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Comments (13)

  • Elmer J Fudd
    11 years ago

    bump

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Tiny one ton units.

  • energy_rater_la
    11 years ago

    this is a good article Ionized.
    you bought mitsubishi??

    is this part of your minisplit bible?
    would you be willing to share more?

    thanks for the minsplit ceu's.
    you know on another forum they
    got kinda upset that I didn't go
    minisplit in my house. I'd like
    to share some of your minisplit info
    with them. is that ok?

    tia!
    and Cheers.

  • ionized_gw
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    brickeye, Huh?

    energy_rater, the "bible" is more like a rambling, uncompiled bible. I've posted much of it here, but it may be fragmented. I will pull something together for you.

    That paper obviously describes a work in progress. They are solving some measurement problems that many would not anticipate. For me, the trump card in the Minisplit deck is this:

    However, the potential zoning control offered by mini-split heat pumps could lead to an overall peak load reduction.

    This was a key characteristic for my decision. Because of the way we use our house, we can seriously condition less than half of it most of the time. The half not directly conditioned almost always includes the part that is difficult to control. I suspect that we use half the electricity that we might otherwise due to this alone.

  • kashmi
    11 years ago

    Slightly off-topic question ....

    We have both LG and Mitsubishi mini-split ACs in our house and love them. Two friends have been by to take a look, thinking of installing them, too. However, all they can find are mini-splits that provide both heating and cooling (as in the tests in the report above). But all they need is the cooling feature.

    Have all the AC-only mini-split systems been discontinued?

    Thanks in advance for the help.

  • Elmer J Fudd
    11 years ago

    The biggest problem I see with the ductless AC systems is that not only do they not have a positive cachet, they perhaps give a negative impression for resale purposes.

    People demand and value central AC. Ductless systems are not yet familiar or well known. A ductless system's inside equipment will make people think of a big in-window unit, without the window. Or, like one of those garbage through-wall things you find in motel rooms, just higher up on the wall.

    While it may be an efficient and flexible choice, it doesn't speak of quality or give a premium impression. In most average houses, that wouldn't be a problem. For anything of up-market caliber, I think installing such a system in anything other than an obvious addition could be a mistake.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "brickeye, Huh? "

    The units cited are all 1 ton units (12,000 BTU/hr).

    Those are not very large units, and likely incapable of more than a single not large room in a well insulated house.

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    Considering that a minisplit is only really meant to serve one room (there is no circulating mechanism other than the fan to move air), 12000BTU is plenty, imo. I have 2 12s (LG) and will be getting 3 9s or smaller for bedrooms after we complete our addition.

    I do agree with the statement regarding resale. In our case though, we have A/C in an area that doesn't usually have A/C with the minisplit. And, we didn't use enough energy to qualify for any sort of program for a furnace when we transitioned from electric baseboard heating... So, we got the minis.

    We've been happy with them.

  • fluffybunnysui
    11 years ago

    kashmi
    Most all of the mini split manufactors make cool only unit. They are widely available.

  • JERRYKING58
    11 years ago

    If you check some of the Internet sales you will see that Mitsubishi does sale a few AC only units. I think the reason you do not see more is people like me who use Oil heat are looking for homes with Heat Pumps. Oil is now selling for over 3,59 a gallon with a .11 cent a gallon tax. Electric is only .88973 I hope to have my 3 zone Mitsubishi installed in the next month. I can shut off the area's I do not use only heating the main living room and kitchen area.

  • ionized_gw
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I think that you need to be careful with internet sales. The equipment could be grey market that was brought in from other countries. If that is the case, you could end up trying to get parts from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia,.....

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "Considering that a minisplit is only really meant to serve one room (there is no circulating mechanism other than the fan to move air), 12000BTU is plenty, imo."

    For a not large room in a well insulated house.

    Do not have a 'wall of windows' facing south.

    The claim to efficiency comes from 'spot' cooling a limited area.

    Wait till you have high humidity and saturate the items in uncooled areas, then decide to occupy those areas.
    The latent load (humidity) is going to result in long run times, or poor humidity control.

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