AC- window unit or mini split?

[John Huds0n]

I just finished installing my 24k btu Mr Slim last week and I am very pleased with the results. I ended up paying a local Mitsubishi "Diamond Dealer" $300 to come out and perform the startup, which was required if I wanted to maintain the Mitsubishi warranty. I though about doing it my self - I have a vacuum pump and gauges for working on the car a/c but I would need a new set of gauges and some sort of nitrogen tank to properly perform the leak test before releasing the refrigerant - so the $300 was a no brainer. (The tech was actually there about 3 hours and checked everything over, so I felt I got my monies worth at least)
24k condensor.jpg


I looked at the 2nd install video for the Friedrich and although they make it look easy, I would be real concerned about a proper 'through the wall' install. You would have to actually uncoil the entire lineset and then somehow get it through the hole in the wall, and support it on the other side while you tried to mount the indoor unit. It would definitely take several people to do it properly and I would be real concerned about kinking the line.

Flaring the lines for the connection is not that big of a deal. I actually bought a flaring tool - about $100 from Amazon. I thought about selling it on eBay, but I may end up installing another unit on the other end of the house - as I said, I am very pleased with it
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have flared brake and fuel lines on cars before but flaring the soft copper ac lines was pretty simple. At first I planned on using the factory flares at least on one end, but I ended up cutting them off and making my own flares - it was just easier.

Here is a pretty good video on flaring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI1ckYDi2WM

Another thing about the Friedrich unit - you need an outlet within 6' of the indoor unit. On the Mr Slim - the control/power cable is run with the lineset. Also, don't underestimate the condensate drain line plumping - Here in S Cal, I am getting a small bucket of water a day - which really surprised me

[Luke Sanders]

Been looking at a lot of these lately myself. No HOA, so I could frame in a window unit through the garage wall. Question on these mini splits...I'm not in my forever house, and probably anticipate being here for another 3-5 years or so. Are you able to sort of disconnect everything on the split system and set it up somewhere else?

Don't know how a window unit hanging off the side of the house would affect resale value. On the plus side, it would be behind the fence.

The 12k portable I'm using now isn't doing much of anything.

Reviews on the Freidrich Breeze units seem mostly positive. Only real negatives I've seen is that the inside unit is unable to sit flush against the wall and the lineset is kind of a PITA.

[Wade Lippman]

I may get a separate dehumidifier. Easy enough to drain that out into the yard.

Thanks for the feedback.

I was going to suggest that. Seems to me a dehumidifier would be a great deal more efficient if you only need to cool it down occasionally, but what do I know. Does that make sense?