Split Air con

[MassiveJim]

So, I had a discussion with the other half tonight about getting one in the living room. And despite having had multiple conversations about this previously, she is rejecting the idea now because of the "big ugly box on the wall".

What options are there if a wall unit is "hideous" not that she's being melodramatic or anything

 

[bazzabear]

I assume there's another room above it? If, by any chance, you just have a loft or a void above the room, you could go for a ducted system.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

So, I had a discussion with the other half tonight about getting one in the living room. And despite having had multiple conversations about this previously, she is rejecting the idea now because of the "big ugly box on the wall".

What options are there if a wall unit is "hideous" not that she's being melodramatic or anything

There are some pretty trendy wall units out there these days. Some smaller units too.

 

[SoliD]

So, I had a discussion with the other half tonight about getting one in the living room. And despite having had multiple conversations about this previously, she is rejecting the idea now because of the "big ugly box on the wall".

What options are there if a wall unit is "hideous" not that she's being melodramatic or anything

Only option you've got is a ducted system, but unless you're in a bungalow it's probably not feasible. As above some of the units are quite nice curvy non white boxes nowadays. Although my missus went for the white one anyway as it was the most neutral, realistically most people don't even notice it if they come round as it's tucked in the corner of the living room behind the door.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Only option you've got is a ducted system, but unless you're in a bungalow it's probably not feasible. As above some of the units are quite nice curvy non white boxes nowadays. Although my missus went for the white one anyway as it was the most neutral, realistically most people don't even notice it if they come round as it's tucked in the corner of the living room behind the door.

Lots of colours available too on some models. For example, we have a grey unit on our dark grey feature wall in one room. There are also some high gloss units that come in a few colours. It’s worth looking around and like you say, you don’t really notice them and can tuck them in a corner out the way.

 

[MassiveJim]

I have the perfect corner for it to be tucked away in, but she was not listening to common sense. It's the hottest room in the house by far. South facing with 2 huge windows (230 x130) as it is a double garage conversion. I have bought some film for the windows to help block some of the heat but don't know how well that is going to perform.

The room above is our bedroom, there is a very small potential for hiding ducting in the built in wardrobe, or the other side of one of the walls is the utility room.
How do the ducted systems compare to the wall splits?
Are there limitations where you can put the inside part? Ie could it be hidden under a kitchen cabinet?

If I run it in the loft I guess I could always go for a much bigger ducted system and easily cool more rooms with just a vent in the ceiling for each room from the one system?

 

[squerble]

If I run it in the loft I guess I could always go for a much bigger ducted system and easily cool more rooms with just a vent in the ceiling for each room from the one system?

Yes, although as I understand it'd be more expensive if you wanted a system that could control individual room temps. A ducted system would generally be pushed into the ceiling of (say) three bedrooms and then be run from one master thermostat.

 

[Reuben klang]

If going that route you’ll want electriconically controlled dampers to ‘block’ the air off on rooms you want off.

It’s more something they do in hot climates like Australia where all units will be used on the same mode all the time and is cheaper than multi splits or multi units. You could add remote sensors in rooms to control them. I wouldn’t bother doing that unless its feeding say a sunroom or front room thats south facing.

 

[martin363]

This is an interesting discussion. Living in Greece we have 5 split units, of varying ages, but our experience is that we try not to use them as we do not feel comfortable or sleep will with AC. I think this is common throughout Greece. It is less about the costs, which can be high, but rather comfort.

The AC is there for the extreme heat waves we get, usually short for 4 or 5 days, we have the 1st this weekend, predicted to be 40c from Thursday and we will have to use the AC at night, but anything less than that they do not go on.

Perhaps the body biologically acclimatises to the higher temperatures, but we find that during the day and at night leaving the doors open and nets across them is far more comfortable, we get a nice natural airflow through the apartment and it is much more pleasant than AC.

I think it is one of these purchases that seems like a great idea, but the experience in a country where it can be required at times is different in reality. it is 27c in the house right now, with the doors open and that is the temperature we would set the AC at if we needed to put it on.

Personally I would avoid a single compressor with multi-units off it - absolute disaster. We used to have one and the costs of running it are very high. it doesn't matter if you have one unit running, or 5, you have to run this large capacity compressor regardless and that is very expensive. Ours was an LG at the time with 7 heads, it was awful, 300 euro elec bills every month, and the did not change however many heads we ran in the summer.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Personally I would avoid a single compressor with multi-units off it - absolute disaster. We used to have one and the costs of running it are very high. it doesn't matter if you have one unit running, or 5, you have to run this large capacity compressor regardless and that is very expensive. Ours was an LG at the time with 7 heads, it was awful, 300 euro elec bills every month, and the did not change however many heads we ran in the summer.

This is not true of newer or non bottom of the barrel rubbish stuff, they are invertor compressors which are variable speed based on load, so the electric cost scales based on cooling demand.

 

[SoliD]

Indeed, know the Mitsubishi Electric Zens came in 3 colours.

This is an interesting discussion. Living in Greece we have 5 split units, of varying ages, but our experience is that we try not to use them as we do not feel comfortable or sleep will with AC. I think this is common throughout Greece. It is less about the costs, which can be high, but rather comfort.

The AC is there for the extreme heat waves we get, usually short for 4 or 5 days, we have the 1st this weekend, predicted to be 40c from Thursday and we will have to use the AC at night, but anything less than that they do not go on.

Perhaps the body biologically acclimatises to the higher temperatures, but we find that during the day and at night leaving the doors open and nets across them is far more comfortable, we get a nice natural airflow through the apartment and it is much more pleasant than AC.

I think it is one of these purchases that seems like a great idea, but the experience in a country where it can be required at times is different in reality. it is 27c in the house right now, with the doors open and that is the temperature we would set the AC at if we needed to put it on.

Personally I would avoid a single compressor with multi-units off it - absolute disaster. We used to have one and the costs of running it are very high. it doesn't matter if you have one unit running, or 5, you have to run this large capacity compressor regardless and that is very expensive. Ours was an LG at the time with 7 heads, it was awful, 300 euro elec bills every month, and the did not change however many heads we ran in the summer.

The difference is the humidity, the UK is a very humid country so when it gets hot it becomes very uncomfortable and usually heat is accomapanied by still air so you get no breeze. that combined with houses that are built to contain heat not reflect or disperse them makes for a very uncomfortable arrangement for living/sleeping. if you had a 27c house in the UK it is and would be horrible.

Also the single compressor with multi units works just fine, I had ours going last week once the upstairs was down to 21 it was kicking along at around 400w an hour.

 

[martin363]

This is not true of newer or non bottom of the barrel rubbish stuff, they are invertor compressors which are variable speed based on load, so the electric cost scales based on cooling demand.

Just speaking from experience, another huge drawback is if the compressor breaks, as ours did numerous times cos a cap on the board kept blowing, then none of the units work. I believe they are fine in a commercial environment, a poor choice for a domestic customer, and I had one for 7 years. The individual split units are so much better, in every way.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Just speaking from experience, another huge drawback is if the compressor breaks, as ours did numerous times cos a cap on the board kept blowing, then none of the units work. I believe they are fine in a commercial environment, a poor choice for a domestic customer, and I had one for 7 years. The individual split units are so much better, in every way.

Temperature in the UK is significantly less, if a unit fails then this is an inconvenience. With a multi-split you need a single power source and limited cable runs, have a single unit to service, a single ugly box outside the house to look at.

The only advantage i can see getting multiple outdoor units, in the UK, is you can both heat a cool at the same time.

Had a multi-split for over 2 years now, the very limited drawbacks are well worth the aesthetic advantages.

 

[ci_newman]

This is an interesting discussion. Living in Greece we have 5 split units, of varying ages, but our experience is that we try not to use them as we do not feel comfortable or sleep will with AC. I think this is common throughout Greece. It is less about the costs, which can be high, but rather comfort.

The AC is there for the extreme heat waves we get, usually short for 4 or 5 days, we have the 1st this weekend, predicted to be 40c from Thursday and we will have to use the AC at night, but anything less than that they do not go on.

Perhaps the body biologically acclimatises to the higher temperatures, but we find that during the day and at night leaving the doors open and nets across them is far more comfortable, we get a nice natural airflow through the apartment and it is much more pleasant than AC.

I think it is one of these purchases that seems like a great idea, but the experience in a country where it can be required at times is different in reality. it is 27c in the house right now, with the doors open and that is the temperature we would set the AC at if we needed to put it on.

Personally I would avoid a single compressor with multi-units off it - absolute disaster. We used to have one and the costs of running it are very high. it doesn't matter if you have one unit running, or 5, you have to run this large capacity compressor regardless and that is very expensive. Ours was an LG at the time with 7 heads, it was awful, 300 euro elec bills every month, and the did not change however many heads we ran in the summer.

For the weather we've had in the UK in 2022, we definitely didn't *need* A/C. A fan to move air around at night has been more than enough, my home office is sat at 25c today and I'm comfortable in shorts and tshirt.

Last summer I would have loved it when we had the prolonged heat wave, but certainly for the UK weather in 2022 it hasn't been a nescessity yet. Like you said, it's what your body aclimatises to. As long as it's below 30c there's no immediate health risk for most of the population.

Besides, you probably have access to an outdoor pool in Greece too

 

[martin363]

I appreciate needs, demands and loads vary per country. I just had some terrible experiences with multi-split units.

In our instance no pool, but the beach is about 150m away, so it is a hardship!

We have had single split units fail too, but when you have several to use, it is not so critical as relying on one for all cooling.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Looks like the air con is going to get some good use next week!

For the weather we've had in the UK in 2022, we definitely didn't *need* A/C. A fan to move air around at night has been more than enough, my home office is sat at 25c today and I'm comfortable in shorts and tshirt.

Tell that to those of us in new builds in the south east. Our upstairs will easily reach high 30/low 40s and even with windows wide open and curtains open it does little to cool it down until the final few hours of dawn. I also hate being hot indoors and sleeping in my own sweat. Looks like it could be useful next week

 

[SoliD]

Had my upstairs unit on pretty much non stop since I got my Solar installed last week, the house is so much more comfortable, for some reason it turned off at 6am this morning (need to work out why) and I woke up at 7am and could tell straight away it was warmer, next week it will definitely be a necessity, Been sleeping better being able to have the windows closed so no outside noise or blowing wind through.

 

[Craigius]

People think you crazy having it installed till you get a months worth of weather like this!

 

[CaptainRAVE]

People think you crazy having it installed till you get a months worth of weather like this!

It’s worth it for these few weeks alone. I use it most of the year round in my gaming room.

 

[SoliD]

Been absolute bliss the last week or so, now I've got solar its not gone off, just ticking away keeping the temp comfortable. Last summer was unbearable at times wfh. Been able to sleep comfortably and with the windows closed extra peace and quiet.