has anyone looked into Mr. Cool DIY systems. I've been reading and YouTubing, but results seem mixed. I might be able to gear myself up for the simplest installation which would be our MBR. first floor, the outdoor unit would be directly below the indoor, 120v nearby. $2,000. for materials vs $7,000. pro istall, but I would have no service.
These mentioned ductless issues are not unique to minisplit heat pumps, but common to all types of un-ducted, zoned HVAC systems. My home was built with zoned electric resistance heat, no cooling, no ducts, a very common type in this region. The "poor conditioning in adjacent spaces" issue is more a winter than summer issue here. My building envelope upgrades have helped considerably, new code-compliant construction should be better still. Only very recently did AC adoption climb above 50% of housing units in some Western Washington counties, while others still remain slightly below 50%. Census Bureau Releases New Local Estimates of Air Conditioning Access https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/king-countys-cooling-divide-new-data-maps-our-ac-haves-and-have-nots/ I can't speak to dehumidification issues as I've never lived in a climate zone needing more than simple exhaust fans (ideally on programmable timers) next to water sources, such as bathrooms and laundry. Inland from here for probably over a thousand miles eastwards, they have the opposite problem of natural humidity being lower than desirable. Last month my spouse's doctor even recommended getting a humidifier to increase our home humidity. (I declined after asking for a numeric target, and received an answer that we already met.)
i thought 50% was ideal. dehumidification is a big deal around here in summer, and humidification in winter, although our house with a boiler and radiators is more humid than our ild house with warm air. but the humidifier on that furnace was an ongoing maintenance problem
mr. cool: MRCOOLAdvantage 1 zone 12000-BTU Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump Included with 115-Volt20$ 1,046 .48
some friendly advice on Mr. Cool systems - look at the you tube reviews after the systems are a couple of years old.
You can get all the big brands as DIY if you want.* I really like the Fujitsu we most recently installed. Our oldest one is a Lennox, probably wouldn't get that brand again. *There will probably be limits or even total exclusions on warranties
Mr Cool with precharged line sets and quick connects on those lines force you to coil up excessive length. Typically its cooled vertically behind the condenser. This causes multiple undesirable oil traps. It would better to coil excess length horizontally, ideally in an attic. But no one does as it complicates the line set routing. I would get a minisplit (only for an addition or garage) that allowed brazed or pressed connections and size line lengths as needed.
From the Lowe's description page: "2-Year compressor and 1-year parts warranty when registered and when installed by a licensed professional" Seems awfully short. Seems low by today's standards. Though I'm still calibrated more to the old HSPF scale, not the newer lower-reading HSPF2 scale. And I seem to remember from somewhere that these lower figures are partly a consequence of the pre-charged lines of the DIY models. A traditional system where the lines must be vacuum pumped before charging were said to end up with less non-refrigerant air so performed better.
