Mini-split air conditioning? ? ?

[Ray]

I'm looking for someone who has experience with mini-split air conditioners.

At present we have a single standard window unit, 18,000 BTUs, which does a good job of cooling our entire apartment, which is five rooms and 1,600 square feet.

The only problem is the noise. It's almost like having a leaf-blower in the room when it's running.

My question is, if we replaced that one unit with a single mini-split unit of the same capacity, can we expect to get the same cooling result?

And what kind of noise could we expect from the mini-split?

And, for those who have installed mini-splits, what can I expect to pay for the above-described unit, installed?

-- Ray

[The Daring Dufas]

The mini splits I've installed are very quiet. I installed a 4 ton Samsung unit for a commercial customer that was so quiet, you can't hear the condensing unit running full blast. I believe the systems originated in Asia where people live very close together in the cities so the equipment was designed to be extremely quiet from the start. The Mitsubishi systems are very quiet units also and most of the brands I've seen appear to be high quality units. Everyone seems to have a mini split in their lineup now whether they actually manufacture the units or not.

The least expensive 18k BTU system I've seen is the Fujitsu unit at the third link above.

TDD

[Ray]

Thanks. Very helpful.

I gather the system you installed had more than a single interior unit, as I am considering.

Could you give me a ballpark figure of what the entire project cost?

-- Ray

The mini splits I've installed are very quiet. I installed a 4 ton Samsung unit for a commercial customer that was so quiet, you can't hear the condensing unit running full blast. I believe the systems originated in Asia where people live very close together in the cities so the equipment was designed to be extremely quiet from the start. The Mitsubishi systems are very quiet units also and most of the brands I've seen appear to be high quality units. Everyone seems to have a mini split in their lineup now whether they actually manufacture the units or not.

The least expensive 18k BTU system I've seen is the Fujitsu unit at the third link above.

TDD

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Noise maker; compressor is away outside. Evaporator is inside. Only noise you can hear is moving air from the blower. You can control it using remote. Ours is LG unit. I our case the outside unit is sitting on a cconer of balcony.

[Smarty]

Ray,

I replaced a 12,000 BTU window unit with a Mitsubishi mini-split and my wife and I are entirely and totally thrilled with the result.

The noise level was previously a huge problem but is not a problem any longer. Unlike the window unit, the Mitsubishi has variable speed motors for both the indoor blower and the outdoor compressor.

I am not exaggerating when I say that you can barely hear that it is working once the initial cool-down has been achieved. The blow indoors is amazingly quiet, as is the outdoor unit.

The cost was $3600 installed versus $400 for a window unit so I guess I should state that it SHOULD BE much better and indeed it is.

I wish I had made the switch years ago.

Smarty

[Pat]

I am getting prices of $3000. Looks like I can buy a unit for about $700. Installing looks easy. I believe the contractor has to pay hundreds of dollars for permits and $750 or so goes to an electrician. If I install I can always have a guy come out to finish the refrigeration as a service call for a few hundred if I decide not to do that part myself. I think 2 separate units would be better than a split system. That way if one broke the other would still work until repairs were made.

[The Daring Dufas]

The Samsung 4 ton unit I installed some 5 years ago and the inside unit looked sort of like one of the wall furnaces about 6 feet tall. It had the return on the bottom and a motorized sweep vanes at the top. It was in a pizza place for supplementary cooling in the kitchen. It was a 3 phase powered unit and very efficient. I mounted the dual fan condensing unit on the flat roof and the air handler was straight down on a wall. I think the whole job was around $4,500 all together for a very good customer. I also installed a ceiling grid mounted unit of about 3 ton capacity known as a cassette unit which is flush with the ceiling, it was at his other location and it was a used unit so I didn't have a new price on it because it was supplied by the customer. That unit is a Mitsubishi and it was quiet and ran very well. I like the fact that the condensing units can be mounted just about anywhere, you can mount it high on a wall with a factory bracket keeping it out of reach of copper/aluminum thieves and dirt/debris from lawn mowing. I've helped my buddy install them in homes on a second story where a lot of customers have hot areas. We put the condensing units on the roof of the homes because of the small size and built in mount makes it easy to bolt it down to a treated lumber platform.

TDD

[Ray]

Thanks again -- exactly what I need to help make my decision.

The Samsung 4 ton unit I installed some 5 years ago and the inside unit looked sort of like one of the wall furnaces about 6 feet tall. It had the return on the bottom and a motorized sweep vanes at the top. It was in a pizza place for supplementary cooling in the kitchen. It was a 3 phase powered unit and very efficient. I mounted the dual fan condensing unit on the flat roof and the air handler was straight down on a wall. I think the whole job was around $4,500 all together for a very good customer. I also installed a ceiling grid mounted unit of about 3 ton capacity known as a cassette unit which is flush with the ceiling, it was at his other location and it was a used unit so I didn't have a new price on it because it was supplied by the customer. That unit is a Mitsubishi and it was quiet and ran very well. I like the fact that the condensing units can be mounted just about anywhere, you can mount it high on a wall with a factory bracket keeping it out of reach of copper/aluminum thieves and dirt/debris from lawn mowing. I've helped my buddy install them in homes on a second story where a lot of customers have hot areas. We put the condensing units on the roof of the homes because of the small size and built in mount makes it easy to bolt it down to a treated lumber platform.

TDD

[Evan]

Still going to need a permit for the system install and the electrical work...

Even if you do the work yourself -- the permits and inspections are to protect your neighbors in dense multi-unit dwellings from shoddy work and cut corners...

~~ Evan