Monday was the big day for the mini-split install. Although capable of heat, it's main function for me is the A/C and the system is to replace the portable unit I used for the living room as well as the window unit I had in the office. It was an auspicious time for the install as we had a 4 day heatwave, starting of Saturday, and the morning lows being in the high 60's and low 70's so the A/C's running full bore thru the night to cool the house. Then Wednesday the top temp was only 89* with full sun.
Monday started with the guy calling me at 8 and saying he had to make an emergency call before he came to my house. That was fine, I had a meeting at 9, and he would not have been able to access my office, and I would have had to have my office closed up while he was in the house (I don't work with secret stuff, but it is sensitive). He and the electrician did stop by real quick so that he could show the electrician where it would be installed (I have no idea why since neither of them stayed - maybe he was just confirming he wouldn't need anything special). I do know the place he needed to visit was in town, so it wasn't out of his way. Shortly after 10 am they came back to begin the install.
There was nothing really exciting besides a couple of times I had to shut down and take a break from work. I had previously informed my boss that my availability would be erratic and I had that message as an automatic reply for my email. Mondays are my light day for meetings and the 9 am was the only one scheduled for the day.
Shortly after 4 pm, the system was up and running. Oh, so quiet - even the outdoor unit. Once they had left, I opened up the bedroom doors; The back bedroom was at about 77 (being on the NE side of the house) and the cats were happy to get out of there and stretch their legs. The front bedroom (what I use for the master), was at 80* and at that time of day is climbing steadily since it is on the west side and at that time of day it starts catching the full sun. It didn't take long for those rooms to get cooled down with the new system pushing out cold air.
Outside unit (condenser). The verticale piece hides the wire/tubing management system (tubing for coolant and condensate drainage)
Living room head. Yes, it looks strange located like that, but there is a reason. Being partially above the window, some of the airstream goes down the hall towards the bedrooms. However, it couldn't be centered over the window because of the header. This was the only installer that suggested this location. The other quoters wanted to place the head over to the right, centered between the window and the front door. Then the full airstream would have bounced off the opposite wall, back into the living room and been trapped (been there, done that with the corner install pellet stove I used to have, then I used a lot of fans to get the air to move down the hall). Unless you are looking for the head, it really isn't noticed.
The wire and tubing management for the office head. At the bottom, it is turned into the basement, goes across the basement ceiling, and out to the outdoor unit. You can actually see in the first picture where it comes out between the wire management system for the LR head and the electric box (the dark circle which is both wires and putty that closes up any gaps)..
The office head blows toward the door to the kitchen. The wire management system goes out the wall to the right.
I turn off the head in the office when I am done working for the day; The overhead light is out, all monitors off (not in sleep mode) both computers put to sleep (but not off). Looking at the temps in the room the next morning, I am glad I put in the second head. The office will be 2-3* over the LR/BR and bath temps, which indicates to me that it would be even warmer once I start all the electronics up. Sure, I could set the LR head colder, but I don't want it any cooler that the 72 I keep it at.
When nights are scheduled to go below the mid 60's I turn off the LR head when I retire for the night. On such mornings (like this morning, at 54), I set up fans in the bedroom windows, open a window in the kitchen for air egress, and allow mother nature to get it as low as 67 in the house (yes, I wear a sweatshirt during those times - LOL).
I already sold the portable A/C on Craig's List. Put the ad up Friday morning and it was picked up Friday evening. That was a 12k unit an has the advantage of mobility. The 6k window unit is also on CL but hasn't had any interest yet. I'll lower the price a little and see if that changes.
Oh, and this past Thursday night I turned on the pellet stove since it had been a cold and heavily overcast day so the top temp in the house reached was 69* and would do nothing but drop thru the night. Will be the same on Monday.
Interesting installation, Bogie, and I'm hoping the working of it continues to be to your satisfaction. Never having had experience, or even having seen similar installations in person, I appreciated your explanations. Too, you solved a question for Elder Brother and me.
Yesterday, I was showing EB photos of his old house in Santa Fe to let him see what the people who bought it from him had done - an extensive remodel/retrofit. The couple had lived in that neighborhood for several years when they bought EB's house and told him that they had budgeted $80k (2005 dollars) for re-doing the kitchen, alone, for instance. They put the house on the market in 2016 (Elegant Friend & I saw the "For Sale" sign when we were out there that Fall) and the Realtor had posted about 20 photos online.
Among the photos were a couple of shots of mysterious boxes installed on an east wall in the family room and a west wall in the living room. We speculated that the boxes had something to do with heating/cooling/cleaning air. They looked just like your boxes. Cool! (Pun not intended.)
Yay, for you, in your installation and thanks for solving our mystery.
Posted by: Cop Car | June 13, 2021 at 07:38 AM
Glad I could help solve the mystery.
Posted by: bogie | June 20, 2021 at 04:25 AM