Opening sunroom to be part of den

83oldyoda4x4 said:
Bingo get something name brand with support IE parts availability.
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In these DIY units I'm not even sure what that is, they all seem like various brand names with the exact same parts.
 
rockcity said:
Assuming it lasts a reasonable amount of time, by the time it fails, it will probably be cheaper to replace it as a unit than fix it.
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This is my thinking. I'm generally of the preference to spend more now for better quality and longevity and not feed the "everything is disposable" culture, but the whole unit is only $500 today, and its hard to imagine any service call to have a pro fix anything costing much less than that.
 
RatLabGuy said:
This is my thinking. I'm generally of the preference to spend more now for better quality and longevity and not feed the "everything is disposable" culture, but the whole unit is only $500 today, and its hard to imagine any service call to have a pro fix anything costing much less than that.
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link to the one youre looking at? We are planning to do a mini split for the homeschool.
 
JSJJ388 said:
link to the one youre looking at? We are planning to do a mini split for the homeschool.
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Amazon product ASIN B0BS96ZG3X
How big is that non-schoolhouse? Know what the insulation situation is? You're probably going to want 12k or more BTU. My case is different bc its just supplementing the rest of the house.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Amazon product ASIN B0BS96ZG3X
How big is that non-schoolhouse? Know what the insulation situation is? You're probably going to want 12k or more BTU. My case is different bc its just supplementing the rest of the house.
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12x44. According to the spec sheet, its built to residential standards, including the insulation. Ceiling is also insulated. Curious what amp draw is on these. It has a 100A sub panel, but Im assuming these just plug in?
 
JSJJ388 said:
12x44. According to the spec sheet, its built to residential standards, including the insulation. Ceiling is also insulated.
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12k would probably be fine but 18k would be plenty. But I think thats also a step up to 230v.
 
JSJJ388 said:
12x44. According to the spec sheet, its built to residential standards, including the insulation. Ceiling is also insulated. Curious what amp draw is on these. It has a 100A sub panel, but Im assuming these just plug in?
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do some googling they do make some that would work on a 100amp panel. that would wire in on a 115v 30amp breaker. the likely hood of using a 100A at the same time in that building would be small.
 
Loganwayne said:
do some googling they do make some that would work on a 100amp panel. that would wire in on a 115v 30amp breaker. the likely hood of using a 100A at the same time in that building would be small.
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The 12k units run on 110 and from what I've read they only draw about 7A at full tilt.

Hello the old-ass 12k window unit in my garage only draws around that. Startup is a big spike though
 
RatLabGuy said:
This is my thinking. I'm generally of the preference to spend more now for better quality and longevity and not feed the "everything is disposable" culture, but the whole unit is only $500 today, and its hard to imagine any service call to have a pro fix anything costing much less than that.
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This is my quandary with these kind of issues. Mathematically, buying the cheap thing and just tossing it when it breaks probably makes the most sense. But there's also a value to not creating more waste and not manufacturing another piece of junk. Usually my solution is to buy a used industrial grade version.
 
jeepinmatt said:
This is my quandary with these kind of issues. Mathematically, buying the cheap thing and just tossing it when it breaks probably makes the most sense. But there's also a value to not creating more waste and not manufacturing another piece of junk. Usually my solution is to buy a used industrial grade version, get halfway into the project, realize piecemealing used things together puts it over my head, and it sits for a year before completion.
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Me too, but FIFY to match reality.

I'm really trying to work on being more definitive with either (1) pay a guy and have it done or (2) ID the cheapest, fastest way I can get it done so it will actually be done.
 
83oldyoda4x4 said:
www.ebay.com

Haier 9,000 BTU 17 SEER Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump Air Conditioner AC 3/4 Ton | eBay

Unlike traditional ducted systems, Haier Ductless Air Conditioner systems give you the flexibility to transform any room into an oasis of comfort. Heat Pump Ductless Mini Split. Haier 9,000 BTU 17 SEER.
www.ebay.com
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interesting... 17 SEER is pretty low compared to most of them.

I asked about this on a Reddit group and a couple guys said the cheap Rovsun is a sub-brand of Midea, and is actually pretty decent.
 
JSJJ388 said:
Amazon product ASIN B0BTYW4X3Z
Ordered this one. Got to dig the trench for power and internet, and get all hooked up. Hopefully doing that this weekend.
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well I just ordered the 9k unit so we'll compare notes.
Gah, now gotta figure out how to get power to it. Not a fun time to be in the attic.
 
Update.
I think I got around to actually installing the thing in August or so. Installation was no big deal. Ended up avoiding having to get into the hot ass attic because the power goes from the panel to the outdoor unit, then is bundled with the control lines and refrigerant in a single line that goes through the wall into the indoor unit.
Installation was shockingly easy. I spend more time making a nice fitting for the wall for the line to go through than anything else.

The unit comes pre-charged; all you have to do is connect the lines and join the inner and outdoor unit and then there's a valve you open to let the refrigerant escape. So then you have to look out for is ensuring that all the fittings are just really tight just like you would expect with any HVAC line. Fortunately my back door neighbor is a refrigeration tech and came by and used his pump and gauge before I cracked it open.... We found that there was a really small leak at one of the fittings. Just wouldn't quite draw all the way down, so he did a nitrogen Purge and we dug around until we could hear it. Couple cranks, retest, open the valve, done.

Going back to the original question at hand, we left the sliding doors in place and are just using this unit for conditioning. It's generally worked out fine, no trouble keeping it warm enough in winter, and yesterday even with it ridiculously hot outside and not having run it in there it was able to cool it down pretty fast. Totally worth the 500 bucks and a day of sweat to put it in.
I think I may have mentioned in another thread we're going to add a floor covering with an insulated layer in order to help out with the foot comfort level during the winter.

My only complaint about this unit is that there is no timed thermostat. The remote has all kinds of cool functions and modes and such, and there's a timer so you can tell it to go to sleep in X number of minutes or hours. But what I can't do is like you often do with a programmable thermostat and set a time-based setting. My wife goes in in the morning turns it on and then I find myself having to make it a point to turn it off when I go to bed. Annoying. Even when it reaches temperature it doesn't stop blowing, it just seems to stop the compressor.

I don't see anything in the manual about being able to directly wire the control board. It's on my to do list to pop it open and see what I may have to work with.

@JSJJ388 how have you found yours? With the non-school house are you doing anything to program it so it's ready when you need it but not all the time?
 
Ours works great. We don't do anything to program it honestly. Just let it run a little less (50 in winter, 75 in summer) when we aren't out there. It usually conditions the space in maybe 15 minutes. Only complaint is that with it at the back the air doesn't really circulate well to the front. A $15 fan has solved that.

I want one for my shop now....
 
RatLabGuy said:
well I just ordered the 9k unit so we'll compare notes.
Gah, now gotta figure out how to get power to it. Not a fun time to be in the attic.
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We ended going with a correct size portable a/c.
Biggest reason … wife bakes and we can move it to the kitchen to help cool things when she baking.
Besides, don’t need the heat option.
Got to move things around so I can get to the windows to hang the rest of the insulated black-outs.
 
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