I would have to say that I am impressed with the amount of little details that most others don't show like the fittings and explaining simple things that may not be obvious to someone who isn't hands-on looking at the unit but it is helpful for some people who are interested but on the fence on buying one.
I like that you were sparse in your comments with useful information. So often the videographer is in love with their voice. Thanks for a good offerring
Iam a 37 year HVAC contractor and when Iam bored I love to be a couch critic. But dang you nailed it and Iam so glad that Iam about to retire because that crap puts us put of business. Please check your breaker in the house that its a 120volt and the correct amps . Don't use the old 220v one . Your family is blessed to have you .
Thank you great video, now I know I now I can do it. Here in Santa Fe NM man was asking $2000 to install it, he said it will take 2 hours time, and the reason for asking $1000 an hour was because he is a professional !!!
Awesome video! I installed a 24K unit and planned my run to use all of the 25 ft line set into the center of my house through the attic. For the inside drip, I was able to route to the garage floor. DIY cost was about $3K plus my own labor. Quote from the local AC guys was about $14K. I love the quiet operation. Working with Cielo to diagnose why the app and Wi-Fi connection doesn't seem to work. The remote works perfectly fine.
The leak was probably bottom left of outdoor coil. Those small older Fujitsu’s always split out the bottom in heat mode. Fujitsu had a program for awhile to replace them at no cost.
*Love this unit! Using upstairs in my sons bedroom **Fastly.Cool** and he’s finally able to be comfortable upstairs without me freezing downstairs. Works for more sqft than expected!*
I installed a 18000 BTU Mr Cool DIY 3 years ago in NE Georgia. No problems with it. It will also act as a heat pump down to freezing temps. It is quiet. I bought it via Home Depot and picked it up at the store. You really need some help running the line through the wall because it is unwieldy and needs someone to pull it as you feed it through the wall. Now they have multi-zone DIY packages available. Good warranty with them. I added an AC surge compressor ($70) to the wiring since we have power interruptions with the thunderstorms here in Georgia.
I look for things that don’t make sense or (wtf) issues and must confess this one was almost flawless. The only potential issue was cutting the condensation tube too short and allowing it run into the houses foundation. Not a big deal and is nit picking considering the fantastic content provided. Well done!
Great job! Having all the wiring and stand in place made your installation easier. I just installed an 18K BTU last week and can't believe how quiet it is. They are a solar system dream as they are so energy efficient. I am putting in two more, an 12K btu and another 18K btu that will heat and cool the majority of my house.
I like the clear and simple video of your install. FYI I don't believe you should be insulating the the 2 couplings (which you referred to as "valves") together. They should be insulated separately as one is line is going to be hot and the other cold. Bridging them together reduces system efficiency.
Having the warm coupling (liquid line) insulated together with the cold coupling (suction line) does not reduce efficiency. What it does is sub-cools the liquid refrigerant before going into the indoor coil, and it also boils off any potential liquid that didn't evaporate in the cooling coil, protecting the compressor. Liquid going back to the compressor could damage it. The reality is that there is very little heat transfer through those couplings anyway, so it's not really a big deal either way.
Started to day with a mini duckless split air conditioner by Aircon. Reading and watching several Utube videos like yours. Thanks for your information and how to install. You did a swell job. Thanks for posting.
I bought the exact system and installed it about 3 weeks ago, the only difference is the name, but as we all know they are all made in China. When I was in China they were selling these systems for about $250.00 complete! Some condos there have one per room!
tip: Use some other material you've drilled a hole through as a guide to keep the hole saw from walking around when you don't have a good pilot to hold onto
I installed an 18k dual zone mr cool unit in my house 6 months ago and it was not the diy type unfortunately, Because I live in Hawaii I had to order through Home Depot and ship to store. I am kinda glad because my tubes are just the right size and the wire is just the correct size. I would suggest that you run a piece of conduit from the end of your piping cover to the electrical box to protect the cable. but mr cool makes a great system I was able to do everything myself including vacuum the pipes and charging as well as wiring the unit. I have zero complaints love mr cool. Saved 2500 from what the hvac company wanted.
The only negative to the preparred tubing is that you may have to loop it due to being too long. Looping can accumulate oil which isn't good for longevity. Spend another $200-$300 on a vacuum kit and flare tool and trim the tube to the right length.
a little tips for drilling a hole bigger, is to drill a hole in a little wooden plank etc. and hold it firm over the little hole. then keep preasure on the "template" and drill a hole. the little template keeps the sides of the holesaw from wobbling.
You can also nest 2 hole saws on the same arbor. Use the original hole saw used to make the smaller hole as a guide for the larger hole saw. Works great.
I have two Mr Cool DIY units cooling and heating my 2000sqft home and they're awesome. I originally bought a new 4 ton HVAC heat pump system when I bought my home six years ago. I ran the HVAC system up until I installed my two Mr Cool DIY units about eighteen months ago. I have a 24K and a 12K DIY heat pump system and they're freaking great. They cool and heat my house as good as my 4 ton HVAC system using about 2/3 less energy usage. I also have a 12K Carrier mini split system in our master bedroom and a small 9K mini split system in our spare bedroom. But we only use those systems on rare occasions.
Are you still happy with this setup? I have to replace a 3.5 ton Trane outdoor that just died, quotes for a new 3.5 are running 8k-13k with a SEER rating 14-14.5 and HSPF of 7.5-8. Our electricity usage is crazy high, very much considering putting in two 24k MR. Cool units for 4k and getting the better SEER and HSPF values but concerned about longevity and reliability...also a 2000 square foot single story house.... Any advice?
The only thing I don't like about this is the excess tubing. I know that is a big part of the DIY friendly part but if I would install I would still want it to be the correct length. This product interests me because my master bedroom is the furthest room from the furnace and it does not get enough air flow for the warmest summer days and coolest winter days.
You can choose how much tubing out of a few selections. You'll likely still have a little extra, but you can get it close in most applications. It looks like he could have gotten about 10-15' less tubing and been okay.
drescherjm if you know how to solder braze or flare tubing you can shorten the length yourself. Only drawback is you’ll need to attach a vacuum pump and evacuate the lines down to 500 microns. I bought Samsung’s for the house in the Philippines and they wouldn’t cover the warranty if I installed it, even tho I showed them my universal license, they insisted I pay them to install it. Well, they just opened the liquid line side valve and cracked open the vapor line fitting and flushed the air out. Not ideal but it works in a pinch. If you purchase a more traditional brand that has 1/4” and 3/8” male flare fittings then you can make your own flares fittings. Always be careful to cut tubing slowly and incrementally so as not to curl the metal inwards too much. Debur just slightly(over deburing thins out the metal)with tubing pointing down so flakes fall out not inside tubing. Then flare the ends (after putting on the flare nut😝) and again flare slowly so as to not fracture the copper. Copper will only bend so much so fast without cracking. Teflon tape and thread sealant are useless on flare fitting. The flare on the tubing is the surface that mates with the male flare. A copper flare washer helps with leaky issues. Lining up the connection with straight tubing and fittings will give you a leak free joint as well. You can install a flare union after shortening the line set using the dummy fittings shown in David’s video here.
@@billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 I have hundreds of hours of soldering experience with copper pipes but not so much brazing. Last time I did that it was the 1980s and I was in high school. Anyways the idea of using one of these units in my situation would be probably the third or fourth try after the others failed. Just got to get time to tackle the problem..
There is also a zoning option for conventional central forced air systems. That may help with getting air to poor locations. Ask for a free quote for a zoning system from your local HVAC company.
Try opening the suction valve first, wait then open the liquid second. The expansion valve is behind the liquid king valve and you could risk flooding it with oil. Also, wait to fire the unit up after supplying power for a bit. Let the compressor warm up and boil any liquid off. You could take a good chunk of the life off the compressor slugging it with liquid refrigerant.
I have two for garage that doubles as my work shop. Summer is a killer trying to build things in. The 16,000 btu would take off my needs. Wonder if they’ll sponsor me. I guess I should make TH-cam vids of what I do for fun and some for building stuff for the house and for friends. I love the ease of installation and the extra feature of being able to operate it from the phone. Thanks
Will be renovating a old home and really dont want to do duct work because It's so loud and unhealthy. Looking into alternative heating/cooling systems. Thanks for the video.
Great video and good energy. Appreciated that you had extra little hands on the job site, always makes the job extra hard. You've taken away my concern over a up coming installation, thank you.
Heck...Just look for the tattle tail oil residue with the dirt stuck to it to find the culprit and odds are its a leak in the condenser coil, lineset connections or service valves. ;)
Good DIY install - good to see DIYers are using Nylog, its a must to help avoid leaks at the connection points. Mr Cool is a good garage use unit, it will last you 2 - 3 years under normal usage. I don’t like the line set left coiled, understandably the line set is pre-vacuumed and cant be shortened without re-pulling a vacuum and the DIYer wouldn’t readily have the tools necessary to do it right, but otherwise, this is a really good install and those of you who are wanting to do your own unit, follow this step by step...really thorough. Good job.
the extra line set should be raised up and set so it coils downward for the oil.. you dont want the oil to get trapped in the loops.. the oil should be in the compressor where it belongs..
@@johngunn879 All the components (even lines) come with charge in them, thus no air or moisture. Special fittings hold pressure inside, yet open when components are screwed together.
Great Job ! Only improvement i would make is to support the line set on the Wall of your house. i would recommend a Hose Hangar that u use for Hanging a Garden hose on a Wall. Coil Line set Vertically Like a Garden hose. ( Circular fashion ) That added support will double the life of the unit. if u do not support that line set i can pretty much guarantee u having a leak at the Quick connects in 5 years. Great Job Besides that. minuscule vibration is what causes leaks over time on unsupported lines. Refrigeration Tech. for 39 Years. Business owner for 30 years.
Questions: 1.) What do they say to do if you had a leaking connection? 2.) It seems you used more force to tighten the fitting to the outdoor connection, do they specify a torque to tighten those fittings to?
To answer both your questions if you get a torque wrench and follow the manufacturer’s instructions you won’t have a leak but if you do your suppose to leak check with nitrogen and soap bubbles
Good video. I am actually in installs and have done a nice amount of these jus a small worry u might one look into and thts shortening up tht line set , cut re-flare then run it into the outside unit. Tht extra lineset could cause malfunctions of all sorts
99% of issues one those Fujistsu is a leak in the indoor Coil. I've had the exact same model 12k btu since 2013, rock solid but had a leak this year, replaced the indoor coil for free (12 year parts/labor warranty / Fujitsu Elite dealer)
I've seen these and they look like good products. The only drawback I see with this is the leftover piping that you have coiled outside that is exposed to being kicked, stepped on, dented, squashed and other bad things. Seems like they might be able to have the pipe in removable segments so you don't have to leave so much coiled up.
R290 is propane. All refrigerants have a pressure/temperature relationship. Having the same amount of refrigerant in a smaller amount of copper lineset would increase the pressure and cause issues. This would mean that the homeowner would have to release a percentage of the propane into the atmosphere, which would still hinder the efficiency of the unit and also possibly introduce moisture to the system (which can cause serious issues). There's a reason that technicians charge what they do.
I use a Mitsubishi heat pump to warm my house in cold seasons and cool it in the summer when needed. As I live on Norway I had to let it install by a provisional.
Good video, thanks. Question...The extra copper lines behind the outside unit are coiled several times. HVAC techs indicate that this could lead to the oil in the refrigerant pooling at this area affecting the performance of the unit. What does Mr. Cool say about this?
The best solution to make sure the coils do not trap oil is to position the coil horizon to the ground. The oil will then travel back to the condenser as designed. L. MOORE
If the coil is laying horizontal to the ground the highest part of the coil should be the tubes coming down the wall and the tubes on the bottom of the coil should connected to the unit. That way, oil that way is constantly draining out of the coil rather than having to be pushed up through the coil and possibly getting trapped in the coil.
Nice Mr.Cool advertisement but I do have a couple of remarks: Those easy click connections always start to leak at a certain point so you should always solder your connections (like with all renowned brands). When soldering you should put your lines under nitrogen pressure and once you're done clear this nitrogen out with a vacuum pump. This gets rid of all the pollution in your lines and allows you to check for leaks. Usually the outdoor unit is prefilled with refrigerant up to a certain piping length, if your lines exceed this length you'll have to add refrigerant. If you don't your heat pump will have to work harder putting more strain on for instance the compressor and you might find it won't work that good in general. You'll also get errors like low pressure fault indications etc. When drilling a hole in your facade drill it at a slight downward angle from inside to outside to eliminate any chance of water coming through along the pipes. Most cheap heat-pumps are cheap for a reason (like the usage of cheap, inferior components) which is probably why you had to replace your only 7-year old heat-pump. Brands like Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric who use grade A components will last you much longer with 15 years being the norm. With heat-pumps buying cheap usually means buying expensive as the compressor and expansion valves usually give out quite soon and replacing them can be more expensive than buying a new cheap inferior heat-pump. In general they have a short life span, meaning you'll have to replace them more often. You could wonder about the impact that has on the environment, with heat-pumps having been labelled "green". So overall imho it is better to spend a bit more on a more reliable quality product that will last longer with less downtime due to repairs. At least that has been my experience in the 15 years I've been working as an HVAC engineer now. We don't even service inferior brands like Mr.Cool any more because they are just a waste of time and money.
You missed one step.Before you screw that top cover head on you have to seal all your open areas where the pipes come thru the wall or water 💦 water will get in.make sure to seal all open sides of the head. Like Clear lexel or something. But your video is nice.I enjoyed watching it.great job!
The leak is most likely in the evaporator coil I have replaced many of them for the same reason you are changing system I pressure test the to 600 psi and they show up along the tube sheet or along the bottom rows of the coil
They would do so good in south africa with these kits. We have a massive diy community but the market for us is so small. You can buy these kits but they charge you $7000 for the same kit that sells for $2000 in the states. Madness. Wish mr cool would open their own store here
The lines on this DIY unit are pre-charged with coolant. No vacuuming here. The flares on the end are specialized to not release the pressure until the "other half" of the coolant is released from the main unit.
Nice job. The black gooey tape you put up near the hole is probably more to insulate the copper pipes so they don't have water collect on them drip down the pipes. In our church some squirrels ate away the insulation off the duct work and water condensed on the ducts and dripped into the sanctuary . I am going to look into Mr Cool thanks for the vid. Happy Motoring.
This is great but, after considering the cost and amount of work involved, we have opt out for a couple of 12,000 BTU portable unit at $400 a piece. Got everything set up and running in less than 30 minutes.
I think window units are almost twice the energy consumption. Those 12,000 btu system draw about 4.5 amps!.....u could easily run one off a small solar setup.
Cool ... Hearing a high end local experienced solar buddy saying these newer mini split heat pumps have really gone up in efficiency (plus under-sizing is better than over-sizing), I wonder how much energy savings the mini slits represent as compared to older tech of window or wall mounted ACs of same BTU ratings ??? ... While that might be harder to document, I'd love to someday see a video clip test result on that question. I purchased a couple of 120vac 12000 BTU Pioneer brand mini split heat pumps (a free shipping $750 each deal) that I have tooled up to install myself. They will help me use my solar options to back off from my natural gas heating; plus provide a great cooling option to my evaporator cooler, including for if I had a wildfire smoke cycle outside my house to deal with. ... I will likely be voiding my warranty without a hired professional install (or check off), but with a background for details, I will take that risk on. Your video here will be another install reference. Thanks for sharing the info. from your learning curve experiences :+) Bill in Northern California
I heat and cool my home with heat pumps and the operation cost as compared to window units is CONSIDERABLY LOWER! There is really no comparison, since the modern heat pump is running on DC power with an inverter and has variable speed capability as compared to that old window unit. It can run the compressor very slowly to keep liquid refrigerant ready for heating or cooling. The window unit compressor has just one speed. It's either running or idle, no in between.
@@chestermartin3440 Yes to more efficient options. I wonder how cooling via mini splits ac will compare to cost of running my evaporator cooler in a dry climate. I know I will prefer the heat pump cooling on cycles that hit near 100F. ... I think it will great to have both option plus heating via the same mini split unit in the winter :+)
I love my mini splits. I do all mine myself. I do have vacuum pump and pressure/vac gauges. I use a “ generic” brand of mini split inverter and all three have never failed me. I have one unit, my second install and very sloppy too, that I have never turned off in 7 years. I helped a friend install a Mr Cool system. They are much easier to install as the learning curve for flaring or brazing and evacuating the line set is avoided.
Dan, I'm building a 28x32 garage with a loft above. The loft will be around around 600 sq ft. based on what you've seen with this Mr Cool unit, would you recommend it?
With this, as any refrigeration product, it's essential to vac down the line set and indoor section the leak check the vacuum to see if it holds prior to releasing the refrigerant into the system. Even a small quantity of non-condensibles can reek havoc on the system. And yes I've been installing these since the late 80's and speak from experience. That plastic drain tube, unless shielded from sunlight will disintegrate in 2-3 years. Better to put it in a piece of pvc pipe or at least wrap it in tape somehow. If you plan on getting one of these, you'll need to have it cleaned at least once a year or purchase a cleaning kit with tent to prevent damage to the home interior. The fins on the indoor fan (a long squirrel cage) get filthy in the cleanest of homes in due course. This will diminish performance and/or destroy the fan motor. Essentially, these are throw away systems. When you have any major issue it's mostly cheaper to replace than to pay for service.
Everything is a "throw away system" today. And usually not very long either. Hire an HVAC contractor and put a little furnace/coil/condenser in a little space like this and you'll pay $10,000. This can be bought and installed for $1,500. Sure, you might put 2 or 3 of them in while you stay in the home, but I still think they dollar cost average out. And they are VERY economical to operate.
I was quoted $13k to replace my central ac unit. Been looking at a multi head split system that is quieter, more efficient, and can shut off rooms not being used for under $4k and the vacuum pump, guage set, and pipe flare tool is only $200 to install properly. So even if it needs replacing every 5 years or so I'm still money ahead after taking into consideration service calls for an aging traditional system.
If A Day wanted to make a buck, he could install these with little effort and make money every day. Mike Maxwell is correct that the old guard needs to realize that we now live in a throwaway society. Not working? Throw it away and replace it. We're all guilty of it.
The line set is sealed at both ends and contains refrigerant. It is not possible or necessary to vac them down. The sophisticated connectors on the ends seal the outside connection before they open internally to release the refrigerant as you screw them together. The reverse is also true. If you unscrew the connectors, the internal seal closes before the external seal opens so only a minuscule amount of refrigerant is lost. I know this because I spent a long time on the phone with tech support after I erroneously connected one of the lines to the wrong zone on a 3-zone system. I moved it after our discussion and the system continues to work perfectly after almost two years.
I ran mine in Florida with my Grid tie back up inverter for 4 days after a hurricane with no power from grid, no problem. That is the reason you want to get the 110v model.
How is that exposed electrical cable holding up? Does that area get a lot of sun? Other videos I've seen use liquid tight conduit on both the whip, and the communication wires.
Great reference. Do you have a similar load test for the cooling portion of this unit? Trying to figure out the watt,amp,surge load for this unit to work of my solar system on cooling mode only. Currently have a 1500 W pure sine inverter with solar charge controller supplied by 2 200w panels and 2 200 amp h lifepo4 batteries
Theoretically the coiled up electrical cable forms a resistance 'choke' with AC power. The magnetic fields created around the individual wires interfere with each other when looping causing this resistence and needing higher amps than neccessary. Your tested amps was right near the max of 10amps if I read the data sticker correctly. Unless you wanted to allow moving the exterior unit later you could test this out by reading amps, shortening the cord, reattaching then rechecking the usage. If temps are same as before the line should use less electrical energy when done. This lessens the heat in both fan & compressor motors when running. I have electronic degree and as a home inspector I always advised shortening coiled up AC wiring to save useful working life of appliances. What convinced me of the practical side in this was one day found a coiled 50' extention cable that melted itself together into a solid plastic coil. That definitely made an impresion on me.
Your over thinking it buddy. I feel bad for the people you advise, money not well spent for most (99.99%) of properties out there have far worse things that need fixing.
@@paulcrescenti5581 if the power is routed to the exterior unit 1st, that would make a large reduction in the reluctance (ac resistence) issue. Of course rethinking your example, his meter showed 10amps of current flow. That is extremely high for just the interior fan. In rethinking my advised amperage test, it would be easier by simply uncoiling & spreading out the wire before re-reading the current. If amp drop is more than 10% it is well worth shortening the cord.
@@WilliamSymionow true, if that were the extent of my advice. Realize even 10% reduction in watts = greater relability for all components effected. Most designs are now manufactured with thin margins using cheapest possible components. One service call minimally costs home owner several hundred $. Shortening cords cost $2 and 5 min.
My heat pump underneath my deck has slightly tilted due to the ground settling. Am I able to slightly tilt it back level while it's connected and maybe put a bit more fill underneath? I don't want to damage the unit by moving it too much. Any help would be great! Thanks 🥃
Thanks for the video! A few tweaks: About 3:20 might want to use a level when using the template. 6:48 lots of daylight around the pipes; bit more foam? 11:00 best to insulate the two lines separately, rather than bundling them together; any heat that leaks between the hot/cold and return lines doesn't transfer to/from the head unit inside the building. 11:43 maybe want to caulk that top flashing? 12:03 UV degrades plastic, and you maybe don't want water dripping next to your foundation. Perhaps cover it, and run it a little ways away from the wall. 13:20 WAIT -- you have weather gasket material sticking out to the sides of the cover, and angling UP to form a funnel for rainwater. Not the ideal installation. I would seriously do something to protect the coiled lines; critters and UV are going to chew up the insulation on those lines, and at least around here plants are going to grow through the coil, and you'll be losing heating/cooling.
He seems to have used a level right after pivoting the template but yeah might be better to do that while marking the vent hole, otherwise it could be slightly off :)
Need advice, I have a common 3 Ton split system gas furnace. My compressor failed after 15 years of service. I recently purchased a new 3.5 Ton heat pump condenser as a replacement. I would like to take advantage of the heat pump technology and use the gas furnace as backup heat. My question revolves around the specifications of the new replacement evaporator coil. I noticed that most heat pump condenser units are married to an air handler with electric backup heat, instead of an evaporator coil box on a gas furnace. I understand that gas heat is possible as backup with a heat pump, but I'm confused about what modifications need to be made to the evaporator coil TXV. Please advise if there are special TXV for heat pump evaporator coil configuration and if there is something that is needs to be done to the furnace. Thanks Kevin
I hope yall r 608 certifie b4 handling gauges with refrigerant flowing thru them cause if not and reported to the EPA you can be looking at a very nice hefty citation.
This particular model is a DIY kit and doesn't require a certificate. I go into more detail in my follow up video: th-cam.com/video/KzHLsRtVn4U/w-d-xo.html
No. Section 608 Technician Certification is required for activities that could reasonably be expected to violate the integrity of the refrigeration circuit. Adding or removing refrigerant from a mini-split as part of installation, and/or connecting or disconnecting hoses or pre-charged lines requires a Section 608 technician certification. Activities reasonably expected to violate the integrity of the refrigerant circuit include but are not limited to: attaching or detaching hoses and gauges to and from the appliance; adding or removing refrigerant; adding or removing components; and cutting the refrigerant line.
That was an excellent video of the DYI MRCOOL mini-split HVAC system. I will be purchasing and installing the 18K variant. I feel far better now to do the install thanks to your valuable inputs
I wanted to see how awkward it is hanging the indoor unit but that final step was skipped past. Also wanted to see if he taped that whole coil of extra line but that was skipped past too. Does that outdoor unit need to be bolted down? Can it just set on cement blocks like a boiler? Did he wrap the tube joints all together or each separately, that was skipped over too, and how can you check for leaks after wrapping, and how do you leak check behind the wall unit once it’s installed?
You need to pull a vacuum on refrigeration systems to remove air and moisture from the system. Also a legit installer would cut the lines to length and braze a coupling in place.
Scott HVAC this is the garbage I’m sure guys like you and I will get called to repair. Service mans night mare. Reclaim the charge if there’s any left leak check with Nitro then fix leaks. Evacuate a d weigh a new charge in. Bam 700$ later they should of called someone who knows what their doing.....
@@frankjohnson7640 Good to know. I was wondering why they didn't Purge the air from the evaporator coil and the lines. Although, when you use the Allen wrench to open the refrigerant line from the condenser coil he said you might hear a hissing sound if the lines were precharged why would you hear a hissing sound?
Well made tutorial, thank you. Im looking to install this the sleeper of my semi. My questions are - can you tell me the amps and watts it pulls at start up? How long did it take you to install once the old was removed? 🤷♂
It's soft start. The Amps ramp up slowly. I think it goes up to maybe 7 or 8 Amps on 120V. But, Mr. Cool failed on me, so I wouldn't buy a Mr. Cool again.
Me too but I choose the 120v in case a long term outage (hurricane, tornado, flood) I can power it up with a regular 2K watt generator (last time hurricane Harvey took us 4 days no power)
Great tutorial video David,I’m ready to install mine,I like the spring coils around the lines to get a smooth radius without kinks,I was wondering about that until you showed it.Thanks.
Really nice video. We've been working for days to try to install one. Installing the outside stand through 2 inches of stucco, then 2 inches of foam, then the 10 inches of concrete was a challenge. Now to the unit, we have the 12K and it says have to use torque wrench - which we can only find for close to $200. Your seemed to just tighten without that. Are your instructions different? Been trying to find contractor in my area to install one for 3 years with no luck. So decided it was worth a try. Worst case we have a 3 inch hole in wall.
The special fittings are sealed via the dual O rings not the screw fitting, just get it tight in order to secure the fitting and allows the internal valve to open. You can even remove the lines without loosing any Freon because as you begin to loosen the fitting pressure is lost against the valve and it closes. I had to remove my two head unit after a storm heavily damaged the place, then after repairs to the place I just reinstall the same equipment and everything was still charged correctly (no Freon losses). These are amazing lineset connectors in their DYI labeled systems. So Easy.
We use flared connections in Australia, not those pipe connections, do the pipes come pre- evacuated???? Standard practice is to pressure test the pipes with dry nitrogen then evacuate the lines to remove air and moisture, do these lines not require this process??
I'm shopping for a new system to replace my 20y/o ac & furnace. I see the mini-splits in restaurants and other places so I'm wondering how has it worked for you since you installed it in 2020. Thanks in advance
For some pricing reference I just replaced a 3t mismatched A-coil and compressor with a 3.5t for $3500. The old compressor burned up and it was $2k for a replacement without warranty. This was done by a trusted family business whose founder worked with my father when John Zink made air conditioners. FYI the upgraded cooling was recommended because of the loss of shade and change of surfaces outdoors. North exposure, South is a different unit, but they replaced an old creek bed with concrete and we lost a bunch of trees to the widening.
You should never coil up power wires like that, because it will be like an big inductor/electro magnet and heat up and COULD result in a fire. Cut it to length wit maybe 10cm/1foot of slack and it's perfect. The only thing I dont like about this unit is the coiled up AC lines, do they deliver in different lenghts or are all that long?
@@niceguy235uk1 many of them are between 2 to 5KW And coiled wires concentrates the heat like crazy and also induction losses like old iron core transformers
David, I am about to choose a mini split for my off grid cabin. I was please to see in the video the unit your installing is a 115 volt unit as that is what I intend to order. When I click the link you provided for the unit on Amazon it brings back a 230 volt unit. Exactly which unit did you use in the video? L Moore
At what point does it become charged with Freon, and why were the lines not evacuated first to remove moisture from the air trapped inside? Seems to me that's a premature failure just waiting to happen.
I would have to say that I am impressed with the amount of little details that most others don't show like the fittings and explaining simple things that may not be obvious to someone who isn't hands-on looking at the unit but it is helpful for some people who are interested but on the fence on buying one.
On a professional installation you wouldn't have 15 feet of copper lineset sitting behind the unit either.
I've been watching videos for hours on installing these. I just purchased one, and this was the most informative. Thank you!
Your welcome, thanks for watching.
I like that you were sparse in your comments with useful information. So often the videographer is in love with their voice. Thanks for a good offerring
Same, as much as I want to watch Home Performance's videos his repetitive commentaries are just too daunting...
Iam a 37 year HVAC contractor and when Iam bored I love to be a couch critic. But dang you nailed it and Iam so glad that Iam about to retire because that crap puts us put of business. Please check your breaker in the house that its a 120volt and the correct amps . Don't use the old 220v one . Your family is blessed to have you .
half of these replys are soo fkn fake lol. Mr Cool is that you?
Thank you great video, now I know I now I can do it. Here in Santa Fe NM man was asking $2000 to install it, he said it will take 2 hours time, and the reason for asking $1000 an hour was because he is a professional !!!
Awesome video! I installed a 24K unit and planned my run to use all of the 25 ft line set into the center of my house through the attic. For the inside drip, I was able to route to the garage floor. DIY cost was about $3K plus my own labor. Quote from the local AC guys was about $14K. I love the quiet operation. Working with Cielo to diagnose why the app and Wi-Fi connection doesn't seem to work. The remote works perfectly fine.
How big of a room is that unit in?
How easy was it to route through attic?
The leak was probably bottom left of outdoor coil. Those small older Fujitsu’s always split out the bottom in heat mode. Fujitsu had a program for awhile to replace them at no cost.
But shouldn't he use the vacuum pump in the system like 20 mins to check if there is leak before releasing the refrigerant ?
*Love this unit! Using upstairs in my sons bedroom **Fastly.Cool** and he’s finally able to be comfortable upstairs without me freezing downstairs. Works for more sqft than expected!*
Holy crap David, small world, we are installing a 2-unit MrCool next weekend and this video was the first one to come up! Wooo Go UMass!
I installed a 18000 BTU Mr Cool DIY 3 years ago in NE Georgia. No problems with it.
It will also act as a heat pump down to freezing temps. It is quiet.
I bought it via Home Depot and picked it up at the store. You really need some help running the line through the wall because it is unwieldy and needs someone to pull it as you feed it through the wall.
Now they have multi-zone DIY packages available. Good warranty with them.
I added an AC surge compressor ($70) to the wiring since we have power interruptions with the thunderstorms here in Georgia.
I look for things that don’t make sense or (wtf) issues and must confess this one was almost flawless. The only potential issue was cutting the condensation tube too short and allowing it run into the houses foundation. Not a big deal and is nit picking considering the fantastic content provided. Well done!
Great job! Having all the wiring and stand in place made your installation easier. I just installed an 18K BTU last week and can't believe how quiet it is. They are a solar system dream as they are so energy efficient. I am putting in two more, an 12K btu and another 18K btu that will heat and cool the majority of my house.
Nice. Those should work well with your off-grid system.
Links to them on fx amazon?
I like the clear and simple video of your install. FYI I don't believe you should be insulating the the 2 couplings (which you referred to as "valves") together. They should be insulated separately as one is line is going to be hot and the other cold. Bridging them together reduces system efficiency.
Having the warm coupling (liquid line) insulated together with the cold coupling (suction line) does not reduce efficiency. What it does is sub-cools the liquid refrigerant before going into the indoor coil, and it also boils off any potential liquid that didn't evaporate in the cooling coil, protecting the compressor. Liquid going back to the compressor could damage it. The reality is that there is very little heat transfer through those couplings anyway, so it's not really a big deal either way.
@@shingw that's in refrigeration cycle. Not ac. There's a difference. As the reverse cycle on heating it becomes a problem in hotter climates.
Started to day with a mini duckless split air conditioner by Aircon. Reading and watching several Utube videos like yours. Thanks for your information and how to install. You did a swell job. Thanks for posting.
This makes the 6th Mr Cool install I’ve watched on TH-cam. YOURS IS BEST👍🏻👍🏻
I bought the exact system and installed it about 3 weeks ago, the only difference is the name, but as we all know they are all made in China. When I was in China they were selling these systems for about $250.00 complete! Some condos there have one per room!
What is the name of your unit?
tip: Use some other material you've drilled a hole through as a guide to keep the hole saw from walking around when you don't have a good pilot to hold onto
Nice roll of tubing behind the heatpump!
thats the way we roll up here
I installed an 18k dual zone mr cool unit in my house 6 months ago and it was not the diy type unfortunately, Because I live in Hawaii I had to order through Home Depot and ship to store. I am kinda glad because my tubes are just the right size and the wire is just the correct size. I would suggest that you run a piece of conduit from the end of your piping cover to the electrical box to protect the cable. but mr cool makes a great system I was able to do everything myself including vacuum the pipes and charging as well as wiring the unit. I have zero complaints love mr cool. Saved 2500 from what the hvac company wanted.
I always like the way you explain things even if there are videos about the same thing from others. Good job good install something to think about.
The only negative to the preparred tubing is that you may have to loop it due to being too long. Looping can accumulate oil which isn't good for longevity. Spend another $200-$300 on a vacuum kit and flare tool and trim the tube to the right length.
Just learned something about oil accumulation! Thanks!
Good point, but really though how much DIYERS have the money to do so? And besides buying something you’d most like to ever use this one time.
a little tips for drilling a hole bigger, is to drill a hole in a little wooden plank etc. and hold it firm over the little hole. then keep preasure on the "template" and drill a hole. the little template keeps the sides of the holesaw from wobbling.
Thanks for the tip. I'll have to use that next time.
Or "drywall saw" is way easier and safer
You can also nest 2 hole saws on the same arbor. Use the original hole saw used to make the smaller hole as a guide for the larger hole saw. Works great.
I have two Mr Cool DIY units cooling and heating my 2000sqft home and they're awesome. I originally bought a new 4 ton HVAC heat pump system when I bought my home six years ago. I ran the HVAC system up until I installed my two Mr Cool DIY units about eighteen months ago. I have a 24K and a 12K DIY heat pump system and they're freaking great. They cool and heat my house as good as my 4 ton HVAC system using about 2/3 less energy usage. I also have a 12K Carrier mini split system in our master bedroom and a small 9K mini split system in our spare bedroom. But we only use those systems on rare occasions.
N
Are you still happy with this setup? I have to replace a 3.5 ton Trane outdoor that just died, quotes for a new 3.5 are running 8k-13k with a SEER rating 14-14.5 and HSPF of 7.5-8. Our electricity usage is crazy high, very much considering putting in two 24k MR. Cool units for 4k and getting the better SEER and HSPF values but concerned about longevity and reliability...also a 2000 square foot single story house.... Any advice?
You have great videos. Sure is nice to watch without cursing. Keep up the good work.
Have installed 4 of these units, having the refrigeration lines wrapped in coiled steel to prevent kinking is a nice feature
The only thing I don't like about this is the excess tubing. I know that is a big part of the DIY friendly part but if I would install I would still want it to be the correct length. This product interests me because my master bedroom is the furthest room from the furnace and it does not get enough air flow for the warmest summer days and coolest winter days.
The tubing can be purchased at different lengths depending on application
You can choose how much tubing out of a few selections. You'll likely still have a little extra, but you can get it close in most applications. It looks like he could have gotten about 10-15' less tubing and been okay.
drescherjm if you know how to solder braze or flare tubing you can shorten the length yourself. Only drawback is you’ll need to attach a vacuum pump and evacuate the lines down to 500 microns. I bought Samsung’s for the house in the Philippines and they wouldn’t cover the warranty if I installed it, even tho I showed them my universal license, they insisted I pay them to install it. Well, they just opened the liquid line side valve and cracked open the vapor line fitting and flushed the air out. Not ideal but it works in a pinch. If you purchase a more traditional brand that has 1/4” and 3/8” male flare fittings then you can make your own flares fittings. Always be careful to cut tubing slowly and incrementally so as not to curl the metal inwards too much. Debur just slightly(over deburing thins out the metal)with tubing pointing down so flakes fall out not inside tubing. Then flare the ends (after putting on the flare nut😝) and again flare slowly so as to not fracture the copper. Copper will only bend so much so fast without cracking. Teflon tape and thread sealant are useless on flare fitting. The flare on the tubing is the surface that mates with the male flare. A copper flare washer helps with leaky issues. Lining up the connection with straight tubing and fittings will give you a leak free joint as well. You can install a flare union after shortening the line set using the dummy fittings shown in David’s video here.
@@billssolarpowerandgardenin1016 I have hundreds of hours of soldering experience with copper pipes but not so much brazing. Last time I did that it was the 1980s and I was in high school. Anyways the idea of using one of these units in my situation would be probably the third or fourth try after the others failed. Just got to get time to tackle the problem..
There is also a zoning option for conventional central forced air systems. That may help with getting air to poor locations. Ask for a free quote for a zoning system from your local HVAC company.
Try opening the suction valve first, wait then open the liquid second. The expansion valve is behind the liquid king valve and you could risk flooding it with oil.
Also, wait to fire the unit up after supplying power for a bit. Let the compressor warm up and boil any liquid off. You could take a good chunk of the life off the compressor slugging it with liquid refrigerant.
From Letterkenny to almost every channel I watch on youtube.........Canadians ...........You're very nice people.
I have two for garage that doubles as my work shop. Summer is a killer trying to build things in. The 16,000 btu would take off my needs. Wonder if they’ll sponsor me. I guess I should make TH-cam vids of what I do for fun and some for building stuff for the house and for friends. I love the ease of installation and the extra feature of being able to operate it from the phone. Thanks
Will be renovating a old home and really dont want to do duct work because It's so loud and unhealthy. Looking into alternative heating/cooling systems. Thanks for the video.
I'm from Brazil, and here the instalation way, it's kind different, and some tools we haven't unfortunately
Great video and good energy. Appreciated that you had extra little hands on the job site, always makes the job extra hard. You've taken away my concern over a up coming installation, thank you.
Consider putting a piece of steel wool or something in the condensate tube end to keep critters out.
Or a P-trap on the bottom
Heck...Just look for the tattle tail oil residue with the dirt stuck to it to find the culprit and odds are its a leak in the condenser coil, lineset connections or service valves. ;)
on the next one. coil the extra condensate drain tubing once on the wall to make a P trap / water loop to keep critters out. then snip it off.
Can't do a p- trap in areas of the country that gets below freezing
@@ThePapertank1 if it’s freezing the ac won’t be on.
Thanks for making this video.
Our local utility is encouraging heat pumps.
Looking at the options.
This video is very helpful.
i have a mr cool diy outdoor 3.5 ton hvac been working great for 4years so far. its hooked into my ductwork
Tell Ms Poz. Happy Mother’s Day. You do make it look easy sir. Give us a 6 and 18 month follow up please
He didn't do the air evacuation, his AC probably won't survive so long.
@@olegsvodyanov it's pre vacuumed dumbass.
😂😂😂
Good DIY install - good to see DIYers are using Nylog, its a must to help avoid leaks at the connection points. Mr Cool is a good garage use unit, it will last you 2 - 3 years under normal usage. I don’t like the line set left coiled, understandably the line set is pre-vacuumed and cant be shortened without re-pulling a vacuum and the DIYer wouldn’t readily have the tools necessary to do it right, but otherwise, this is a really good install and those of you who are wanting to do your own unit, follow this step by step...really thorough. Good job.
2 or 3 years - why? That's useless. Which units will last longer - like 15 years?
the extra line set should be raised up and set so it coils downward for the oil.. you dont want the oil to get trapped in the loops.. the oil should be in the compressor where it belongs..
I saw that too...coil should always be sloping up, not down then up.
How is that possible without the ability to cut the lines to length????
Joseph Ferradino
I ran mine down the outside wall and then length wise along the bottom, then set the compressor and wiring. No coil on mine
How do you get away with not vacuuming down the system before charging it?
@@johngunn879 All the components (even lines) come with charge in them, thus no air or moisture. Special fittings hold pressure inside, yet open when components are screwed together.
Great Job ! Only improvement i would make is to support the line set on the Wall of your house. i would recommend a Hose Hangar that u use for Hanging a Garden hose on a Wall. Coil Line set Vertically Like a Garden hose. ( Circular fashion ) That added support will double the life of the unit. if u do not support that line set i can pretty much guarantee u having a leak at the Quick connects in 5 years. Great Job Besides that. minuscule vibration is what causes leaks over time on unsupported lines. Refrigeration Tech. for 39 Years. Business owner for 30 years.
Classic How To - Superb editing - I am saving this for future reference - Excelante !!!
I wish we had DIY options here in Australia.
I know, these model of fujitsu, the leak will be on the evaporator coil elbows of the left end side under the mounting plastic support.
Questions: 1.) What do they say to do if you had a leaking connection? 2.) It seems you used more force to tighten the fitting to the outdoor connection, do they specify a torque to tighten those fittings to?
To answer both your questions if you get a torque wrench and follow the manufacturer’s instructions you won’t have a leak but if you do your suppose to leak check with nitrogen and soap bubbles
Good video. I am actually in installs and have done a nice amount of these jus a small worry u might one look into and thts shortening up tht line set , cut re-flare then run it into the outside unit. Tht extra lineset could cause malfunctions of all sorts
David, how is this still working for you? How many watts does this draw on full cool, and how many watts does it pull at idle?\\
99% of issues one those Fujistsu is a leak in the indoor Coil.
I've had the exact same model 12k btu since 2013, rock solid but had a leak this year, replaced the indoor coil for free (12 year parts/labor warranty / Fujitsu Elite dealer)
I've seen these and they look like good products. The only drawback I see with this is the leftover piping that you have coiled outside that is exposed to being kicked, stepped on, dented, squashed and other bad things. Seems like they might be able to have the pipe in removable segments so you don't have to leave so much coiled up.
R290 is propane. All refrigerants have a pressure/temperature relationship. Having the same amount of refrigerant in a smaller amount of copper lineset would increase the pressure and cause issues. This would mean that the homeowner would have to release a percentage of the propane into the atmosphere, which would still hinder the efficiency of the unit and also possibly introduce moisture to the system (which can cause serious issues). There's a reason that technicians charge what they do.
I watched a video of a installation of Mr Cool where the person cut the length down to size. Nothing was mentioned about too much pressure.
I use a Mitsubishi heat pump to warm my house in cold seasons and cool it in the summer when needed. As I live on Norway I had to let it install by a provisional.
Excellent tutorial. l'm ready to get mine. My neighbor is an electrician. He's going to help me. Should be great up upstairs. Thanks!
Great Job. But I thought that the air inside the tubes should be removed or it`s not necessary anymore?
arnt you suppose to vacuum the line?
Good video, thanks. Question...The extra copper lines behind the outside unit are coiled several times. HVAC techs indicate that this could lead to the oil in the refrigerant pooling at this area affecting the performance of the unit. What does Mr. Cool say about this?
The best solution to make sure the coils do not trap oil is to position the coil horizon to the ground. The oil will then travel back to the condenser as designed.
L. MOORE
If the coil is laying horizontal to the ground the highest part of the coil should be the tubes coming down the wall and the tubes on the bottom of the coil should connected to the unit. That way, oil that way is constantly draining out of the coil rather than having to be pushed up through the coil and possibly getting trapped in the coil.
Nice Mr.Cool advertisement but I do have a couple of remarks:
Those easy click connections always start to leak at a certain point so you should always solder your connections (like with all renowned brands). When soldering you should put your lines under nitrogen pressure and once you're done clear this nitrogen out with a vacuum pump. This gets rid of all the pollution in your lines and allows you to check for leaks. Usually the outdoor unit is prefilled with refrigerant up to a certain piping length, if your lines exceed this length you'll have to add refrigerant. If you don't your heat pump will have to work harder putting more strain on for instance the compressor and you might find it won't work that good in general. You'll also get errors like low pressure fault indications etc. When drilling a hole in your facade drill it at a slight downward angle from inside to outside to eliminate any chance of water coming through along the pipes.
Most cheap heat-pumps are cheap for a reason (like the usage of cheap, inferior components) which is probably why you had to replace your only 7-year old heat-pump. Brands like Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric who use grade A components will last you much longer with 15 years being the norm. With heat-pumps buying cheap usually means buying expensive as the compressor and expansion valves usually give out quite soon and replacing them can be more expensive than buying a new cheap inferior heat-pump. In general they have a short life span, meaning you'll have to replace them more often. You could wonder about the impact that has on the environment, with heat-pumps having been labelled "green". So overall imho it is better to spend a bit more on a more reliable quality product that will last longer with less downtime due to repairs. At least that has been my experience in the 15 years I've been working as an HVAC engineer now. We don't even service inferior brands like Mr.Cool any more because they are just a waste of time and money.
How is Mr.Cool inferior? Please explain
You missed one step.Before you screw that top cover head on you have to seal all your open areas where the pipes come thru the wall or water 💦 water will get in.make sure to seal all open sides of the head. Like Clear lexel or something. But your video is nice.I enjoyed watching it.great job!
Thanks for referring the Mr. Cool vid install. How has this unit worked out for you in comparison to your garage split?
The leak is most likely in the evaporator coil
I have replaced many of them for the same reason you are changing system I pressure test the to 600 psi and they show up along the tube sheet or along the bottom rows of the coil
600psi? Is the unit even designed to hold that pressure?
@@mygripe It's a R410A refrigerant so yes it can handle it for pressure testing .
@@mygripe Often 500 is sufficient, all manufacturers have the test pressure of a system on the label.
Brandon Wright for r410a equipment
All AC guys do 360 max.
They would do so good in south africa with these kits. We have a massive diy community but the market for us is so small. You can buy these kits but they charge you $7000 for the same kit that sells for $2000 in the states. Madness.
Wish mr cool would open their own store here
@Orching For the sake of humanity, can you please research before making idiotic comments like this? We need less stupid people on Earth please!
Great job at video production. Did you have to check the pressure in the lines with a meter to confirm the system requirements?
What happen with doing a purg on the lines to get rid of all the humidity in the lines? This is a crucial part of the instalation proces .
The lines on this DIY unit are pre-charged with coolant. No vacuuming here. The flares on the end are specialized to not release the pressure until the "other half" of the coolant is released from the main unit.
Nice job.
The black gooey tape you put up near the hole is probably more to insulate the copper pipes so they don't have water collect on them drip down the pipes.
In our church some squirrels ate away the insulation off the duct work and water condensed on the ducts and dripped into the sanctuary .
I am going to look into Mr Cool thanks for the vid.
Happy Motoring.
This is great but, after considering the cost and amount of work involved, we have opt out for a couple of 12,000 BTU portable unit at $400 a piece. Got everything set up and running in less than 30 minutes.
And your monthly electrical bill is now ?
I think window units are almost twice the energy consumption.
Those 12,000 btu system draw about 4.5 amps!.....u could easily run one off a small solar setup.
Cool ... Hearing a high end local experienced solar buddy saying these newer mini split heat pumps have really gone up in efficiency (plus under-sizing is better than over-sizing), I wonder how much energy savings the mini slits represent as compared to older tech of window or wall mounted ACs of same BTU ratings ??? ... While that might be harder to document, I'd love to someday see a video clip test result on that question.
I purchased a couple of 120vac 12000 BTU Pioneer brand mini split heat pumps (a free shipping $750 each deal) that I have tooled up to install myself. They will help me use my solar options to back off from my natural gas heating; plus provide a great cooling option to my evaporator cooler, including for if I had a wildfire smoke cycle outside my house to deal with. ... I will likely be voiding my warranty without a hired professional install (or check off), but with a background for details, I will take that risk on. Your video here will be another install reference.
Thanks for sharing the info. from your learning curve experiences :+) Bill in Northern California
I heat and cool my home with heat pumps and the operation cost as compared to window units is CONSIDERABLY LOWER! There is really no comparison, since the modern heat pump is running on DC power with an inverter and has variable speed capability as compared to that old window unit. It can run the compressor very slowly to keep liquid refrigerant ready for heating or cooling. The window unit compressor has just one speed. It's either running or idle, no in between.
@@chestermartin3440 Yes to more efficient options. I wonder how cooling via mini splits ac will compare to cost of running my evaporator cooler in a dry climate. I know I will prefer the heat pump cooling on cycles that hit near 100F. ... I think it will great to have both option plus heating via the same mini split unit in the winter :+)
My Air con uses R32 gas so before the gas vanlves are opened, air inside of the copper pipe must be well sucked (using vaccum pump)
Or juts let it out....no worries
I love my mini splits. I do all mine myself. I do have vacuum pump and pressure/vac gauges. I use a “ generic” brand of mini split inverter and all three have never failed me. I have one unit, my second install and very sloppy too, that I have never turned off in 7 years. I helped a friend install a Mr Cool system. They are much easier to install as the learning curve for flaring or brazing and evacuating the line set is avoided.
What generic brand did you use please...
Dan, I'm building a 28x32 garage with a loft above. The loft will be around around 600 sq ft. based on what you've seen with this Mr Cool unit, would you recommend it?
Great vid thanks. I tried this and now I have more bits than what I started with.
With this, as any refrigeration product, it's essential to vac down the line set and indoor section the leak check the vacuum to see if it holds prior to releasing the refrigerant into the system. Even a small quantity of non-condensibles can reek havoc on the system. And yes I've been installing these since the late 80's and speak from experience. That plastic drain tube, unless shielded from sunlight will disintegrate in 2-3 years. Better to put it in a piece of pvc pipe or at least wrap it in tape somehow. If you plan on getting one of these, you'll need to have it cleaned at least once a year or purchase a cleaning kit with tent to prevent damage to the home interior. The fins on the indoor fan (a long squirrel cage) get filthy in the cleanest of homes in due course. This will diminish performance and/or destroy the fan motor. Essentially, these are throw away systems. When you have any major issue it's mostly cheaper to replace than to pay for service.
Everything is a "throw away system" today. And usually not very long either. Hire an HVAC contractor and put a little furnace/coil/condenser in a little space like this and you'll pay $10,000. This can be bought and installed for $1,500. Sure, you might put 2 or 3 of them in while you stay in the home, but I still think they dollar cost average out. And they are VERY economical to operate.
I was quoted $13k to replace my central ac unit. Been looking at a multi head split system that is quieter, more efficient, and can shut off rooms not being used for under $4k and the vacuum pump, guage set, and pipe flare tool is only $200 to install properly. So even if it needs replacing every 5 years or so I'm still money ahead after taking into consideration service calls for an aging traditional system.
If A Day wanted to make a buck, he could install these with little effort and make money every day. Mike Maxwell is correct that the old guard needs to realize that we now live in a throwaway society. Not working? Throw it away and replace it. We're all guilty of it.
The line set is sealed at both ends and contains refrigerant. It is not possible or necessary to vac them down. The sophisticated connectors on the ends seal the outside connection before they open internally to release the refrigerant as you screw them together. The reverse is also true. If you unscrew the connectors, the internal seal closes before the external seal opens so only a minuscule amount of refrigerant is lost. I know this because I spent a long time on the phone with tech support after I erroneously connected one of the lines to the wrong zone on a 3-zone system. I moved it after our discussion and the system continues to work perfectly after almost two years.
Loved the chuckle at the end!! Great when things go as expected.
I ran mine in Florida with my Grid tie back up inverter for 4 days after a hurricane with no power from grid, no problem. That is the reason you want to get the 110v model.
How is that exposed electrical cable holding up? Does that area get a lot of sun? Other videos I've seen use liquid tight conduit on both the whip, and the communication wires.
Great reference. Do you have a similar load test for the cooling portion of this unit? Trying to figure out the watt,amp,surge load for this unit to work of my solar system on cooling mode only. Currently have a 1500 W pure sine inverter with solar charge controller supplied by 2 200w panels and 2 200 amp h lifepo4 batteries
Just a quick question, did you have the system evaced to remove the air from the system?, just wondering
Not with this kit. I posted a follow up video answering that question: th-cam.com/video/KzHLsRtVn4U/w-d-xo.html
Theoretically the coiled up electrical cable forms a resistance 'choke' with AC power. The magnetic fields created around the individual wires interfere with each other when looping causing this resistence and needing higher amps than neccessary. Your tested amps was right near the max of 10amps if I read the data sticker correctly. Unless you wanted to allow moving the exterior unit later you could test this out by reading amps, shortening the cord, reattaching then rechecking the usage. If temps are same as before the line should use less electrical energy when done. This lessens the heat in both fan & compressor motors when running. I have electronic degree and as a home inspector I always advised shortening coiled up AC wiring to save useful working life of appliances. What convinced me of the practical side in this was one day found a coiled 50' extention cable that melted itself together into a solid plastic coil. That definitely made an impresion on me.
Your over thinking it buddy. I feel bad for the people you advise, money not well spent for most (99.99%) of properties out there have far worse things that need fixing.
@@paulcrescenti5581 if the power is routed to the exterior unit 1st, that would make a large reduction in the reluctance (ac resistence) issue. Of course rethinking your example, his meter showed 10amps of current flow. That is extremely high for just the interior fan.
In rethinking my advised amperage test, it would be easier by simply uncoiling & spreading out the wire before re-reading the current. If amp drop is more than 10% it is well worth shortening the cord.
@@JDub-mi7fs thx, for sharing, your experience makes an excellent example of unexpected consequenses of coiling wires.
@@WilliamSymionow true, if that were the extent of my advice. Realize even 10% reduction in watts = greater relability for all components effected. Most designs are now manufactured with thin margins using cheapest possible components. One service call minimally costs home owner several hundred $. Shortening cords cost $2 and 5 min.
I would have added a cooler to that "coil" line set to keep my beer cold in the summer!😁
You do realize that one line would be HOT, right?
Both lines of a mini split are cool, txv is in the condenser
Dennis Coulbourn this is also a heat pump. In wintertime both lines are hot, the condenser is inside
@@12345anton6789 Then you use the cooler to keep your beer from freezing.
Two years later, any update? Is it still running as it did initially?
It is not working right now and I've emailed them a lot, but they stopped responding.
My heat pump underneath my deck has slightly tilted due to the ground settling. Am I able to slightly tilt it back level while it's connected and maybe put a bit more fill underneath? I don't want to damage the unit by moving it too much. Any help would be great! Thanks 🥃
Very impressed, as a HVAC man it’s good to see a unit that most men could do! Great video
Thanks for the video! A few tweaks:
About 3:20 might want to use a level when using the template.
6:48 lots of daylight around the pipes; bit more foam?
11:00 best to insulate the two lines separately, rather than bundling them together; any heat that leaks between the hot/cold and return lines doesn't transfer to/from the head unit inside the building.
11:43 maybe want to caulk that top flashing?
12:03 UV degrades plastic, and you maybe don't want water dripping next to your foundation. Perhaps cover it, and run it a little ways away from the wall.
13:20 WAIT -- you have weather gasket material sticking out to the sides of the cover, and angling UP to form a funnel for rainwater. Not the ideal installation.
I would seriously do something to protect the coiled lines; critters and UV are going to chew up the insulation on those lines, and at least around here plants are going to grow through the coil, and you'll be losing heating/cooling.
He seems to have used a level right after pivoting the template but yeah might be better to do that while marking the vent hole, otherwise it could be slightly off :)
We got MRCOOL 18K, 4 years, they are so GREAT! They have central units now.... found that out AFTER after a bought a goodman.
How much was it ?
Goodman built right here in Houston Texas
Need advice,
I have a common 3 Ton split system gas furnace. My compressor failed after 15 years of service. I recently purchased a new 3.5 Ton heat pump condenser as a replacement. I would like to take advantage of the heat pump technology and use the gas furnace as backup heat. My question revolves around the specifications of the new replacement evaporator coil. I noticed that most heat pump condenser units are married to an air handler with electric backup heat, instead of an evaporator coil box on a gas furnace. I understand that gas heat is possible as backup with a heat pump, but I'm confused about what modifications need to be made to the evaporator coil TXV. Please advise if there are special TXV for heat pump evaporator coil configuration and if there is something that is needs to be done to the furnace.
Thanks
Kevin
I hope yall r 608 certifie b4 handling gauges with refrigerant flowing thru them cause if not and reported to the EPA you can be looking at a very nice hefty citation.
This particular model is a DIY kit and doesn't require a certificate. I go into more detail in my follow up video: th-cam.com/video/KzHLsRtVn4U/w-d-xo.html
No. Section 608 Technician Certification is required for activities that could reasonably be expected to violate the integrity of the refrigeration circuit. Adding or removing refrigerant from a mini-split as part of installation, and/or connecting or disconnecting hoses or pre-charged lines requires a Section 608 technician certification. Activities reasonably expected to violate the integrity of the refrigerant circuit include but are not limited to: attaching or detaching hoses and gauges to and from the appliance; adding or removing refrigerant; adding or removing components; and cutting the refrigerant line.
That was an excellent video of the DYI MRCOOL mini-split HVAC system. I will be purchasing and installing the 18K variant. I feel far better now to do the install thanks to your valuable inputs
Looks like a nice setup! How much does it cost all together???
Thank you for posting the Energy Guide at the end! I was curious!
Not all that impressive! Barely average/below average.
Good video! Thanks. Ups just dropped mine off a couple hrs ago. Looks simple. What was that you put on the threads?
I wanted to see how awkward it is hanging the indoor unit but that final step was skipped past. Also wanted to see if he taped that whole coil of extra line but that was skipped past too. Does that outdoor unit need to be bolted down? Can it just set on cement blocks like a boiler? Did he wrap the tube joints all together or each separately, that was skipped over too, and how can you check for leaks after wrapping, and how do you leak check behind the wall unit once it’s installed?
I have another video with far more detail on each step: th-cam.com/video/Kd092alkeaE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=kr2H6gsI2SwA_mwK
Considering you’re off grid, how many watts does the Mr. cool use?
It’s an inverter driven compressor so there can’t be an accurate result, but most of them draw about 1kw
It all depends. I use about 20-25kw per day with a 4t split unit. Works out to under $2 a day or less. That's very efficient.
I think I would have tested the system before I taped and tied everything together and covered it up. But way to go!
Your right he should have leak tested first. Also should not have mounted the unit so close to the airhandler, now he is stuck with that coil.
@@RadioRich100 ,bbnyghhgg
You need to pull a vacuum on refrigeration systems to remove air and moisture from the system.
Also a legit installer would cut the lines to length and braze a coupling in place.
I thought I was the only one thinking, "Cut that shit a flare it "lol. Looks bad
Scott HVAC this is the garbage I’m sure guys like you and I will get called to repair. Service mans night mare. Reclaim the charge if there’s any left leak check with Nitro then fix leaks. Evacuate a d weigh a new charge in. Bam 700$ later they should of called someone who knows what their doing.....
Reason #200 why nobody should hire you. Sealed lines supplied. They are already full of refrigerant. They only open when lines are connected.
@@frankjohnson7640
Good to know. I was wondering why they didn't Purge the air from the evaporator coil and the lines.
Although, when you use the Allen wrench to open the refrigerant line from the condenser coil he said you might hear a hissing sound if the lines were precharged why would you hear a hissing sound?
@@frankjohnson7640 sealed lines lol. Good one
Well made tutorial, thank you. Im looking to install this the sleeper of my semi. My questions are - can you tell me the amps and watts it pulls at start up? How long did it take you to install once the old was removed? 🤷♂
It's soft start. The Amps ramp up slowly. I think it goes up to maybe 7 or 8 Amps on 120V. But, Mr. Cool failed on me, so I wouldn't buy a Mr. Cool again.
I always like the 220 volt systems. It evens out the load in your house so you don't get a dip and the motors will run smoother and longer.
Me too but I choose the 120v in case a long term outage (hurricane, tornado, flood) I can power it up with a regular 2K watt generator (last time hurricane Harvey took us 4 days no power)
Great tutorial video David,I’m ready to install mine,I like the spring coils around the lines to get a smooth radius without kinks,I was wondering about that until you showed it.Thanks.
lol at the 12' of rolled copper line behind the unit
Leaving a monstrosity of copper refer lines in place is no good at all! Especially on small tonnage systems as this bloke has done.
@@MARKWILLIAMS-tm4rf These systems are designed to work as is and they do just that. They work great so you clearly don't have a clue....
@@Ozzie4Para Mr Cool is that you?
@@MARKWILLIAMS-tm4rf side note: does that copper tubing attract metal thieves?
Really nice video. We've been working for days to try to install one. Installing the outside stand through 2 inches of stucco, then 2 inches of foam, then the 10 inches of concrete was a challenge. Now to the unit, we have the 12K and it says have to use torque wrench - which we can only find for close to $200. Your seemed to just tighten without that. Are your instructions different? Been trying to find contractor in my area to install one for 3 years with no luck. So decided it was worth a try. Worst case we have a 3 inch hole in wall.
The special fittings are sealed via the dual O rings not the screw fitting, just get it tight in order to secure the fitting and allows the internal valve to open. You can even remove the lines without loosing any Freon because as you begin to loosen the fitting pressure is lost against the valve and it closes. I had to remove my two head unit after a storm heavily damaged the place, then after repairs to the place I just reinstall the same equipment and everything was still charged correctly (no Freon losses). These are amazing lineset connectors in their DYI labeled systems. So Easy.
We use flared connections in Australia, not those pipe connections, do the pipes come pre- evacuated???? Standard practice is to pressure test the pipes with dry nitrogen then evacuate the lines to remove air and moisture, do these lines not require this process??
I'm shopping for a new system to replace my 20y/o ac & furnace. I see the mini-splits in restaurants and other places so I'm wondering how has it worked for you since you installed it in 2020. Thanks in advance
For some pricing reference I just replaced a 3t mismatched A-coil and compressor with a 3.5t for $3500. The old compressor burned up and it was $2k for a replacement without warranty. This was done by a trusted family business whose founder worked with my father when John Zink made air conditioners.
FYI the upgraded cooling was recommended because of the loss of shade and change of surfaces outdoors. North exposure, South is a different unit, but they replaced an old creek bed with concrete and we lost a bunch of trees to the widening.
you got ripped off. I paid $4,000 for a 5 ton Rheem system a few weeks back.
You should never coil up power wires like that, because it will be like an big inductor/electro magnet and heat up and COULD result in a fire.
Cut it to length wit maybe 10cm/1foot of slack and it's perfect.
The only thing I dont like about this unit is the coiled up AC lines, do they deliver in different lenghts or are all that long?
Stop talking bollox. The amount of current draw on that will be negligible.
@@niceguy235uk1 many of them are between 2 to 5KW
And coiled wires concentrates the heat like crazy and also induction losses like old iron core transformers
The leak on the Fujitsu was probably on the indoor head... I've seen it a few times.
My money is on a return bend on the outdoor coil
David, I am about to choose a mini split for my off grid cabin. I was please to see in the video the unit your installing is a 115 volt unit as that is what I intend to order. When I click the link you provided for the unit on Amazon it brings back a 230 volt unit. Exactly which unit did you use in the video?
L Moore
At what point does it become charged with Freon, and why were the lines not evacuated first to remove moisture from the air trapped inside? Seems to me that's a premature failure just waiting to happen.