Thread: Reducing cost of split system Air Con install

A suggestion
Find and buy the copper piping yourself if you intend to use more than the 2m supplied with the unit. The installers charge up to $60 a metre for it!

Lookup Actrol in Blackburn. They supply the refridgeration/airconditioning industry with all their bit and pieces.

For 1.5hp, it may need its own dedicated circuit due to drawing 15amps - added expense. Check manual closely.

Wildman, I had a mate instal 2 units at my place, with me providing "Gofer" duties, here are my thoughts on the matter....

1. Read the instruction manual that comes with the unit, it should give you the size of the pipes required. Remember that there are two sizes, one for the "Go" gas, and one for the "Return". If you get the flexible copper pipe, it is pretty simple to route it as you want, the rigid stuff will require gas burner and bending tools. Plus you need pipe flaring tools for the joins etc.

2. You will need pipe insulation to suit the lengths you require.

3. Depending upon power requirements all you may need is a power point adjacent to the head unit (and a single 3-core run to the external unit) or the more complicated (and expensive) fixed install with isolation switch to the external unit. If it is the simple set-up, then anyone can run the power cable, as long as a "Licensed" person does the connections.

4. The instruction manual will give pipe-length guidelines, if you have a longer "throw" then you may need to top-up extra refridgerent, as there may not be sufficient pressure to maintain cooling. Plus a longer run will result in the compressor having to use more of its power to push the gas - leaving less for actual cooling. My 1 HP unit has a 7 metre run each way, and my 3.5 HP unit has about 15 metres in each direction - neither unit has any trouble keeping the place cool (in fact I generally have 10-15 degrees in excess cooling capacity)

5. You can mount the compressor from a rack on a wall, but I don't recommend it, as you can get some funny vibratory type noises coming through the house. Placing the unit a couple of concrete slabs or brick paving is more than adequate. GENERALLY, the units are extremely quiet, much quieter than an equivalent RAC (Box-in-Wall Type)

6. Don't forget the drip pipe. MY 3.5 HP unit throws up to 3 litres of water an hour. so if you don't want your brick paving to turn green, then you'll need to install a proper drain.

A final thought to consider. In Perth (and presumably OZ generally) we have seen stacks of "No-Name" A/C splits advertised for bargain prices. Their problem is that they have very inefficient compressors, so you need to use a lot more power than "Brand Name" units. They may have a 5-Year warranty, but if you use 5 times as much powere, are they really that good a deal.

I recommend Mitsubishi, and I have no affiliation with them. My units work bloody good, and that is all that matters.

Hope that may help you a bit.

Originally Posted by jimc

Lookup Actrol in Blackburn. They supply the refridgeration/airconditioning industry with all their bit and pieces.

For 1.5hp, it may need its own dedicated circuit due to drawing 15amps - added expense. Check manual closely.

A 1.5hp shouldnt draw 15amps, a 10amp circuit will power up to a 3hp motor.

Cannot help, but thought I would share my current situation.<O</O

Installation is expensive, maybe because of the time of year and maybe it would be cheaper during the cooler months when people think less of purchasing a AC and therefore less work around for installers.<O

I want to install a 3 head split system in a house. I prefer the Daiken system which is one of the more efficient, but expensive systems. Costing $4400, Mitsubishi would cost me $2800, others are even cheaper. Regardless of the system components, the installers want $3200 to install the equipment. For my system there is a lot of piping, but nothing especially difficult installing it. Considering I am making the job easy for them by not plastering up areas or removing plaster, and doing everything else to make it easier for them(objective is to make it cheaper for me). But still the ratio of installation to equipment cost is frustratingly high.<O

Another comment: When simply asking various companies to supply and install a system (sometimes I specify the equipment or brand I prefer, and sometimes I leave it up to them; I find that some companies do nice quotes where you know exactly what you are going to get, whilst some provide such vague quotes that I could end up with just about anything installed anyhow. Really poor effort, so I would hate to see their work.<O

I am up for suggestions or recommendations from anyone out there.

Thanks for the feedback.

I am currently trying to source "friends of friends" to do the hookup, I plan to mount the compressor and piping myself. The system wont be used much as it is only in the bedroom and wont be left on at night, basically enough to cool the room to get to sleep so efficiency is not critical. A number of installers will only do supply and install, probably to get the margin on the unit as well as being sure what they have to work with. I have all the gear I need to do the bulk of the work, flaring tools, oxy, cutters benders etc and the AC circuit has already been installed in the fuse box, I just need to run the wiring to wherever the unit requires it. I only need an installer to check for leaks and gas up the system and dont particularly want to spend $500 for one hour's work.

Good point about the drip pipe, I have a nearby Hydrangea that would appreciate a drip feed of water on hot days.

Cheers
Ben

We have a 2.5hp Hitachi mounted on the wall in line with the internal unit and about 350mm lower. Minimal run of copper and no vibration.
Install took about 3 hours with new circuit into fuse box and vacuum took 30 minutes (actually less but sparky said he always leaves the compressor omn that long while he's doing something else).
3 hours labour + cabling + wall bracket ($60.00) + pretty plastic casing to hide cables and copper, shop around you can get it for a lot less than the $700 odd that a lot of places quote.

The unit I just had installed new 5.5 star rated 1.5hp inverter unit and it needed a 15amp circuit. Its one of the new splits that uses R410A gas. Thus the need to look at the manual for power rating!

The total installation of unit plus dedicated circuit cost $850 included 4.5 metre run back to the compressor.

jimc, you might be right I just checked the kickout switch in the power box for my 3.5 mitsi its running a 32amp circuit! Thats as much as my shed will be running off, when I can get my sparky mate of his ass to finish the job!

We must both have the same sparky mate, got a circuit breaker and two power points three months ago and still waiting for the full wire and lights :mad:

Sorry guys, forgot to mention it....

The start-up surge on these units is impressive. When I first fired my 3.5 HP unit up, the start current peaked around 25-30 amps!

That's why you have a 32 amp breaker....

12 months ago had a 3hp Daikin split system installed. Dedicated 30amp circuit with powerbox at one corner of house and unit at the diagonal corner (long run). 5Metre piping, total install cost $500.00. This is a pretty standard charge in our area, so watch out for the bloody burglars out there.

Originally Posted by Harry72

A 1.5hp shouldnt draw 15amps, a 10amp circuit will power up to a 3hp motor.

Most 1.5Hp draw about 4a flatout, some even come with 3 pin plugs
on them so they can be plugged in.

A far classier way to do it is to get a sparky to pull the line through into the roof or wall and jumper it up with a new circuit.

To make an install cheaper do 90% of it yourself. I did all mine myself and paid a bloke to come and vac out the system and test it all up, check my work and sign the warranty card.

Mount up the internal unit first, cut the holes and attach the base plate the wall mount up the internal unit and feed the copper lines through. Buy an install kit with pipes in it from an AC supplier which has the longer pipes in it with the ends already flared etc.

Mount the outoor unit so it looks nice, mine is attached to the brick base of the house with brackets from the AC supplier, no vibrations all good.

Run the connecting electrial cable to the outdoor unit, ask the ac bloke to fix it up for you - in all honesty 240V wiring on terminal blocks like that are the most half assed thing I have seen, most installers don't crimp the ends they just strip the wires back and wind them together. The wiring I put in my car is 100 times safer and better designed/setup/executed.

Here is the breakdown of my cost.

Air Con unit 1.5 HP split system $499
Brackets $ 45
Plasterboard anchors $15
Pipe covering $80
AC bloke to come out and commission $88

Total $727

Cheapest install quote was $450+gst

Just ring around the installers and find out someone who will come out and have a look, vac it out and sign off on it, that might be a bit tricky but I found a crowd that were happy to do it

Tom

as i sit in almost 40 degree heat at midnight I drool at this post.


ahhh cool air, but where to place one? in the lounge room, in our bedroom, in the kitchen????


to many unanswered questions. i now must sleep


if I can