Mini split A/C question.

[muledeerarea33?]

So I’m installing a mini split in a small house, about 650sqft. One bedroom. Where’s the best place to put the inside unit? I was thinking in the center of the house on the living room wall for even air distribution? If I was to put it on an exterior wall would it cool the whole place? It’s an 18k btu unit. Thanks.

[Lucafu1]

I would say it depends on the configuration on the house. If it has a rooms then maybe pointing down the longest stretch? 

I want to buy a mini split for my shop..........soon I hope,

[yotebuster]

We have two 9k units in our shop/house.  The finished living area is about 1500 sq feet with an open floor plan and one of the units cools the whole place.  We are in ND though so we only hit 100 about once a summer and only are above 90 for about 2 weeks total a year.   Amazing how powerful those little splits are though!!!  If possible I would put it in the bedroom.  That’s where you want it the coolest so you can sleep.  I don’t spend any time indoors in the summer except when I’m sleeping I guess!

[muledeerarea33?]

Here’s a crude not to scale drawing of the place. I put an X on three potential places. Yotebuster, the bedroom has a window unit that keeps it really cool but I’d like to remove it if I can. I think the unit is too big and won’t perform properly in the bedroom but I don’t know for sure.

[muledeerarea33?]

14 minutes ago, Lucafu1 said:

I would say it depends on the configuration on the house. If it has a rooms then maybe pointing down the longest stretch? 

I want to buy a mini split for my shop..........soon I hope,

Home Depot had the Mr. Cool DIY kit on sale. The place had a hotel wall unit in it for 10 or so years but it went out last year. I wanted to have a small central air system put in but I couldn’t get any hvac companies to come give me an estimate. 

[NOTAGS]

They make mini splits with dual evaporators, that way you can put on in the great room and one in the bedroom.

[muledeerarea33?]

8 minutes ago, NOTAGS said:

They make mini splits with dual evaporators, that way you can put on in the great room and one in the bedroom.

I was looking at them but the smallest I could see was 9k and 12k. Either one of those was too big for the bedroom alone. Plus once I get into that price range I’d be better off using a standard system.

[bigorange]

 Central spot should work if you have enough air circulation into the bedroom and kitchen. I like a cool bedroom too. What about the kitchen wall on far left side of the drawing, pointing into the bedroom/living room...is that spot a possibility?

I’ve gone through a couple mini splits on a casita, but basically one room with a bathroom. Central wall worked well there. 

[muledeerarea33?]

7 minutes ago, bigorange said:

 Central spot should work if you have enough air circulation into the bedroom and kitchen. I like a cool bedroom too. What about the kitchen wall on far left side of the drawing, pointing into the bedroom/living room...is that spot a possibility?

I’ve gone through a couple mini splits on a casita, but basically one room with a bathroom. Central wall worked well there. 

That wall is full of cabinets and appliances. What went wrong with the units you had? Not fixable?

[NOTAGS]

Keep in mind you will have  condensation from the evaporator, so if you mount on an interior wall you will have to run a drain line to where ever is  practical.  Usually see the evaps on exterior walls for this reason.

[muledeerarea33?]

The drain line will run with the line set so I’ll just frame in a sorta soffit to hide them if on an interior wall. Since I’ve never had one before I’m just wondering if it’s on one side of the house, will the other side be the same temp or if a central location would be much better? Not sure how well they cool.

[bigorange]

3 hours ago, muledeerarea33? said:

That wall is full of cabinets and appliances. What went wrong with the units you had? Not fixable?

Not sure on the first but I suspect a leak. Second one burned out a board which I replaced and it constantly leaked...never found the leak but my AC guy couldn’t even get it to hold a charge after a while. He wasn’t just trying to sell me a new unit though and told me which one to buy online and installed for me. 

[PowellSixO]

Are you going to be living there? If so I'd suggest buying a Goodman Split System, putting the ductwork and everything associated with it in, and just doing it right (I bet you could do the whole thing yourself for $4k or less). While mini splits are cheap, and easy to install, my experience with them is that they just don't last. They're like a more complicated window unit. Plus with your floor plan, if you only install one evap, you're going to sacrifice comfort in either the bedroom or living room (depending on where you install the evap). 

[muledeerarea33?]

Original that’s what I wanted to do. Goodman was one of the cheaper routes for a heat pump. I didn’t want to do it myself though. I’m sure I could but I’m learning my limits. I couldn’t get an ac guy to come to the house much less return a phone call. So I already have the mini split package that I’m gonna use, standard system will have to wait til this unit goes out. Oh and yes I’m living in it, main house is 3/4 finished. Houses are expensive to build!

[Lucafu1]

Ive been looking at amazon and they have a 36K Pioneer for $2k.......I might have to get it.