EG4 Heat Pumps?

[Rocksnsalt]

Well my 3 arrived today. EG4 mini split heat pumps: 1 12k / 2 24k.
- packaged very well
- arrived no damaged
- build is decent enough

Answering a few of my own questions
- the air duct fins left to right , while not automated, are manually adjustable
- up / down is automated
- but the line sets are a bit of a disappointment. Why is the 1 ton a 5 meter and the 2 ton only 4 meters. Odd
- and they're not swappable. The 1 ton 12k is 1/4" & 3/8" ... The 2 ton is 1/2" & 1/4" ( I need about 16 ft for one of the 2 tons. But I found a guy who will braise on 6 feet extra for $50)

Over all, pretty excited. Probably won't have a chance to install them until mid may, early June

View attachment 146539

View attachment 146541

Any installs yet?

 

[MrM1]

Any installs yet?

All of my 3 Units are up and running for the past week plus.

Help me Install 3 EG4 Mini Split Solar Heat Pumps

THREAD INDEX: (Links Updated: 2/15/2024) This is a long Thread, So I have added this Index Note: Click the Post Number to Follow the link. The Topic discussion will follow from that Post TOOLS USED FOR DIY A/C INSTALLS Tools - 662 THE INSTALL General 1st 24k - 5 2nd 24k - 6 12k - 139 Nitrogen...

diysolarforum.com

As to redundancy and multiple heads, I would think I might rather have a single head and evaporator for each as I have read about heating/cooling issues with multiple heads

 

[MrM1]

Btw the plug and play units are now available, at a disappointing considerable premium.

This is true of all DIY units I have seen. Check Mr Cool vs Mr Cool DIY

And Also Note: The current crop of EG4 DIY / PnP units are NOT DC direct Solar. So far, only the Original EG4 AC/DC units are designed to have Solar plugged directly into the unit.

As to costs. I think If I were you (anybody) I might learn how to do the install DIY .... and for the money you save having a "pro" do the install ... if you bought 3 units like I did, the "pro" install of 3 units costs almost as much or more as buying a 4th unit. I could buy a 4th complete system and warehouse it for parts.

 

[cdoublejj--]

But when the head fails, you have zero A/C - heat. Why not have multiple independent units for more redundancy? That way, you don't get caught with your cheese in the wind.

well in my one use case it would supplement and old peace meal central air. also with the house being small the outside units would clutter the exterior of the home. i think it could fit on more unit outside with out buning up the gardens too bad. also being poor is a sticker. i can get an affirm loan for @2k-ish and be alright if i get the 24000 BTU which could probably hold its own for such a small house without the centeral air. the wood stove would cover the heat. your saying one head fails, they all fail? not so bad with centeral air and fans to fill the gap but, a very notable akeles heal!!!

EDIT: i hit send and four my replies popped up! me robot man said something about issues with multi head units. dang! that goes back to covering the house with A/C units. too bad those Midea u shaped window units don't take direct PV input.

EDIT: my other use case was the 24000 or a 30000 BTU for the shop, solar panels would negate an increase in the electric bill. it's half burried so i bet a solar unit would help cool it in the summer well enough.

 

[sunsurfer]

well in my one use case it would supplement and old peace meal central air. also with the house being small the outside units would clutter the exterior of the home. i think it could fit on more unit outside with out buning up the gardens too bad. also being poor is a sticker. i can get an affirm loan for @2k-ish and be alright if i get the 24000 BTU which could probably hold its own for such a small house without the centeral air. the wood stove would cover the heat. your saying one head fails, they all fail? not so bad with centeral air and fans to fill the gap but, a very notable akeles heal!!!

EDIT: i hit send and four my replies popped up! me robot man said something about issues with multi head units. dang! that goes back to covering the house with A/C units. too bad those Midea u shaped window units don't take direct PV input.

EDIT: my other use case was the 24000 or a 30000 BTU for the shop, solar panels would negate an increase in the electric bill. it's half burried so i bet a solar unit would help cool it in the summer well enough.

I hear ya on the budget. I started with small 5k window units and they work to keep the edge off. I installed 9k and 12k Della mini spilits for this summer. They are much quieter then the wall shakers and cool about more per watt. They where about $600 each.

What part of Missouri are you in? I'm down in the Ozarks.

 

[cdoublejj--]

KC area. i've been mulling over two mini splits, i hog out both gardens on each side of the foot/base of the chimney i could sorta hide the compressor/evaps and they would be close to the Gazebo where i could mount some solar panels! at the cost of sitting just a few feet from said units. i assume they make noise like the old central air unit does. the only other way is if there are mini ducts that come off the head and go to different rooms which sounds like a hobbled up red neck science project more than a real product.

i'm also looking at two of the 24k solars units to replace back up mini splits in a small data center. i think it could drop operantional costs in the summer day periods.

edit: this winter it reached 0f with -10f and -20f windchills. last summer hit at least 98f, i've had one summer when i was kid hit like 105f. i always tell people -10f to 110f.

 

[timselectric]

i assume they make noise like the old central air unit does.

Not even close.
More like a box fan on low.
But if you plan to hang out nearby. You might consider that it will be putting out heat. (In summer)

 

[MrM1]

Like Tim suggested, very little noise. And it's not constant either the fan is variable speed. So depending on demand, you may not even hear it.

I'm working out side next to my 12k over head and 10 Ft away in a carport. I don't notice it unless I focus on it

 

[cdoublejj--]

so at worst i tunr on the cieling fan in the gazebo! so now how long can i run the freon tubes?

 

[timselectric]

how long can i run the freon tubes?

As long as the manufacturer recommends.
The unit is precharged for up to a set length. Mine was 25'. Beyond that, you have to add more freon.
Each unit has a limit of vertical and horizontal lengths. Mine was 52' if I remember correctly.

 

[MrM1]

With the eg4 there is a maximum length for the copper tubing in the manual, after that you have to add freon r34a

 

[MrM1]

You can download the manual from the signature solar site

 

[MrM1]

 

[welnat]

My experience so far with the 24kbtu units connected to DC only is that after entering LP (lower power mode) they will not wake back up when the cloud cover has moved. I have to power cycle the unit with remote to get it to start working again.

Does anyone have any experience with connected to dc only and the unit not restarting once solar is available again?

 

[MrM1]

My experience so far with the 24kbtu units connected to DC only is that after entering LP (lower power mode) they will not wake back up when the cloud cover has moved. I have to power cycle the unit with remote to get it to start working again.

Does anyone have any experience with connected to dc only and the unit not restarting once solar is available again?

I have one 24k that will power back on and one 24k That will not.

I wrote extensively about it here and have today forwarded the info on to signature solar. Waiting to see there response.

Help me Install 3 EG4 Mini Split Solar Heat Pumps

Thanks for all the info. I am probably just going to keep all of my PV wiring outside so I do not have to deal with any walls. I was just trying to figure out how to transition into the conduit at the panels. No idea about your problem but I would probably setup something to monitor the...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

@welnat do you have more than one 24k?? Read @MrM1 's thread and note the restart behavior he obtained from the manufacturer in #3.

 

[welnat]

@welnat do you have more than one 24k?? Read @MrM1 's thread and note the restart behavior he obtained from the manufacturer in #3.

I will need to check this more specifically now that we have the parameters. The replys from signature solar were not encouraging or as specific as these details. Basically they said dc will not work without ac present.

There seems to be some difference between the two 24kbtus behaviour but not a huge difference. I.e. both ran poorly on solar.

 

[welnat]

I will need to check this more specifically now that we have the parameters. The replys from signature solar were not encouraging or as specific as these details. Basically they said dc will not work without ac present.

There seems to be some difference between the two 24kbtus behaviour but not a huge difference. I.e. both ran poorly on solar.

I would say neither start up without a/c. They do try, but timeout before stable sun is available. If I could set them to only look for sun at 10am or later daily, and shut down at 5pm, that would likely work really well.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

You can program that here on the Cloud Schedule tab. Mine is set for Air Conditioning 9:30am to 7:30pm.

 

[welnat]

My understanding from Mr. M1 was that you needed wifi and an active internet connection for that feature to work.
There is no WAN available at this location.