BajaNomad - Mini-Splits > La Paz?

Mini-Splits > La Paz?

LaTijereta - 3-16-2012 at 09:19 AM

Well it's time to retro-fit the casa with new mini-split units in Loreto..
Any recomendations for a stores in La Paz that has a good selection of brands, stock, and pricing??

Maybe heading down that way next week to look around..
Already have a good installer in Loreto to complete the work..

vandenberg - 3-16-2012 at 11:32 AM

Kris,
We got ours at Francisco Loubet's. It was several years ago, but the price then was unbeatable. Also did all the A/C for my neighbor, installation and all. Manny did ours. We ended up with 7 ton total, 2 one ton, 1 two ton and 2 one and a half ton. Total cost, a little over $4000.00.
This is his e-mail address: francisco.loubet@partesyclimasloubet.com
If you contact him, mention my name : Ed and Barbara in Nopolo and also my neighbor's, Marlis Mann.
Can't find my phonebook and can't locate an address on Google, but I believe it's on Constitucion close to the ballpark.
Found it on Google Earth: Constitucion 960

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by vandenberg]

MitchMan - 3-16-2012 at 02:14 PM

I outfitted my casita in La Paz with Lennox minispits. Three years ago I paid $800 USD for a two ton and $400 USD each for two one tons. Already had a 1.5 ton Carrier wall unit that works darn good. I know a really good guy who does a good job of installation if you are interested (u2u me). The Lennox dealer office that I got mine at has moved to some other place in La Paz, so I don't know the exact address, but the guy who installed mine recently said that they still have a dealership in La Paz, just at a different location than where I got mine.

I got the minisplits that also have a heater, only cost me $50 USD more for each unit that I bought. Well worth it. Highly recommended.

Also, for Loreto and La Paz I recommend that you consider one ton per each 125 sq feet of living space for truly adequate coverage.

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by MitchMan]

LaTijereta - 3-16-2012 at 03:02 PM

Thanks for the info...

Ed.. sent them an e-mail..and found their website..

http://www.partesyclimasloubet.com/index.aspx

ncampion - 3-17-2012 at 11:42 AM

Why go to La Paz??? I bought three, 1 Ton, 220VAC units at Abrham's in Loreto last year for $4300 pesos each, that's about $350 USD. Manny installed them for $1000 pesos each. These are the new Mirage units that only draw 950 watts, which is important to me as I am totally on solar power.

Bob and Susan - 3-17-2012 at 12:13 PM

my personal experience...only is that

you cannot run 950 watts on a battery bank for 12 hours...

you need to run a generator

ncampion - 3-17-2012 at 08:44 PM

My personal experience is that you can. Considering that with the thermostat set at 27 C, the compressor runs about 50% of the time and we run it from about 9:30pm, till about 7:00am the next morning. That's about 4 - 5 hours of compressor time. Our battery bank handeled it fine last summer. If I'm running more than one unit (guests etc) then I program the generator to run for 1 1/2 hours in the early morning to get a head start on the recharging. Long summer days get the batteries back to 90% each day.

Bob and Susan - 3-18-2012 at 06:25 AM

are you talking about a week or the entire summer?

are you using a hydrometer or looking at voltage?

for a short period the batteries would work but after a week they would be dead...

remember voltage IS NOT the actual condition of the batteries
its only an indicator that you have the ability to re-charge the batteries

dont be fooled...you can have great voltage and dead batteries...

ncampion - 3-19-2012 at 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
are you talking about a week or the entire summer?

are you using a hydrometer or looking at voltage?

for a short period the batteries would work but after a week they would be dead...

remember voltage IS NOT the actual condition of the batteries
its only an indicator that you have the ability to re-charge the batteries

dont be fooled...you can have great voltage and dead batteries...

Ok, here’s how the math goes. If the compressor runs an average of 5 hours per night drawing 950 watts, that’s 4750 watthours per day. Divided by battery voltage (48 volts) that’s 99 amps of power requirement per day. I have four strings of batteries with 435 amphours each for a total of 1740 amphours of storage running at 48 volts. Using 99 (let’s say 100 amps) of power each night for my A/C that’s only about 6% of my capacity. If I consider discharging my batteries to 70% capacity as acceptable, then I have another 24% available for all other loads in the house. Even with a 10% inefficiency factor in there, I never bring the batteries below my 70% (as measured by SG in the morning). I do have a large solar system, but I'm just saying, it can be done.
We used our Mimi-splits for three months all last summer. Battereis are all in great shape today with no variance in SG from cell to cell. Of course I always use SG (temp corrected) to determine battery condition.

Russ - 3-19-2012 at 08:20 AM

I have the Mirage 120v unit and always run the generator while it's on. After it's started up I switch to eco mode and it'll run easily all night on less than a tank on a Honda 3000. Installed $5000. And that was the high price because the lower price guy was sold out of 120v units.
B&S ? What's your take on running the gen set directly to the inverter and lowering the max amp input so I could put a small charge in the batteries and still run the the gen set on eco? Now I run directly from the generator to the AC.

Pompano - 3-19-2012 at 09:11 AM

Click on the nomads thread below for some info on mini-splits, A/C, etc...Loreto and beyond. It might be of some help...I hope.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=15219&pag...

Hook - 3-19-2012 at 09:39 AM

Man, that thread was a real time warp, Roger...........Felipa, a Don Alley post, even a Bruce Leech post.

So, how are the units doing, six years later? Or, is it three years later? Cant tell from the original post. BTW, what brand(s) did you end up with?

vandenberg - 3-19-2012 at 09:54 AM

Hook, I believe most units/brands are comparable.
We ended up with Trane and are very happy with them.
They are quiet. We do get them serviced every year by our installer, a smart decision, I believe.
Only drawback I can see is the $400.00 electric bill in the summermonths. :spingrin:

Forgot: that bill is for one month. :no:

[Edited on 3-19-2012 by vandenberg]

110v 120v 220v tonnage, condensers and diffusers and brandnames

Mulegena - 3-19-2012 at 09:56 AM

Which is the best, most efficient, economical?

I checked at Home Depot La Paz a few days ago.
Their's are all made by Trane and are all 220v machines.
In addition to the models on-shelf inside, there are two models in the tent outside that are on sale and have 2 or 3 diffusers.

The sales kids really don't know the machines and were short-coming in answers, so thanks for this up-to-date thread.

It would seem more efficient to have more tonnage than indicated in the specs, multiple diffusers and a condenser placed outside in the shade. What think ye? What's a good Energy Star?

(a little hi-jack, if I might) what's the best roofing combination for the buck down here on the hot side of the peninsula: laminate, felt sheeting over plywood, ceramic, styrofoam insulation and white reflective paint are the options but in what combination?

Hook - 3-19-2012 at 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg
Hook, I believe most units/brands are comparable.
We ended up with Trane and are very happy with them.
They are quiet. We do get them serviced every year by our installer, a smart decision, I believe.
Only drawback I can see is the $400.00 electric bill in the summermonths. :spingrin:

Forgot: that bill is for one month. :no:

[Edited on 3-19-2012 by vandenberg]

Does CFE put you guy into a subsidized energy bracket in the summer months?

From May 1 to Oct or Nov 1 (cant remember which), our per Kw charge drops WAY down. Our biggest consumption months are actually on the cusp months like April/May or Oct/NOv when the rates arent subsidized but the AC is needed.

It varies from location to location in Mexico. REALLY hot areas, like Hermosillo, Sonora, get an even lower rate in the summer.

ncampion - 3-19-2012 at 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
Which is the best, most efficient, economical?

The most efficient units are the new Inverter Driven Compressor units. They claim as much as 30% more efficient than conventional units. The down side is the price. Also I have not seen any inverter units in Mexico as yet. Best thing to do is check the SEER rating. The higher the rating the more efficient (power consumption vs. BTU output). The inverter units are in the SEER 17 - 23 range while conventional units are 12 - 15. Here's a link that has some info.

http://www.thermospace.com/ductless_split/inverter_mini_spli...