Mr Cool DIY Mini Split AC/Heat Pump

[Lineman North Florida]

One major difference between MrCool and others like Mitsubishi is the ability to drive a number of heads/registers. If you only need heat/cooling in one place, well, it is not an issue. If you want to heat and cool several rooms or zones, it is a big difference. One mitsubishi "outside" unit can drive several "inside" units. The MrCool cannot do that.

I wondered how that would work as I do have a bedroom and bathroom walled up and I wondered how one head or zone would do keeping them cooled and heated, the bulk of my layout is open but those two rooms are walled up. Maybe someone who has a similar situation will chime in and let me know how their experience has been.

 

[prichard]

I wondered how that would work as I do have a bedroom and bathroom walled up and I wondered how one head or zone would do keeping them cooled and heated, the bulk of my layout is open but those two rooms are walled up. Maybe someone who has a similar situation will chime in and let me know how their experience has been.

This is the main reason we are likely to go with central unit instead of mini-split. We were going to do mini in each bedroom and one or 2 for great room/kitchen (open space). But then I thought of the bathrooms. I can't stand a cold bathroom.

Since there is no return or vent in rooms that do not have units there will be little air movement so little transfer of heat.

 

[jrepp44]

I have three Mr. Cool DIY units, a 12K, 18K and 36K. They were not too difficult to install and they are all performing satisfactorily.

 

[cqaigy2]

Can those units heat too?

 

[LouNY]

This is the main reason we are likely to go with central unit instead of mini-split. We were going to do mini in each bedroom and one or 2 for great room/kitchen (open space). But then I thought of the bathrooms. I can't stand a cold bathroom.

Since there is no return or vent in rooms that do not have units there will be little air movement so little transfer of heat.

I have two Mitsubishi 36,000 units with one feeding 3 heads and the other 4 heads, the system works well and I only run the units in occupied rooms.
As far as the bathrooms are concerned if I run the exhaust fans they do quite a bit otherwise not much but it wasn't worth it to me to cool them.
It was an expensive system to have installed but the "professionals" wanted to put the system in a hot attic and use flex duct and no zoneing.

 

[GLyford]

Can those units heat too?

Heating is an extra cost option. It requires a set of electrically controlled valves to swap the coolant direction, so the cheapest units don't have them and can only run AC.

I spent the extra to get that on a mitsubishi with two heads, but honestly, we have only used that a handful of times in the two years we have had the units. It works okay, we just rarely remember to use it. We have friends who have a bonus room where it is the main source of heat, so it can work well even here in the chilly NE.

But if you don't need the heat, the units are cheaper and have fewer moving parts (so in theory more reliable?) without it.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Can those units heat too?

The Mr Cool unit that I am looking at does heat and cool.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Heating is an extra cost option. It requires a set of electrically controlled valves to swap the coolant direction, so the cheapest units don't have them and can only run AC.

I spent the extra to get that on a mitsubishi with two heads, but honestly, we have only used that a handful of times in the two years we have had the units. It works okay, we just rarely remember to use it. We have friends who have a bonus room where it is the main source of heat, so it can work well even here in the chilly NE.

But if you don't need the heat, the units are cheaper and have fewer moving parts (so in theory more reliable?) without it.

Mrcool web site indicates it also heats. Where did you find that it was an option?

 

[swnoel]

I am looking at options to heat and cool, actually mostly cool my 800 sq ft hunting camp that I am building and with some of the prices that I am seeing from AC company's it makes this DIY mini split system look pretty appealing, an 18k btu or ton and a half comes pre-charged with everything you need so you don't have to pull a vacuum and then charge the system therefore you wouldn't need an AC company for that, the unit run's about $1,500.00 and has a 7 year compressor warranty and 5 year part's warranty, so does anyone have any experience with this brand or another DIY mini split system? Thanks, Charlie.

Never heard of them. I've installed well over a hundred units mostly Fujitsu and Mitsubishi . They're great units and do as they promise. Over time you will need to get it serviced and cleaned, usually about in 3-4 years, mold and debris will build up on the evaporator fan requiring it to be flushed. $1500 is cheap money for both heat and cooling.

 

[GLyford]

I meant in general, I do not know any specifics about the Mr. Cool units. If they come with heat that makes it sound like an even better deal.