IME it varies a bit depending on what the wall is like. Worst case is perhaps 20 - 25 mins through hard solid wall with a 110mm core. (probably extended a bit because my core drill tends to "let go" on its clutch too easily - so if you get a wall where it keeps snagging it takes longer).
Smaller cores and softer walls can be just a few mins.
I discovered quite quickly that it's essential to hold the cutter straight in the hole once it gets more than a few cm in, else it binds and trips the clutch.
BTW, Tim, it's essential to have a drill with an over-torque clutch, else you'll break something, likely your wrist. I don't own an SDS drill, so I rent that, also.
I watched a couple of videos on Youtube before attempting my first one, although they cheated and drilled through "breeze" block. I was cutting through a solid brick wall, two bricks thick (150 y/o cow barn).
But it literally takes less time to drill the hole than to drive into town (about 3 miles) and rent the drill.
One other thing I remembered - you can drill from both sides, which is much easier (less cutter in the wall) by drilling an initial hole all the way through and then replacing the drill bit in the axis of the cutter with a, er, name forgotten, rod thingy that just follows the hole. That way the inside and outside holes line up.
Thanks for the warning - I plan to rent a suitable setup :)
Yes - I've done that with my TCT cutter on earlier holes.
The TCT is great for soft block, but takes an age on brick - unless you engage hammer, in which case it lacks finess - and the wall tends to lack some of the plaster!
Pilot drill or follower...
Also worth noting, when starting with a pilot bit, take it out once the core is started since it does not cut that fast without hammer action, and makes slower progress than the diamond core.
I already have a "hole" in my obvious location from when I moved a boiler.
I think in my location I can get away without troubling "planning" (especially if I get it done before the commercial site next door is sold for housing, for which they have PP).
I'm also hampered by being Grade 2 listed, not that there is any good aesthetic reason not to put a heat exchanger on the outside (or inside, for that matter).
I've added some details of noise from the system into the write-up. I think it's worthwhile directing the sound along the barrier not across it.
It occurs to me - it might be possible to reduce the sound levels further b y accepting a more intrusive footprint and installing the outdoor unit at a right angle to the wall of the building, and also away from other reflecti ng surfaces. Another approach might be to put the outdoor unit further away from the wall and place a sound-absorbing (and weatherproof) material behi nd it.
When the weather gets a bit more extreme (hot or cold) and the system needs to do more work, maybe it will get louder.
Hope this helps.
- Richard.
I have a split unit I fitted 12 years ago. I was chatting to a new neighbour over the fence, when he noticed the unit. He asked, "How noisy is that when it's on?" to which I responded, "It is on."
You can hear it if you are standing next to it, but not if you are halfway across the garden.
Compressor motor can pull a large switch-on surge. That was also another reason to have it on a different circuit, to reduce impact on other appliances of the momentary voltage sag (used to be particularly noticable with filament lamps). The surge can be quite long too if the motor doesn't start (which is quite common if the system still has residual dynamic pressure in it from the previous run).
Mine is also around 1500W, but the locked rotor power is 4500W, and it tries for around 5 seconds before giving up and waiting a bit longer for the dynamic pressure to equalise out in the system.
Having previously cored a hole through the outer wall (bloody hard bricks - took best part of an hour), I knew I wasn't going to do that again. I took out half a brick instead by drilling out the mortar around half of it, and then stitch drilling down the middle.
Inner skin is thermal blocks which you can cut through with a finger nail.
Unless it's a gigantic bedroom, you might struggle to find one small enough that it doesn't crash the temperature too low before it notices and reacts. Have you tried a simple fan to stir the air?
A friend ended up in A&E after such an incident with a cheap SDS drill with no clutch. When it jammed in the wall, the drill body spun around and whacked him on the chin. Needed stiches. The core bore arbor (which he'd borrowed from his builder) ended up with a 20 degree bend in it too, so he had to buy a replacement.
Good point - perhaps the "right way" for me at least would be to air condition the hall - then people could leave their bedroom doors open (or not) as required to benefit. 1 unit would serve all 3 rooms that way.
Cold air falls!
That's fine - I sleep 2' off the floor :)
This system is very much a "room" air conditioner. If you put the indoor un it in a hallway or landing, it will sense the environment around it rather than in the rooms nearby, and it may shut down too soon unless the arrangem ent is fairly open plan.
My room is 2.5 x 3.5 metres, say 10 x 12 feet. I would be happy to put the same system in a bedroom this size, but preferably a bit larger and certain ly not any smaller. But really, walking around from an air-conditioned room to an untreated room and back again is not terribly pleasant, and I'd look for a system to deal with every room, or at least every room on a floor. T o my mind, these small systems are ideal for an outbuilding or possibly an open plan living area, but a house (divided into rooms and floors) needs so mething more sophisticated.
- Richard.
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