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BajaBruceFan
Junior Nomad
Posts: 33
Registered: 12-27-2007
Location: SJD
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Mood: unpocoloco
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Mini-splits for heat in the chilly BCS winter?
I've heard that some mini-split AC units have a heat function, but can't really find any specifics online.
Does anyone have any experience using these units for heat in the winter and how effective are they at heating a home? Any recommendations for
mini-split brands, dealers, or installers in the La Paz area?
Our house is concrete block, with about 2500 sq ft of interior living space.
We've sweated through 2 Baja summers without AC, but this cold might finally break our procrastination!
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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I live in Santa Rosalia area and have a mini-split 1 1/2 ton model, and it does a marvelous job of heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. I
will look up the make and model when I return home in a couple of days and get you the information. The cost was around 6000 pesos and 2000 to
install. It has worked so well that I am thinking of adding one unit for the main house area.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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We also have an 18000 BTU, 1.5 ton model. It's a Mirage Absolut Confort. The guy who installed it says that Mirages are the best available down here.
Much better than the Panasonics, the Samsungs and ESPECIALLY the Yorks, according to him. This was based on reliability.
The great thing about these is that they are a reverse-cycle heat pump, not a wire element that is heated and then fan air passed over it. Much more
efficient and pretty darn quiet, too. For the heat cycle, the pump operates for about a minute at start up before the fan kicks in and heat is
distributed in the room. Thermostatically controlled, of course. 220v all the way; only the 1/2 ton units will operate on 110v in the Mirages.
I think we paid exactly the same amount as Pescador about 2 years ago; around 1300 for the install. It's the best deal of anything I've ever bought in
Mexico, period.
But I've never been to Anthony's Bar...................
Supposedly, Fujitsu makes one of the best mini-splits in the world but I havent seen them down here. VERY efficient and reliabile.
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MitchMan
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Posts: 1856
Registered: 3-9-2009
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In La Paz, I have three minisplits (two 1-tons and one 2-ton) that both heat and cool, and I have one wall unit TEPAC (or PETAC) at 1.5tons that also
heats and cools. The cost was $400 USD for the 1-tons and $800 USD for the 2-ton. The brand name is Lennox. Didn't have to pay for the wall unit,
it was already there in the house.
As I remember it (3 years ago), the units that both cooled and heated compared to the units that just cooled, the price differential was only $50 per
unit USD. Best $50 that I ever spent. Well worth it. Does a fantastic job of heating and it does it very quickly. Usually have to turn it off
within 10 to 15 minutes.
The wall unit does a great job at 1.5 tons. But, the minisplits are quieter and remote controlled. Also, the minisplits are sealed off better from
the outside, meaning I don't get any critters crawling in from the outside to the inside of the house like I do with the wall unit. Found two
scorpions in that room last year. If I had to do it all over again, I would get 1.5 tons instead of 1 tons for the bedrooms. If I did, that would
bring the ratio of tons to square footage to 1 ton for every 130 square foot of living space which is good coverage for La Paz hot summer months.
As a pampered American (we Americans are all pampered), I can't see how my neighbors go through summer without A/C; but they all do.
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rhintransit
Super Nomad
Posts: 1588
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
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love my mini split, heat/cool. 1 1/2 ton. Lennox. prices higher, as always, here in Loreto, but about 700-750 US installed this August. the
difference was about 800 pesos for heat vs no heat. no brainer on that. toasty! and essential to cool in summer.
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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BajaBruceFan
Junior Nomad
Posts: 33
Registered: 12-27-2007
Location: SJD
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Mood: unpocoloco
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Thanks for the info guys!
So, from the Lennox website, it looks like I actually need are their mini-split heat pumps?
The Mirage units sound interesting - nothing online about them (in English at least). Are they a Mexican brand?
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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I believe they are a Mexican brand...............but they are Hecho en China!!!
Our remote control is completely English. Switchable between F and C on the temps.
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CortezBlue
Super Nomad
Posts: 2213
Registered: 11-14-2006
Location: Fenix/San Phelipe
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search heat pump
simply speaking a heat pump is strictly an AC that has a reverseing valve and instead of extracting hot air inside and releasing it outside it
extracts moderately warm air and releases it into your home. Not the fastest way to heat, but probably more efficient than electric heat.
we insulated the crap out of our casa in San Felipe and only use a gas fireplace to heat up the house in the morning.
If it gets really cold, we will turn on the heat pump to take the chill out of air.
[Edited on 12-26-2011 by CortezBlue]
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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Okay, I had a discussion this morning with the installer in our area. He was referred to me by one of the hotel owners in the area. He is also a
Mirage dealer and considered them the best available until this new line came out called Japando. He has put in a large number of them in the last
couple of years and consideres them lower on maintence and upkeep that the Migage. He feels the LG units to be one of the best, but they did need a
little on the upkeep side also.
So there you have it straight from the horse's mouth.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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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.
 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 839
Registered: 5-1-2010
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| 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.
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Very interested in hearing about the gas mini-furnaces. It's COLD and I have propane readily available.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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propane heaters are NOT cheap to operate
propane is expensive here
also
a 6000 btu ac unit WILL NOT operate on a solar system with out giving you problems...take my word
i live here FULL time and have a pretty big solar system
a 6000 btu unit takes 6 amps @ 115V when the compressor is running and
3 amps at 220v
thats about 700w
to cool...an ac must have the compressor running
otherwise its a fan and
THAT might take 3amps at 115v
we did a test 2 years ago
we used a 5000 btu unit on a 24v system
with 16 L-16's (batteries) and
16-180w solar panels for charging
(pretty big system)
by morning the batteries were dead (25% using the hydrometer)
it took 2 days (no load) to recharge the batteries to full capacity (100% using the hydrometer)
i know the inverters will handle the amperage but the batteries cannot take the continues drain...and
...remember solar power is NOT sun power its battery power at night
to use an ac you need a generator...period
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
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Mood: Sling time!
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Bob they are selling a lot of 24 and 48 V SolCool Israeli made AC compressors around Cabo at high end off grid locations made for solar.
i don't have any 1st hand info on how well they work tho.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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With the advent of the mini-split, the ONLY people considering using a window unit would have to be off-grid, IMO. They are not much more expensive
for like cooling capacities.
These mini-splits are such a joy; no loud compressor noise in the room, heat pump reversibility, and "smart" programming from a remote. Much more than
just an on/off timer.
[Edited on 12-27-2011 by Hook]
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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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. 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Just for drill I'll toss in my dos centavos worth about heating. For many years I have relied on LPG heating because of the cost of Mexican CFE. I'll
stick the heater in the kitchen and then plumb a line over to the stove.
My overwhelming choice in LPG heating is the "Olympian Wave 8". It is a catalyst heater that produces no detectable trace of CO unless you stick the
alarm right onto the heating pad (~:
It uses less money to heat for a week than a heat pump uses in 4 hours. I particularly like the infrared effect like a fireplace where it seems to
heat to the bone.
The heater is very portable and it is incredibly rugged and long lasting. Supplying it with gas is its only drawback.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
Just for drill I'll toss in my dos centavos worth about heating. For many years I have relied on LPG heating because of the cost of Mexican CFE. I'll
stick the heater in the kitchen and then plumb a line over to the stove.
My overwhelming choice in LPG heating is the "Olympian Wave 8". It is a catalyst heater that produces no detectable trace of CO unless you stick the
alarm right onto the heating pad (~:
It uses less money to heat for a week than a heat pump uses in 4 hours. I particularly like the infrared effect like a fireplace where it seems to
heat to the bone.
The heater is very portable and it is incredibly rugged and long lasting. Supplying it with gas is its only drawback. |
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/olympian-wave-8-ca...
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
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Mood: Sling time!
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the Mitsubishi line "city" of mini splits have been very popular in phx market for older condo and apt retrofits.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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mike those 24v things DONT work
thats why they don't sell them at home depot to normal homeowners
the idea is great but the engineering and batteries aren't there yet
don't waste your money right now
and again
there are NO ac units that work well with solar power and batteries...
period
i dont care what ANYONE tells you
it ISNT true
no one should EVER think they can run an ac unit on their solar panels and batteries...bottom line
you need a generator
there are NO solar ac units at the current time
and a chiller unit isn't an ac unit...they ONLY cool
i live full time in mulege and when its HOT it's HOT
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Roger, we had ours put in AFTER we had already built. These guys are amazing at what they can do with concrete over brick, a hammer and a chisel. We
did have the 220v line in place during our build but that poses no problems either. 1300 pesos including having an iron platform fabricated and
"hammered" into our east facing wall about 8 feet up. It's in shade all afternoon and it makes it harder to walk off on its own (which HAS happened
over here).
The quiet of the mini-split, alone, is worth any added costs of installation, IMO. Every time I stay in a motel with the condenser and fan right
there, I thank the person who invented the mini-split.
I am a very light sleeper, BTW..........
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