DIY: Ductless AC
Ductless Air Conditioning (AC), or mini split systems, use indoor evaporator units with oscillating fans to move cooled air throughout your house instead of the ducts that standard central air conditioning units use. Refrigerant travels between the evaporators, where it collects heat from the rooms, to a condensing unit that is installed outside your home, where it dissipates the heat. Installing a ductless system in your house will take approximately six to eight hours and require s a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) specialist to vacuum the lines, check for leaks and release the refrigerant. If the HVAC technician cannot wire the unit into your breaker box, hire an electrician. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Mini split air conditioner kit
- Gloves
- Protective goggles
- Ground pad
- Stud finder
- Pencil
- 3 inch PVC pipe with fittings
- 2 Wall caps
- Wrench
- Vinyl tape
- Torque Wrench
- Flaring tool
- Drill
- Hole saw
- Level
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Instructions
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Select a location for the indoor unit. The indoor unit must be mounted on an exterior wall at a minimum of 7.5 feet from the floor, and have at least 2 inches of clearance on the top and sides of the unit. The front of the unit must always be free of obstruction. Do not place the unit near a doorway or sources heat or steam. Because you will have to drill a hole through the wall near the unit for piping connections, select a location where the hole can be drilled safely, without drilling through pipes or electrical wiring. Consider the location of the outdoor unit needs to be between 50 to 100 feet behind or below the indoor unit.
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Find a stud using a stud finder to locate a place to screw the plate into the wall. Mark the location with a pencil. Hold the plate horizontally up to the wall and use a level to make sure it is straight. Use a power drill or screw driver to screw the plate into the wall with the screws provided in the kit. Pull down on the plate to make sure it does not move.
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Pick which side of the installation plate you wish to drill your drainage pipe hole. Draw a line straight out from the center marks located on the plate. The intersection of these lines will be the center of your hole. Move the center of the hole over a minimum of 3/8 of an inch, then slightly down. The outside end of the pipe needs to be lower than the inside end of the pipe so that the pipe drains properly. Use a pencil to mark your final hole center location. Use a drill or hole saw to cut a 3-inch hole where you made your hole center mark.
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Cut the PVC pipe to match the wall thickness and fit with a wall cap. Seal the cap/pipe connection with vinyl tape. Fit the pipe into the hole you just drilled into the wall.
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Connect the drain hose and piping to the back of the indoor unit on the bottom of the side that corresponds with the location of the drainage pipe in your wall. For example, if you are drilling your hole on the right side of the mounting plate, connect the hose and piping to the left side of the back of the unit so that when you turn the unit to face forwards, the hose and piping will be on the right side. Bind the drain hose and piping with vinyl tape. If you need to bend the piping, its radius should be at least 3/4 of an inch, and the unit should not be more than 1-3/8 inches away from the wall.
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Hang the indoor unit onto the top hooks of the installation plate, then insert a spacer between the unit and the plate so that there is a little more than 3 inches between them.
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Hold the connection pipe at a downward angle. Use pipe cutters to cut to the length you need. Insert the flare nut onto the pipe and use a flaring tool to flare the pipe. Slide the indoor unit pipe into the connection pipe and tighten the nut by hand. Finish tightening the nut using both a wrench and a torque wrench. Keep the regular wrench at a stationary upright position on the nut while turning the flare nut with the torque wrench. Wrap insulation material around connecting portions.
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Slide the drain hose into the drain pipe and wrap them with vinyl tape. Remove the spacer from behind the indoor unit and hook the bottom of the unit to the bottom of the installation plate.
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Sit the concrete slab on the spot where you wish to place your outdoor unit. Make sure the slab is level and sit the outdoor unit on top.
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Call a professional for specialized know-how and equipment, including purging of air through the lines, checking for leaks, releasing the refrigerant and wiring the unit to your breaker box, which is also dangerous. For your safety, call in an HVAC specialist to finish the job for you. Call in an electrician if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Electrical shock can cause injury or death. Turn electricity off and check meters before beginning this project. Hire an electrician to wire the unit to your house.
Refrigerant can cause frostbite and is toxic when burned.
Installation must meet all local building codes.
The warranty of your ductless unit may be void if you install the unit yourself. Check with the unit's manufacturer to find out.
