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Comment by hawaiianbrah | Hacker News Reader

Wow, really? Prices seem much higher than that in Seattle. A friend got 3 handlers totaling 24k BTU for like 12 grand.

Seems to just be Seattle tax, I had to get a water line replaced in my home and the quotes were $2-7k higher than I've seen suggested in other regions. Tradework here is inflated likely by the salaries of tech workers in the city.

In my locale, trades like plumbing (including gas & hvac), drywall, roofing etc range from 1 to 1.5 what contract developers from NTT, IBM et al are billed at. In absolute terms - 110 - 140 for contract devs and trades are often "to busy" at 170.

I got quoted 16 grand for the same 24k/3 zone system in the Seattle area by the guys who install thru COSTCO. I ordered the hardware myself for $4300, bought about $300 worth of tools, and installed it in one long weekend. It’s really not that difficult. Basic electric installation, some special technique and tools needed for the plumbing (University of Youtube can help), pressure test, pull vacuum, open the valves and enjoy.

https://www.ecomfort.com/Fujitsu-F3H24W07071200/p65952.html

I’ve been eyeing https://mrcooldiy.com/, even easier.

The problem with Mr. Cool is that their DIY claim is because you don't cut the lineset (I believe they give you 25 ft). Any excess length you're supposed to coil up and hide, which is not ideal- plus you'll lose efficiency.

Or you mount the condenser further is all.

I believe they now sell other size lines and extensions.

I got hung up on the excess line set idea and did a full DIY install of a non-DIY model mini-split. I bought, borrowed, and rented a lot of tools, spent a lot of time researching and learning. I really wish I went with the DIY model.

Despite that lesson, I may do it again when I finish my attic space, but this time I'll add copper line brazing to the list.

As long as the unit is pre-charged, DIY installs aren't that bad. I've done 2 Pioneers at my home. I spent around $150 in tools.

Awesome, I’ve been considering installing a few myself but am not sure if that’s silly or not.

I’m mostly curious how these DIY units compare to Mitsubishi, which seems to be what all the installers recommend.

How do you get the pipes through the wall in a pre charged unit? Do they have two pieces connected by a special valve? I’m curious about how they keep the air out of the lines.

Pre-charge has one of two meanings here. Most mini-split units have the refrigerant in the compressor unit. After a complete installation, evacuation, etc, you open a valve to release the refrigerant into the lines.

There are also DIY variants where a fixed line length comes from the factory with either a vacuum or a refrigerant in the line. The lines have metal seals on the fittings that are ruptured when torqued down on the equipment.

Was there anything beyond the extra time/effort that made you regret going with a non-DIY model? I’m considering doing the non-DIY in next year or so.

No, not at all. I enjoyed it but my wife had a different expectation of completion date than I. My advice is to get the tools, don't shortcut, so that you have confidence at each step.

Stuff I had already specific to HVAC:

-R-410a manifold, gauges, and hoses.

Stuff I went out and bought:

-Nitrogen tank pressure regulator and hose for HVAC.

-Mandrel pipe bender

-Flaring tool

-Micron vacuum gauge

-A slightly better copper pipe cutter and deburring tool.

Stuff I rented/borrowed:

-Vacuum pump from Autozone. Free. It was plenty big enough for a minisplit.

-Full nitrogen cylinder rental from Airgas.

Things I'm glad I did:

-Used a wall mount instead of a pad for the compressor unit. Unit stays clean.

- Pressure testing with nitrogen. It's worth the money and effort to know up front it doesn't leak.

-Followed a more thorough procedure for vacuuming/drying which involves vacuuming down several times and flushing with nitrogen. I got a much better vacuum after subsequent flushes.

Thanks for the follow up! I understand completely. Somehow my wife stuck with me after more than a few significant home projects with misaligned expectations around completion. Re: wall mounting vs pad. Do you find noise transmission to be a nuisance?

I was on the lookout for it, as it was a concern of mine. I haven't noticed an issue. It's also mounted on an exterior wall of my garage. That wall lacks insulation but has drywall. It may be more of an issue if it shared a wall with a bedroom. The mount has rubber dampeners between the unit and the arms.

This is the way. And don’t forget your refrigerant license, which is super easy/cheap to get. Some manufacturers will void your warranty if not installed by someone unlicensed.

That’s double the price I paid here!

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