Split Air con

happy_2008 · 14 Apr 2021 at 15:56

Peerzy said:
£150+VAT for 7 years is over £1200! How much was the system in the first place - that sounds like a rubbish warranty if it's actually going to cost £1200 to keep valid for 7 years. Half the work is running all the pipes so even if a unit failed it would probably be cheaper to service yourself and replace with a brand new unit.

True but i have 3 units so would probably be worth the servicing.

On Holiday · 14 Apr 2021 at 16:28

Have got 2 units at home that are in use every day other than winter, been installed for over 8 years now with no "servicing" other than a quick wipe of the filters every summer.

Absolutely no issues.

£150 a year for 7 years? That's the cost of 2 split systems

happy_2008 · 14 Apr 2021 at 17:39

Dont you have to clean the condensor though? Would be tempted to have them service it once and then see what the operations involves.

On Holiday · 14 Apr 2021 at 17:41

happy_2008 said:
Dont you have to clean the condensor though? Would be tempted to have them service it once and then see what the operations involves.

Not unless it's getting dirty for a reason but that's what the external filters are for. It really is a case of a quick wipe down. 5 minute job tops!

RJC · 14 Apr 2021 at 17:49

happy_2008 said:
Dont you have to clean the condensor though? Would be tempted to have them service it once and then see what the operations involves.

I only ever put a broom over, tried blasting with Nitrogen once - that was fun :cry:

But generally unless they run 24/7 they tend to stay pretty clean.

A once over the pipe connections with electronic leak detector or check for any signs of oil to ensure no leaks.

You can also buy Coil cleaner:

https://www.airconspares.com/cleani...anced-engineering-condenser-cleaner-gel-490ml

Peerzy · 14 Apr 2021 at 20:04

happy_2008 said:
True but i have 3 units so would probably be worth the servicing.

Are you really expecting all 3 units to fail in the 7 years? Most warranties are great to have but the actual cost v risk of this is well off.

Surely £1200 would buy you about 2 brand new units installed (as install costs would be mega cheap - no pipes to do and just replacing broken units) every 7 years, and the reality is it's very unlikely 1 will fail, let alone 2 or 3.

norm · 15 Apr 2021 at 21:57

happy_2008 said:
Yes all ran from one condenser. Theres actually 5 grill vents, 1 in each bedroom as output and 2 in the landing as input (The ducts are behind the unit in the loft)

How do you control it? Control panel on the landing?

Presumably you can adjust the vents in the bedroom to suit as well?

norm · 15 Apr 2021 at 22:04

Peerzy said:
Are you really expecting all 3 units to fail in the 7 years? Most warranties are great to have but the actual cost v risk of this is well off.

Also what's to say the manufacturers refuse to honour the warranty even with the specified servicing because of a 'wear and tear' clause or such.

I think adhering to the servicing schedule is meant mostly for businesses, where their AC systems will be in use considerably more under harsher conditions, so the likelihood of a compressor failing for example will be higher, so it's only prudent to ensure any preventative maintenance was carried out.

happy_2008 · 16 Apr 2021 at 09:13

norm said:
How do you control it? Control panel on the landing?

Presumably you can adjust the vents in the bedroom to suit as well?

The vents can be open and closed by twisting the central plate but i dont really see the purpose of it. The two wall units have a remote control and the loft unit has a control panel on the wall but all units can be operated via my iPhone

alexakasloth · 12 May 2021 at 12:17

Are there any downsides to these DIY install split units? They state that they use a different refrigerant so do not require an F-Gas engineer, would this have any effect on performance?

happy_2008 · 12 May 2021 at 12:28

alexakasloth said:
Are there any downsides to these DIY install split units? They state that they use a different refrigerant so do not require an F-Gas engineer, would this have any effect on performance?

Don't think its a DIY job, should get a professional to do it.

alexakasloth · 12 May 2021 at 12:32

happy_2008 said:
Don't think its a DIY job, should get a professional to do it.

Why is that? With the units I'm talking about they are sealed, so there is no need to deal with gas.

happy_2008 · 12 May 2021 at 13:30

Guess you could give it a go but be wary of noisy units etc. I was told by a lot of the installers that some brands are much noiser than others etc.

Mr.Cookie · 12 May 2021 at 21:04

@RJC does your sniffer do 600a and if so do you think its worth it? I currently bubble where I suspect a leak.

RJC · 12 May 2021 at 21:09

Mr.Cookie said:
@RJC does your sniffer do 600a and if so do you think its worth it? I currently bubble where I suspect a leak.

Unfortunately I don’t have a electronic leak detector I had to hand it back when I moved jobs

If you used leak detection spray (soapy water) and you see bubbles then you have a leak - what area is the suspect leak?

Mr.Cookie · 12 May 2021 at 21:32

RJC said:
Unfortunately I don’t have a electronic leak detector I had to hand it back when I moved jobs

If you used leak detection spray (soapy water) and you see bubbles then you have a leak - what area is the suspect leak?

I do domestic refrigeration but not f gas, I don't bubble very often as it usually either blindingly obvious (knife through evap) or so time consuming that it's better for us to cut a charge stub in, vac down see if it holds and then drop some super seal in if there wasn't a charge when I cut in or write off if not holding a vac.
I like the idea of going over lokrings to check for leak via a sniffer.

RJC · 12 May 2021 at 21:45

Mr.Cookie said:
I do domestic refrigeration but not f gas, I don't bubble very often as it usually either blindingly obvious (knife through evap) or so time consuming that it's better for us to cut a charge stub in, vac down see if it holds and then drop some super seal in if there wasn't a charge when I cut in or write off if not holding a vac.
I like the idea of going over lokrings to check for leak via a sniffer.

I see, some areas are hard to test with soapy water which as you mention is a good idea for electronic leak detector.

just looked and my old one did not, it was the slightly older version of the one below.

https://www.fsw.uk.com/sites/www.fsw.uk.com/files/d-tek_select_product_sheet_25_1.pdf

When I was apprentice we had a site and some one decided to put a nail through two condenser coils!

Lost quite a bit of R407c :eek:

norm · 12 May 2021 at 22:28

alexakasloth said:
Are there any downsides to these DIY install split units? They state that they use a different refrigerant so do not require an F-Gas engineer, would this have any effect on performance?

Just buy the genuine article. I got mine from https://www.saturnsales.co.uk/ with the fitting kit.

If you've got a basic install consisting of a short pipe run to the compressor it's not really that difficult. There's plenty videos on YouTube guiding through the process, this one in particular is good https://youtu.be/zY2D8DEwoRM

In terms of cost though fitting it yourself if you do it properly isn't going to see a big saving vs getting a professional once you factor in tools. In my case I chose to fit mine myself because the pipe run was quite convoluted which would have ramped the price up for a pro significantly, and I enjoyed the challenge and getting a better understanding of how the system works.

Mr.Cookie · 13 May 2021 at 10:33

@RJC cheers for that doesn't mention HCs so I'm assuming not, any r134a or r12 systems with faults are a straight write off due to the f gas.

soundb0y · 14 May 2021 at 01:40

Considering a split system for a garden office. It's getting over 28 deg in there even on mildly warm days when the sun hits even with all blinds down.

I bought a portable unit for £350 but its crap and cant tell its even on unless you stand next to it. Thinking to move that to the bedroom in summer and see if it fares any better.

What sort of unit do I need for a 5x4m room?

Im hoping would be relatively cheap to install as can just core drill straight through the wall. Also got enough room to mount the condensor right below the wall outside.

Is it a waste of time looking at used set ups?