How to Install a Mini Split Air Conditioner in an RV
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2022
- DIY 12000 BTU Mini Split: amzn.to/3yIrFNA
RV Tongue Stand: amzn.to/3BrxP6H
I save 80% of my power consumption by using a Mr. Cool DIY Mini Split in my RV. It saves power, is very affordable to install, and cools my RV far better than the typical 13,000 BTU roof-mounted AC unit. - Наука та технологія
Oh man! Using that tongue stand to mount the compressor is genius. I have been scratching my head on how to mount it. Thanks for the great idea!
U know most dudes would've edited that whole cord issue out but it's your honesty and real life approach that makes you a trusted source for info👍
Gotta keep it real. The point is to help people, not look like I know everything ;)
Well done dude, the best thing anyone could do to a RV. ✌️
Just what I've been searching for Thankyou so much for all your details including the mistakes Makes it all so Helpful All the Best ! Keep Safe !! 💛
Fun video! I appreciate that you aren't afraid to show your "learning opportunities." Much Respect. Keep us updated in a few months. I would love to see what kind of performance you get with the Titan.
I will be making another video in a couple of weeks showing how it performs boondocking for a week with zero grid power at a hot family camp. I will be doing a video strictly on how it performs, how much power it uses and such as well.
Get video, best one I have watched so far, you nailed the step by step. Thanks
Thanks!
That bracket is SO awesome lol good video man, I like your style
Thanks!
Man, good eye showing the mounting bracket as being level. I doubt it, but you are the man. I always use a class, PERIOD. Just so you know, the color order does not make a difference as long as it is the same at the condenser. Yes, yes, the green will always be the ground. Just so you know, many mini splits use a vacuum to ensure the lines are dry of moisture before releasing the refrigerant. Best practice.
I have 3 of these units on my home. I’ve helped others install too. They are great. The insulation is not the best we had to replace one with new insulation that was in too much direct sun. Looks like you did a good job.
Which part did you have to add insulation to? Outside unit?
Nice video, and thanks for keeping in the “oops” regarding the electrical. One suggestion would be to add a heavy duty cover that stays on at highway speeds and protects the condenser from bugs and gravel/rocks. I suspect you’ve already dealt with that item but thought it worth mentioning.
Thanks for the suggestion, that's definitely what I was already planning on doing and it's in the mail right now.
Great video step by step! Looking to do the same thing off-grid and remote in west Texas. Thank you!
You're welcome, thanks for watching.
For the short extension cord, I would either;
1) cut the plug off and splice another cord inside of the cabinet and run it down to the Titan
or
2) run a cord from the Titan up into the cabinet (through a small hole and put a receptacle on after it is run and raceway installed. Then just plug them together in the cabinet.
Great ideas, thanks for sharing.
Good job!
Installing a Mr Cool mini split AC unit with a winter 🥶 coat on. Love it 😅
Haha yes that was a random stormy cold day here but now it's constantly in the 90s and we're enjoying the cold setup.
@@minutemanprep I really enjoy your videos. I'm glad it's keeping you cool.
WARNING! If you don't cover up your fan and coils on the out side unit while traveling. The wind and bugs will destroy it! The wind will destroy the bearing in the fan and the coils will stop up with Bugs! Most people put the A/C in the back of RV and mount the out side unit on back to protect it from the elements. Good Luck!
While I do agree it's a very good idea to get a cover for it, I have already made multiple long road trips with this and have had zero issues. The way to wind comes off of my truck in aerodynamics it's not an issue with the fan or the bugs. But I still do think it wouldn't hurt and would be a very good idea. I wonder if a dual propane tank cover would fit it?
Don’t wrap up refrigerant connections until you are certain they don’t leak (using soapy water). Leave open for a day just in case. If system has no leaks, and still works, wrap connections.
And by doing so, the orange extension cord could have easily been adjusted. In fact, I was wondering why he didn't bother to unwrap and make that adjustment for the video.
@@bobblack3870I think he said he already cut it too short
First thing, this is a good and helpful video so thank you for taking the time and effort to share to help people out. I will share some information that might help you out in the future.
I know several others have mentioned that the linesets have to have a vacuum pulled and you advised them that they’re pre-charged MRCOOL so no vacuum need. I’m a licensed HVAC contractor with 31 years experience. MRCOOL does in fact have DIY systems that have pre-charged linesets that pierce a seal as you screw the connections together. However, they also have systems that have the standard flare type fitting connections that do require the lineset and indoor unit to be evacuated prior to opening the king valves (service valves). I screen shot several pics from your video and zoomed in on the lineset and the connections on the indoor unit. Those definitely appear to be standard flare connections, the pics get a little blurry when i zoom in. The pre-charged fittings are much larger.
When you removed the black caps off of the indoor unit lines you heard a hissing sound right? That was nitrogen leaking out, they ship the indoor (standard flare connection type) units with nitrogen in them. So if the indoor connection leaked when you removed the black caps then they needed to be evacuated. Air and moisture inside a refrigeration system causes several problems.
Another practice that is done on the standard flare connections is to use a torque wrench to tighten the fitting to the correct specs to prevent under or over tightening to reduce the chance of having leaks, which is one of the most common problems with mini splits. Plus it’s best to do a pressure test with nitrogen to ensure that there aren’t any leaks before evacuating and opening the king valves.
I notice you put the clay around the connections, I use foam insulation tape there and the first wrap I put on backwards (adhesive out) then wrapping normally on top of that. The reason for doing that is if you ever have to work on that connection to fix a leak (leaks caused by vibration is a potential problem when used in a RV application). All of the copper linesets should be insulated, they both get cold in a/c mode and will sweat condensation.
I would recommend using lineset cover, which looks better but also protects the insulation and electrical from UV damage. Using 1/2” electrical flexible conduit at outdoor unit makes a safe water tight seal and protects wiring from chaffing and UV damage. I’ll leave a few pictures of how it’s done on a house, which can be done basically the same way on a RV.
*All mini splits need a surge protector installed.
*minimum lineset length is 9’ so straight out and down will be too short in most RV applications. Turning and having a horizontal run like in the picture I’ll post will get the increased length needed for correct system operation.
*leaving the excess lineset (on pre-charged lines) looped standing up vertically can create a oil trap and not allow correct oil return to the compressor and effect correct system operation.
Again, a great video and you did a good job. I really like the bracket you found and installed.
I'm a mobile RV repair business owner. This looks like a decent installation, however, shouldn't there be a transition between the solid copper line set into a flexible line just before it connects to the outside unit to reduce vibration problems? When an RV moves down the road it's like an earthquake of vibrations and I'd be concerned with losing the charge due to the beating solid copper lines attached to a unit that vibrates and bounces during roadway travel.
@@jamessparks6133 I have 2 units on the back of my rv. Each 12k. One has a short flex lines at unit and other is copper line in That has been running for 5 years all over the country. No problems on either.
Thank you!!!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching
I’m sold
Great video thanks for posting, how big was the hole you drilled to run all the lines through
Hi this is great but I'm stuck how to power the thing. You used 14 gauge wire but didn't mention how to connect it to the outdoor unit.. I'd like to connect it to our 30amp on the campgrounds post. Thank you. Also do you have info to add a disconnect in-between unit and parks post to plug?
One of these days maybe I can get a Mr Cool for my camper because my AC is so loud. I love the mini splits
My sister just ordered s seinville 12000btu unit for her 33ft camper. Can't wait to help her install it
I like the Mr Cool version because the refrigerant lines are already filled, no need for vacuum or anything. So far mine is working extremely well.
@@gunracersr That's awesome, that's a great brand. Are you planning on doing the vacuum and freon on your own or have someone else do it?
😊 is there a picture of which wires on the extension cord you connected and to where
You need to vacuum system!!cause water in lines will kill the compressor(( how you tight the out unit?
Where did you get bracket to mount above mount above propane tank's
Should’ve used a CGB connector going into the condenser
I am curious as to what power your generator is? I'm looking to put solar on our stationary trailer, and I'm not sure if i should go with a generator or battery bank. Any info would help
What inverter size is your solar generator that you have this plugged into?
Did you put the system on a vacuum before you released refrigerant ?
Where did you buy the unit and the mount for your bumper pull camper. I want this setup!
My question is how many amp hours is your solar generator?. I have a portable air conditioner and only 400 amp hours in batteries and I can only run it maybe 3 hours before it gets down to 30%.
Great video! Thank you very much! I love mini splits, although I don't own any. I'm seriously considering purchasing a 5th wheeler over a "Park Model" RV. I own a lot in a Park Model/RV community in Palm Springs, California, where I want to retire. Because of the less insulation in a 5th wheel, will a mini split keep it cool in 112-degree summers? Also, do you think I'll have problems finding HVAC or technicians to do this work for me? Thanks again for a great video!
Ya it will definitely help, you'll have to run it on a higher speed to keep it cooler in the RV since you have less insulation but it's definitely possible. It doesn't take much for these mini splits to cool down a
What about sway control can you still install it with the mini split ?
Will this work on a 5th wheel if I get the multiple zone split?
What is the cost of this unit? Does it use an average of 200-300 watts. Thanks P.S. Where in the country are you that you are wearing a jacket in July?
Great video! However, could you please clarify for me what the black cord was that you were connecting along with the orange cord at the 10 minute mark?
The black cord sends power from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit since normally these are mounted on houses and the black cord normally goes to an AC disconenct switch.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if they came out with head units that fit in your 14” x 14” hole on top
Hey I am about to get one and have a similar setup as you have .Is it ok blowing above the bed or it bothers(like does it get to cold when AC is on?)also is it cooling the back of the trailer good since it is mounted on the front?Great work .
Not a bother above the bed and yes it reaches the back of the RV well.
Nice video. Did you build the bracket system for the outside unit yourself or did you buy it? If so where?
You can buy it here: a.co/d/f3cfIVY
Interesting video but am curious: As these mini splits are designed to be stationary how has it stood up with traveling? Update?
Still working 100% with no issues.
I am about to be adding one of these to my camper. I can't find this answer in my research on these. If they are pre-filled with freon do the lines to be vacuumed? I didn't see you do that so I am guessing not?
They do not need to be vacuumed
So I have seen a 1 year video of someone with a mini split mounted and they love it but they still have their roof top ACs and use those to get the RV cool and then use the mini split to keep it cool. Do you find that the mini split takes a long time to get the RV cool when you first turn it on?
Mine cools my RV very fast. I'd say easily within 10 minutes or less.
Did you double up your orange extention cord with your black cord. So 2 red together 2 bla k together 2 white together and so on?
No, if I am understanding what you're saying, no I didn't do that.
One question is how is you power station doing can we get a video on that with the ac unit running
Great question. Working well. I'll likely make an update video in the spring since my RV is in storage now for the winter.
Hope you vacuum the system first!!
How did you connect the extension cord to your outer unit? Did you just connect all the cords together in the same color and connect it?
It's in the directions as you connect it up. Basically the three left connections are for the indoor unit, and the three right connections are for your power source. If you go to 10:13 you may be able to see that in the video.
How many amps, watt hours does it require (what solar generator are you using?)
It varies on how hard it has to work, but I find that on average in my testing so far (I will have a video going over all of this in detail in the future) the average amps is 6.25a when starting up, and around 2 amps when constantly running. That also can change depending on the weather and how hot it is already for cooling. For heat, it uses more like 7 to 8 amps to get going, then around 5 to 6 amps to keep going.
Question, can the Titian Solar generation with 2100 watts of solar power, run the mini split during the day and at the same time
Charge the Titan battery bank to run the ac all nite. Making this 100 % solar.
Yes. 100%. I will be filming a video about that next week to show that. This mini split has been running for days on end, none stop, and the Titan has had no problem running it 24/7 with the 2,100w of solar panels and 6,000wh of battery. We reach 100% battery charge every day while running the mini split.
I have a BLUETTI ac300 do you think I would be better off running a mini split with that or getting the solar powered mini split and run one like that?
It depends on how much other stuff is running on the AC300 at the same time, but I'd probably just go with one to run on the AC300 directly. BTW you'll either need to have the AC300 integrated to the house directly if the Mini Split is hard wired. That or you can just put a plug on it rather than hard wired which is not up to code.
@@minutemanprep yeah I’ll probably do that, so I bought the ac 300 for just just construction because I didn’t have my 2 mpp inverters set up at the panel box yet so pretty much when I get my main stationary system running the ac300 is gonna be sitting around I have 14,000 watts of panels and my main system can only handle 12,000 so I was just gonna keep the 2,000 hooked up to that and try to supplement some of my heat for the home and there is a setting on it where if it get done to 20% I’m gonna have it plugged into a outlet that’s running on my other system so if that battery gets low I’ll just pull from my other system because I’m way over paneled on that one, it’s hard to explain over texting but hopefully it’ll work well!!
Just FYI that's an infrared thermometer not a laser thermometer. There's no such thing as a laser thermometer. The laser just a laser pointer that sort of gives you a rough idea of where the infrared sensor is pointing.
How's that gin to hold up upgong down the road?
What in the world is a Solar Generator??
You didnt show the solar panels and instructions
Where did you get the metal stand for your unit? ...... It would save me from welding.
Sorry I forgot to add the link. This is the exact one I have: amzn.to/3BrxP6H
Nice. What's the difference between a MrCool and a Pioneer Mini Split?
Majority are the same. I know Mrcool comes with the wifi dongle and pioneer does not
Mr cool has the refrigerant lines already filled so you don't need an HVAC technician to finish the install for you. It's 100% DIY whereas others require the help of a tech.
Hey there I Install a mini split but don't know how to install it...will you be able to walk me through it?
That is what this video is designed to do, help give guidance on how to do it. You may have to make adjustments to fit your own RV since every RV is different. What city and state are you located?
Hendersonvill TN
Wish I could send you some photos where I Install it.
You made a round hole through the trailer but you didn't show us how to do that. I would think that's an important step.
can the indoor and outdoor unit withstand vibration? do you mount them with any vibration isolators?
I used the vibration rubber pads that came with the unit on the outdoor unit but nothing to stop vibration on the indoor unit. There is no vibration on my indoor unit in my RV, house, or office. They're pretty much silent.
@@minutemanprep thx for the response! as for the vibration from the vehicle while traveling, how is the indoor unit holding up to it? Did it get any damage over the long run?
@@RR-RCB Zero issues. We literally just returned from a 5 day trip in the RV using the mini split daily. Still works great.
@@minutemanprep dang, that is awesome. thx!
Can You help me with My please
Holy cow, you turn that sucker to 62 degF and I can't hear a thing, super quiet.
did you run a vacuum pump on that before opening the service valves? If not that's bad as that is not a precharged lineset
yes it's precharged. that is what Mr Cool systems do. I have now installed 4 of these systems, no vacuum ever necessary.
How long will the titan run that unit for?
It depends on how hot it is outside, how hot it is inside when you turn it on, how many batteries you have and so on.
For me, I have a Titan with 3 batteries and 2100w of solar on the roof of the rv. With that setup I can run the a/c non stop 24/7 with good sun. So it depends on your setup
My dad and I are building a cabin and looking to power up a small fridge and a small split unit like yours.
On hot days usually hits low 100’s
Can you add more than 3 batteries to the titan?
@@armandozamora6792 I'm running one in my house at this exact moment and it's using 400 watts and it's 71 degrees in the room now.
You can add as many extra batteries to the Titan as you'd like. Shoot me an email to info@poweredportablesolar.com and I can help configure exactly what you'll need for free.
Thanks a lot for the speedy responses and good info!
@@armandozamora6792 No problem.
we didn't get to hear the outside unit running. bummer.
I don't see anything on Amazon called a Solar Generator! What are you talking about?
I am looking for an update on the Mr. Cool unit...is it holding up, etc. Maybe pin it to the top of the comments.Thanks
Oh please tell me you vacuumed out the line set before you released the freon
That’s the beauty of the mr cool DIY system is that the line sets are sealed from the factory and you don’t need to vacuum them down.
@@jonathanblock3032 I have a similar system to that one at home. Look at the connections to the line sets, this isn't the diy set up. It requires the line set vacuumed down before releasing the freon
No need, Mr Cool DIY doesn't require that. That's why I used it.
@@minutemanprep maybe I missed something in the install then. But I can swear up and down when you were hanging the head unit I saw the nitrogen plugs keeping the head unit compressed with nitrogen. I'll have to watch it again. Looks like you cut the line set to fit. My bad
@ 7:06 and 10:37 if you do a close up of the connectors,they are not the pre vacuumed lines,they are just standard flare fittings….something doesn’t add up…I just installed a mr cool DIY with 2 head units and 2 line sets,the ends were totally different than the ones shown here….these that are shown are available from the manufacturer but require a vacuum of the entire system before charging the lines.
Oh no you should use vacuum pump to purge all moisture and air. The inner unit bracket, you did not used water level.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Any updates ??
It has been working without any issues all. We did a 9 day RV trip and never turned off the unit and never ran out of power using our Delta Pro solar generator and 1800w of solar. It worked for both cooling and heating no problem. We were up in the mountains on that trip and it was cold in the mornings.
First
The price of the unit has literally doubled in the last year lol fml..
What's with that loud music.
Don’t buy a Mr. Cool very cheap product and you forgot to pull a vacuum on the system to pull out the containments in the systems lines
I'm sorry I didn't make it clear, you don't have to pull vacuum on these. I've installed 7 of these and all are still working 100%.
no vacuum no opening valves no leak check 🤔
Did you put the system on a vacuum before you released refrigerant ?
He did not know.