Split Air conditioning….which is best

[b21playa]

Hi all

Looking at getting a split unit fitted to serve 3/4 rooms.

So many brands out there and wondering if anyone who knows more about it can shed some light. I don’t just want to go for the cheapest, thinking about long term costs, reliability and maintenance etc as well.

Thanks in advance

 

[Rodders53]

Choose your favoured Installer(s)... They'll have a favourite brand, or two at most. So when getting competitive quotes you are unlikely to get two offering the exact same thing (but a variation on the brand).

Some will suggest multiple split packs rather than multi-room.

Choice of indoor unit look (and / or in-ceiling vents if going that route) may sway the decision more than Brand / reliability (which are likely to be similar). Condensate might need a pump in some installs.

Daikin are a well regarded company but expensive. Note that Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are completely different companies. You'll need to do your own due diligence and reading on the marques.

You do know that Planning Permission is needed for A-A heat pumps used for cooling, or where more than one outdoor unit is to be installed I presume.

 

[b21playa]

Choose your favoured Installer(s)... They'll have a favourite brand, or two at most. So when getting competitive quotes you are unlikely to get two offering the exact same thing (but a variation on the brand).

Some will suggest multiple split packs rather than multi-room.

Choice of indoor unit look (and / or in-ceiling vents if going that route) may sway the decision more than Brand / reliability (which are likely to be similar). Condensate might need a pump in some installs.

Daikin are a well regarded company but expensive. Note that Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are completely different companies. You'll need to do your own due diligence and reading on the marques.

You do know that Planning Permission is needed for A-A heat pumps used for cooling, or where more than one outdoor unit is to be installed I presume.

Thanks for that.

Yeah finding each installer is usually tied to a few brands. I quite like the Mitsubishi electric units, Daikin I always remember from commercial

I did not know about planning permission, thanks or letting me know. I’ll take a look into this

 

[bellairaphon]

Most brands come with a 5 year warranty (parts). Are you wanting individual splits or multi split? Your paying for a name. Mitsubishi heavy have come on a long way in the last 10 years. Mitsi Electric, expensive same as Toshiba. Midea units are good and cheaper but these only have a small charge of refrigerant so need an additional charge. If you have the space I’d always go for individual splits so if one goes down you don’t lose the lot.

 

[b21playa]

Most brands come with a 5 year warranty (parts). Are you wanting individual splits or multi split? Your paying for a name. Mitsubishi heavy have come on a long way in the last 10 years. Mitsi Electric, expensive same as Toshiba. Midea units are good and cheaper but these only have a small charge of refrigerant so need an additional charge. If you have the space I’d always go for individual splits so if one goes down you don’t lose the lot.

Looking for a multi split as I don’t have much space in that side of the house…too far pillars, glass etc.

I’ve been rough quotes for a 8kw outdoor with 4 x2.5kw indoor for Mitsubishi heavy with 7year warranty.

 

[stem]

I'm responsible for overseeing maintenance at my place of work which was built in 2005. The building has a series of Mitsubishi Electric split units that were installed at the time. They are used all year around as they provide both heating and cooling. In 20 years not one of them has failed or needed repair other than replacement filters fitted as part of their servicing. The unit in the computer / server room runs for 24/7 so after 20 years I reckon that's about 175,000 hours of continual operation without fault.... Not bad eh, I wonder how many gas boilers could lay claim to that.

I've also been involved with a smaller meeting hall that has a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit (a different company to Mitsubishi Electric I believe) which is only used intermittently for cooling but has a couple of expensive motor faults over a 12 year period, one of which also destroyed a PCB.

 

[b21playa]

I'm responsible for overseeing maintenance at my place of work which was built in 2005. The building has a series of Mitsubishi Electric split units that were installed at the time. They are used all year around as they provide both heating and cooling. In 20 years not one of them has failed or needed repair other than replacement filters fitted as part of their servicing. The unit in the computer / server room runs for 24/7 so after 20 years I reckon that's about 175,000 hours of continual operation without fault.... Not bad eh, I wonder how many gas boilers could lay claim to that.

I've also been involved with a smaller meeting hall that has a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit (a different company to Mitsubishi Electric I believe) which is only used intermittently for cooling but has a couple of expensive motor faults over a 12 year period, one of which also destroyed a PCB.

Thanks for that, much appreciated.

It does seem the general consensus that Mitsi electric is better all round, with better efficiency as well. I’ve been quoted approx £4k for a 4-way system using MHI and was told mitsi electric was about 20% more. That’s was for a 8kw outdoor unit and 2.5kw indoor units

 

[b21playa]

Any thoughts on Fujitsu units?

 

[Rodders53]

Any thoughts on Fujitsu units?

Yes avoid. Well the two indoor multi split Fujitsu unit we had sprang a leak and has since been replaced with MHI units. No-one wanted to repair and they were an older f-gas type

Note that 20 year ASHPs use very different F-gasses to today's units (and likely simpler compressor / controls) so one may not be comparing like with like.

Even stuff 10 years old will be different tech to units today.

Mitsubishi Electric are well regarded, but have a look at the indoor units and remotes/apps of both ME and MHI in case you (or an important other) has a preference.

Some useful buttons may be hidden under a flap while others are too easy to hit, in error, for instance.

 

[b21playa]

Another question I have is about sizing indoor units. Am I better over sizing or not. I have 2 rooms @ 4.7x4.0m and 2 @ 5.7x4.0m. Outdoor units to be a 8kw

Thanks

 

[flameport]

. Am I better over sizing or not

AC must be sized to the cooling requirements of the building - and the heating requirements if being used for that.
Oversizing will make them less efficient and undersizing means they won't work effectively at extremes of temperatures.