Mini split A/C Heat Pump systems

[Redneck in training]

We heat and AC our house with geothermal heat pump. When we built our house about 10 years ago I was familiar with the mini split units but they were not readily available on the market. We also worried about operation at low temperatures. We built a shop building two years ago and my office and guest room are heated/AC by Halcyon mini split unit. I think they are phenomenal. If we build our house today we would install mini splits only. It would cost less than half of geothermal and the saving could be used to install about 10 kW of solar panels.

 

[Coyote machine]

2 Fujitsu mini-splits, good for providing heat to -15 F, and AC.
Wall Mounted 9 - 15,000 BTU Hi SEER - Fujitsu Ductless Mini-Splits
Subsidized through Efficiency VT. $1,200 cost reduction direct rebate against installed cost.
They work excellently.

 

[forgeblast]

Once we refi on thursday I will be ordering the Halcyon, Halcyon Hybrid Flex Inverter -  Fujitsu General Ductless Mini-Splits we are going to go with a 3 zone set up.

 

[tamu94]

The minispilts are great technology. I installed a dual zone Mr Slim at our ranch cabin and we are very impressed with the efficiency and quite operation.

If I build a new home I plan to look very closely at them. Be warned that many installers charge a small fortune to put them in. I do not know why as they are easy to install.

 

[IXLR8]

We installed a Mr. Slim about 5 years ago, we have been happy with it. We use it for AC in the summer and heating in Fall/Spring. Doesn't do much for heating when the outside gets below 20dF. We fire up the wood stove and run it for heat from Dec to March. The Mr. Slim unit we have doesn't put out much heat below 20dF, the new units will put out heat to -15dF, but much below 20dF their efficiencies drop off rapidly. Costs about $1/day for heating in Spring/Fall, about $10/month for AC in the summer. We were going to do geothermal for retirement home in NC but now are thinking going mini-split w/solar power instead.

 

[greenmojo]

We agonized over giving up some old ways. We did not remove our wood furnace or ducting, nor our wood stove. We did have four mini splits, Mitsubishi brand installed and have not regretted it yet. It IS an exchange system, and when it is really cold, twenties and teens it doesn't keep the place toasty at all, and we fire up the Jotul. We are pleased with the efficient use and the opportunity to utilize the cooling aspect when we have hot summer temperatures.

That's precisely what I would like to do. We have 2 wood burning fireplaces in the house plans, and my plan is to use 7 Mitsubishi units throughout the house, which will give us control as well as more than enough Btu's. I was looking at Mitsubishi's new HYPER units, which they claim will work down to -15f. If not, or when it does get that cold, we'll just augment with the fireplace as usual.

~Moses

 

[Sigarms]

Mitsubishi units I am going to put in the house: Wall-Mount

~Moses

You probably knew this, but the MSY models are AC only.

 

[greenmojo]

You probably knew this, but the MSY models are AC only.

No! But you just scared me. I went back and checked my model numbers I have selected and they are all MSZ. Slight panic. All good now. ;-)

 

[greenmojo]

We heat and AC our house with geothermal heat pump. When we built our house about 10 years ago I was familiar with the mini split units but they were not readily available on the market. We also worried about operation at low temperatures. We built a shop building two years ago and my office and guest room are heated/AC by Halcyon mini split unit. I think they are phenomenal. If we build our house today we would install mini splits only. It would cost less than half of geothermal and the saving could be used to install about 10 kW of solar panels.

I don't know much about geothermal. I have plenty of land to do a shallow system over a large area, but I don't know enough about it to know how I would use it.

2 Fujitsu mini-splits, good for providing heat to -15 F, and AC.
Wall Mounted 9 - 15,000 BTU Hi SEER - Fujitsu Ductless Mini-Splits
Subsidized through Efficiency VT. $1,200 cost reduction direct rebate against installed cost.
They work excellently.

Yikes, I'd love to get some of that cash, but I'm not connected to the grid... Entire property is alone on the mountain.

Once we refi on thursday I will be ordering the Halcyon, Halcyon Hybrid Flex Inverter -* Fujitsu General Ductless Mini-Splits we are going to go with a 3 zone set up.

Fujitsu is another of the big name brands that I like.

~Moses

 

[Sigarms]

It IS an exchange system, and when it is really cold, twenties and teens it doesn't keep the place toasty at all, and we fire up the Jotul. We are pleased with the efficient use and the opportunity to utilize the cooling aspect when we have hot summer temperatures.

People never look at the ACTUAL heating capacity down to 0, and generally only concern themselves with the SEER rating and cooling capacity. Mini splits now don't come with strip heat so heating in colder climates (even here in NC) is more important than cooling when it comes to a mini split being a primary heat source.

One particular 3 ton multi zone mini split unit at 5 degrees outside air temp can produce over 45k of heat. Thing is, a mini split inverter compressor is rated at 60 hertz by national standards, but has the capacity go much lower and as high as 120. When you're looking at the max rating, it's not coming from an agency, but from the manufacturer who is letting the HVAC contractor exactly what the max output of the system is.

Think - size for heat first, cooling second, and don't get hung up on SEER. There's no ductwork