As promised - here are some pics that I have on my phone of the Mini Split Install -
Here is the outside compressor unit being test fit in the bay -
The bay with the flooring before the walls went in -
The compressor installed, hookin up the electrical and need to clean up the electrical and copper lines -
Closeup of the vibration isolators. The isalators kept the footing 3/8" above the flooring. I bought a cheap rubber welcome mat to fit under the footing and it worked nicely -
The wooden brackets I cut to hold up the facing plate for the inside evaporators - If I did it again I would weld brackets but i was short on time and resources so I made them from wood. The evaporator is very lightweight maybe 15 pounds so heavy duty is not really needed -
Bottom facing mounted to the brackets -
The copper lines pulled through the dash to the front of the bus. There might be a slightly better way to do this but the 25' length of copper I had was just enough and this was the best route I could find that didn't involve adding additional length to the lines. Next bus I am running all the lines when I am down to the frame. Again - Remember that I am short on time and trying to get this done rather quickly so we can get on the road
The 1st evaporator test fit. I plan on eventually cutting in his & hers glove boxes in the space on either side of the evaporator.
Same pic a little further back. Those copper lines are now wrapped and look much nicer. I just don't have an updated picture of it. Will take a video later when I get home next week some time.
The bracket mounted and being test fit. The brackets are real light weight. Again the evaps are only about 15 pounds or so. Very lightweight.
A test fit of the evap over the fridge that services the bedroom areas -
A closeup of the insulated lines, electrical and drain being wrapped together -
Lines getting wrapped behind the refrigerator area -
AC tech hooking up the vaccuum -
A closeup of the connected lines -
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I put a loop in the lines that go to the sleeping area to help absorb the shock. I'd have liked to have put a loop in the lines going to the front but there was not enough line left to do so and they have a little wiggle room, definitely not pulled tight.
I'm looking for ideas on:
1. how best to run lines and what location
2. how best to mount the indoor unit
3. any other suggestions...pics as well.
Uemjg - Different buses will have options on where to best runthe lines. I ran the lines along the rest of the runs in the bus to the front and pulled them under the drivers area through where the spare tire is and up through the dash from underneath. That seemed like the only way I could do it with the 25' lines I had. If I had more time I would have pulled them section by setcion and sweated them together. Definitely easier when you have everything pulled apart which I did not.
Indoor unit is simple to mount. Just make sure you have enough clearance for airflow. Above and below. See manufacturer specs for dims.
I paid 1800 for a 2 zone unit with (2) 12k btu inside evaps. Because the manufacturer sent me mismatched outside and inside units that seemingly don't work together, they reimbursed my 1800 and now I have a system for free that is installed and would work fine if the evaps would communicate correctly with the condensor outside. According to the manufacturer it won't happen. Maybe if I could figure out a way to make it happen it would all be worth it
It cost me 300$ for the AC tech to come spend 3 hours hooking all the lines up, testing for leaks and pulling a vaccum and then troubleshooting why it wouldn't work.
-Sean