Does the interior portion of a mini split heat pump-A/C have to be installed near the ceiling? Or is it just better to do so?
I am looking to get one installed, but the installer won't do it because it can't be installed near the ceiling due to the layout of the room.
The manufacturer's installation instructions state it must be at least 1.5m above the floor.
I am not yet disputing what the installer has to say, since he is the expert and I am not. I am however looking for a second opinion.
The manufacturer's installation instructions state it must be at least 1.5m above the floor.
I believe you have your answer.
Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:The manufacturer's installation instructions state it must be at least 1.5m above the floor.
I believe you have your answer.
Not quite. I was looking for the answer to the following question.
"Does the interior portion of a mini split heat pump-A/C have to be installed near the ceiling? Or is it just better to do so?
In other words does it still cool adequitely, even if not as efficient.
Well, all the ones in hotel rooms all over the country are under the window near the floor.
But maybe it is a design element of a specific model? Maybe the fan directions and stuff?
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Those aren't mini-splits. They are packaged units.
In reply to drsmooth :
"Does the interior portion of a mini split heat pump-A/C have to be installed near the ceiling? Or is it just better to do so?"
The answer to your question according to your manufacturer is "No, it has to be installed 1.5 meters above the floor", without comment as to the efficiency of mounting it near the ceiling.
I think your installer is wrong, and apparently isn't interested in doing your job.
Likely has to do with how cold air moves through a room, I am sure it would function, but you would not have good performance for cooling the room and would likely need some sort of supplemental fan to mix the air (ever notice how the hotel ones blow upwards at something like a 45* angle?)
There may also be something with gravity return of refrigerant, but I am not certain on that.
I had a split unit in an attic room. The head was mounted about 4' off the floor, right below the pitched roofline.
It worked fine.
Is he thinking that the closer to the ceiling, the more likely it is to pull in the hotter air?
In reply to drsmooth :
Yes it will cool but not as well as near the ceiling. Nor will it cover as broad an area.
In reply to frenchyd :
True. Nothing that can't be fixed with a basic ceiling fan. (blowing up)
SV reX said:In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Those aren't mini-splits. They are packaged units.
Sure. One is a single unit with indoor side and outdoor side as one appliance. The other is the same thing with lines connecting the indoor and outdoor units.
Are there differences relevant to this discussion that I am missing?
They are the same in that they are heat pumps and they have an indoor unit installed near the floor of the room.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Maybe.
A PTAC can draw outside air (which can effect ventilation and circulation). A mini-split can't.
It's understood that a PTAC is not efficient. They punch a huge hole in the exterior wall.
The floor mounted position for a PTAC is not chosen because it is equal from an efficiency standpoint. Nobody cares. PTACs are cheap.
The floor mounting position is chosen because PTACs have to be on an exterior wall, and hotel rooms have to have windows.
They also save cost on control wiring when the controls are mounted on the faceplate, and not across the room on a thermostat. A high mounted head unit can't be accessed by the user unless there is additional control wiring.
Also, if mini splits were used in hotels, they'd have to have their exterior units mounted on the roof. That's a LOT of refrigerant piping.
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