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Smallest Mini-Split?

J

JoeHam

Solar Wizard
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
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Is anyone aware of a small mini-split?

Say 5,000 BTU?

I have a 20 foot off grid shipping container that I spend some time in on occasion. It is located in Arizona so there is a surplus of solar energy and some brutal temperature swings.

I basically just want to take the edge off a freezing morning or a 100 degree fahrenheit afternoon.

It won't be insulated, by choice, so there are no high hopes for great climate control. I'm happy to waste some solar power production just to take the edge off.

Another plus of a mini-split system for my application is one relatively small hole to cut into the steel. I won't consider a cheap window unit for that reason.

Edit: removed the word cheap
 
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no insulation is really big problem, you are going to be absorbing a lot of heat.
If the panels are all on the roof of the container that will help quite a bit with the solar beat down hehe

lets see, 20' x 8ft across = 160sqft
so thats just over the 33BTU/sqft for cooling magic number for guestimates but close enough..that number, I think, is for insulated walls. I cannot imagine it keeping up with bare steel in arizona sun.

I think the easiest are something like the MRcool, and LG as high efficiency models.
Cheapest, not sure thats good direction to go with a split AC, real cheap would probably be around $1k, with double that for the nicer units.

Is there even a market for "used" mini-splits? I think once you break the seals and connect them, well, can you disconnect them without losing everything?
 
Thanks for the input. I will be sitting within a few feet of the air unit so I'm not trying to cool the whole 160sqft, just myself. Fortunately, my personal square footage is a stable and reasonable value at this point in my life :cool: .

I always have the door cracked open so no one can lock me in, even as a joke. That makes insulation a non-starter.

The door is cracked open just far enough for a coyote to stick his nose in but not gain entrance. Don't ask how I know that!

And of course, anything I do to the roof to help mitigate heat issues on hot afternoons hurts me on cold mornings.

All that said, I would prefer something around 5000 BTU for my use case.

The smallest I am finding is 9000 BTU, which are under $700 and that may be the best I can do. Small is more important to me than cheap.

In the 9000 BTU range I am finding units by Pioneer and Senville. They are pre-charged but still require line vacuum.

I think I could get someone to do the line vacuum as a side job for less than the premium on a Mr. Cool for total pre-charge/no vacuum.
 
At 10,000 and 12,000 BTU both of the above are a bit more than I'm looking for but smaller ones may not be out there.

I heard there was a 6000 BTU but have been unable to find one.
 
Paint the container white, big fan and yard shower. If you have AC turn on an hour or 2 before sunset and run as long as batteries will last. Sounds like a seasonal camp.5000 btu is small for what you're doing
 
Bubba1 said:
Paint the container white,
Click to expand...
On a similar note, folks who camp in the sun use Aluminet (reflective netting) to greatly reduce heat in tents, RV's and under canopies. I have a 14' x 40' piece that i drape over my Sprinter Winnebago and it makes all the difference in the world for my solar swamp cooler to be effective.

shadeclothstore.com

Aluminet Shade Cloth - Shade Cloth Store

We stock hundreds of Aluminet Shade Cloth panels in all percentages. We also have unfinished Aluminet and SilviShade. Fast shipping just $12.99.
shadeclothstore.com shadeclothstore.com
 
Bubba1 said:
Paint the container white, big fan and yard shower. If you have AC turn on an hour or 2 before sunset and run as long as batteries will last. Sounds like a seasonal camp.5000 btu is small for what you're doing
Click to expand...

As mentioned,

I need to heat also. White won’t help on cold mornings.
 
MisterSandals said:
On a similar note, folks who camp in the sun use Aluminet (reflective netting) to greatly reduce heat in tents, RV's and under canopies. I have a 14' x 40' piece that i drape over my Sprinter Winnebago and it makes all the difference in the world for my solar swamp cooler to be effective.

shadeclothstore.com

Aluminet Shade Cloth - Shade Cloth Store

We stock hundreds of Aluminet Shade Cloth panels in all percentages. We also have unfinished Aluminet and SilviShade. Fast shipping just $12.99.
shadeclothstore.com shadeclothstore.com
Click to expand...

Need the heat on cold mornings.
 
Bubba1 said:
Paint the container white, big fan and yard shower. If you have AC turn on an hour or 2 before sunset and run as long as batteries will last. Sounds like a seasonal camp.5000 btu is small for what you're doing
Click to expand...

Not a seasonal camp and the container door will be partially open as noted above.

I just want to have hot or cold air blown on one specific seating position in the container. Again, just to “take the edge off” freezing or above 100 degree conditions.

I’m aware this is not a typical use case but all I’m looking for is a 5000 BTU mini split.

I personally have no need to heat or cool the entire container but thanks for all the ideas, they may help someone with that goal.
 
Last edited:
XO4001 said:
Take a window shaker inside
you want cool use the cold side towards you, you want warm turn around the window shaker.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmmm.

Maybe something like this:


Rated at 4000 BTU cooling.

Put the unit by me and the exhaust hose out the door when I want to cool.

Put the unit by the door and the exhaust hose by me for warmth. The noise might keep the coyotes from sticking their nose inside the door in the future ?.

Probably won’t make much heat on a freezing morning though since I probably can’t set the temp control low enough I’ll bet.

If I don’t find a better solution this might have to do. Add a little ceramic heater by my feet perhaps.
 
Last edited:
MisterSandals said:
On a similar note, folks who camp in the sun use Aluminet (reflective netting) to greatly reduce heat in tents, RV's and under canopies. I have a 14' x 40' piece that i drape over my Sprinter Winnebago and it makes all the difference in the world for my solar swamp cooler to be effective.

shadeclothstore.com

Aluminet Shade Cloth - Shade Cloth Store

We stock hundreds of Aluminet Shade Cloth panels in all percentages. We also have unfinished Aluminet and SilviShade. Fast shipping just $12.99.
shadeclothstore.com shadeclothstore.com
Click to expand...

These are rated by percentage from 30% to I think 80%......

Is the percentage the amount of sunlight that gets through or gets blocked? The website didn't make that distinction.
Thanks

Is it abrasive to paint finishes?
 
JoeHam said:
Hmmmmmm.

Maybe something like this:


Rated at 4000 BTU cooling.

Put the unit by me and the exhaust hose out the door when I want to cool.

Put the unit by the door and the exhaust hose by me for warmth. The noise might keep the coyotes from sticking their nose inside the door in the future ?.

Probably won’t make much heat on a freezing morning though since I probably can’t set the temp control low enough I’ll bet.

If I don’t find a better solution this might have to do. Add a little ceramic heater by my feet perhaps.
Click to expand...

Anything with a duct (no split) is total garbage. Did some testing with one of those in a very well isolated house (just one room), with outside temps at 84 F. It didn't do crap.

The $500 window unit below would be much better. This one has a heater build in and 8,000 BTU would be a decent comprise that keeps the power consumption in check. The 6,000 BTU versions don't have a heater. You could get one of those and add a $50 space heater that would do much better right in-front of your feet since hot air goes up. Cutting a hole in a contain is no big deal. With the right saw its done in 15 min. Add some insulation, done.

1618972339741.png
 
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OnTheRoadAgain said:
Is the percentage the amount of sunlight that gets through or gets blocked? The website didn't make that distinction.
Thanks

Is it abrasive to paint finishes?
Click to expand...
The % is blocking. I am not sure about paint but i pull it over my fiberglass roof, painted hood and plastic fittings without (known) issue. Its pretty much just mylar and cotton/nylon/? netting.

I'd think its safe but you'd want to take same case as you would for a car cover.
 
The smallest I have seen is 6K BTU mini-splits and 33.1 is the highest SEER.

But I haven't been looking recently.

hvacdirect.com

6,000 BTU 33.1 SEER Wall Mounted Mitsubishi Mini-Split H2i Hyper Heat Single Zone Heat Pump - MZ-FS06NAH

Designed with enhanced efficiency and supreme comfort, the Mitsubishi MSZ-FS06NA / MUZ-FS06NAH single-zone mini-split is an ideal wall mounted unit to heat and cool a single room of your home or office. With its enhanced sensors and automatic intelligent controls, the MSZ-FS06NA / MUZ-FS06NAH is...
hvacdirect.com hvacdirect.com
 
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