Friedrich Breeze Mini Split

[Howardly]

My SIL mentioned this today for his basement. There's a youtube video showing a line set snap together install (6:30 minutes into the video) without ever needing a vacuum pump.

Anyone have experience with these? web page

[MarkSLSmith]

I'm also considering the same unit. I plan to buy the large unit (12 - 24 k BTU). Has anyone purchased one? Any recommended vendors?

I'm confident I can do the install.

Mark

[fixtureman]

To me it looks unsightly with those connecting hoses and wires running out the window.

[MarkSLSmith]

It will be used to AC my garage shop. It'll blend right in behind my garage, where I have other junk stored as well.

Mark

[Robert Adams]

Those systems use the marine hvac connections. The only real issue is that you are stuck with those length lines.

The regular flare fit systems aren't a big deal to install. Just need nitrogen a gauge set and a vacuum pump.



That brand isn't one of the best but I have found that even the no name brand ones aren't bad and many are made by the same people or with the same components. I installed some pridiom systems a couple years ago and they have been trouble free. I'd have no problem with one of those off brands myself.
Have also installed lg dual zone units and they are nice. The big thing is that on the name brand units you can get real airfilter for it instead of the window unit screen type.


One brand I see mentioned allot recently is Daikin and they recently bought out goodman and they have really cheapened the quality of the split systems of their other brands hopefully no negative changes to the goodman line (not the best out there but best bang for buck). The cases are thinner steel and very floppy. Seeing that I'd be hesitant to buy a Daikin minisplit though some can gone had pretty cheap.
Daikin has been trying to get into the us market for years and failing at it so they bought goodman to jump right in. The good thing is Daikin makes some good scroll compressors and they manufacture their own refrigerant which cuts a huge supply cost.

[daddo]

If you have to mess up a window, why not just use a window a/c?

Running the lines through the wall and covered looks so much better and I'm sure it could be done that way.

I haven't used the plastic lines yet- I'm waiting to see how that holds out. Went to a class on the new type refrigerant lines made from a type of plastic, good grief, takes a thousand bucks to get tooled up.

[blackhat]

I'll let someone else get the bugs out of that stuff.

[MarkSLSmith]

I've got only one window available. It's a 40 yr old standard aluminum window. When the lower window is raised up to max opening, I've only got about 14 in of vertical clearance. I have not found any window unit that would fit. If you know of a large capacity unit (24 k BTU) that would fit in such a small opening, I'm all ears.

Mark

[daddo]

MarkSLSmith said:

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I've got only one window available. It's a 40 yr old standard aluminum window. When the lower window is raised up to max opening, I've only got about 14 in of vertical clearance. I have not found any window unit that would fit. If you know of a large capacity unit (24 k BTU) that would fit in such a small opening, I'm all ears.

Mark

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Remove all of the glass, install a 1.5" angle iron to support the a/c, then cut one piece of glass to fill in the window frame and glaze.

[MarkSLSmith]

Yep, I thought of this. My main concern is that it is irreversible. If I get rid of the AC for some reason, I'll have to replace the whole window.

I haven't completely ruled it out, though. And I'm still very receptive to other suggestions.

Mark