# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  DIY Air Conditioning Installation

## GregHorrigan

This couple of posts are about DIY air-conditioner installation based on my experience installing a 2.6kw split system and a 7.5kw ducted system in my home.         
It will consist of three parts (planning, preparation, installation) for a split system.  I will follow up with details about my ducted installation if there is any interest.  I have posted here because this (well actually the woodworking forum) was one of the few places I found any info when I was looking for some diy info.    *What is involved*
  Installation of air-conditioning systems involve the physical installation of the indoor and outdoor units, connecting them together with insulated copper pipes, and in the case of a ducted system, the installation of ducts and diffusers.  The electrical aspect of the installation must be done by a licensed electrician.  Some special tools are required to fabricate and connect the pipework, more on this later.   *Other options* 
  While these posts are about doing the entire installation (other than electrical connection), you could do all of the grunt work yourself and leave the part requiring special skills and tools for  an installer to complete.  You need to find an installer willing to work this way, then meet him on-site to make sure you both agree on how the installation will proceed.     *Warning
  Obviously any DIY installation involves some risk of it all going pair-shaped.  The installation requires planning, cleanliness, and careful checking.  There is a small possibility of damage to the compressor, though it is unlikely if you heed the warnings in the installation instruction leaflet.  If the air-conditioner develops a leak you will need to pay someone to purge the system, and refill with refrigerant.  You may be in limbo if the unit fails because the warranty requires installation by a licensed fitter.*   
(This is my first post here so lets hope it all goes to plan...)   *The owner, administrators and moderators of Woodwork Forums have the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. By clicking on the Agree button when you register to become a member of Woodwork Forums: you agree to remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, you also agree to indemnify and hold blameless this Bulletin Board, Woodwork Forums, U-Beaut Enterprises the administrators, moderators, and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).*

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## GregHorrigan

The first step involves working out what sort of unit is required, where it will be installed, and whether the installation is suitable for DIY.
 Split systems come in a range of capacities from under 3 to over 8kw of capacity, so you will need to select a capacity to suit your application.  There are a number of calculators that will help you estimate the capacity given the room size, number of windows, and which way they face.  (Google for 'air conditioner capacity calculator'.)
 Next we need to consider the location of the indoor and outdoor units.  The units are connected by copper pipes and some electrical wiring so locations need to be chosen that permit the pipework to be installed.  The indoor unit also has a drain connection (for condensation which can be a number of litres per hour in humid areas) that must to routed to allow it to drain; avoid water sitting in the hose; and dispose of the water (condensate) safely.
 The length of the pipe run between the indoor and outdoor unit is limited by the amount of refrigerant in the system, however this should not be a limitation since  the system comes pre-charged with sufficient refrigerant for most DIY installations: my small split system came pre-charged with sufficient refrigerant to allow a pipe run of up to 15 metres, and my large unit 30 metres.  Refer to the specifications on your system to check the length limit.
 The simplest arrangement is to have the indoor unit mounted on an external wall and locate the outdoor unit on the other side of that wall.  Other arrangements are possible depending on what access is available in your home.  Ducting is available for use (outdoors and indoors) to cover the pipework as required.
 There is typically lots of flexibility in the connection of the pipework to both the indoor and outdoor unit.  Where the pipes are coming through the wall, the indoor unit will probably support the pipes entering from the rear on the left or right side.  Or where the pipework must come across the wall in ducting, it may enter the unit from below, from the left or right, or from above.  The outdoor unit will probably support pipework entering from below, or from any of three sides.
 The outdoor unit should be located with sufficient air-flow to work effectively.  As a guide, the outdoor unit when facing out the usual way should have 10cm clearance behind and one side (or 20cm for over 4HP units), and 50cm clearance for maintenance access on the side that the pipework enters.  The unit should be mechanically isolated from the house to reduce the conduction of vibration.  The siting of the outdoor unit can affect the efficiency, if the unit is used mainly for cooling then selecting a cool location for the outdoor unit will help.
 I selected a 2.8kw split system (Panasonic Inverter CS/CU E9GKR) for our downstairs family room.  It is located on an internal wall and the pipework is routed through the void under a staircase to the outdoor unit located under a raised section of the house.  This was more complicated to install, but it allowed better placement of the indoor unit.  *The owner, administrators and moderators of Woodwork Forums have the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. By clicking on the Agree button when you register to become a member of Woodwork Forums: you agree to remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, you also agree to indemnify and hold blameless this Bulletin Board, Woodwork Forums, U-Beaut Enterprises the administrators, moderators, and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).*

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## GregHorrigan

*Electrical Supply 
 An isolation switch and wiring needs to be installed so that the outdoor unit can be connected to the electrical supply.  This must be installed by an electrician, and should be done before you buy your air-conditioner as there may be limitations with your household electrical system that makes an upgrade necessary before an additional circuit may be added.*  *Tools* 
 The complete installation requires some special tools.  For my installation I used the following:  Pipe cutterPipe flaring toolPipe bending pliersRefrigerant manifold gauge and     hose setVacuum pump
 I bought all of these tools on ebay since I planned to install two air conditioners and the cost savings are such that even with the purchase of these tools I still saved lots of money.
 The pipe flaring tool is used to expand the ends of the copper pipe to mate with the cone shaped fittings on the indoor and outdoor units.  The bending pliers are used to bend the copper pipe, without the correct tool the pipe would kink if bent more than 30 degrees.  The pipe cutter, flaring tool and bending pliers are available on ebay; but may also be available in the plumbing section at your hardware store.     _Picture: Bending pliers and pipe cutter_.    _Picture: Pipe flaring tool_  
The vacuum pump is used to evacuate air and importantly water vapour from the pipework.  The manifold gauge is used to check that the pipework is sound, and the hoses are used to connect the vacuum pump and gauges to the outdoor unit.  The manifold gauge and hose fittings are specific to the refrigerant type.  I bought gauge and hoses to suit R410 type air-conditioners which seems to be common on late model units.  The manifold gauge, hose set, and vacuum pump are available on ebay.    _Picture: Vacuum pump, manifold gauge and hoses_  
 If you are located in Brisbane, contact me as my set of tools may be available for loan. *Buy your Air-Conditioner* 
 You can pick up good deals so it pays to shop around.  The only requirement is the refrigerant type matches your gauge connections.   When comparing models you should look at efficiency and noise levels as the cheaper models may not be best when you factor in the running costs.
 I chose Panasonic because they have a reasonable efficiency, use R410 refrigerant to match my new equipment, and they have installation instructions available for download (as well as supplied on paper with the unit).  My split and ducted units were purchased from Aussie Air-conditioning (here in Brisbane), but Electric Discounter also has good deals on split systems. *Other Materials* 
 Copper pipe is required to connect the units.  This must be the special copper pipe designed for refrigerant due to the high working pressure and critical need for cleanliness.  The size is dependent on the size of the system, for example my 2.8kw unit uses 3/8" and 1/4" pipes.  I purchased insulated pair copper refrigerant pipe from ebay which has both pipes bonded together in foam insulation.    _Picture: Insulated copper a/c pipe_   
 Ducting will probably be required (unless the pipework is installed in the wall during construction).  As usual there is proper air-conditioning type ducting available on ebay, but you could also fabricate something to suit your particular installation.  I used pvc downpipe to tidy up the pipework connected to my outdoor unit located under the house.  
 Some additional hardware may be required depending on how the outdoor unit will be mounted.  The owner, administrators and moderators of Woodwork Forums have the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. *By clicking on the Agree button when you register to become a member of Woodwork Forums:* you agree to remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, you also agree to indemnify and hold blameless this Bulletin Board, Woodwork Forums, U-Beaut Enterprises the administrators, moderators, and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).

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## GregHorrigan

*The Outdoor Unit*
The outdoor unit should be mounted according to the clearance recommendations for your air-conditioner.  There must be sufficient clearance to allow the pipework to be connected later.  My outdoor unit is mounted on a concrete slab which is isolated from the house slab.    _Picture: Outdoor unit mounted on slab under raised section of house.  (Note the rectangular pvc downpipe as duct to tidy up the pipes.)_  *The Indoor Unit*
The location of the indoor unit will be a compromise between ascetics, the best location to distribute air into the room, and access to an external wall to run the pipework, drainage pipe, and wiring.  The following recommendations assume a simple through-wall installation, so you will need to mix and match to suit your own installation arrangement.   __ _Picture: Indoor unit with all the interesting bits hidden as they should be._  
My indoor unit allowed the pipes to enter either on the left or right side of the back, but that choice affects where the pipes will end up being joined.  It is probably easier if the join is made inside the indoor unit as this allows better access should that be necessary in the future. *
Drain Pipe*
Special care must be taken with the drain pipe.  According to the instructions with my system, the drain pipe should be arranged to prevent water pooling in the pipe creating air-locks.  The water (condensate) is quite cold, so condensation may also collect on the drain pipe in humid weather so it also should be insulated where that condensation may cause damage. *
The Pipework*
Assuming you have a lot more pipe than you actually need (it comes in 20 metre rolls) first practice cutting the copper pipe with the pipe cutter, bending both of the pipes into a 90 degree bend, and flare the ends of the practice pieces.  Keep practising until you are confident you can reliably repeat the process.  Remember to return the end-caps to the pipe after cutting to protect the pipe from oxygen and dust.
 If you are using pvc downpipe as duct, it may be easier to insert the copper pair into the pvc pipe before you do any bends, rather than later having to slit the pvc pipe to go over the finished pipework.
 Next bend the pipework, it is important to get it right first time as you cannot cut and join the pipe (without using a protective atmosphere of inert gas within the pipe while it is soldered).  Still with a little practice and the right tools, bending the pipework is easy.
 Sketch a plan of the pipework and work out which bends may be done before installing the pipework in place, you can probably do two bends on the ground and the final two in place.  Cut and remove the foam covering to get access to the pipe for the bend.  Follow the instructions on the bending pliers, and work slowly monitoring the pipe as you apply the bend to ensure no kinks develop.  Re-cover the pipes with foam insulation and tape joints with duct tape.
 Next cut the pipes to length.  Cut the pipe as long as you can get away with so that you have a little slack if you have to redo a flare.  
 Now flare the ends of the copper pipe.  Remember to place the nut on the pipe before creating the flare!  Carefully check the quality of the flared end to ensure it is symmetric, uniform, and there are no scratches.
 Gently bend the pipe so that it mates squarely to the nipple.  Smear the front and back surfaces of the flare with a little vacuum oil (comes with the vacuum pump).  Then do the nut up to the required torque setting.  It is critical that that the nuts are not too loose and not too tight.  The installation instructions have torque settings, but I do not have a torque spanner.  (However I do have a torque socket wrench, so I applied the spanner to the wrench to 'get a feel' for the required torque setting). *
Wiring*
There will be some wires connecting the indoor and outdoor units.  The requirements of this wiring (number of conductors and wire cross-section area) will be specified on your system's installation instructions.  As this wiring may carry mains voltage in your system, it must be connected by your electrician. *
Pressure Testing*
Once all the pipework is connected and tight it is time to check the integrity.  This is done in two stages, first we evacuate the pipework and check it holds a vacuum, then we release a small amount of refrigerant and check it holds pressure for some time.    _Picture: My small A/C unit has a 2 way and 3 way valve.  (The valve is located under the caps and turned with a hex key)._    _Picture: My larger outdoor unit has two 3 way valves._ 
Connect the low pressure (blue) side of manifold gauge to the service port on the (gas side) three-way valve on the outdoor unit, the hose has a push-pin to activate the valve in the service port.  Connect the manifold to the vacuum pump.  Open the valve on the manifold gauge connected to the outdoor unit and check that the other (unused valve) is closed.  Start the vacuum pump and monitor the gauge.  It should show a vacuum within a few minutes if there is no leak, close the low pressure side valve on the manifold gauge and switch the vacuum pump off to check if the vacuum is retained.  Make sure that the gauge shows a vacuum for at least 5 minutes.
 If a leak is indicated you should try tightening the nuts again, if that does not work you will have to remove and check each of the flares and redo any that look suspicious.
 Switch on the vacuum pump again, open the low side manifold valve, and leave the pump run for a couple of hours to ensure that all air and moisture is removed.  Close the valve on the manifold and switch off the vacuum pump.  Remove the cover on the three way valve on the gas side (larger pipe diameter) of the outdoor unit.  Insert a hex key and carefully release a small amount of the refrigerant gas to reach a nice round pressure value, say 100psi.  Leave the system for some time monitoring the pressure to ensure that it does not change.  (Note that temperature variations over the course of a warm day will cause the indicated pressure to change.)  While you are waiting you may as well check all of the connections with soapy water, if a leak is suspected this is the easiest way to locate it.
 Once you are confident that there are no leaks, disconnect the manifold from the service port, replace the service port cap, and tighten to the specified torque.  Remove the valve caps from both the two and three way valves and open both valves fully.  Replace the caps and tighten to the specified torque.
 Cover any remaining exposed pipes at each end with offcuts of the foam insulation.
 The system is now ready to test run*.*    *Check and Test Run your System*
Have the electrician return to connect the outdoor unit to the isolator, and to connect the wiring between indoor and outdoor units.
 Pour some water into the tray below the indoor heat exchanger to check that it drains away and appears outside.
 Follow the instructions on your system for initial testing.  The owner, administrators and moderators of Woodwork Forums have the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. *By clicking on the Agree button when you register to become a member of Woodwork Forums:* you agree to remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, you also agree to indemnify and hold blameless this Bulletin Board, Woodwork Forums, U-Beaut Enterprises the administrators, moderators, and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).

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## Bloss

> *Warning*
>   Obviously any DIY installation involves some risk of it all going pair-shaped.  The installation requires planning, cleanliness, and careful checking.  There is a small possibility of damage to the compressor, though it is unlikely if you heed the warnings in the installation instruction leaflet.  If the air-conditioner develops a leak you will need to pay someone to purge the system, and refill with refrigerant.  You may be in limbo if the unit fails because the warranty requires installation by a licensed fitter.  
> (This is my first post here so lets hope it all goes to plan...)

  No doubt useful to many, but they need to take heed of your warning as not only is any warranty voided, but also the law will have been broken too.  :Frown:   
Considering the relatively inexpensive cost of installation (albeit high when compared with the cost of many units nowadays courtesy of cheap chinese labour) the risk is not worth the savings IMO, but each to their own. 
And your description is well done.

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## exotiic

Gday Greg! 
"The length of the pipe run between the indoor and outdoor unit is limited by the amount of refrigerant in the system, however this should not be a limitation since the system comes pre-charged with sufficient refrigerant for most DIY installations: my small split system came pre-charged with sufficient refrigerant to allow a pipe run of up to 15 metres, and my large unit 30 metres."  Just a note that the 15m you state for the split system is not the actual refrigerant allocation provided for within the unit, but the maximum length of pipe run that the smaller and larger units can provide guaranteed performance for. The systems (Panasonic as you have used) are charged up to 7.5m including bends, as each 90 degree angle is equal to an additional 1m of distance in pressure drop. 
The ducted unit charge of up to 30m is correct!

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## Bros

> No doubt useful to many, but they need to take heed of your warning as not only is any warranty voided, but also the law will have been broken too.

  What law? 
I don't know any law in QLD that prohibits this as the electrical installation was done legally.

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## GregHorrigan

The installation of air-conditioner equipment is covered by laws that control the use of the refrigerants.  The older gases were damaging to the ozone layer, the modern ones are much less damaging, but they are potent greenhouse gasses.  The regulations are there to prevent deliberate release (purging, disposal etc) and to allow Australia to comply with the international conventions controlling these damaging gasses. 
From what I understand the release of 1 kg of a modern refrigerant (like R410) is equivalent to the release of 1700 kg of carbon dioxide.  Note that the average household (in Queensland) emits about 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

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## uavv

I recently got a new split air conditioner, I dont recommend installing it your self unless you have done it before.
<O :Tongue: </O :Tongue:  Basically a split air conditioner is a conditioner split in half and you need a professional to assemble it, around your house.
<O :Tongue: </O :Tongue:  and with the new gas, r410, these need 50% extra pressure to contain, than the old gas, so a the pipes must be sealed right, and pressure tested, so it wont leak.
<O :Tongue: </O :Tongue:  Also if you install it your self you will void the warranty. Its better to get it done by the place that sold it to you, just so they wont blame the installer if something goes wrong.

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## Vernonv

> ... I dont recommend installing it your self unless you have done it before.

  That's a bit of a catch-22 situation ...  :Biggrin:

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## skot

I can not see the advantage of DYI Air Con as the cost of the installer who knows exactly what to do is not expensive. An experienced installer can have it done in a couple of hours. This is coming from a person who does most work as DYI.
We had one installed in my workshop recently and although it looked reasonably easy the guy was in and out quickly and had all the necessary tools.
You will still have to have an electrician to install a CB in the main switch box and if the installer has his electrical license (some do). Two birds with 1 stone.

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## kombiman

> I can not see the advantage of DYI Air Con as the cost of the installer who knows exactly what to do is not expensive. An experienced installer can have it done in a couple of hours. This is coming from a person who does most work as DYI.
> We had one installed in my workshop recently and although it looked reasonably easy the guy was in and out quickly and had all the necessary tools.
> You will still have to have an electrician to install a CB in the main switch box and if the installer has his electrical license (some do). Two birds with 1 stone.

  I beg to differ, except the warranty issue. 
I have 4 splits.  I just had the 4th isntalled last week and used a real mob for the warranty concerns as this unit has a 5 yr warranty. 
If I bought the cheap units instead I would have done them myself. 
4x $550 (usually $650) = $2200. 
I have a pipe flarer and can use it. 
I dont have an evacuation pump but would have bought one.  OP has not listed costs but I bet it was cheap. 
Power was supplied in outdoor socketswhen we had the sparky rewire the house. 
They fitted the outside unit (sat it on the ground), I had already put the head unit where I wanted it and put the hole through the wall. 
They ran the two cables, the two pipes with one soldered join in each.  I can do that. 
They plugged it all into the outdoor bit.  I can do that. (yes I know a sparky is supposed to) 
They connected the vacuum pump to the manifold ( I forgot that bit, I'd buy that too) and ran it for 5 minutes.  They disconnected it and with an allen key released the valves and the gas.  I can do that. 
Took them 2 hours walk in to walk out.  I can do that!  Well not in two hours but there was two of them, the gassy and his apprentice. 
I would have saved a motza and the first three units (4 years old) work fine except for mould inside the head units.  (drain fine, common issue in SEQ)

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## Bros

It's certainly not rocket science to install both the evaporator and condenser of an air conditioner. By doing this it must save you money as the gassing up and connecting up will be shorter. My neighbour got one professionally installed couple of years agoeven thought he is an electrician  and they did such a poor job on one of the flares he lost his gas. He had access to gas in a measuring cylinder and a vac pump so we redid the flare run the vac pump for a few hours left it sit for a few hours then gassed it up. Run perfectly ever since. 
I had some termite treatment done a couple of years ago and I got the quote of $x and as there was concrete i asked him how much If I drill the holes. Well the price was a thired less and he gave me the drill and a new tungsten drill. 
I also had a tree lopped down and asked how much if I take it away as my dump doesn't charge for domestic green waste but does with contractors. Well the price was reduced by 25% and they cut the tree up in manageable lengths and my soneand I over a day took it to the dump. 
So you can save money if you ask.

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## Bloss

> What law? 
> I don't know any law in QLD that prohibits this as the electrical installation was done legally.

  It is Commonwealth law that Qld has signed up to on refrigerants handling as GregHorrigan says:  http://www.bsa.qld.gov.au/home/news/...inglicence.htm  http://www.arctick.org/pdf/factsheet...2017.03.08.pdf 
and if you are going to handle refrigerants you need to get trained and licensed:  http://www.arctick.org/pdf/factsheet...2027.03.08.pdf 
You might not know, but just like speeding the law doesn't care about your ignorance. Like all this sort of stuff there are good reasons, but so long as you understand the consequences (and are prepared to accept them) it's your call to break them or abide by them. 
But on this forum the advice is available to all so my point was to make sure others who read Greg's description (which as I said is very well done) are fully informed before they make their choice whether to take the risk of doing work that is illegal and voids any warranty.

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## Bloss

> I beg to differ, except the warranty issue. 
> I would have saved a motza and the first three units (4 years old) work fine except for mould inside the head units.  (drain fine, common issue in SEQ)

  And you would would have broken the law as well as voided your warranty . . .

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## Bros

> and if you are going to handle refrigerants you need to get trained and licensed:.

  Accepted but it still doesn't stop you fitting the evaporator and condenser unit and if you are an elecrician wiring it up but not gassing it as the law as I read it only covers handling gases.

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## Timmo

Remember these units are precharged and you are connecting the pipes up to a charged system. Whether or not you open the service valves is irrelevant. You are still connecting, evacuating and leak testing a system which you technically need a licence to do so.

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## AIRMAN

I think you would have a pretty good case to argue if you never opened the valves as in reality you have not come any closer to handling the gas than some one who brought a pre charged unit from Harvey Norman and took it home in their ute, the gas is still contained in the exact same way as when it was imported. It all comes down to how the would "handle" is interpreted. I would be interested to see how it played out if you did try using that reasoning if ever questioned by ARC. 
The handling license is there to try and stop irresponsible handling of gas, such as purging to atmosphere, it isn't their as a license to install air conditioning, that's where BSA is meant to come in. 
The problem is in QLD, and I think this will change soon, is that air conditioning is not a licence BSA trade such as plumbing or even pest inspection. This means you can carry out work on your own house up to the value of 12k without a BSA licence, as far as the BSA is concerned air conditioning falls into the same category as painting and tiling, etc. Or you can go and get a restricted ARC ticket from a one day course and you can go and install splits with no BSA licence as long as you charge less than $1100 per job

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## mattwilliams78

Is anyone considering the AS that talks about maximum refrigerant charge? I forget the number (AS1570 is it?). The purpose of it is to advise the maximum charge in case of leaks. Refrigerant is a very heavy gas and wants to expand. If the system is large enough (or has long runs of pipework that you have added yourself) and it leaks into a small enough room it will push all of the oxygen from the space - imagine thats your bedroom and you are blissfully sleeping and don't wake up. 
Just as bad in my opinion - what if it leaks into that atmosphere? affecting climate change or (admittedly not as relevent with the new HFCs) depleting ozone. 
Installing air conditioning is IMHO not something that the DIYer should be attempting. It is licensed for a reason as the handling of the gas is not as harmless as people think. I have noticed countless posts on here by sparkies who are concerned with giving away too much information and moaning that people shouldn't be doing their own electrical work and now having read this post I kind of see what they mean. Electrical work looks straight forward but it only takes one little mistake to be lethal, similarly one little mistake with plumbing work and you're pumping your @@@@@ into the stormwater drain or sucking greywater back into the neighbourhood drinking water supply. 
I've been following the forum for some time and am really grateful for all the useful advice I have gathered, so far I have sanded my floors, installed a new kitchen and done some gyprocking. I've found it really enjoyable, very satisfying and in the current climate I'm hoping that my handiwork is helping to hold up the value of my house. These jobs have been surprisingly straight forward and I'm sure I've saved money by doing the grunt work but that's all it is (with respect to all the various tradies I am insulting here, sorry) and no-one's life is in danger by me leaving a few scuff marks in my floorboards or a stud wall thats not perfectly square.

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## pharmaboy2

> Just as bad in my opinion - what if it leaks into that atmosphere? affecting climate change or (admittedly not as relevent with the new HFCs) depleting ozone.

  is that sarcasm? -  
Australians courtesy of the power you pump into keeping yourself warm or cool, and driving round, contribute 30 tonnes of co2 into the atmosphere for every man woman and child - a 2 kg leak (is that worst case scenario) of R410, is 3.7% of your yearly household output!!!  perspective. 
BTW,  domestic refrigerant fatalities, pale into insignificance compared to deaths from colapsing balconies.  the advice here is great, useful and saved many of us lots of time and money - if you take it, good for you -- but surely, people can take or leave advice as they see fit, without been lectured to?  :Smilie:  
edit - according to the links on the previous page, the licensing of refrigerants is not to do with safety, but to do with australia signing an agreement on CFC output and mgmt
"The permits have been introduced under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. The Act aims to minimise emissions of ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gas refrigerants. The permits provide for consistent minimum national environmental standards for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, including the automotive industry."

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## OldBugman

Are you guys kidding me? DIY air con.. a good way to find yourself in a world of trouble.  http://www.arctick.org/ 
The sooner manufacturers stop selling units pre charged with refrigerant the better.

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## rrobor

Piece of advice here on a different point. Mice find air conditioners great places to nest and that channel up the wall a perfect and safe ladder in. So vermin proof the channel and the hole in the wall. No one does it and hundreds of units are destroyed each year by mice. I used steel wool and expanding foam. But remember do not let steel touch copper.

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## Bros

Don't forget gecko's as they have destroyed many air conditioners in Queensland. Gecko and frog proofing is something the DIY can do as none of the installers will bother as it can be a fiddly job covering all the access holes

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## elkangorito

I found a couple of toasted Gheckos in my toaster when I cleaned it this morning. They get everywhere, the little buggers. :Eek:

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## Pulpo

Excellent piece Greg. 
Well documented, well done. 
I have installed my own A/C units but was lucky the guy next door had a couple installed the same time. 
So the installer next door commissioned mine for the warranty. 
Hmm vacuum pump or gauge was faulty and he seemed to purge the system. 
The electrical outlet was already to go. 
Total cost $100 to install. 
You could DIY everything up until the vaccum stage and that way the warranty is valid. 
Each to their own, DIY plumbing, electrical, whatever they are comfortable with. 
Pulpo

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## kompsj

Im an Fridgy/ Air con installer.  I,m happy for DIY air con installers to mount indoor / outdoor, get power run, etc and I can supply and do copper fit off, vac and gas unit, sign warranty form. Cost is $200 + parts + travel $ if I have to travel far.   
Condition is only I will trust my own copper flares and pipe bending, etc.  I dont ever get leaks.  These things run at nearly 1000 Psi so are real high pressure and will leak if not done properly.  I have found that people that do their own flares with their standard plumbing tools will leak 98% of time over a period.  Even my water plumbers unit leaked after he tried installing it.  My tooling and experience guarantees NO leaks. 
On the subject of purging, not only illegal but from a performance point of view.
You will loose gas hence loose capacity, so you will make a 7KW a 5 KW.  Why bother. Purging for 10 seconds @ say 500psi will loose 20% of gas at a minimum.  They only hold from 800grams to 1.8KGS of gas.  Its not that much.   
Also did you know the air con uses the refrigerant gas to cool down the compressor, much like water in a radiator in a car.  So if you run it low, the compressor runs hotter and the unit will loose its life span.  Just like a car with low water, temp will rise, engine will loose power due to heat especially on hot days and one day BOOM! 
On the subject of brands:
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are the best around at the moment.  I have done hundreds of these for over 5 years now.  I have *not* had 1 fault yet.  And sooooo quiet, they are an awesome machine.  I have had faults with Daiken and Fujitsu. 
Jim Komps
Air con Installer
Preston, Melb, Vic
0417 209 552

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## AIRMAN

Are you qualified? 
The fact that you are saying splits run at 1000 PSi  :Yikes2:  would lead me to belive your not. If your refering to the discharge pressure even for 410a thats not even close. That would be nearly 7000 Kpa, your gauges don't even go that high. The HP switches in most units are set at less than half that.

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## exotiic

I assume Kompsj was referring to low side approaching 1000kPa and not PSI wit the R410A refrigerant.

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## AIRMAN

He was trying to make the point about how much pressure these systems run under so why would you then quote the suction pressure, surely you would talk about discharge as that is where the highest pressure is going to come from. 
We'll wait and see what he says.

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## exotiic

Yeh I realised that when I was thinking about it last night, I thought the same thing Airman. I just immediately thought of the suction approaching 1000kPA and likened that to his statement.

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## lukelegend

I'm looking at doing a DIY install, I've done a couple before and alway got an Air Conditioning guy to come out and do the gas side for me. My neighbour is a sparkie so he does the electrical.  
I want to put another one in the home office and have some pipe left over from a 7.4kw panasonic unit i installed. The new mitsubishi unit is only 2.6kw and the pipe size is 1/4 & 3/8ths which is smaller than the 1/4 and 5/8ths i used for the 7.4kw panasonic.  
My question is, can i still use the larger piping with an adaptor to convert the ends to the 3/8th size or will the larger 5/8th's pipe affect the running??

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## exotiic

Luke,  
The sizing of the pipe is very important in the correct running of the air conditioning unit. The size of the pipe is determined by the manufacturers to work with the metering devices and the components that are sized up inside the unit. Too large a pipe affects the refrigerant pressure as it travels through the system and thus affects the performance of the system. It will also void the warranty of the unit as you are not performing the installation as per the requirements stated in the manual.

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## lukelegend

Ahh i see, Thanks for the Info, will go out and get some pipe  :Smilie:

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## homerlovesbeer

Hi all, 
Great find this forum. I'm in Brissie and have 2 or 3 3.5kw split sytems to install in a small 3 bedroom Qlder cottage and was wondering if anybody could recommend a good installer that will do a discount due to multiple units?  
A couple of installers I've rung have told me flat out $600 per unit which I find a bit steep as there isn't any travel time for the other two and I expected a better rate. 
Great article and it temps me to install the head and compresor but to leave the gas alone. 
Cheers
Homer :Smilie:

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## AIRMAN

$600 a unit is about right, they are 3.5kw unit so each will needs it's own power supply from the main fuse box. 
So if they have allowed $250 for the electrical (breaker, cable, conduit and labour) 
That leaves $350 per split, after you take away the cost (with some markup) of a concrete slab or poly slab, copper, drain and hat section it probably only leaves $200 for labour depending on how hard the job is it may take them the 5-8 hours to do all three, then take into account travel time, time to pick up gear etc, and your talking around $80 an hour. 
Most of the installers I know need to bill out at least six hours a day at $70 just to take home 80k as a salary after all bussiness related costs. 
If you pay less than this, chances are you will get a dodgy job (lines not vac'd, etc)

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## homerlovesbeer

> $600 a unit is about right, they are 3.5kw unit so each will needs it's own power supply from the main fuse box. 
> So if they have allowed $250 for the electrical (breaker, cable, conduit and labour)

  Cheers, However most 3.5Kw units do not require phase 3 power but only phase 1 power. The unit I'm looking at is a  
Mitsubishi 
MODEL SRK35ZGAS
that requires Phase 1 240V 50Hz power supply.  
How should that effect the quotes I get? 
Cheers
Homer 
EDIT: Here is my floor plan. I'd like to put a unit in the master beedroom and Living area at least. Would the unit in the living area cool the kitchen/dining area of would I need another unit?

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## Vernonv

> Cheers, However most 3.5Kw units do not require phase 3 power but only phase 1 power

   AIRMAN did not suggest that the units are 3 phase. He said that being 3.5kW each they will each need a separate circuit from the main switchboard (i.e. 1 x  single phase circuit per unit).  

> How should that effect the quotes I get?

   Probably none.

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## Gravy258

the SRK GA-S are the older model now. The newer SRK ZIX-S are heaps more efficient

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## exotiic

The SRKGA-S are still a current model but the SKR-ZIX is the new higher efficiency model aimed at a higher cost market.

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## Gravy258

I've just bought a SRK25ZIX-S was same price as the SRK25GA-S. 
check out  Energy Labelling - Selecting an efficient appliance 
The ZIX-S is $18 a year cheaper to run than the GA-S 
they've changed this site around a bit, for the new star ratings, the searches don't deliver the best performers any more. Nor does it show the star rating index, which had most MHI up at ten stars plus. 
Does anyone use a micron gauge when evacuating there install's?

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## MAVERICK

Hello Gentlemen, great read and it has given me some ideas. 
I have just purchased 2 Kelvinator KVS26HRB split systems for $1300.  I called up a few installers here in Rockhampton and was quoted $750 per unit to install. (more than the units cost!( 
Anyway,  thought I'd try to save some money by doing a bit myself, as in installing the outside unit and head units on the wall and running some PVC ducting etc - that way, the installs _should_ be cheaper. 
My brother, a licenced electrician, rewired my house 3 years ago - and when he did it, I got him to install a seperate circuit and isolators (?) ready for when I had purchased the split systems. 
This leaves me with a few questions. 
1. Will the 10A circuit support 2x 2.6kw reverse cycle inverter split systems? (I think it has a 20A or 35A breaker) 
2. What can I do myself to make the installs more reasonably priced? 
3. I'd prefer to have both the condensers around the side of the house, so what is the maximum efficient pipe run? 
The specs are listed as follows: (on a different site as www.kelvinator.com.au still ony lists the KSV26HRA) 
5 Star Cooling, 4.5 Star HeatingPowerCooling: 2.6kW, Heating: 2.8kWOther Split System reverse cycle with inverterBiofresh Bio/HEPA filtrationDC Inverter for quiet operationTurbo mode for express cooling and heatingUsing R410a refrigerant -Ozone layer safe"Indoor Unit (mm): H 250, W 250, D 200. Outdoor Unit (mm): H 590, W 760, D 285"
I think that's about it - if you need to know more, please just ask. 
Cheers,
Rick

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## Bloss

Rick - this is a pretty old post - better to start your own thread I reckon. But the regular might reply anyway.

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## cflake

I'm no air con installer (but thanks for the thread, it's very informative), but I should be able to answer this one:   

> This leaves me with a few questions. 
> 1. Will the 10A circuit support 2x 2.6kw reverse cycle inverter split systems? (I think it has a 20A or 35A breaker)

  
The 2.6kw in the spec is usually the heating or cooling capacity of the unit - the power input is a different measurement.  The unit I have in front of me is rated at 3.5kw cooling, but has a power input of only 1.1kw.   
10A at 240v is 2.4kw, so I could run 2 units comfortably off a single 2.5mm^2 circuit and I'm sure you could do the same with your 2.6kw units.

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## stevekicks

hey guys..  
i just bought a panasonic split system like the original poster's unit.. just wondering if there's any advantage to mounting the outside unit on metal supports rather than directly on the concrete? 
Cheers

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## exotiic

Having the unit off the ground will allow debris to flow freely underneath and will help against clogging of the external coil if there is a buildup of rubbish behind the system, The units are very smooth and quiet these days so there is little vibration at all to be noticed if placing on stands and even if so you can always add rubber mounts.

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## jamiezzm

Can anyone please give a detail link to this vacuum pump on ebay? (So confuse, there are so many pump, don't know which is correct and most cost effective one). Thanks.  
[QUOTE=GregHorrigan;753433]*Electrical Supply* *Tools* 
The complete installation requires some special tools. For my installation I used the following: Pipe cutterPipe flaring toolPipe bending pliersRefrigerant manifold gauge and hose setVacuum pumpI bought all of these tools on ebay since I planned to install two air conditioners and the cost savings are such that even with the purchase of these tools I still saved lots of money.

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## plum

I don't reckon your fair dinkum, I may be wrong but it sounds like your trying to take the Mickey out of people....

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## jamiezzm

That London accent upset me :Frown:

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## plum

Mate, I think that you are asking some unusual questions seeing that you claim to be an electrician. Normally a tradie would have a lot more basic knowledge on this subject, particularly a sparky, but then again, I did say 'I may be wrong'. As for London accent, nah.

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## jamiezzm

I came to this country only few months, I found this remote area is very hard to get what I want (I am in Adelaide, maybe Sydney or Melbourne will be better), especially there is NO one stop warehouse which I can get all I want in one place.

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## plum

Ye, good luck with your projects.....

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## Master Splinter

Sigh. See ebay. 
And note that under Australian electrical licensing regulations, you'll be an electrician when you have completed a three year apprenticeship. Until then, you can't touch the stuff.

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## China

The reason you can't buy what you want is that you are unlicenced and most trade suppliers will be highly suspicious

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