Boxing in external mini-split pipes

[jpadie]

 

I've got a small mini-split with the usual two refrigerant lines, cable and condensate pipes coming out of the side of the building.

 

Building is clad with black fibre cement. 

 

What do others do to box in / hide the external mini-split pipes?   Are there good ducting systems for air con pipes?  I was thinking of using 100mm waste pipes and cutting a channel in the back to allow the pipes to slide.   Anyone tried that?

[markocosic]

Neatest? Hide them behind the cladding.

 

Easiest after the fact? Black air conditioning trunking. Comes in to halves. Clips together. Ends and bends etc all available.

[jpadie]

6 minutes ago, markocosic said:

Neatest? Hide them behind the cladding.

 

Easiest after the fact? Black air conditioning trunking. Comes in to halves. Clips together. Ends and bends etc all available.

 

Thanks

 

Thought about doing it under the cladding and was the original plan.  But there is a flange joint in both refrigerant lines that has already had leakage.  I felt it would be better to leave it serviceable. 

 

I didn't know about AC trunking. Not in the Screwfix catalogue!  Will hunt for it

 

[markocosic]

IMO don't install that way rather than trying to make midpipe joints serviceable:

 

- Route pipework for indoor unit such that the flares are indoors behind the unit. (there's space for this designed in)

 

- Buy longer linesets when installing or have the installer braze them.

 

- Use a leak detector when installing (heated diode units are about £50-75 and sensitive down to 3grams/year)

 

 

Edited January 11 by markocosic

[Russell griffiths]

Plus one to brazing. 

[jpadie]

22 hours ago, markocosic said:

IMO don't install that way rather than trying to make midpipe joints serviceable:

 

- Route pipework for indoor unit such that the flares are indoors behind the unit. (there's space for this designed in)

 

- Buy longer linesets when installing or have the installer braze them.

 

- Use a leak detector when installing (heated diode units are about £50-75 and sensitive down to 3grams/year)

 

 

I don't think that's permitted for these splits.   The lines going into the indoor unit are brazed.  The first line set is 2m and because there's propane as a refrigerant I'm led to believe that no joints can be inside the structure.  

 

[markocosic]

Ah, propane!

 

In which case braze the lot bar the joint at the outdoor unit 🙂

[jpadie]

On 12/01/2025 at 10:57, markocosic said:

Ah, propane!

 

In which case braze the lot bar the joint at the outdoor unit 🙂

Interesting thought 

 

I have a propane gun that I use for soldering but no oxy.   I'd be tempted to seal those lines even though I've now clad behind them.  

[markocosic]

Evacuation back into outdoor unit and nitrogen purge and vacuum out and refilling indoor unit required. A lot of faff to avoid an aerosol tin of propane leaking outdoors. And no filter drier to catch any ick if you do introduce this by brazing.

I'd ignore it if you're trunking it anyway. Perhaps braze the next one end to end and clad over it though! Or say fuggit and flare indoors even though it's R290. (probably be legal by then - the EU is busy upping the allowance for how much R190 can be in splits etc at the moment)