Sigarms
Super Member
Never delt with Mr. Cool. For of my own curiosity, could you provide the model numbers for the indoor and outdoor unit?
Geothermal related to cooling in Michigan.
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deezler
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You could consider building some roof overhangs/awnings. Awnings could even be hinged for seasonal adjustability.
Curtains might block some of the heat, but a ton of it is still coming through the glass and being trapped inside. You really need to just keep the direct sunlight out.
Here's a doodle I drew up when we were designing our home. These are basic home design features that essentially cost nothing to implement, if you plan for them.
deezler
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Sorry, but I have no idea. It's the DIY Gen 3 system, 24k BTU capacity (cooling). Came as a complete package, bought it off amazon.
Sigarms
Super Member
The reason why I ask isn't due to the cooling capacity, but for heating capacity.
Are you heating with it as well?
deezler
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Yes, when outside temps are much above 40°F, it's a little harder to keep a steady draft in the woodstove, and the house easily gets too hot from wood fire. So with the better performance of the mini-split in this temp range, it's very easy and cost effective to just flip it on to 68 or 70F heating set point, and it runs pretty steadily to maintain the house temps. Quiet, but running almost all the time (outside compressor speed cycles up and down a bit). Can't really even notice it on the electrical bill, maybe a dollar at day at worst. But again, when its true winter, its turned off and we're using wood heat.
Sigarms
Super Member
No, that make sense.
My only point was that I could guarantee you that you could heat your whole house with ductless mini split if you wanted to but I was thinking you were using it for heating as well, which is why that $2,200 price sounded to good to be true for 1,600 sq feet (added being in Michigan, depending on your design outdoor temp, not certain even if 2 ton of heat that would be enough for the home).
deezler
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Right. I would not trust my "24k" mini split to adequately heat my entire home when outside temps are zero or below, it would be running flat out and probably not hold 65F inside. I don't plan to find out. We also have some cheap toe-kick and baseboard electric resistive heaters in the bathrooms and bedrooms on individual thermostats, that we never use. Those 4 heaters would be an expensive way to keep the house warm, but are the backup plan if we're out of town for an extended period and can't have woodstove fires in the dead of winter.
KennyG
Elite Member
The mini-split heating capability in low temperatures is much better than some would have you believe. We installed them at my church for the offices. We have two rooftop units supplying wall units in six offices (no ductwork) and performance has been very good. I don't think we've seen any -20 weather since we put them in but at 0 deg F outside they maintain 72 degrees inside with no problem. Overall economy has been good although we don't have a way to directly compare to the previous system, since we were previously heating as an extension of a gas fired hot water system with supplemental resistance heating.
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
The only way geo cooling $ wise would make sense is if you had a need for the hot water, heated swimming pool spa. Page 32 on the attached is interesting.
Once you get a good ground loop geo is kinda niffty. We are going to run two, two ton reversing water to water units out of a common buffer tank for the ground loop. If you think about it as long as your loads are equal your getting just about free heating or cooling. They never are hence the loop buffer tank. When the tank gets out of range you turn on the loop pumps. Its pretty simple actually, long as your good at plumbing and a pro-press makes the easy.
Once you get a good ground loop geo is kinda niffty. We are going to run two, two ton reversing water to water units out of a common buffer tank for the ground loop. If you think about it as long as your loads are equal your getting just about free heating or cooling. They never are hence the loop buffer tank. When the tank gets out of range you turn on the loop pumps. Its pretty simple actually, long as your good at plumbing and a pro-press makes the easy.
westcliffe01
Veteran Member
I didnt read every response, but if you buy the highest seer rated mini split you can find and install the outside unit on the north side of the house so as to put it in permanent shade and away from walls heated by the sun, you should be able to run said mini split with 2 solar panels so long as the sun is shining. You will want a unit with a DC brushless motor compressor (will be driven with a built in inverter), they will not have high starting loads and adjust the compressor speed to match the load, thereby using the least power. "Ordinary" single speed on/off compressors are dinosaurs by comparison, that is likely what you have now. And look at where it is installed relative to summer sun right now. Builders in the US never consider this stuff, at least not so far as I have seen. The same with glazing facing west, shortest possible roof overhangs etc etc.