BajaNomad

Mini-splits?

Pompano - 1-22-2006 at 05:17 AM

We are thinking of adding these air-conditioning units to our Baja home. Has anybody tried them yet and could you provide some experienced information on their operation, power use, etc?

We are looking at a 4 ton unit installation ..3 ducts in house with power unit outside like heat pumps....Any price comparisons?


[Edited on 4-26-2006 by Pompano]

mini splits

Denver - 1-22-2006 at 06:15 AM

I just installed 2 of them in a Baltimore rowhouse. I sourced them through E-bay and installed/hung them myself. I had an electrician hook up the power. I've only got a few months on my units, but they seem to be very efficient.

Price comparisons would be inaccurate since I did the install. I think I paid about $1,700 for a single compressor and 2 wall units that run independently of each other. It works as a dual zone system. I have no ductwork.

Interestingly, the HVAC guys in the states don't push these systems. I think they can charge a lot more for installing ductwork and make a higher margin on the labor. If you go with ducts, make sure the installer uses a liquid mastic and NOT duct tape. You'll have a tighter system with fewer leaks.

Let us know what you decide and who does the work out of La Paz.

bajajudy - 1-22-2006 at 07:48 AM

Pomp
We have three units. The first two we have had for 7 or 8 years. They are wonderful. Low noise and supposedly lower in electrical usage. The only thing to remember is to clean the filters regularly. Because we have so much dust, we get them serviced every other year with a total inside and out cleaning(+ or- $100).
They are used all over the world in the tropics. Ours are Mitsubishi and we have been told by a/c experts that they are the best. Even a Trane guy told us that.
I certainly could not live here year round without them.

Santiago - 1-22-2006 at 09:47 AM

Pompano: don't mean to highjack the post but I'm surious how your block wall is doing?

Bob and Susan - 1-22-2006 at 11:45 AM

Roger

Wouldn't a 4 ton unit need 220v power?

bajajudy - 1-22-2006 at 02:05 PM

Two of our units are 2 tons and both use 220

Mini-Splits installed today

Pompano - 1-26-2006 at 01:54 AM

Today a family friend brought 2 very efficient technicians, Manny & Ernesto, from Loreto to install my 4-ton air conditioning system...the mini-splits, as they are called. The duo accomplished the whole job in about 2 1/2 hours...it was amazing to watch as they quickly used their skills to make a nice complete job.

The whole mini-split AC thing is really just like a heat pump install we use in our northern homes minus the heat function. The main unit is about 4 feet high by 4 feet wide by 1 1/2 feet wide and weighs around 250 lbs. The 3 inside cool-air dispersing units are connected with hose from the main outside unit and have remote controls. They are stylish and unobstrusive..and will not mess up your wife's decor. We put one unit in the great room, the second in the master bedroom, and the third in a guest room.

These are also very low energy units..using 220 power. Martin Miranda, our local electrician, is doing the power hookup.

Not nearly as expensive as I thought...and cheaper here than the units we put in at a lake home Up North. a good deal. Up North we paid that much for a 2 ton model and did the main install ourselves.


[Edited on 4-26-2006 by Pompano]

capt. mike - 1-26-2006 at 06:08 AM

what do you have to power them pompano? a genset or??

Bruce R Leech - 1-26-2006 at 07:46 AM

we were going to install the exact unit in our house here in Mulege. but we found out we could install 3 1.5 ton mini split units for far less money and save electricity to.

we love them you cant hear them running even on high range and we cut our elect. cost by half.

we got ours from Crux here in Mulege which is much better if you need service later on.

vandenberg - 1-26-2006 at 09:45 AM

Bruce,
Could you give me some details about your units, like supplier, unit cost, installation cost, and what size room(s) it cools efficiently. We have a 2 ton 220,and a 6000 btu 110 unit old fashioed style ,a 10ft ceiling and they struggle during the summer. Maybe a u/u?:light::light:

vandenberg - 1-26-2006 at 02:15 PM

Pompano
Thanks for the info. I've contacted Alex also, to see if he knows of anyone in Loreto who does the total package. I know the people he brought out, but don't think they do anything else but installation and repairs.
Thanks again.

Roger,

Mexray - 1-26-2006 at 08:39 PM

a couple of questions...

1. I'm assuming you have to drill holes in the wall to connect the coolant and electrical to those indoor evaporators...do they also have a drain line through the wall to carry away the accumulated moisture?

2. looks good on the inside...how do you hide all the lines running down the outside walls? Do they provide insulation for the 'cold' freon line running from the outside condenser to the inside wall units?

I've never seen this installation before, and it looks like a real winner! Kind of like an over sized automotive AC unit - compressor and condenser outside, and the evaporator in the 'dash'...

capt. mike - 1-27-2006 at 06:08 AM

i'm still trying to get an answer on how he powers em at coyote bay??!!

Yawn...jeez, a little early for all these questions, but....

Pompano - 1-27-2006 at 06:35 AM

First to Mike on the power source. We have mucho power. I have Felipa's treadmill hooked up to.....No, just kidding, sweetheart! But, yes, we actually have electricity here at the house..120 and 240 volts. (..even inside plumbing..) Plus some panels that produce electricity slightly less than the Hoover Dam. These AC units are 220, so best to have a qualified electrician (or a North Dakota farmboy) hook them up.

Ray, indeed we drilled through the walls to hook these up and the hoses are inserted through them. A hook-up plate is attached to the wall and the heads are set on them afterwards. All very clean-looking job when done...stop over when you get here and give them a look. We will be the house with the frosted windows.

Head attached to plate...

Pompano - 1-27-2006 at 06:43 AM

capt. mike - 1-27-2006 at 03:32 PM

ok Pomp - but clarify - do you have a solar sys with banks that can run all that?? or gen back up?? enquiring knumbskulls want to know......

capt. mike - 1-27-2006 at 06:50 PM

wow! nice set up!

minisplit

brabramowitz - 2-26-2006 at 06:22 PM

Hi,

I am in the process of building a little vacation house in La Paz. When I was there last week I went to quite a few stores to see where I could find the best deal. I would need a 1 ton unit, I think. I didn't understand what the difference was between getting two units or getting 1 unit with 2 outlets.
Thanks in advance for any help that you can give me.
bev

capt. mike - 2-27-2006 at 05:48 AM

ASHRAE stds for construction hold that you budget/plan for 1 ton of cooling per every 350-400 SF liveable space to get 78 degrees on a 110 degree day. Use that as a guide.

hey Pompano, my new Harbor Freight catalog has a 20K diesel genset for $5K. says it uses 2.5 gals per hour. wonder if that's throttle wide open on total amp draw?

Bob and Susan - 2-27-2006 at 05:52 AM

thats a high price to pay for coolness...

2.5 x $1.80 x 10hrs a day = $45.00 a day

7 days = $315.00 a week

you could rent a hotel room...

capt. mike - 2-27-2006 at 05:57 AM

i would hope that when it auto throttles down with low current draw it goes to low idle and fuel flow drops a bunch.
round to it - what say you?

Pompano - 2-27-2006 at 06:36 AM

mike...sounds like that diesel genset is a little thirsty. I would shop for a different, more economical engine. Or get a super solar system to run the whole shebang and never worry about buying diesel again. I am researching that right now.

capt. mike - 2-27-2006 at 08:46 AM

oh, i am not buying one, just putting info out. i will be on the grid when i build. have no interest in solar and all that.
i want to plug in and go.

and have lots of AC in summer.:lol::lol:

Bruce R Leech - 2-27-2006 at 08:58 AM

my 30 KVA gen set never used more than half a gallon per hour.

comitan - 2-27-2006 at 11:07 AM

There is a York dealer behind Leys on Cinco Demayo they have and install Mini Split splits.

capt. mike - 2-27-2006 at 02:41 PM

yeah, sort of what i thot - 2.5 GPH only at full draw, otherwise should sip fuel oil.

actually a good plan to have it out in the boonies.

Mini Splits

bajaguy - 4-25-2006 at 08:04 PM

Was in the Ensenada COSTCO over the weekend (April 22) . They have Rheem units...several sizes...didn't look at the btu size but a two set unit with compressor was about 1100.00 US

Don Alley - 4-25-2006 at 08:40 PM

We have this little quirk in our GE splits. Sometimes, after a power failure, when the power goes back on one of the inside units spontaneously starts blowing. Fan only, not AC. This happens fairly often with the kitchen unit, rarely with the bedroom unit, and never with the living room unit.

We first found this out when we came back after two months in the states to find a fan blowing. Hey, who's been in our house! :lol:

So now we throw the circuit breaker when we leave town.

El Jefe - 4-26-2006 at 06:23 AM

What about gas fired instead of a condenser. Maybe I could run this baby on solar.

http://www.easternpropane.com/air.html

Anybody have experience with one of these?

bajajudy - 4-26-2006 at 06:37 AM

Jefe
You better get yourself one of those for September. They do look interesting. Let us know if you find out any more information.

bajajudy - 4-26-2006 at 06:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike


and have lots of AC in summer.:lol::lol:


Hold onto your wallet. Our electric bill is around $300/month in the summer. Of course, that has not slowed down our consumption. I could not live here without a/c, I dont believe. There is something about knowing that when you get home, you can cool down that makes the heat tolerable.

Bruce R Leech - 4-26-2006 at 06:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by El Jefe
What about gas fired instead of a condenser. Maybe I could run this baby on solar.

http://www.easternpropane.com/air.html

Anybody have experience with one of these?


Gas air conditioners are good units. but you must have someone who really knows what they are doing to install them. it is different than a regular unit.

MitchMan - 4-21-2009 at 11:02 AM

In La Paz,
you can get Lennox minisplits from a Lennox dealer who is one or two blocks inland from Abasolo somewhere between 5th de Fevrero and Colossio. Last year I bought two 1-ton minisplits for $400 USD each (air handler and compressor unit included for each one) and one 2-ton unit for $800 USD. So far, they work great. I have a 900 sq ft cinder block house. I put the 2-ton unit in the Kitchen/Dining room and a 1-ton in the small living room. I put the other 1-ton in one bedroom (13 ftx 13 ft). The other bedroom has a wall unit Carrier (1-1/2 ton, I think they call it a TPAC which means it also can work as a heater). Oh yeah.

If you do the math, I have a total of 5-1/2 tons of aircondtioning power for 900 sq ft of living space, that calculates out to about 1 ton for each 165 sq ft of living space.

If I had to do it over again, I would replace the 1-ton units with 1-1/2 ton units instead. It would have cost me a total of $400 more overall. Worth it!

The 2-ton unit does an incredible job of keeping things cool ... in a hurry. The 1-ton units do a very, very satisfactory job of keeping things cool. The wall unit does a fantastic job of keeping things cool, suprisingly.

BTW, make sure that you buy minisplits that also serve as room heaters, that only costs about $50 USD more per unit... again, worth it!

If I had used 1-1/2 ton units instead of the 1-ton units, that would total 6-1/2 tons for a 900 sq ft dwelling resulting in one ton of cooling power for every 140 sq ft of living space. Now, that's the ticket! Do it, you will be happy you did. You know, if you are going to have a place in BCS ... you know it gets darn hot in summer.

Also, if you are going through the brain damage of finding and buying the place, making sure you pay your annual trust fees, paying for and maintaining an FM3 and paying annual property taxes and prepaying for your utilities and then doing some work on the place to improve and maintain it and you are spending the money and arranging the time to go there and maybe even going through the expense of keeping a vehicle there, man, spend the money to keep the house cool and mean it. Be a man.

Bob and Susan - 4-21-2009 at 11:51 AM

el hefe
thats not an air conditioner...thats a chiller unit

and they CAN be run on solar power with a back up generator

TheColoradoDude - 4-21-2009 at 02:08 PM

Can someone post some pictures of their units? Also, how long do they last usually and routine maintainence costs?

oxxo - 4-21-2009 at 08:28 PM

I live in a 1300 sqft, 2br. cinder block building. I have 3 minisplits, Tranes. I'm not sure what size they are. They keep our unit frigid if we want. We set the thermostat at 83F during the day, dress down, use ceiling fans, and only cool the space we are using at the time. Since we live on the beach, we turn the one in the bedroom off at night and turn on the ceiling fan and open all the sliders. Our electric bill during Jul/Aug/Sep runs less than US$80 per month including electric stove. During the year when we are not using the AC our electric bill is about US$60 per month.

My mini-splits

Pompano - 4-21-2009 at 08:49 PM

From my previous post:

"Mini-Splits installed today



Today a family friend brought 2 very efficient technicians, Manny & Ernesto, from Loreto to install my 4-ton air conditioning system...the mini-splits, as they are called. The duo accomplished the whole job in about 2 1/2 hours...it was amazing to watch as they quickly used their skills to make a nice complete job.

The whole mini-split AC thing is really just like a heat pump install we use in our northern homes minus the heat function. The main unit is about 4 feet high by 4 feet wide by 1 1/2 feet wide and weighs around 250 lbs. The 3 inside cool-air dispersing units are connected with hose from the main outside unit and have remote controls. They are stylish and unobstrusive..and will not mess up your wife's decor. We put one unit in the great room, the second in the master bedroom, and the third in a guest room.

These are also very low energy units..using 220 power. Martin Miranda, our local electrician, is doing the power hookup.

Not nearly as expensive as I thought...and cheaper here than the units we put in at a lake home Up North. a good deal. Up North we paid that much for a 2 ton model and did the main install ourselves."
.

CortezBlue - 4-21-2009 at 10:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Denver
I just installed 2 of them in a Baltimore rowhouse. I sourced them through E-bay and installed/hung them myself.

When you say you installed them yourself? I am curious how the copper lines connect between the compressor and the coil?

Did you have to solder them your self or does it work differently?
Thanks

Curt63 - 4-22-2009 at 09:47 PM

We have had several problems with our Samsung Split A/C unit.

Stickers - 4-22-2009 at 11:14 PM

So would it be more desirable to have 4 separate 1 ton units or the 4 ton with 4 outlets?

BTW does anyone insulate their block home construction in Baja.

vandenberg - 4-23-2009 at 08:11 AM

Stickers,
I have 4 ton in my living quarters (living room, kitchen, diningroom, all in one) and have two 1 ton blower and one 2 ton . At the compressor unit outside, each blower has its own compressor. So for 4 one ton blowers you would need 4 one ton compressors. Even in the bedroom, where I had 3 ton installed, I split it up in 2 one and a hlf ton blowers. No regrets, since we usually only use the one.
The advantage of splitting them up is that you can, like in my case, use anywhere from 1 ton to 4 ton as needed. And not much more expensive.
And Pompano, Manny and his crew did our installation a couple of years ago. He's the togoto guy here in Loreto.
Great service afterwards also.