdefault.jpg)
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA GF D2 | Summer | ร่วมส่งแรงใจ เชียร์ไทยไปพร้อมกัน](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dN2gLsCJ0T0/mqdefault.jpg)
In the summer of 2020, I installed a 12k MrCool mini-split in my detached 1-car garage-size shop. Then, in the fall, I asked our A/C tech to inspect my installation when he was doing the annual maintenance of our A/C units. I also asked him to shorten the lines for me. He charged me less than $100 to shorten the lines. Having the A/C professional check my work made this DIYer feel more comfortable.
The MrCool unit has done everything I could have asked of it. Even when it get above 115 degrees here in Arizona, my shop stays cool. My only regret is not doing it sooner!
Yup... I know an hvac guy from the start. I just set the equipement and i let him do the linsets and filling and checking. I just do the grunt work of carrying heavy equipment up into the attic etc.
Not many heating/AC companies will work on the DIY systems.
They want the huge installation fees. Typically 2.5 X cost of the unit in just labor.
This is in total response to the attitude of the HVAC industry and the monopoly their installers impose. Look at the online prices for minisplit components, and then get quotes for the same units for your friendly neighborhood HVAC installer. They typically mark up components by 100%, and then add labor on top of that. Yep, of course Mr. Cool is gonna jump in an exploit this ridiculous situation. And now you have respected TH-camrs like Matt and April Wilkerson endorsing this. I plan to install a 2-zone 36K unit for the shop my wife and I share.
You are dead right. However, the problem DIY homeowners are going to run into is that no HVAC contractors will service a Mr Cool once it eventually runs into a problem (be it 1, 2 or 7 years from now,). They refuse to work on them.
Here in my market you can purchase 2 or maybe even 3 DIY units for the cost that local companies will charge you for their equipment + install.
@@Monkeyseemonkey79Exactly. None want to service these units.
@@Monkeyseemonkey79It would still be cheaper to throw it away and buy a new one, than having a HVAC contractor install one.
I bought one like this, installed it DIY. It broke, I called the company and they had an HVAC tech trouble shoot on the phone with me. They then overnighted the circuit board that fried to my house. I’ll never have an HVAC contractor to my house again - I have been ripped off one too many times.
HVAC is going to be a very hot topic for the next few years. Great to see @buildshow tackle this from a DIY perspective. Protip: Before sealing up the penetration, put in some steel wool. Mice will eat through foam but the steel wool stops them.
That is a very important tip!
Sorry, what is the "penetration" ?
The hole in the wall where the lines go from the outside to the inside unit. @@MadLadsAnonymous
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.
This is totally doable for a diy person with good skills and some equipment. That said, I rather use a system with non-pressurized linesets- cut to proper length and no coiling. I installed a mini split in my garage workshop (app 400 sq ft) 16 months ago (9000btu) and have been totally pleased. I purchased all my needed install equipment (gauges, vacuum pump, pipe tools, nitrogen tank, special connectors, etc and still only spent less than $1500). I did my own electrical on a dedicated circuit and researched everything before starting. The system works perfectly for heating and cooling. You can do this. Don’t forget to weatherstrip a garage. Makes a BIG difference.
What brand/model unit did you use?
@@ShawnD1027 you can order the MrCool pre-charged line set or vac pump set up (HD had the best price shipped). I did the vac pump and saved 500. Ran it for the 15 min and flipped the valves. chills the upstairs right down.
Agree! That coiled up pipe looks very ghetto
On mine I used all of the length, looks great.
Yeah, I’m with you. I bought my own quality tools to do my own hvac install on now two places of my own and a couple mini splits for friends.
Oh and I watched probably a hundred hours of TH-cam videos - including all of AC Service Tech’s videos. AC’s videos are like going to school.
If I can save some money AND do it to perfection, I’m in. Not to mention I get to feed my tool habit. I try to by professional grade tools because I hate cheap tools AND I don’t want to be wondering if I have a leak or have a garbage set of gauges.
I’ve had too many friends get shoddy work out of licensed and bonded outfits - and pay through the nose for that privilege
I self-installed a Mr. Cool 1 ton, 115 Volt in 2020 and it's been going strong for three years. Love that it both heats and cools so I was able to ditch the radiant heater in the winter. Setup is as easy as they say - if you've hung a flat panel TV on the wall, setting up the head unit isn't any more difficult. Both the indoor blower and the external evaporator are surprisingly quiet in both heat and cool mode; critical since I was cooling a home office and didn't want to ruin those zoom calls.
The one thing Matt didn't mention is that there's a teeny USB dongle that came with my unit (I believe it's standard) that connects the head unit to your local Wi-Fi and then you can control the cooler through an app on your phone. I find it very useful to set up a scheduled heat in the wintertime; I start heating about an hour before I get into my office and it's good to go by the time I get there.
These mini splits are so easy to install that you don't have to be very skilled to do it. I'm surprised Matt is late to this topic, but Mr.Cool was featured on many of the other big name maker TH-cam channels a few years ago, and nearly all of them have a DIY video for one of these mini splits. If you have some skill then take a look at their full size split system. I installed a 3 and 5 ton of their universal series on my house some years ago and they've survived multiple Texas summers and winters when many people's systems were failing. You don't need to do any refrigerant handling because they also sell pre charged lines but i went ahead and got the EPA's 608 certification because a child could pass it and it protects you from liability. I only did this after having multiple HVAC companies give me quotes over $50k to install equivalent big brand systems and that price just didn't sound right with how easy these electronics are to work with. Also, these smart systems are significantly more fault tolerant than the systems of old and a lot of hvac companies hate that about them. The old systems would simply let your compressor burn itself out with no warning that a problem was coming. These smart units will detect the faults long before they kill your system and the repair is much cheaper. I had to replace one board in my 5 ton after it shut down from an overcurrent fault. Contacted Mr.Cool and they knew about the issue with the board and sent me the replacement with instructions on how to install it myself. Don't take this to mean you can't get killed doing this kind of work, but it's not more dangerous than understanding electricity and moving heavy appliances so that they don't unalive you.
How much to install yourself vs. the $50k bid?
@@aptpupil $15k
There's clearly a business opportunity here for anyone willing to work on these systems. Tesla attempted this same thing with trying to prevent customers from having full control and service of their products. Smart folks saw the opportunity and started opening 3rd party electric car garages. When I retire from my present career I might look into just going around and fixing DIY HVAC installs. I don't think anyone would expect a warranty on the repair and most just need someone that can go through the repair checklist and communicate to the manufacturer what the issue is for warranty parts.
Would love for you to see my 1910 block farmhouse. I put in a 4th Gen Mr. Cool with 5 zones. Super cold. Stucco outside and inside of walls. Amazing how energy efficient from looking at my utility bill for a month of use. Increase was only $100. I did all the work and I am super pleased with the results.
Your electric bill should go down after installing mini-splits, not up...
@@skynetlabs- not if you had NO, or highly insufficiently sized AC previously.
I installed 2x 12k single zone units & a 36k 3 zone unit at my house 2 years ago. I absolutely would recommend them to anyone that is handy enough to install them.
Big difference that Matt glossed over is the warranty. The unit is 100% covered by warranty as a DIY unit.
I’ve seen too many people install regular mini-splits (non Mr cool) themselves only to have trouble 2 years later. Something like a fan motor going bad normally would be covered. because it wasn’t installed by a pro, the warranty is void.
@seriouslee8335 would you be able to link the model you used? I’m thinking of doing something similar for my 1960s ranch house. I’m so tired of the noise and ugliness of window units. Thanks.
@@skynetlabsthat’s assuming there was a central HVAC before the mini-splits were installed.
I have a 3rd gen McCool for my whole house, and it heats and cools my house, and my bills are great for what my house is. I did the entire install myself. I have 36k with 4 indoor units. 1300 Sq ft home from the early 1900s only half insulated. Will never go back to a traditional system.
You went a little overboard with the btu’s but maybe not with no insulation
@eroom2087 it actually has worked really well for the most part. It has kept up in the summer and winter(except when we hit 20 below last winter). And my bills have been very good. All electric house and my highest power bill was $250. Nice thing is the Mr cool system ramps up and down so I have extra I need for the hottest days but it still performs well on the cooler days of summer same for winter.
I have read that you shouldn't coil the excess vertically like that. It traps the lubricating oil in it and destroys the compressor. It should be coiled in a spiral horizontally in a way that drains.
I'd like to hear Mr Cool weigh in on that.
This is not a problem with mini splits. They regularly run liquid or a very low superheat so the oil is not trapped.
This is also official policy with Gree because you must have at least 10ft of line set.
Yes, not a issue.
Props to the video/audio editor for cleaning that up! This seems like a great solution for smaller projects, garages, backyard offices, etc.
They have whole home systems. I will be using a 6 split system for 1725 sqft home I am building
Love that another monopolistic trade is under attack.
Had a company bid $22K for a new condensing boiler to replace an existing one. Found online direct for $4,500.
Had a plumber come out to take a look at a leaking check valve on a sump line in the basement. Bid $450 to replace. Seemed absurd to me.
Did some research. Found a quiet check valve upgrade at Home Depot. Ordered online and delivered to home for $28.
Installed myself in about an hour and that was due to difficult access.
Trades need to realize that homeowners are tired of being ripped off and gouged.
Charge a fair price for a competent service.
Love to see more and more DIY products come online.
Me and my dad installed a similar unit about 7 years ago and it's still running like a charm.
I installed a mini split in my garage in Texas about 5 years ago. Best thing I ever did. I think I would still buy the type with non-pressurized linesets - thought it's interesting to see that a product like this exists. I don't have a big ugly coil on the side of my house like this, and I used that cover product they showed to hide everything. Very clean install. Hard part was drilling through the wall and bricks. I did have to pay an HVAC guy to pressurize the lines, but he didn't charge me very much. I did the electrical work myself - just added a breaker and researched the correct way to do the wiring - but then I've done quite a bit of wiring over the years. It made me laugh when they said to hire a licensed electrician as I think they're saying that to limit liability. I also did good weather stripping on the doors and added foam to the doors for some insulation which actually helped quite a bit.
I believe they mentioned the electrician part several times because Mr. Cool may only honor their warranty if you had a licensed electrician do that part of the install.
Hey Matt, we all make mistakes and we learn. But I’d be 💯 surprised if Mr. Cool wants the extra lineset mounted vertically like that. It creates an oil trap and will eventually cause an issue as the oil won’t return to the compressor! Not to mention you discussed line set covers that you didn’t use (or show it installed) and 99% of the time should be mounted prior to running the lines on the outside of the wall. I’d imagine those flares have a recommended torque setting as well. Your too good to just put out content like this and not follow manufacturer instructions!!! All that being said, been a fan for a while and really enjoy your content. Don’t just put stuff out there to put stuff out there (“sponsored “ or not)!!!
Coiling the required line set is standard practice. Some ac units MUST have a certain amount of line set between the evaporator and the condenser. The precharged line set HAS to be kept...and there is no other way to do it other than a loop...unless you can spread the units out EXACTLY so there is zero extra tubing. How long have you done refrigeration? I don't pre install covers either...its easy to put the base under the copper and lines...and you can't miss.
@@rogerwhiting9310 Hey Roger! So I do understand that some manufacturers require a certain length of line set and obviously a precharged lineset cannot be cut down. But coiling the lineset vertically instead of horizontally is a bad idea! So I’ve been in the construction industry for 25 yrs and the HVAC industry 13 yrs (and just to be clear, my length of time in the industry doesn’t make proper installation practices better or worse, they are indeed proper regardless). I would like to think that while I absolutely don’t know everything (I’m always learning and honing my skills) I’m pretty sure almost every guy that installs line set cover doesn’t install it after the lineset is run! Even if it’s straight out and down. Can you…sure, but why? Knowing where the line set is being run, most lineset cover brands have clips so you can secure the lineset inside of the back cover, which helps when you’re making multiple turns and/or going around an outside or inside corner. And it’s pretty hard to hand bend lineset above 3/8”. 1/2” maybe but 5/8” through 7/8” is almost impossible to make a 90° bend that would fit in 90° cover fitting. On average I install about 30+ minisplit jobs a year. And that is predominantly multiple head units using branch boxes. So while yes someone can be installing equipment wrong their whole career, I am not one of those guys! Haha. I’m on the Northshore (just North if Boston) and inverter heat pumps have completely blown up here. We also install water heaters, boilers, furnaces and conventional split systems. Feel free to check out our work!
absoluteprecisionplumbing.com/
@@bradfordstoll5191Hi! I have my lines go up into the ceiling and then right down through the eves and into the condenser. No loops, but there is a single large up and down. Do you think that'll cause the oil trap problem?
I’m assuming we’re only talking 3-5’ up and then back down again. This should not be an issue. The multiple coils vertically are what’s usually a no no.
I’m assuming we’re only talking 3-5’ up and then back down again. This should not be an issue. The multiple coils vertically are what’s usually a no no.
Bought mine almost 2 years ago, it’s their universal series and it heats and cools the house perfectly.
I installed the 24K unit in my new shop building. Excellent system. Easy install. Totally satisfied...and $2500 compared to over $4000 from an HVAC company.
Installed one for my bedroom on a south facing room. Made a huge difference in the hot summers of California. Love these units!
We put a Mr. Cool mini-split in our pole barn workshop, which is well-insulated, and it works great. It's worked great for over a year and kept the building at a comfortable temp all winter and summer.
I just bought the 4th Gen 18k DIY Unit and it’s in the mail.
Great timing for this! It’s for garage as well.
My HVAC technician said that those connections always leak. He said that walk in refrigerators have had those connections for decades and that they always leak he thinks because people DIY them. Word of caution to be careful there.
I decided not to go with Mr. Cool because they did not provide me with the specifications I needed to choose the perfect system. A lot of the Mr. Cool are rebranded Pioneers all from China! I went with an LG because it can ramp all the way down to 3,000 btu barely running all the way up to 22,000btu nominal and 30k btu peak. But, there’s no specs the company would provide me on the Mr. Cools I tried.
I installed my Mr. Cool myself. I replaced my old heat pump with a Mr. Cool 2-3 ton Universal. Not 'super easy' but certainly not hard. Love that I can set heat and cool separately between 2 or 3 tons with dip switches. Outside condenser AND inside air handler. Takes some time and patience, but very doable. Hardest part is manipulating/running the line set. Called support once during the install they were very helpful.
I am about to do the 4-5 ton unit for other part of house. I am considering reusing existing line set since it is are already safely in the exterior wall and in good shape. I'll have my AC friend do an evac/recharge. Mr. Cool comes with the connections for him to do that as well. Really smart setup.
Pros!
- SUPER quiet units and very effective.
- Uses about 1800 watts when running. My old system used 4500-5000! NO power surge on start.
- Decided to NOT order heat strips with it. Not needed in Houston since the unit will work well down to 0 and at 80% at -20/ Super impressive!!
- Price. I spent under $4000 and about 8-10 total hours to do what a contractor quoted over $12000 for! Not knocking the contractor, and for those not willing/able to DIY a good contractor is worth their weight in gold. That said, Mr. Cool provides some really good options for replacement units.
Cons:
- Line set is very stiff and frustrating
- Line set is bigger due to UV cover and harder to "hide" on outside wall. Not very aesthetic, but can use traditional, smaller line sets if you prefer.
I was quoted $24k for a 5 unit system that really costs closer to 8k last year. I laughed out loud at the person quoting that price then when they started using my number to cold call me a few months later to offer the same system I told them to f off and never call me again. This weekend I'm working on the first of two 3 head mrcool mini split installs (including a 200 A sub panel in my garage that exceeds NEC code in a couple ways). I'm so tired of shitty contractors overcharging for sloppy work on my house so they can afford to drive unnecessarily large shitty pickups that get 4mpg.
Extra line set should be positioned horizontally according to the Mr. Cool instructions. My brother and I installed an 18k unit a year and a half ago and it stopped cooling. We contacted the company, and after some going back and forth with the company, they replaced the condensing unit for just the shipping charge. I’m not sure if the coiling the extra line set mounted vertically had anything to do with it or not.
the issue with the vertical coils is oil can get trapped at the low point of the coils and not return to the compressor. enough oil gets trapped and the compressor burns out
Came to say the same thing.
@@james6794 so coil at ground level... right?
@@davebruessow6842 Doesn't need to be at ground level. They told me that it was OK to coil excess in the attic. I'm going to put in a ceiling cassette system so attic access makes mores sense than a wall unit.
@@dakkon123 gotcha. I misinterpreted what was meant by "horizontally" anyhow (my bad). Best wishes...
It's truly fantastic that it can be installed without having to deal with the plumbing and the refrigerant gas. That coiled line on the outside of the house looks pretty bad though. It would be so much better if it could be coiled up in the attic or inside the house or at least at ground level and tucked behind the unit.
it should be coiled horizontally.
its amazing listening to people in the US talk about mini splits like theyre a new thing that may compete with whats installed in the US. Pro Tip: Mini splits are the Industry standard. The US is decades behind most all other humans. Welcome, took you long enough.
I installed one of these 24k with two air handlers (18k + 9k). The 18k is capable of heating my whole upstairs and I really was not expecting that. Here in Seattle it doesn't get hot often but when it does, I need to set this thing to 78 or it gets way too cold for my comfort. I have a few thermometers around the house and even though the thermostat is right on the air handler itself, it's extremely accurate at keeping the air temperature exactly as set. I used to have an 8k window unit that on the hottest days would run constantly, was 10x louder, and used about the same amount of electricity.
Originally I was going to pay a company to install a mini split but these companies are booked up solid and there is no incentive for them to offer low prices. My lowest bid was $25k for a comparable Mitsubishi system! I got this whole thing delivered and installed for around $3k. It was definitely a lot of work though, as I'm not experienced doing this kind of thing, but I'm glad I did it!
I saw a video this morning about EG4 who has a similar DIY "Hybrid Solar" Mini Split which also has a Solar Input.
So you can offset most of the cost of your AC during the day with Solar Panels.
Mr cool is not all that cheap. With a liitle more work and knowledge you can save more.
I bought a 12k inverter AC/heat pump unit from Tosot direct, for my garage. Same setup. Ultra quiet. It’s 220 volt, but I’m comfortable with working with power. I agree most people should hire a pro, but like anything it’s easy if you know how, or can learn by watching a few hours of TH-cam. My unit draws about 6 amps in normal operation.and less when at temp. The inverter tech is great, as it soft starts, with low LRA locked Rotor Amps, making it possible to run when powered by a 5kw generator.
Was about 900 doll hairs when I got it. It’s an R410a refrigerant unit. They run little sales now and then.
I already had a vac pump that would get down to 5 microns.
Bought a cheap set of 410a gauges, which I didn’t really need at all for this job., but good to have anyways.
Rented a micron vacuum gauge, from a local Oreillys auto parts, to verify I actually got the vacuum needed.
bought a cheap flare tool, to cut the lines and make the flares needed for the connections.
Don’t forget to get a small container of Nylog Blue, which is a refrigerant safe connection sealer
Super happy with everything, and have more knowledge now where I understand how this works and could probably troubleshoot the unit if needed, instead of calling a company, waiting for a tech to show up, and paying stupid high bills.
I have one of these for my recording studio control room. I did it myself and even had covid during part of the install. The only thing I had help with was wiring it into the breaker panel. Super easy and really quiet unit.
I helped my friend install his Mr. Cool setup at his new house. It took less than a day to run wiring, lines, and drainage. It's pretty incredible for something that cost about $1,400 total.
I am hoping Build show can do an update after a few seasons to discuss how this is system is operating and if they were able to get parts (if needed). I have read that getting parts is an issue should you have a problem with these DIY 9:46 systems. Also kind of surprised show didn’t discuss expected lifespan and you do have to clean the indoor units radiator fins. I owned a Fujitsu 9k unit and was amazed at how much HVAC companies wanted to charge to clean the indoor unit (dust get by filters and starts supporting microbial growth. I would expect garage to need that sooner than normal indoor house units that Mr.Cool designed these to perform at.
It is best to put a Air Vent Filter. It is very thin but picks up fine dirt. But it does slightly slow down the air flow.
I regret not doing a bunch of mini split heat pumps when my HVAC went out. These are the future of home HVAC
technology connections got me on to mini splits. it's good to see yall and jerry rig getting on this too.
mini splits need to be more common
In my state, a homeowner can pull their own electrical permit so this is fully a diy solution. This would be killer if they sold made-to-order custom length linesets so you never had to coil them up on the wall.
I believe they are saying that you need a licensed electrician for liability reasons as a precaution.
@@mikenotta7079 Nope. it depends on the State you live in. In my State as well, a homeowner can pull their own permit, and the work gets professionally inspected just like hiring someone to do it for you. That takes care of the liability issue.
this would be awesome - I have like 10 feet coiled behind mine as well. I needed 16ft - at the time Mr. Cool sold 15 and 25ft lengths.
@@mikenotta7079 Liability is fine, as long as they still honor their warranty if you have a permitted DIY install. Honestly everything that touches a panel recommends an electrician even if it doesn't technically need it.
In my state, a homeowner doesn’t have to pull shit unless you live in a town, city, or county that requires it. Zero at state level except mandating a two page septic “plan.” $50 at the courthouse.
My boy and I installed a Mr. Cool diy in my barn 4 or 5 years ago. Everything was straightforward with the actual install, had an unused 220v line running near the outside unit that I repurposed for the AC. The only challenging part was that I welded up some brackets to mount the outside unit about 7’ up on the back of the barn under the run-in shed roof so I could park my tractor under it without fear of damage. Keeps 1200sq/ft of insulated barn with 10’ ceilings comfortable year round, and it’s pretty economical with electricity. I had one failure of the outside air temp sensor. First they sent me a new sensor, then when that didn’t fix it they sent a new sensor and a new motherboard, no questions. It worked fine even with the bad sensor, but the warning was annoying. Honestly it’s the best tool I’ve ever purchased, and yes I consider it a tool. Before insulation the barn was well over a hundred degrees in the summer, which meant I didn’t want to be in there working and the temperature swings (plus the humidity changes) were bad for my other tools. Mine came with the USB dongle to connect to wifi, which for my use is unneeded but I can definitely see the utility if it was installed in someplace you don’t occupy all the time but want comfortable when you arrive.
I've had a Daikin unit in my garage now for 5 years (new house build). I don't use it a ton but when I do, I'm very pleased with how well this has worked for my insulated garage (even my garage door is R13.4). From a hot and humid 90°F tandem garage to 78°F (dehumified as well) in about two hours or less.
I just ordered my third. Love my first two!
Ready the warranty about installing yourself before buying one of these, and be VERY careful with the connection points on the line-set. Remember to have that condensate tube slope down when you go through the wall so it won't flow back to the wall unit.
I got one of those 3
Years ago 18k mini split working great easy install.
Good lookin unit. This is gonna save a lot of people some money! Good job guys 👊
In the near future a whole house heap pump will not need vacuuming or commissioning. Broan sells adaptive ERV’s and there’s no reason the entire HVAC system couldn’t be similar.
I installed a MRCOOL unit myself in my workshop and it was easy and works great!
I've personally installed 3 Mr Cool DIY units and they are great! One is in a 1,000 SQ FT garage and it runs great and very quiet.
How did you calculate the unit you needed?
I have a mini-split in a 1500 sq. Ft. Home. These things are absolutely awesome. Why America doesn’t use them I can’t comprehend. I have a single condenser with a 19k and 12k head. My electric bill is around $70/m. I can add a third head unit, but it is unneeded.
Edit: plus it heats in winter. In case anyone didn’t know.
My parents recently sealed off and fully insulated their garage, turned it into a storage room. They put a Mr. Cool mini-split in there too and the garage is now often the coldest room in the house.
Dumb question: Why does a garage need to be cold? I could see if you're working out there...?
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 Doesn't need to be cold per se, but a "conditioned" air space. They want to use it both for storing dry goods as well as reducing the storage units they need. Heat, especially humid heat, is exceptionally destructive for many things like books, important papers, leather goods, etc.
Colder temperatures lower the dew point, so water condenses out of the air much sooner. That is one of the critical functions of an AC unit, condense moisture out of the air before exhausting the now chilled, "conditioned" air into the space being served.
I’ve done 4 of these, 3 18ks and 1 24k, the refer connector is what sold me.
I’m about to install one. The indoor unit is going on an interior wall and the lines are heading down into the crawl space. I’ve cored a hole in the foundation and a 4” pipe goes through and turns up into the concrete pad. Any slack will be in the crawl and no ugly lines to worry about hiding.
We put one in our new construction, and it was straightforward to install, but the State of Washington electrical inspector required us to replace the electrical lines running up to the air handlers (those that MrCool supplies don't meet code) and to add conduit for the sections of those lines outside the building, not something MrCool suggests. We believe it is perhaps due to the target market for these DIYs being retrofits, and not needing inspection.
You’re inspector is in the wrong there, at least by any national standard with regards to the wiring. I won’t try and argue some backwards local code they are citing, but the wiring is part of the appliance and it is CSA/ETL/UL listed. The Mr. Cool units come with the standard 14/4 communication wire that every mini split uses to communicate with the air handlers. It should all be neatly bundled together and preferably protected outside with a normal line-set cover.
Also never seen external visible rigid conduit being used for the line-sets outside on any mini split. They have covers and line-set protectors that you can use, but no one anywhere I have ever seen is trying to pull copper refrigerant lines through conduit from the external aspect of the wall to the outside unit.
@@jimyeats I've never installed a MrCool unit, so I have no idea what the quality of the unit-to-unit connector cable is, but when I've installed my minisplit systems, I ordered Honeywell Genesis Tray Cable (14-4, THHN). I'm sure this is a higher quality cable than what these units include in their accessory package. I think it's hard to disagree with the inspector for wanting that cable in some LiquidTite when it runs between the line-hide and the unit. I did that with mine, just to give it some protection. You do have 240v running in that line, and there's going to be at least some exposed as it transitions into the compressor unit. Plus, using a regular knockout clamp on something exposed to the elements seems shady.
I also tried to follow the code for NM in attics with that cable running to the attic air handler: a running board and as protected as possible from accidental damage.
@@bnasty267 Mr Cool uses your standard 14-4 thhn tray cable that is specifically rated rated for wet exposure and uv. Same ratings the Honeywell has. That cable goes into the housing via a weatherproof box just as you would anything outside. The cable is sent through the wall to the air handler bundled with your line set ( and usually covered with your preferred cover) and through the wall conduit directly to the air handler. Same way every mini split is done.
It’s no different fundamentally to how your typical 240 10ga whip is run. Coated stranded wires inside a protective sheath.
The main thing to remember though is that you are buying a UL/CSA/ETL listed appliance that comes with the wiring that has been approved for their device. It would be like an inspector pulling your big box store recessed can lighting and telling you that they don’t like the wiring and push connectors that the manufacturer of the can light assembly uses and telling you to replace the stock wiring. That’s the biggest point where the inspector is incorrect.
@@jimyeats At least on all the minis I've done, the refrigerant lines connect below the electrical connections, so even if you manage to use a piece of flexible line hide, there's going to have to be some of the electrical cable exposed from where it exits the lineset bundle. It's probably not an issue if it's literally 2 inches, but maybe this guy's install had the cable flopping around for a few feet between the unit and the line hide up the wall.
In any case, I agree with your point: overzealous AHJs can be a pain sometimes when they don't understand where code doesn't really apply. However, clauses like 'not subject to physical damage' in the NEC have always been vague and give lots of room for AHJs to be sticklers. A short whip of liquidtight for the 14/4 cable just seems like a good practice to me.
@@bnasty267 Fair points. You’re right, there is about 8” of communication cable exposed, but it has your thick jacket surrounding individually jacketed wires, which is the same concept as your gray liquid tight whips. They are just roomier because you have to trim your individual 10ga thhn. But yes, not going to hurt anything to have another jacket.
More than 35 years ago I installed one like this and it was a Japanese brand " National " ! It was 30k BTU . It kept working with no flaw for more than 20 years.
Nice! National was a Panasonic brand.
I was just thinking, I recently saw a Sears garage door opener on a WOOD door!
It DID work! Noisily, but effectively.
Grease. People. Grease!
It had "wood grain," so 70s...?
Love to see you do one with the 5 Ton Mr Cool Universal System. I'm considering one myself.
Nice job. Once you buy a $50 vacuum pump at Harbor Freight and a set of cheap gauges...it isnt any different as long as you dont have to extend the refrigerant lines more than is called for. You can then install any mini split as long as you have a supplier.
No. That cheap pump will not pump down low enough, and gauges will not tell you if you have an actual good vacuum.
Either go the Mrcool DIY route (don't recommend as those hose connections start to leak down the road) or do it right. You'll still come out ahead with a decent $250 pump and $300 micron gauge and hoses.
I have installed two of these in past years. One in New construction one in old and have hidden the line sets in attic or under house so the outside is aclean install with no coils hanging outside. I'm about to install one more and will order a shorter line set to its claen outside.Great units
I want to do the same thing because after my shop was built I realized the location I ran my electrical to was not going to be a good spot for my mini split unit because of dust. I was thinking if I can get the linesets in the attic then I could put the unit anywhere I wanted it, but there is no spot on the unit for running the linesets up so how did you get them to turn up into the attic?
@@rickysdrywall5288 The drain needs to be down hill (gravity drop) that can be separated from the line set. In our case one wall is above an attic space so unit is high up and set drops behind into another attic. In new construction I put a 3 inch PVC pipe in interior wall so linesets and drain go to crawl space and drain well for drain to a PVC pipe under hiuse to daylight and line set is coiled under house parallel to floor. Line sets can rise uphill with zero issues. Its the drain line that needs to go down 1/4 to the foot. The drain is the one to plan for the hardest to get right.. The line sets are 25 feet or 12 feet.
Installed a 12K Mr Cool unit about 4 years now: no problems whatever. The electrical should be done by a licensed electrician (120v or 220v). Once that is done, its smooth sailing!
Awesome product.
I installed this exact unit about 4 years ago in my garage and it works fantastic. If you have any DIY skills.......it's not that difficult to install. The hardest part is running the lineset. I kinked mine around a hard corner and had to get it repaired and pressurized.
I really wish they would redesign the evaporator connections on these. The lines should pass thru the unit and bend over and connect on the front or botttom side under the cover. Your connections poked thru the wall and were accessible outside. But on other brands the connections are on the back of the indoor unit where you cannot check them for leaks once you charge the system. Also if you are installing on an interior wall, the lines need to be embedded in the wall where they are not accessible.
Changing the design to be front or bottom accessed fixes all cases, and makes them much more serviceable.
I love my pioneer unit... keeps my garage/cigar lounge/man cave nice in cool in TX.
Need one of these for my workshop!
Awesome video.
I have (2) of these units. One in my 3-car garage and one in my 900-square-foot office. These are amazing!
What has been your average cost to run this appliance in your garage and could you please share what State you live in. I am in Chicagoland and am considering buying one of these for my insulated attached 3-car garage.
@@heystarfish100 I live near Binghamton, NY. ...Upstate, NY, and My Sense app tells me the garage unit costs roughly $15.00 monthly and my office $6.00 monthly.
My office is spray-foamed, so much more efficient than the garage.
I am new to the Sense monitoring system I have hooked up. It has been about 6-months since I started using Sense. The readings are accurate though.
@@daddygoat Thank you so much for the information.
Ive seen DIY youtubers and Cartubers install MRcool units dozens of times now and no one's yet to complain.
They offer 12,000 btu and below units that you just need a 120 outlet. Considering that for my garage, I run a 8k btu window a/c in the summer and an oil filled radiant heater in the winter, I have a fridge and freezer in the garage, they put out a little heat, plus my furnace is in there as well. I just need it 55 or so and 80 in the summer. Thanks for striving to be 100% Matt, so many hacks out there and doing a good job is most times easier than trying to make a bad design work.
Did one a few years ago. Still chugging along 3 years later.
Awesome system,
I installed my whole house system in 2021, Mr. Cool 3rd gen. no regrets, works so much better and way more efficient. I removed my forced air heater, and both roof mounted master cool units. Mr. Cool 2 exterior heat pumps, and 6 interior blowers. absolutely love the system. The app you can control from anywhere. -JM
to add, 1800 sqft home, 4 bed 2 bath. in the Mojave desert.
I installed a 9k btu mr cool in an office shed I built. Was quoted 5k minimum from installers, spent 1.5k on a mr cool (non diy) and some tools and installed myself. Remarkably easy job and works incredibly well. One thing, the insulation on the pipes degrades quickly so worth replacing immediately with outdoor rated pipe cover
About 8 years ago I installed 2 units; a 12k diy mrcool (1st or 2nd gen), and a friedrich breeze diy 12k. The Breeze died after about 3 years, developing a pinhole leak somewhere in the lineset and following up shortly after with a dead board. The MrCool kept on running, and I replaced the Breeze with another MrCool unit.
I've since sold the house and moved, but they were both still running when I left. At my new place there's central air with 2 really loud outdoor units. At some point I'm going to replace those with head pumps; MrCool is high on my list, although the permitting here in NYC is a lot more restrictive than at my old place in Seattle. Given the permitting issue and the layout of my house (it's a rowhouse), I think I'd actually prefer saddle window units if MrCool made them. I know MrCool makes U-shaped window units similar to Midea (mrcool.com/u-shaped-window-a-c/), but a saddle one would be so much better.
Hey Mr. Cool team, can you develop a 110v window mini-split system like Midea is doing for NYCHA?
I'd buy one of yours in a second.
Midea makes the mrcool units. Midea makes well over half the mini-splits you see for sale under many brand names. Pioneer, Senville, Mr cool to name a few. Just rebadged. MIdea is the largest manufacturer of mini-splits in the world.
@@ashu9493I've heard rumors that GREE makes some MrCool units?
I installed one of these in the home on our second property. It was very easy and I'm pleased with the results. I'm probably going to go with a larger outer unit though. Last winter it got to -15F and the system kept it in the 50s inside but no more.
Yeah unfortunately Mr Cools are only efficient down to -4F anything less is just burning excess power. If I lived in a climate that got -15F often, there are other units that have better heating down to -15F along with cold temp resistive heat boosters.
@@HellTriX It's very rare but if I rent the place out (which will be happening when it's done) and that happens people are going to be pissed. I need an alternate heating source just in case.
I don't think every state requires a licensed electrician. I did my own Mr Cool and I recommend them to everyone I know.
I installed a two head unit in my vacation home in VT. The hardest part by far was bending the lines gentle to not pinch them and coiling up the extra so not to look a mess. After watching more TH-cam on the normal units I purchased a small 110v unit for just 650. I also purchased a vacume pump and manafold. It does not look much more difficult than the Mr Cool and is a lot cheaper (also a much smaller unit). I even plan to get a flange tool so I can size the lines to match the install. I do not like the coil of extra lines.
Wish mr cool would sponsor a minisplit for my garage
Mr Cool line sets don't need drylock. The triple gasket do the job and wrench tight. They had me impressed. Costco wanted 5K for a name brand LG. I think I was all in, 2.5K with the electrician adding an outdoor whip.
For the line set I used a garden hose hanger, and a spare tire cover to hind the coiled line set.
That extra line set seems like the only drawback. Could you have opened up your interior wall and hidden the extra line set behind the sheetrock?
Thanks for a great idea!!
Line set needs to be cooled horizontally not vertically. Creates an oil trap and kills the compressor!
@@bradfordstoll5191 I read above "the issue with the vertical coils is oil can get trapped at the low point of the coils and not return to the compressor. enough oil gets trapped and the compressor burns out" as a response to someone reporting that his unit had to be replaced after two years.
They used to use those pre charged lines a long time ago. I think it was smart for Mr Cool to adopt the technology for d I yers. As a hvac technician I am not for people trying to diy most hvac thing but this is okay.
My experience with MrCool. I have purchased and installed one of these systems. I am a fairly experienced DIY'er and was able to follow the instructions and do the installation. Main complaint during install was that I only needed about 8 feet of lines and it comes with I think 16 to 20 ft lines. So a lot of left over line that is very bulky and not very attractive when coiled on the outside portion of the install. Now the bad news. The compressor unfortunately failed after 6 months of use. The MrCool customer service was less than great but after about 10 days I did receive the replacement. Now I would need the equipment and ability to replace those vacuum lines which I did not and do not have. So I had to call the dreaded HVAC folks to replace it for me. Bottom line. After those repair costs I would have been MUCH better off just top have professionals install a new split system to begin with and had the warranty. I learned my lesson. Never again. I will say that the replacement compressor has been running for over 2 years now.
Matt, you featured a system a few months back that had mini-splits with cassettes. It would be nice to see a DYI or solutions along those lines.
I installed a Hunter&Cooper with no previous HVAC experience. Totally doable.
The best addition was a "Cielo Breez Max" for thermostat control and WiFi access.
It still amazes me about how many people think that leaving “X” amount of coiled up refrigerant tubing installed on a split system is OK. Apparently these guys have no formal trading about refrigerant piping or the refrigeration cycle. All in the name of saving a few $’s. An instructor in trade school had a name for these type of people. Do-it-to-yourselfers. They live & learn the hard way.
i be getting one between now and next summer for sure, might try to see if they got the 18k. This is a good project for beginners or apprentices starting training in ac and heating as well, but for sure perfect for anyone trying to cool down or heat up a large room.
Ran circuits for two of those today,different brand,same concept,heat and air company installed..it was quick
Finally some honesty regarding needing an electrician for powering unit. Everyone glosses over that part as it these systems are 100% diy and that's just not absolutely true.
In the house I'm currently building for myself I'm putting in an air-to-water heat pump which are common everywhere in the world except here in the United States. In my researching of brand options I've come across a few that are a similar concept. They call them a mono bloc which means the refrigerant comes preinstalled in a sealed component so you literally just have to plug it into power. Between the shortages of installers and the exorbitant costs, I'm all for more convenient technologies.
I did a whole house system and paid a large sum to have installed. I have had non stop problems for three years. the installer usually has to come out at least twice per year. I am actually waiting on them now to fix a problem with three of the internal head units. I would avoid LG at all costs.
This is my 4th video I have watched on DIY split air conditioner install. All of the other people cut the excess of the copper tubing and re-flanged the end. all you did was gather the excess tubing up and attach it to the exterior wall!!!
I have really been impressed with Mr Cool. Matt, how would you compare it with a similarly-sized Mitsubishi, considering the cost.
2 tons seems like a lot, maybe make sure there is some attic insulation. My whole house only uses 3 tons (1950sf).
Gonna need this in NorCal
these make a great supplement for a gas radiator system. whichever is the biggest room, turn off those radiators and use the mini-split to take that load. it should save money compared to a gas boiler down until about 10F.
The remotes also act as a thermometer so if you keep it on the other side of the room it will help balance the entire rooms air temp
As I understand it, the thermostat is in the evaporator unit and the remote is a merely a controller.
Good video, but what happened to the line set cover installation?
I'd like to see a Unico (I know he did a vid or two on new install/new build) as a retro fit (HighVelocityAC) in a 1800sqft home... namely mine! I'm told the minisplits in the northern climates can have drain lines clog/freeze and create a water intrusion issue. True? And that HiVeloAC might be louder but I don't care as long as it drones outside noise away. Finally, the cost. Is Minisplit for a home cheaper/better than micro-ducting? And are all HVAC providers moving to the Variable speed condensers?
I have one installed and the insulation around the coiled line set has deteriorated over the course of less than 2 years. So, I suggest that the homeowner wrap extra insulation around the exposed coiled line set with some uv resistant tape when first installed. As it is, I could not uncoil the linset to wrap any insulation nor can you use that rubber wrap made for copper lines to fit into plus it is hard to get anything to wrap around the exposed copper lines (both in and out) so I ended up buying a Backflow Preventer Cover Insulation Protection Pouch from Amazon that fit around the coiled part o the lineset. I live in Florida so I got it in white to reflect the hot sun of the exposed lines. Not sure if it will provide the best insulation but it is something. The manufacturere provides the line guard but it only works on the straight areas of the line that run out of the wall and down but there is NOTHING to protect the coiled line. Otherwise, I love my minispilit!
good video
game changer
I wish this would be allowed in Germany. Aside from mobile units, everything else requires a certified technician. I get it for the climate killer refrigerants, but there are propane and CO2 units out there, that should be fully DIY-able if it only uses the regular amount of outlet Amps.
I’d like to install a minisplit (cooling only) that can connect to my Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat that already controls my radiant heat boiler. I’ve seen Mitsubishi has a converter - does Mr. Cool or others also have this?
Also, any issues running the line set and drain, etc, behind the unit on an interior 2x4 wall (eventually routing to exterior)?
I have one sitting my garage waiting to be installed. I plan to use the full line set length and place the head on the wall so the lines won't have to be coiled up.
Great video. I've been DIY mini-split curious since I got some outrageous contractor quotes for AC in my 2,200 Sq ft home in CA. $45,000 for adding AC to my forced air heating system. So even if I have to replace a unit or two, I'm still way ahead if I go this route. I'd need multi zone of course... Just wondering how much more expensive electric heat will be than gas. Need to do some calculations.. Does Mr Cool help with layout planning?
Long commercial for MRCOOL only.
I installed a mini split in my condo with 19,000 and 12,000 head units on a 2.5 ton system. It is absolutely awesome. Works for all of Asia…. Why not in the states? Plus they are more efficient