Self installed Air Conditioner

[Annker]

Has anyone self installed an Air conditioning system on a project?

I am considering a small AC system in my victorian refurb project, AC in the master bedroom and open plan kitchen/dining/snug area.

 

On the face of it the ducting, containment and general fixing seems doable. I'm a carpenter so will be doing the required builder work myself anyhow, but I have no idea how involved the "plumbing" part of the system is.

Is it just a matter of compression fitting together pipework and have my electrical liven the system up or will there be soldering and a more technically challenging installation.

 

Perhaps it is an item where it is just much better to get the professionals in?    

[joth]

There's two types of self-install, the all in one with a large external duct (effectively the same as the "stick a pipe out an open window" portable AC unit), and the pre-charged minisplit with a length of refrigerant pipework you hook up between the indoor and outdoor unit.

I went for the latter, but even though I used the soapy water leak test, I did a poor job tightening down the the compression fitting so the refrigerant leaked and I needed to get it professionally recharged. I couldn't find a local AC engineer that would touch R290 so I had to go via the distributor (appliances direct) and pay an arm and a leg for it. It would have been cheaper to have it professionally installed in first place I expect, but hey, learning opportunity!

The monoblock hole in wall solution is much more idiot proof, but puts all the noisy gubbins indoors and obv needs a much larger hole core drilled.

 

Whichever you choose the electrics is simple, plug into a 13A socket. The minisplit you do need to connect a flex from indoor to outdoor unit, but it's like two screw terminals - no harder than wiring a plug.

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:55 by joth

[Annker]

Thanks @joth, useful to hear your experience.

I PM'ed a domestic project a few years ago, and there was as you call it a mini-split system installed.

The suppliers/installer were very competent so I let them at it and didn't pay much attention to how it was done, hence questioning now.

 

Like you I'd go for the minisplit system and good to hear it's not rocket science to install.

 

Just had a quick look on Aircondirect.co.uk. was it one of the electriQ iQool units you bought?

Prices look reasonable but I see it says that The unit must be installed by a F-Gas qualified AC engineer, but perhaps that is more or a recommendation than requirement......

 

 

 

[Mr Punter]

22 minutes ago, Annker said:

Prices look reasonable but I see it says that The unit must be installed by a F-Gas qualified AC engineer, but perhaps that is more or a recommendation than requirement......

 

F gas regulation is law.

[JohnMo]

30 minutes ago, Annker said:

Just had a quick look

You need to find the R290 versions, these can be self installed, anything else is covered by F-gas rules and CANNOT be self installed.

 

R290 is not a F-gas.

 

Such as https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/eiq-9wminv/electriq-eiq9wminv-air-conditioner?refsource=apadwords&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=22547259545&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=22547259545&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22550830981&gbraid=0AAAAAD9z1-3QTKHge6o0Ghos-COyYa2ow&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjo7DBhCrARIsACWauSlh7hYyhbBpFfYGkXsuY0rfa8ZEzg2dcAcbQv2hdl2iRtp-u5p6tyUaAo-qEALw_wcB

[Annker]

1 minute ago, Mr Punter said:

 

F gas regulation is law.

Actually found a couple of threads here on the site and elsewhere and it seems to a regulated installation.

R290 charged systems may be ok to self install but not R32 systems (which may be preferred?)

 

Seems similar to installing a boiler, perhaps I could find an supplier/installer willing to let me do the grunt work of the install at which point they do the final connection, inspection, commission, etc. However that setup can get messy and I have a lot of other work to do, so I'm thinking this is a job I needn't get involved in.  

[joth]

1 hour ago, Annker said:

.

 

Just had a quick look on Aircondirect.co.uk. was it one of the electriQ iQool units you bought?

Prices look reasonable but I see it says that The unit must be installed by a F-Gas qualified AC engineer, but perhaps that is more or a recommendation than requirement......

 

 

 

 

I got one of these

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/eiq-12wminv/electriq-eiq12wminv-wall-split-air-conditioner

 

electriQ Easy-Fit 12000

 

As other say R290 so no FGAS engineer needed. (But clearly, needed someone more competent than myself 😂)

 

It's in the garden room / gym so currently doing nothing as it's too hot to consider an indoor workout. But I might go sit in there  later with a cold drink and set it on 100%