Pre-Gassed Easy Fit Split System Air Con

Can anyone make a recommendation or otherwise for a diy install split system air conditioning system?

Sold by several web-sites as pre-gassed and "easy to install", I'm tempted to give it a go, but I'm a bit worried they're being oversold.

In particular, if they're pre-gassed and I bodge up the install - how do I (even can I) get them re-gassed?

Thanks

Reply to
WeeBob
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You still need to hire a vacuum pump to purge the system and insurers are starting to get problematic over diy installs of pressurised item

When I looked into it last year, it was cheaper to get the installation included in the purchase as that qualified for 5% vat (being a heat pump) compared to 20% vat and hire of the vacuum pump.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

I've installed 3 systems so far. Oldest one was about 6 years ago. No problems with installation, no need to vacuum out the system either/ However, the pipework as suppled is IME too long but tricky to reduce, so you end up with a few pipe loops which you need to box in. Regassing AIUI, after 10yrs, needs an aircon man with a van.

Reply to
Capitol

I've not seen any meant for DIY with snap couplings and pre-pressurised which needed a vacuum pump or purging.

Unless they have asked you a specific question about air conditioning installations they have nothing they can get problematical about thanks to the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act

2012
Reply to
Peter Parry

You do not need a vacuum pump to install them,you only need to purge the short pipes between the units and there is enough gas in them to do this. You just leave one end of the pipe cracked let a bit of gas through then close the flair fitting.

Reply to
F Murtz

I did look into these. You can find the installation manual online.

AFAICS you have insulated pipes that need to be passed through the wall. There is enough gas prefilled to purge the pipes and leave enough to operate afterwards.

Other than that, straightforward.

Reply to
Bob Eager

I fitted a couple 11 years ago (B&Q sold them then). One is still working fine. The other (at my parents') stangely stopped working when there was building work going on around it, scaffold being erected and torn down, etc. I suspect the pipework got clobbered.

There's no pumping down required - both sides are pressurised and use plug-together connectors which maintain the seal as you connect them.

You can get them repressurised by an aircon company if needed. I was quoted £100 for the one which was broken, and that included finding and fixing the leak (providing it was fixable without needing any parts except tubing). In the end, we never got around to it.

At the time when I bought mine, they only artracted 5% VAT as an air-sourced heat-pump (at least, those that can do heating). B&Q didn't honour this, but they were much cheaper than all the suppliers who did. I think that might have changed now - there was talk of the 5% VAT rate being changed to apply to only those units which are for heating only and do not have cooling capability, but I didn't follow what the outcome of that was.

I bought mine for cooling originally, but I mainly use it for heating, when I just want one room heating for working at home.

Fitting the unit wasn't difficult. The outside unit is very heavy - I did it as a single-person lift, but I would suggest you get some help with lifting it. (Depends what power the compressor is - in the US they rate the power by weight of the compressor.) There are constraints on the relative heights of the inside and outside unit (outside must be lower).

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

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