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That will depend on the air temp and the amount of water it needs to heat. If everyone showers at the same time, it's likely going to work for at least a few hours in HP mode. If the showers are scattered, it'll likely keep up, unless the room it's in is quite cold. It's counterintuitive, but...

One reason, as mentioned above, is that Enphase microinverters carry a 25-year warranty, at least in the US. I think it's fair to assume that most string inverters would need to replaced once during that 25-year period. If you're only planning to use the array for 10-15 years, then that's a...

When units are oversized, the primary risk is short cycling; the consequences depend on local conditions. In humid environments, for example, not enough humidity will be removed because the unit won't run long enough. Modest short cycling can be slightly less of a concern with mini-splits...

Sizing and efficiency are two different things. As @Partimewages suggested, you should do a load calculation (Manual J) to determine the size of the unit required to meet the design conditions for your space. Once you have that value you can choose whichever model you want so long as it's the...

When I was buying PVC for the condensate line, I bought a trap. Later, in the installation manual, I noticed they (Mitsubishi) had an illustration with an 'X' through a trap. Instead, they indicated straight piping (w/ drop, of course), so that's what I installed. I just had a quick look...

That difference is typical -- most mini splits use more juice to make heat than to cool.

I was about to post the same thing. :)

I had the same thought recently and asked a friend who knows a fair bit about these machines. His answer about the pleated filter was a hard no, as they will reduce airflow too much. Claimed that's why they come with such wispy filters. The solution, which was impractical for me, was to build...

You're welcome. Scratchy volume and tone controls are typically an easy fix -- pull the knob, spray some compressed air or contact cleaner, spin back and forth. I bet there are a pile of YT videos with illustrations. A full restoration would be a labor of love. At 44 years, I would expect...

I don't know much about receivers of that vintage, but most were well-built, so worth keeping alive. Here's good info on yours. At the bottom of that write-up, there's this link to an impressive restoration of one.

I agree, the better Class D amps on the market are now really good. I use a Hypex NCore in my main rig. For a vehicle, I'd lean Class D for sure. Something like 90% efficient, so small footprint and lots of clean, cheap power. For home, even though I use Class D, I too have a few Class A...

Perhaps that's true for a contemporary amplifier that's class AB. Old-school class A is a room heater when it's on and is off when it's off. Lots of middle ground, I suspect.

I'm a longtime audio dork and switched to Class D amps some years back; zero regrets.

You might have missed an option along the way. I just gave it a try and was able to choose a flat roof (membrane) with a tilt kit, which is what it seems like you need.

I assume there's no possibility to go with a ground-mount array?

To be clear, the remotes work okay, so I use them for two zones, a bedroom and a garage. There's no real need for wired remotes, but they do a better job at gauging temperature. I bought one only because I wanted a wall control for the main living space.

I agree that without a remote temperature sensor then it's just a remote. The options I know best are for Mitsubishi units, which, according to reviews, work as expected. I have one but have not yet installed it, so we'll see. The down side of the Mitsubishi stuff is the price, so I have been...

Some brands can use remote wall controllers (with or without a temperature sensor onboard) or remote temperature sensors.

Okay. They mean the outside unit comes loaded with refrigerant, not the line set. In fact, most mini-splits don't come with a line set; we buy the copper lines, a 14/4 cable that connects the inside and outside units, as well as a few other odds and ends separately. Units labelled as DIY...

Are you sure? The outdoor unit, like most mini-splits, comes loaded with refrigerant, but I have never seen a Mitsubishi (or Daikin or Fujitsu or...) with a charged line set.

Just this week, I installed a Mitsubishi 9k (MUZ-FS09NA outside unit, not a MUZ-FS09NAH -- the H indicates Hyper Heat) but had a pro connect and vacuum the lines and release the refrigerant. That means I had everything ready to go, so he was here for less than an hour. For me, there were...

@watchdoc, even at 10 SEER, it would take a very long time to return your investment on a new mini-split. So, from the financial side, it doesn't make sense to replace the existing unit. But I'll assume it's not all about money. You're renovating, so if the thought of having to swap units a...

Mostly Makita; a few batteries still work okay after many years of occasional use, like @SparkyJJO. Of course, I wanted to stick with the same brand for convenience, but couldn't pass up silly deals on a few Bosch 18-volt tools that offered a charger and batteries for almost nothing. Also a...

I'll second the suggestion to check your water heater, assuming it's electric. They typically pull 4500 watts.

I'll second talking with an architect who specializes in renovations if yours might benefit from the creative input of a pro.

Microinverter?

I went with Mitsubishi equipment. They and a few other brands make ducted air handlers for situations like yours; I think theirs maxes out at 3 tons. I actually bought one but switched to ductless once I saw that my existing ducts were rusted through! ?

As @Quattrohead implied, 10 tons is quite large for a single-family dwelling. Before choosing equipment, I'd encourage you to consider insulating the building envelope as much as is practical. Also, run the Manual J calculations to get an idea of heating and cooling loads for each floor or hire...

I gave up trying to find the formal EPA rule, but I think the ban on using R410A in new equipment starts in 2025. So the phase-out has started but the ban isn't implement until 2025 given push-back from the HVAC industry.

As others have said, one inside unit paired to one outside unit has the potential for the highest efficiency; I say potential because SEER ratings vary considerably across models. Despite the cost in efficiency, I went with a three-zone Mitsubishi because I didn't want condensers everywhere on...

The savings will depend on climate, the cost of electricity (and/or gas and oil), and the volume of space you need to heat and cool. Tight and well-insulated buildings save some money on the cost of HVAC equipment, although that modest savings goes away if you need to buy an ERV. I agree that...

As you mentioned, some mini-split heads come with a pump, some don't. Typically, those intended to be mounted high on a wall don't come with one because gravity is usually sufficient. In contrast, those intended to be mounted on the floor (e.g., air handler) or mounted in the ceiling (e.g...

Agreed, in part because we're dealing with the legacy of residential structures that were not built to maximize energy efficiency. I imagine that if most members here were building new, they would reach net zero even on a small lot. Not so much for having a giant PV array but for appreciating...

That made me laugh because it's not far off from how I live. I know, pathetic! :)

I've read the warranty statements for a handful of major manufacturers and all of those require a licensed HVAC person to do the installation to qualify for a warranty. With good equipment, my hope is the warranty isn't worth that much.