Which Mini Split for Coastal Area

Posted by RV on August 19, 2006, 3:00 pm

Hi,

I've gotten a couple of estimates for three mini split A/Cs. The
outdoor units will be on the roof of a four story building and my
apartment is on the third floor. The building is about half a mile
from the sea in two directions. One vendor is offering three Carrier
units (19,000, 19,000 & 36,000 BTUs) while the other is offering three
Trane units (12,000, 14,000 & 36,000 BTUs). (I don't know why the
vendors disagree on the BTUs required.) The Carrier equipment has a
much better warranty -- 10/5 versus 5/1 -- but I'm told it does not
cover corrosion. Both vendors say the units are protected against
corrosion. The Carrier vendor says he will change the outdoor units
from a small, suitcase-like design to a piston design. I plan to
purchase a service contract.

Any thoughts on what's the better choice? Is corrosion on these units
a problem that can be addressed through proper maintenance? Will
changing the outdoor unit type affect the equipment's performance?

Any help appreciated. Cheers, RV.

Posted by udarrell on August 19, 2006, 9:47 pm

RV wrote:

>Hi,
>I've gotten a couple of estimates for three mini split A/Cs. The
>outdoor units will be on the roof of a four story building and my
>apartment is on the third floor. The building is about half a mile
>from the sea in two directions. One vendor is offering three Carrier
>units (19,000, 19,000 & 36,000 BTUs) while the other is offering three
>Trane units (12,000, 14,000 & 36,000 BTUs). (I don't know why the
>vendors disagree on the BTUs required.) The Carrier equipment has a
>much better warranty -- 10/5 versus 5/1 -- but I'm told it does not
>cover corrosion. Both vendors say the units are protected against
>corrosion. The Carrier vendor says he will change the outdoor units
>from a small, suitcase-like design to a piston design. I plan to
>purchase a service contract.
>Any thoughts on what's the better choice? Is corrosion on these units
>a problem that can be addressed through proper maintenance? Will
>changing the outdoor unit type affect the equipment's performance?
>Any help appreciated. Cheers, RV.
>

I am a retired contractor forget high priced equipment the quality of
the installation is what counts, - below is what I would do.
No more than a 14-SEER unless you live in Florida or southern Texas.
Save your hard earned money & get bids on the new good Goodman units!
Get units' with the Scroll compressor & a TXV refrigerant metering
device with a matched coil on all three.!
Don't oversize & make him guarantee the installation to be right on all
of them!
http://www.goodmanmfg.com/consumer/
- udarrell

--
Air Conditioning's Affordable Path to the "Human Comfort Zone Goal"
http://www.udarrell.com/air-conditioning-total-heat-enthalpy-latent-heat.html
HVAC Techs:
http://www.udarrell.com/ac-trouble-shooting-superheat-subcooling.html

Posted by Bob Pietrangelo on August 20, 2006, 6:00 am

> RV wrote:

>>Hi,
>>I've gotten a couple of estimates for three mini split A/Cs. The
>>outdoor units will be on the roof of a four story building and my
>>apartment is on the third floor. The building is about half a mile
>>from the sea in two directions. One vendor is offering three Carrier
>>units (19,000, 19,000 & 36,000 BTUs) while the other is offering three
>>Trane units (12,000, 14,000 & 36,000 BTUs). (I don't know why the
>>vendors disagree on the BTUs required.) The Carrier equipment has a
>>much better warranty -- 10/5 versus 5/1 -- but I'm told it does not
>>cover corrosion. Both vendors say the units are protected against
>>corrosion. The Carrier vendor says he will change the outdoor units
>>from a small, suitcase-like design to a piston design. I plan to
>>purchase a service contract.
>>Any thoughts on what's the better choice? Is corrosion on these units
>>a problem that can be addressed through proper maintenance? Will
>>changing the outdoor unit type affect the equipment's performance?
>>Any help appreciated. Cheers, RV.

Neither of those com[anies make their own ductless splits. With multi
evaporator mini splits (ductless splits) you are pretty much stuck with the
combination of evaporators that the manufacturer supplys with his condenser.
I would still get a room by room load calc and match it as closely as
possible. What did your neighbors do? Why not just get a small ducted
system?

They are all the same. Sanyo, Samsung, Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, Yakamoro,
yadayada, etc. You can them seacoast dipped or coated for more life.

Bob Pietrangelo
bobp3@comcast.net
bob@comfort-solution.biz
www.comfort-solution.biz
On Time or Your Service Call is FREE
Preventive Maintenance Specialist

Posted by Murdentech on August 20, 2006, 7:52 am

> I am a retired contractor forget high priced equipment the quality of
> the installation is what counts, - below is what I would do.
> No more than a 14-SEER unless you live in Florida or southern Texas.
> Save your hard earned money & get bids on the new good Goodman units!
> Get units' with the Scroll compressor & a TXV refrigerant metering device
> with a matched coil on all three.!

Goodman has apparently stopped putting scroll in 13 SEER equipment and has
backed off the lifetime compressor warranty in favor of a straight 5 year
all parts warranty. They apparently did this in response to 13 SEER
becomming the minimum. So you have to go 14 SEER to get a scroll compressor
in their units.

We are also noticing that 13 & 14 SEER equipment can be downsized in some
replacement applications. The higher efficiency units of same capacity as
the old system seem to be a bit oversized.

> Don't oversize & make him guarantee the installation to be right on all of
> them!
> http://www.goodmanmfg.com/consumer/
> - udarrell

Posted by on August 20, 2006, 12:40 pm

I live in a coastal area and have no problems special ordering
carrier or trane equipment with factory coated condenser coils. Its
either heresite or thermoguard. check it out.

http://www.thermoguard.net/docs/pi-finguard-a4.pdf

http://www.heresite.com/

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