How To mount split type air-conditioner

[lightmove]

Recently I have finished my grow room - 3 square meters with two 600W HPS lamps. The lamps are air cooled and the room have additional ventilation. All ventilation is not enough to lower the temperature. When two 600W lamps are on, temperature is 30 degree celsius. My first try to lower temp was with portable air conditioner. This air-conditioner is useless, resulting temperature was 28-29 degrees. So, I bought split type air conditioner with mounting kit, 12 BTU (300 euro).
The problem was how to mount it. I cannot let technician into my grow room, so I mount it by myself. If you are plan to use this type air-conditioner, you must buy one with mounting kit. This kit include everything needed. The most important part of this kit are flexible pipes - conus shaped on both ends. Making of conuses is tricky, so easiest way is to buy the pipes. Not all brands include mounting kit, most of them do not. You should ask at the store. Another recomended tool is vacuum pump. Air-conditioner operate with freon, if it is mixed with air, conditioner doesn't work at 100%. Its operation is not optimal. And in some cases water contained into air can broke compressor. The air can be removed from pipes with vacuum pump. Another way to remove air is with expeling small amount of freon, but the most proper way is the way with vacuum pump. I have used cheep china pump (cost 120 euro). You also need one hose to connect vacuum pump with the air-conditioner valve.

Outer unit is on top of the grow room. It stay on rubber pads, and is bolted to the grow room roof.

Bolts are covered with reflective tape

Before mounting of indoor unit you should make hole

The hole should have slope to allow drainage of condensed water. After hole, you fix instalation plate to the wall, and put indoor unit on the plate.

Three pipes are passing through the hole - two copper pipes and one plastic pipe. Two cables also should pass through the hole, they make electrical connection with outdoor unit. If you conditioner dont have heating capabilities the cable is just one. Plastic pipe is for draining:

 

[lightmove]

Next step is connecting of copper pipes. If outdoor unit is higher than indoor, you should make oil trap:

The trap is not necessary when pipes are shorter than 5 meters, but just in case I made it.
Pipes have conus like shapes. You shold align them carefully.

You should not over tight flare nut, because the pipe conus can crack.

In you air-conditioner mounting manual you can find electrical diagram, there is described how electrical wires should be connected. Connect them.
Next step is very important. You should expell air from copper tubes. I recommed use of vacuum pump.

I did not use manometer block, it is not mandatory. You can use one, but it cost as much as vacuum pump.

3-way valve has service-port. Remove the service-port cap. Connect one end of hose to this port and the other to the vacuum pump. Run the pump. 15-20 min are enough. White steam is exiting from vacuum pump - this is normal. After 15-20 min remove the hose and turn off the pump.

Another way of purging the air from pipes (without vacuum pump):
Remove service caps from valves. Open liquid valve for two seconds. Close it. Remove the service-port cap. Press at center of service port with something thin. From valve will exit freon mixed with air. This method is not recommended. But if you dont have vacuum pump it is better than nothing.

Remove valve caps and with hexagonal wrench counter clockwise open two valves. You should make 5-6 turnovers with wrench, until you cannot turn the wrench any more. With this you released freon into pipes. Replace the caps and tighten them. You can check flare nuts connections with soapy water or with liquid soap. If there is leak you will see bubbles. Tighten flere nuts until bubbles disappear.
Final step:

You conditioner is ready to use. You should make test run for 15-20 min. Put the conditioner into cooling mode and start it.

 

[keyplay]

Awesome tutorial! Thanks Buddy

 

[thebandit777]

Gettin' ready to get one of those man, right on.... Can I ask how much u payed for that one and how many BTU's it is.?..... And what is the SEER Rating on it?

thank you
b

 

[lightmove]

The BTU is 12000, consumption is quite high, but I bought this model because of mounting kit. In cooling mode consumption is 1,2kW/h, in heating - 1,25kW/h. EER is 2.68. Price is 300 euro. Additional 120 euro for vacuum pump, 60 euro for vacummeter (optional), 6 euro flexible hose (pump connection), 4 euro rubber pads.

 

[ogatec]

ya, its important to get the pre-manufactured copper linesets.. good tutorial!

 

[snílek]

Great Information! I've considered using the same type of 'mini split' air conditioning also, and was also concerned about having a technician come to my grow area... So after you vacuum all of the air out of the system you attach a bottle of freon to the manifold valve, and it just sucks it all into the system? Does it have to be compressed to a certain pressure inside of the system to operate correctly? Was the refrigerant(freon) included with the air conditioner, or the installation kit, or do you buy this separately?

 

[cocktail frank]

good job.

just make sure you dont smother tha condensor unit.
she makes heat and needs room for airflow.

 

[~fvk~]

This thread is the shit man. Thanks for posting it up.

 

[badugi]

Most units are sold with enough refrigerant pre-charged in the outside unit to fill the supplied pipe length (typically 25'). If you reduce or lengthen the lineset, you will need to either bleed or add more refrigerant (which isn't legal w/o a license... unless it's for resale, I think).

A manifold gauge should be used to make sure that there is no leak in the system and that you are not losing vacuum. I think a set of R410a gauges and hoses can be had from eBay for around $75.

 

[lightmove]

Here in Europe all air-conditioners are pre-charged with refrigerant(freon). It is into outer unit of conditioner. After vacuuming freon is released using hexagonal vrench. Use the wrench on both 2-way and 3-way valve. On service valve shouldn't be connected anything, because freon will leak from it.


When you buy conditioner with mounting kit the freon is enough to fill pipes included into kit (in most cases 3m long).

 

[cesartime]

Thanks so muchto lightmove for this thread, Ive been searching for this info on an AC install for so long, and this has just saved me from buying an excel. If I could only find another company that manufactures units with the compressor removed.

 

[Teeg420]

Nice thread, can't wait to hook one up and seal my room!

 

[aaxxeell]

SWEET! same sorta room as mine and im gonna a upgrade to sealing my room too!
what i need to know is what is its consumpion like in terms of Kw/h, and before and after ambient temps???

my summers get to 104F and crazy humidity so and info would be so helpfull lightmove

 

[aaxxeell]

bumpy bump

 

[RedRain]

wow this guy makes it seem so easy..LOL

you must have the correct amount of refrigerant, R22 or R410, or your compress can/will fail. If you have moisture in your system or air, your compressor can and will fail. You must vaccuum a system down to at least 500 microns. This can take anywhere from 1-12 hours varying on system size, and amount of moisture in the lines.

The best thing to do is to get a ductless split with pre-charged lines and avoid the big hassle. Do not try and fill your own system. Not to mention in North America (USA and Canada) we have extremely strict laws and guidelines regarding charging and handling refrigerant.

You did however create a great guide on how to install a ductless split with pre-charged lines.