Bad days for Solar Production.

[Subdood]

You might be able to sell her on a Midea U series window unit but they are super efficient so you won't use that much anyway.

That's exactly what I've been looking at. We live in a single wide, so we don't need a lot of BTU's to cool the living room/kitchen area (about 350 sqft). We could put it in the kitchen window that's on the back side of the house, so no one would see it. Plus we could remove it when we don't need it.

I think a 10K unit would be more than enough. I'm wondering how much power it'd use when it's on. I know they don't always run at full power when they reach temp, so I'm curious if it's something our little system could handle. Don't think we'd be able to run it at night, but, it's mainly to be used as a power soak during the days.

Anyone have a Midea? Was wondering how loud they are as well

 

[42OhmsPA]

That's exactly what I've been looking at. We live in a single wide, so we don't need a lot of BTU's to cool the living room/kitchen area (about 350 sqft). We could put it in the kitchen window that's on the back side of the house, so no one would see it. Plus we could remove it when we don't need it.

I think a 10K unit would be more than enough. I'm wondering how much power it'd use when it's on. I know they don't always run at full power when they reach temp, so I'm curious if it's something our little system could handle. Don't think we'd be able to run it at night, but, it's mainly to be used as a power soak during the days.

Anyone have a Midea? Was wondering how loud they are as well

A 10k would likely be more than enough. I was using the 8k in a double a few years back and it kept it comfortable even on 90+ degree days.
They are extremely quiet. Iirc it used under 1kW/h running full tilt.

 

[Subdood]

A 10k would likely be more than enough. I was using the 8k in a double a few years back and it kept it comfortable even on 90+ degree days.
They are extremely quiet. Iirc it used under 1kW/h running full tilt.

Saw a few YouTube vids on it. I think it'd be perfect for our living room/kitchen, plus it doesn't use a lot of power, usually about 500W running on medium speed and relatively cold (70F). That would be no problem for our system, maybe even be able to run it at night with the temp turned up. Prices for a 10K unit are about $420 (Walmart, Amazon).

 

[42OhmsPA]

Saw a few YouTube vids on it. I think it'd be perfect for our living room/kitchen, plus it doesn't use a lot of power, usually about 500W running on medium speed and relatively cold (70F). That would be no problem for our system, maybe even be able to run it at night with the temp turned up. Prices for a 10K unit are about $420 (Walmart, Amazon).

Wow those prices have climbed. I'm pretty sure I got mine from Sam's, may have been HD deal of the day.

It's not the U series but a great price.

Midea 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Window AC, Cools up to 550 Sq. Ft., Ultra Quiet with High-Efficiency Inverter Technology, Energy Star Certified - Sam's Club

Buy Midea 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Window AC, Cools up to 550 Sq. Ft., Ultra Quiet with High-Efficiency Inverter Technology, Energy Star Certified : Air Conditioners & Coolers at SamsClub.com

www.samsclub.com

 

[Subdood]

Wow those prices have climbed. I'm pretty sure I got mine from Sam's, may have been HD deal of the day.

It's not the U series but a great price.

Midea 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Window AC, Cools up to 550 Sq. Ft., Ultra Quiet with High-Efficiency Inverter Technology, Energy Star Certified - Sam's Club

Buy Midea 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Window AC, Cools up to 550 Sq. Ft., Ultra Quiet with High-Efficiency Inverter Technology, Energy Star Certified : Air Conditioners & Coolers at SamsClub.com

www.samsclub.com

How much was yours and when did you get it, if you don't mind me asking? Yeah, everything has gotten ridiculously expensive (except solar stuff).

I think my wife would prefer the U model for aesthetic reasons compared to a regular square one. I'm curious about the power usage of the one you showed.

I wish Sam's had the U unit, as our niece has a membership to them.

 

[42OhmsPA]

How much was yours and when did you get it, if you don't mind me asking? Yeah, everything has gotten ridiculously expensive (except solar stuff).

I think my wife would prefer the U model for aesthetic reasons compared to a regular square one. I'm curious about the power usage of the one you showed.

I wish Sam's had the U unit, as our niece has a membership to them.

The textra search function is handy...
$243 ($229 + tax) June 2022.

 

[Brucey]

Trying to drain the batteries so I can charge them up tomorrow. Laundry day. Will know in about 1.5 hours if the 48/1200 has the guts to start the propane dryer. The inverter washer is a nice easy load.

 

[Subdood]

The textra search function is handy...
$243 ($229 + tax) June 2022.

Wow, it's almost twice that now. Actually the 10K costs $420 now, your 8K costs $357 now. But that's still a substantial increase.

Yeah it costs quite a bit, but it would save us having to use the old outdoor split unit as much.

How reliable has yours been since you bought it, any issues? You said it keeps a double wide living room plenty comfortable?

Just checked our total power consumption for this 30 day billing period (ends in a couple days), and it's about 650kwh ATM. We generated about 113kwh during that billing period.

Most of our consumption is from our electric heat and dryer.

 

[B-Mod]

I goofed yesterday. Great solar day just before at least 3 days of snow/rain. I had probably about 120 amps of load at 240v going all day to use as much solar as I could. BUT, got busy and forgot all about it till around 7pm in the evening. Took my battery down to 82%, opps.

Lucky today I got back up to 92% even with the clouds and on and off snow. I have never forgotten to turn off loads before like that.

 

[Subdood]

Well, looky what I found on Walmart's site, they're selling the 8K U unit for $250?!?

Robot or human?

 

[Zwy]

AC? What is that? We got 4 inches of snow Friday, and looking at another 8+ inches today and tonight.

We recieved a few inches Friday. Today is a mix of just crap, I swear it was raining slush. I was concerned earlier the power lines might go down if temps dropped a few degrees with the strong wind.

Not really concerned as we would have power in the house.

Spent the day productively and it sucked. Started install of the mini split in the kitchen, ran lines down thru a closet on the other side of the wall and down to the basement. My shoulders took a beating for some reason. Have to wait for better weather to finish running lines outside and pouring a little pad for the condensing unit and stand.

Went with a 18K btu Senville Aura with Arctic pump this time, nice unit. They had a template which helps on install.

 

[Zwy]

I goofed yesterday. Great solar day just before at least 3 days of snow/rain. I had probably about 120 amps of load at 240v going all day to use as much solar as I could. BUT, got busy and forgot all about it till around 7pm in the evening. Took my battery down to 82%, opps.

Lucky today I got back up to 92% even with the clouds and on and off snow. I have never forgotten to turn off loads before like that.

I was at 82% this morning so ran the heat pump water heater until it was full of hot water. Gas furnace running, no heat pump the last few days. Loads at a minimum. At 78% now and water heater turned off. I think Tuesday we get sun again but one never knows. Not much yield here today.

 

[B-Mod]

We recieved a few inches Friday. Today is a mix of just crap, I swear it was raining slush. I was concerned earlier the power lines might go down if temps dropped a few degrees with the strong wind.

Not really concerned as we would have power in the house.

Spent the day productively and it sucked. Started install of the mini split in the kitchen, ran lines down thru a closet on the other side of the wall and down to the basement. My shoulders took a beating for some reason. Have to wait for better weather to finish running lines outside and pouring a little pad for the condensing unit and stand.

Went with a 18K btu Senville Aura with Arctic pump this time, nice unit. They had a template which helps on install.

24000 BTU Mini Split Air Conditioner - Heat Pump - SENA/24HF

I bought this for my shop last fall, but ran out of time to install it before it got cold out. I have a 18,000 btu Mr. Cool but never liked it much. Only goes to 5 degrees for outside temp, and just a little small on the heating side to do a 30x30 heated shop area with 2 overhead doors.

What I really love on these mini splits for my shop is the freeze protection setting. Start it, and shop stays at 45 degrees if I am not out there working for a few days.

 

[ricardocello]

Well, looky what I found on Walmart's site, they're selling the 8K U unit for $250?!?

Bought one two weeks ago, installed last weekend, it is amazingly quiet!
I’ve not measured the startup current yet. Except I paid $369
Edit: Just checked walmart.com, added to cart to view price, it was $357.
YMMV

8k U in window

 

[PreppenWolf]

We had snow, rain, ice, then snow again. Because we knew there would be ice I bumped our battery bank up from grid overnight in case it turned bad. Of course nothing happened and today was 100% Clear skies.

So I probably would have made 60kWh, but instead I hit 100% after only 30kwH because I had bumped the batt overnight. Sigh....

 

[Subdood]

Bought one two weeks ago, installed last weekend, it is amazingly quiet!
I’ve not measured the startup current yet. Except I paid $369
Edit: Just checked walmart.com, added to cart to view price, it was $357.
YMMV

8k U in window

Yeah I just saw that. Figures. Maybe it'll change back. Or not.

Yes, please let us know how it does. How big a room is it in, and does it do a good job cooling?

 

[ricardocello]

How big a room is it in, and does it do a good job cooling?

16x12 foot room, lots of computer gear generating heat

It cools extremely well, has an eco mode, and is quieter than the box fan we used to have to circulate air.
Solar load on that side of the house in summer will determine how effective it really is.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Wow, it's almost twice that now. Actually the 10K costs $420 now, your 8K costs $357 now. But that's still a substantial increase.

Yeah it costs quite a bit, but it would save us having to use the old outdoor split unit as much.

How reliable has yours been since you bought it, any issues? You said it keeps a double wide living room plenty comfortable?

Just checked our total power consumption for this 30 day billing period (ends in a couple days), and it's about 650kwh ATM. We generated about 113kwh during that billing period.

Most of our consumption is from our electric heat and dryer.

I used it nonstop the first summer I got it, I put it in the master bedroom and let the door open during the day with the temp set about as low as it could go, had no trouble keeping the bedroom in the upper 60s and living room / kitchen in the 70s. I didn't have to turn on the central air.
I installed a mini split last spring and gave the midea to my brother, he used it nonstop in his office at his shop. We both barely noticed a dent in electric bills.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Record day today
~10.8kW of panels.

Darned clouds in the morning...

 

[ricardocello]

Record day today

Same here! Darned trees! 29.2 kWh

 

[Subdood]

We got about 11kwh today, but couldn't run the space heater all day because it was getting a bit too toasty. Regardless we had our best weekend with 24kwh total, plus we topped 100kwh for the month already.

 

[Brucey]

We got about 11kwh today, but couldn't run the space heater all day because it was getting a bit too toasty. Regardless we had our best weekend with 24kwh total, plus we topped 100kwh for the month already.

Thinking of getting a couple window midea units and running them off my inverters instead of running the central air.

 

[green mountain boys]

We had snow, rain, ice, then snow again. Because we knew there would be ice I bumped our battery bank up from grid overnight in case it turned bad. Of course nothing happened and today was 100% Clear skies.

So I probably would have made 60kWh, but instead I hit 100% after only 30kwH because I had bumped the batt overnight. Sigh....

View attachment 204445
View attachment 204446

I am a little bit north of you PreppenWolf. We got 18" here in the bottom of the valley. The mountains got 24" I heard Ludlow, VT had 27"

 

[Subdood]

16x12 foot room, lots of computer gear generating heat

It cools extremely well, has an eco mode, and is quieter than the box fan we used to have to circulate air.
Solar load on that side of the house in summer will determine how effective it really is.

I used it nonstop the first summer I got it, I put it in the master bedroom and let the door open during the day with the temp set about as low as it could go, had no trouble keeping the bedroom in the upper 60s and living room / kitchen in the 70s. I didn't have to turn on the central air.

Thanks for the replies. I'm just about sold on them, I talked to my wife about it and she seems to be somewhat interested. I'd probably put it in the dining room/kitchen window, which faces somewhat NW, so it wouldn't get beat on by the sun much, other than in the middle of summer later in the afternoon.

But, we do live on an east facing hillside, so we do get a lot of sun starting when it comes up. So it does get warm in here later in the day. Saying that, I think the 8K unit ought to be sufficient for our 14 x 20ft living room/kitchen area.

I do like the app part of it, so I'm guessing you could control it via your phone or tablet? I'd like to be able turn it on and off remotely, and maybe program it to run at certain times of the day.

 

[ricardocello]

I do like the app part of it, so I'm guessing you could control it via your phone or tablet? I'd like to be able turn it on and off remotely, and maybe program it to run at certain times of the day.

It has an old school physical remote (works fine from across the room).
And allegedly a WiFi app. Haven't tried it yet, my expectations are very low for that sort of thing, nor do I want my A/C to be "in the cloud"

Being a DIY guy, I would be ecstatic if I could programmatically turn in on/off over Modbus TCP.
But they don't build these things for us.