Mini-splits for heat in the chilly BCS winter?

I have a 3 ton unit and it appears adequate for heating and cooling a 2000 sq ft home, 3 bedroom, billiard room, studio, etc....so far.

As a sidenote, we also have used a very energy-efficient 6000btu window AC/Heating unit in one bedroom in the past. It worked very well off our solar power system only. This unit cost me about $300 at Lowes, SD ( 7 years ago!)and will heat/cool an average size 400 sq ft bedroom with no problem. This a/c only drew 3 amps after intitial startup according to my Trace inverter meter. Heating I never used, sorry...I have a wall gas unit for that which I recommend highly) Certainly something to consider before spending the money for the mini-splits for cooling...although I realize at this cold time your interest is HEAT. But..come May and June??

The photo below shows some of the installed heads and main outside unit. Good luck with your hating......and cooling.

The installer was from Loreto and at the time, 2004, was the best bang for the buck at that time in Baja Sur..about $4000 total.

I have a few pics of 3 bedroom wall-vented gas furnaces that are very efficient,also...if I can access them, I will post them here for you. Plus some pics of a different mini-split system geared for sub-zero temps at a home Up North...heating being paramount, naturally.

Good luck...and hope you stay nice and toasty this winter.

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano I have a few pics of 3 bedroom wall-vented gas furnaces that are very efficient,also...if I can access them, I will post them here for you. Good luck...and hope you stay nice and toasty this winter.

Hook...I own 3 off the grid homes...Baja, Minn, and Canada...all use solar window a/c, plus generator driven mini-splits..that's a given.

But there are countless people who like the mobility of the window units and they can be bought for $250 or less to cool a small room. Saw some fall sales for $100 per...I bought two for spares in Baja. If you check Lowes, Home Depot, Walmarts, Costco, etc...window units overflow the shelves starting in late May..and are sold out with the first heat wave.

Just saying..there is a huge market for them. New home buyers will not be amongst them, though...mini-split market there. Central air is much better naturally, but you can't get it for $250...yet...but wait until the Chinese mfgers catch on.

Paul, I agree...I hate static, rock bands with bad acoustics, and loud ACs! I've had tinnitis (ear ringing 24/7) since mucho bangs up to 1971...and those older noisy motel AC units are tough on me...the added noise is only made bearable because I hate HOT more.

The extremely hot times in Conception Bay are from July to September, but late May and June can get too hot for me due to yet another condition I have..’hypothyroidism’...(underactive? heck..my thyroid gland went kaputzo from radiation 30 years ago.) Okay, okay...I am NOT going into ALL of my aches and pains. (did I mention the flat feet?)

Anyway, I bore you all with this medical nonsense to explain why it is very important to me to have a cool bedroom (68-70 degrees is fine for me) while at mi Coyote casa. I’ve lived there for a long, long time..decades even. I could tell you exactly how many years, but will resist the temptation to fan any further flames. I spend 6-7 months each year in my beloved Baja..then migrate behind the ducks and geese..to other great experiences Up North. Hey, like most of us, I do have another life beyond Baja. My dogs and some lake trout expect it!


Solar-powered cooling with a normal window 115 volt AC :

Note…I have done the following since 1987. (for 16 years before that I just showered, stayed damp, and laid under the ceiling fan...Hey, this worked long enough to fall asleep…… or enjoy whatever else was happening. )

Okay…on with this solar cooling report: Long about end of April in Coyote, I put the my bedroom window AC unit in place, as Coyote Bay often warms up to where it gets uncomfortable 'for me'. May brings much hotter temps...'for me.' Often gets to 90+ and has reached 100 many times …since …ahem….1971.




I've recovered from heat stroke twice so far...I'm taking ALL POSSIBLE PRECAUTIONS to avoid a third attack. Heat stroke knocks you on your burro….hard!...take it from me.

Here are some personal facts and observations about my real-life experiences using regular 115v wall ACs powered by my solar electric system…which is quite large and well-engineered. I don’t like half-measures. Grew up on a ranch where you never heard… much less used…the expression….’I can’t do it.’


Slight detour here…forgive me, you know by now that my ramblings never take a straight path….

(‘Ranching’ is a business where you raise beef and/or other livestock on a few thousand acres for a consumer meat-munching and hide-wearing market. A ‘ranch’ is NOT a puny hundred acre summer retreat to sport your Gucci boots & feathered Stetsons while cantering around the fenced pasture. Opps?. All right…Okay!..all right already! Just a pet peeve of mine. I’ll shut up about that.)

Back to my air conditioning with solar power retort…er…report:
First off, here are Facts about room AC units you probably already know, but good to review for my personal report. I promise you won’t fall asleep.

Smaller room air conditioners (i.e., those drawing less than 7.5 amps of electricity) can be plugged into any 15- or 20-amp, 115-volt household circuit that is not shared with any other major appliances.

Any solar panel setup can run an ac/heating unit provided the watts / KW are provided for accordingly. Sizing is critical. Remember your new ranch motto: “I can’t do it”…is not in my vocabulary.

Energy Efficiency of Room Air Conditioners

A room air conditioner's efficiency is measured by the energy efficiency ratio (EER). The EER is the ratio of the cooling capacity (in British thermal units [Btu] per hour) to the power input (in watts). The higher the EER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner.

When buying a new room air conditioner, look for units with an EER of 10.0 or above. Check the EnergyGuide label for the unit, and also look for room air conditioners with the ENERGY STAR® label.

Here is one of mine…a cheap, but very efficient Sharps I bought at Lowes at a end of the season sale for only $100..a 3500 BTU unit with remote and an EER rating of 11 …that is quite adequate to cool my bedroom area….which I reduce by closing the bath door…making the master bedroom’s cubic footage much less and easier to keep cool.



Note: Some of my Baja amigos have lusted after this unit…..but I will not sell! I just offer a few hours respite in The Cool Room.



Sizing and Selecting a Room Air Conditioner

The required cooling capacity for a room air conditioner depends on the size of the room being cooled: Room air conditioners generally have cooling capacities that range from 5,500 Btu per hour to 14,000 Btu per hour. A common rating term for air conditioning size is the "ton," which is 12,000 Btu per hour.

Proper sizing is very important for efficient air conditioning. A bigger unit is not necessarily better because a unit that is too large will not cool an area uniformly. A small unit running for an extended period operates more efficiently and is more effective at dehumidifying than a large unit that cycles on and off too frequently.

Based on size alone, an air conditioner generally needs 20 Btu for each square foot of living space. Other important factors to consider when selecting an air conditioner are room height, local climate, shading, and window size.


If you are mounting your air conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can direct its airflow in the desired direction for your room layout. If you need to mount the air conditioner at the narrow end of a long room, then look for a fan control known as "Power Thrust" or "Super Thrust" that sends the cooled air farther into the room.

Other features to look for:
•A filter that slides out easily for regular cleaning
•Logically arranged controls
•A digital readout for the thermostat setting, and
•A built-in timer



Installing and Operating Your Room Air Conditioner

A little planning before installing your air conditioner will save you energy and money. The unit should be level when installed, so that the inside drainage system and other mechanisms operate efficiently.

Don't place lamps or televisions near your air-conditioner's thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.

Set your air conditioner's thermostat as high as is comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Don't set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner; it will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.

Set the fan speed on high, except on very humid days. When humidity is high, set the fan speed on low for more comfort. The low speed on humid days will cool your home better and will remove more moisture from the air because of slower air movement through the cooling equipment.

Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing electricity use.


Some useful info about heat pumps for solar cooling and heating…. with a 48 volt solar system:


If you don’t yet know how to go from 12V to 24V to 48 volt solar system….just do a quick ‘search’…and then hire a good tech geek to prevent excessive sparks. I recommend English Alex in our Bay.

http://www.securusair.com/

9/6/2011 – Direct current, solar air conditioning systems are now available from 3600 BTU to 18000 BTU and can operate day and night directly from wind, solar PV and hydro with a battery bank. The 100% DC cooling systems range from a quarter to 1.5 Ton and are effective up to 800 square feet. All of the sustainable AC systems are powered by any renewable energy source are ideal for cooling electronics, off-grid applications, high energy cost environments and add-on/augmentation. Renewable climate control is the best way to ensure sustainable, safe comfort for the entire planet.

A GREAT SOLAR AC UNIT

This works for me in real life.
NOTE: I have two like this shown below…. in two of my bedrooms at a remote cottage on Reindeer Lake, northern Saskatchewan. Remote as can be…Off the Grid is an understatement....it’s on an island….and the cabin actually gets HOT at times in July and August. (Did I mention the hypothyroidism and brain cloud?)



My buddy Pier, new Coyote homeowner, will be interested in installing 3 of these at his beach villa rental with proper engineering and solar system sizing. Simple…all that is needed is moolah. Personally, I would use some tax deductions available for going ‘green’.

http://atlantissolar.com/windowac.html


.
This is just more reading material I found on a solar cooling search. Read it or just skip it.
Some wild shots at solar cooling: I think a lot hype is out there with all the new interest in ‘going green.’ Hmm…I guess country folk were ‘green’ way back when, but didn’t know it?
Almost 4,000 solar ideas on this site: or 2 may even work!

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/372462131/Wall_mounted_Spl...

This one above smacks of a swamp cooler…but the mgfr says NO!



I know a lot of you like You-tube…so here you are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcqjIMHV45E


More solar heating and air-conditioning info.

http://www.solarpanelsplus.com/

Quote:

Originally posted by RnR Quote: Originally posted by Pompano I have a few pics of 3 bedroom wall-vented gas furnaces that are very efficient,also...if I can access them, I will post them here for you. Good luck...and hope you stay nice and toasty this winter. Very interested in hearing about the gas mini-furnaces. It's COLD and I have propane readily available.

RnR...Propane heaters are cheap enough to run ....if you want warmth...period. I personally do not like to shiver.



I have a 1000 liter tank and have never noted any extraordinary fuel use due to the 3 wall heaters during the relative short period of our cool nights. It's like paying to fuel your vehicle or boat...I don't let the small extra cost bother me. You need it..you pay for it.


Thinking back to last summer, as I was putting the window AC away...I carried it with ease, so pretty sure that it is a lot lower btu or I would have a hernia….SO I was a long ways off and and just yesterday re-checked my wall AC unit for IT'S BTU rating... not 6000,, but is 3500 BTU. Big difference on power draw and amps.



But the reality is..it works great using only solar power.--no generator needed The key is knowing how much and when to use it.


IT DOES INEED RUN VERY WELL ON SOLAR..drawing about 3-4 amps after the initial startup. Checked many times.




I have put this unit and others to good use since 1987 to cool a bedroom 20' by 22'. When in the bedroom cooling mode, I shut the door to my master bath..as I don't want a cold burro when on the throne. I have used solar power to run the AC for about 2 months each year..mostly mid-April to June 1st…running during daylight hours only, naturally….

I repeat,…Naturally… you DO NOT run the A/C 24/7..don't know anybody that would....well, there 'might' be one here and there.

I just run it during high solar power making times…like when the sun is shining….and only for the time needed to cool the room to my desired temp....and then keep the cool trapped inside.

--To further explain this stuff...

Solar power means…um…well….wait, I know this!....Power made from the sun!.

I have not heard of any moon (lunar) power available ..yet. It's probably on the 'Green List', though.


First, I insulated that bedroom very well to retain both warm and cold air. You see?...Not rocket science...easy as pie.

Okay..now if you want the bedroom cool, stick your head outside
and see if the sun is up and if it looks like a typical sunny day coming.....

....go over to the wall AC unit and push the ON button.


It will start to cool the room.


(Hi-Tech Note: If Murphy and his Law is in the room, kick them out)


My A/C (BTU rating unknown at this writing) will draw about 5 amps from my solar power system (no generator running, as it is not needed) at startup and cycle down to 3-4 amps after that for a continuous run. I seldom question the AC if it's running a fan or the compressor..as the very cold air coming from it keeps me some distance away, plus it's voice becomes gibberish and is damn hard to understand.

Going on now...You then set the temperature at what you are personally comfy with...myself I choose a nice cool 71 degrees myself. I call that master bedroom..'The Cool Room'..catchy, eh?

Back to the details: You cool your chosen room as long as you want..checking the temp in the room from time to time, cuz it might get too cold...

..do this during good solar times..

....but you do want to shut the A/C off at least 2 hours before the mountains create shade on the solar panels (or the horizon..don't know your situation...but shade is shade)

..this gives your solar panels time to gather and channel to your storage batteries... more of that mysterious entity called....electricity.

Now..Shutting the A/C down is easy.

Push the OFF button.



Now as to the large mulit-head A/C units for cooling the entire house...see the pics....personally, I don't know a soul who would try solar power to run these monsters. But if you ever find out, please let me know. On the other hand, a 30KW genset handles them with ease.

AND, when and if the public power from Mulege is available all the way to Loreto...and we get the sub-stations promised for the last 40 odd years in the Bay where I live...all you need to do is hit the remote to warm up...or cool off.




Some may need to cool off sooner.



Okay...OKAY!..,. enough kidding around.

Here's some info photos of the mini-splits again, plus wall heaters and other things I have used in my Baja casas to cool off or warm up for the 40 years I have owned homes in Baja Sur.
(Ah, Baja....seems like I've been here since the earth cooled...well, only since 1971 as a home owner, a visitory before that...but for 6-7 months a year, of course!! I can ..and do...escape the sweltering Baja heat! It's true...that there IS life outside Baja.)

Mi casa when started in 1971.


Still not finished in 2011...and thankfully, not my job anymore.




RnR..this may be a good item to have handy. $50 propane heater attached to a small propane tank..like the size you use on a grill. So easy..so warm..so portable. Now…BEFORE the naysayers jump in…You do know to ventilate gas heaters, right? You are not going to stick your face into the burner, are you? Light a cigar? Put under a table? Sorry, but nowadays these advice posts have been reduced to the lowest common denominator. Seems common sense ain’t so common anymore.


The thru-the-wall gas heater. . One of the best investments to a warm house I ever made in Baja. Easy on fuel, easy & safe operaton, ….easy to install.



Please do not ask me to explain the highly technical mystery explanation of how I manage to cool my Cool Room....but perhaps it has something to do with this next paragraph:


Most imortantly..whether heating or cooling..repeat this three times before losing your temper with all the gadgets we own and well-meant but seldom wanted advice....

..."Life is way too serious to be taken seriously."



[Edited on 12-30-2011 by Pompano]

Roberto...I have never run the AC at night, unless I am also running the generator. I doubt anybody would do that, unless they have a huge battery bank and did not mind depleting it overnight, but it is obviously the wrong thing to do.

As I stated earlier..I run the AC for only as long as it takes to achieve my desired room temp..easy to do with the unit's temp programming and timer. Personally, I set it for 70 degrees F for 3 hours and I have created... The Cool Room.


Having insulated the ceiling and walls, the room retains the cool air and all you need to do after that is run the low-energy ceiling and/or table fan.


There are 24 6-volt deep cycle solar batteries at present..Trojans mostly over the years since 1973's first system. Back then I used a Heart Interface 1500 watt invertor. Today in use is a Trace controller, a Trace 4500 watt inverter tied to a 24-volt system for power to the casa. There are 16 Kyocera 130 watt panels angled from the roof for the best sunshine coverage. More than enough power to light up all the gadgets your wife or significant other brought with electrical cords attached.

Seriously, this gives you plenty of power. I run a enegy efficient 115 volt 15 cubic foot refridgerator 24/7. During the few warm/hot weeks I am here, I feather the AC and fridge use..and try not to run at the same time. Plus you can attach a timer to the fridge power cord to further economize electrical usuage. Timers on a few things will enhance your storage capacity. Blah, blah, blah...That's about it for me. I came to Baja to fish and to be taught the simple life of Thoreau's 'Walden Pond', not to worry about solar power.

I will not attempt to explain electricity...except to say...never let the little puff of black smoke out of any of the boxes. That be bad juju.

Now I gotta go... I just concocted some homemade oyster stew to try, and it smells deelicious....Over and out.