We move totally off grid in 6 to 9 months. Teach me about air conditioner options.

[timselectric]

I have two mini splits and the annual cleaning of the squirrel cage fan is a chore I absolutely dread! Thanks for the link to that product on Amazon...I really want to try that! I wish they would design one that has an access plate on the left you could open and perhaps pull the fan out as a cartridge or something.

That would be very handy, and a great selling point.

 

[RV10flyer]

So it looks like around 1000-1200W per ton is a good number for estimation purposes. My big central 14 SEER HVAC's are similar when I add the blower. You can do like I did and install a soft start on your PSC compressors and a disable switch on your 24vac circuit that energizes electric heaters. I also installed a switch in my defrost termination circuit on one of my hp's. Defrost is not necessary about 50% of the times I saw it going through. Defrost is very inefficient. You just need to monitor outdoor temps, humidity and a snow white coil with no warm up above 45F in the forecast.

 

[Supervstech]

Like return ducts never get dirty/filthy. LOL

I work on mobile AC systems, anything from tractors to cranes. Love crawlers and excavators, dirt hauling trucks. I make a pile of money every year washing out crud.

Every system requires maintenance, cleaning needs to be performed on a regular basis. Don't care if it's ducted or not.

I gotta disagree here.

With ducted, sure they can get dirty.
However, with ducted, you can install filter grills, and have completely clean coils, blowers, and ductwork.
Minis, ductless, have nothing better than the plastic screen to filter dirt. And a LOT gets through.

Cleaning is a way of life in Hvac, no doubt. But minis need a bag kit, and it’s near impossible to fully clean that crazy long blower cage… so KEEPING it clean is important.

 

[Sun_Dried_Toad]

when using the bag cleaning kit, can you just saturate the blower fan with evap coil cleaner to clean the dirt and other household airborne cooking grease and whatnot off of it?

 

[robby]

when using the bag cleaning kit, can you just saturate the blower fan with evap coil cleaner to clean the dirt and other household airborne cooking grease and whatnot off of it?

I don't know what chemicals people are using but I have used the Professional HVAC Acid stuff and it is really dangerous to work with. One drop got on my arm and I still have a spot from where it burned my skin. Some dripped on the floor and ate holes in the towels I had down there. If I wasn't wearing eye protection I would have been in serious problems. It makes the coil look like it's brand new but it's way to dangerous.
I also tried Arm & Hammer HVAC cleaner and that was crap. I tried Nubrite which was effective but also pretty strong and dangerous chemical. In the end I just settled on dumping in a 16oz bottle pure of Alcohol into the Gallon jug of water and a bit of dish washing soap and pumped up the spray bottle and it cleans the coils pretty good. It's not nearly as shiny and new looking as the Acid but it cools the room just as well as after the acid clean just without the new aluminum look. The main thing is that the dirt is gone from between the coils and on the fan blade and the unit smells fresh.

Anybody found a cleaner that does a good job without being able to burn through skin?

 

[Brett V]

I used to clean the coils on Bard wall mount units with scrubbing bubbles and a rinse off with a garden sprayer. Not the best option but these were radio tower sites and there wasn't any water available.

 

[RV10flyer]

In my business, we use

Nu-Calgon 4171-75.​

Available on Amazon individually or 6 pack.

 

[robby]

In my business, we use

Nu-Calgon 4171-75.​

Available on Amazon individually or 6 pack.

Is this stuff Acid or Alkaline based?

 

[RV10flyer]

Is this stuff Acid or Alkaline based?

It's an aerosol, leave-on, foaming coil cleaner. Very mild. Do not use those strong cleaners on any indoor coil. Yes, the strong ones will burn holes in flesh and cause skin cancer.

If you seal around perimeter with clear silicone and install a foam prefilter sprayed with filter spray, you will have much cleaner coils and blower wheels.

 

[robby]

It's an aerosol, leave-on, foaming coil cleaner. Very mild. Do not use those strong cleaners on any indoor coil. Yes, the strong ones will burn holes in flesh and cause skin cancer.

If you seal around perimeter with clear silicone and install a foam prefilter sprayed with filter spray, you all wil have much cleaner coils and blower wheels.

Just ordered two cans.
Thanks

 

[kromc5]

We had a 5 ton unit split system off grid. I changed it to a mrcool 3 ton, and 1.5ton mini for downstairs. The savings was 400kwh+ per month, the biggest impediment for our off grid was the electric water heater. Electric pulled 45 amps the hybrid is 4.12.

 

[Supervstech]

We had a 5 ton unit split system off grid. I changed it to a mrcool 3 ton, and 1.5ton mini for downstairs. The savings was 400kwh+ per month, the biggest impediment for our off grid was the electric water heater. Electric pulled 45 amps the hybrid is 4.12.

What the hell kind of electric water heater did you have before? The largest standard residential water heater pulls less than 23A… how did you have one pulling 45A? Or are you guessing since the water heater has two elements, you are adding up the amps with math?

 

[kromc5]

What the hell kind of electric water heater did you have before? The largest standard residential water heater pulls less than 23A… how did you have one pulling 45A? Or are you guessing since the water heater has two elements, you are adding up the amps with math?

That was with a clamp meter, plumb crazy how much it used, battery side was 89+ ams on the batrium.

 

[Supervstech]

That was with a clamp meter, plumb crazy how much it used, battery side was 89+ ams on the batrium.

It was broken then… sounds like the upper and lower element was misfired or a hermostat was broken…
Good thing you replaced it.

 

[kromc5]

It was broken then… sounds like the upper and lower element was misfired or a hermostat was broken…
Good thing you replaced it.

The amp draw made it near impossible to stay off grid due to our water usage. But I had no idea that was not the norm since it was my first time checking everything for amp draw.

 

[Supervstech]

The amp draw made it near impossible to stay off grid due to our water usage. But I had no idea that was not the norm since it was my first time checking everything for amp draw.

Yeah, standard electric water heaters are only supposed to energize one element at a time. Upper first, then lower… never both at the same time. Having both on was a fire hazard with normal 30A wiring…

 

[timselectric]

The math doesn't work, unless your battery voltage is 121v.

45a x 240v = 10,800w
10,800w ÷ 89a = 121v

 

[kromc5]

The math doesn't work, unless your battery voltage is 121v.

45a x 240v = 10,800w
10,800w ÷ 89a = 121v

The 89 amps I'm referring to was on the battery side. When I first started testing and the hvac was not on I was working hard to trace down what was pulling so much via the batrium.

 

[timselectric]

The 89 amps I'm referring to was on the battery side. When I first started testing and the hvac was not on I was working hard to trace down what was pulling so much via the batrium.

Yes, I know.
That's what my calculations are about.

 

[kromc5]

Yes, I know.
That's what my calculations are about.

The conversion is just at double to slightly over, whatever the appliance pulls just double it. At 11,600w give or take you will see 190amps on the battery side.