Can we install a ductless mini-split .....in addition to our Trane heat pump


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Old 11-30-22, 10:55 AM
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Can we install a ductless mini-split .....in addition to our Trane heat pump

A 1993, 2100 sq ft home with a vaulted living room ceiling (can't close it off). 3Bed, 2Ba. Our 2010 Trane 4TWX6036E1000AA was professionally sized and installed by Trane contractor. Works OK......but far away bedroom is usually cold. A space heater helps.....but to keep DW happy.....can a mini-split be installed in BR ? Probably some serious electrical upgrade is necessary. Not sure. No contractors over yet, just noodling this out.
Any comments will be appreciated.

Sorry about "splition" Can't edit to correct.
 
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Old 11-30-22, 11:38 AM
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A mini split is not much different from a room A/C and they are usually installed through the wall vs a window.

You mention needing the heat, what about A/C?
 
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Old 11-30-22, 01:24 PM
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Sorry about "splition" Can't edit to correct
I edited it for you.
 
YaddaYadda voted this post useful.
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Old 11-30-22, 01:44 PM
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I would first look at the ducting. Is that far room getting proper airflow? If there are dampers in the system maybe they need adjusting or added. You could also consider a duct booster fan.

Another thing is that warm air can't be blown into the room if the cold air can't get back to the furnace's intake. A closed door can kill heat/AC performance by not letting air get back to the furnace. Try keeping the door open and see if that helps. If it does cutting a inch or two off the bottom of the door can help or install a vent in the wall connecting the room to the hall for the air to return.
 
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Old 11-30-22, 02:28 PM
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Marq1......AC works fine.

Pilot D.....When we moved in, DW wanted the bed moved.....to a location over a floor vent. So, it was capped off and new floor installed. Later on...a larger duct was installed to the OTHER existing floor vent to compensate. There is an inch or more under the door now....and the door is sometimes kept open.

Even tho new install in 2010 was engineered....the existing, single air return in the hallway seems inadequate...to me. It houses a 20x25x1 filter and air flow down the hall... sounds noisy. Dampers are open.

Warm air right now coming in is 91 degrees and it is 47 degrees outside. 2 stage compressor is on stage 1. Coils are off.

So.....it might come down to additional ducting into the bedroom and another floor vent......or another air return.....or space heater....or mini-split. Or is there another possibility out there ?
 
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Old 12-06-22, 07:44 AM
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Pilot D was on the right path. The air return in the hall ceiling was noisy....not mechanical....like air whooshing by. I took the 3M MPR 1000 out....and it was dirty and slightly bowed inward. Sorry to say it was in service since 12 October 22. I had noticed the air return noise for a month and was going to get to it....eventually.

Replaced with a 3M MPR 600. The bedroom warmed up quickly. Made a note in my desk calendar to check out each 30 days. THANKS Pilot D.
 
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Old 12-21-22, 06:12 AM
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Me again......Air return in hall way is NOISY. The new 3M MPR 600 has been in 2 weeks. Looking from underneath I can see it is bowed upward. Unit runs for 20 minutes and is off for 5. It is 30-40 degrees outside for the last 2 weeks and stat is set for 73 degrees at night and gets bumped up to 76-77 during the day. Air out of floor registers is around 80 to 100+ degrees, depending on stat setting and compressor stage 1, 2..... or heat coils

I have been using the thin 4 x 12 floor register dust filters and they do get brownish after 6 months, but not black. I am thinking the 20x25x1 hallway filters do not fit all that well. I have fiddled with the metal tabs that keep it in place but maybe it is not right. Too tight, too loose ? And why does it bow upward ? I lowered the fan speed from 100% to 50%. Noise is a bit better...but still LOUD. Still bowed upward.

Stat says air FLOW is 70% even tho fan speed is 50%. Some techs have mentioned that a single air return is not enough for our 2300 sq.ft. house ??

I took out all the 4 x 12 register filters. Hallway noise is down 10-20%.....but filter still bowed as before.

Any ideas, please ?
 

Last edited by YaddaYadda; 12-21-22 at 08:46 AM.
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Old 12-22-22, 09:02 AM
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A handyman pal is coming today. Am going to run heat pump and check air return noise....with NO filter. Next with a cheapo Home Depot AAF/Flanders EZ Flow (4 pack for $6.00)...... and than a H/Depot Rheem FPR4 (3 for $12) And finally the newer 3M MPR 600 now installed.

Will let him fiddle with the hold down tabs in the air return frame...... to see if noise goes down as new filters go in.

 
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Old 12-22-22, 12:30 PM
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OK.....No filter, no noise. Cheapo from H/D, no noise. Rheem FPR4, no noise. Did not reinstall the 3M MPR 600 as it was dirty and bowed upward. Tried the Aerostar Nova MERV 8, 80% noise reduction. Lastly, installed 3M Filtrete 1000 (probably MERV 11), 70% noise reduction, no upward bowing.

Probably I had let the filters in for too long. ( 2 months for the MPR 1000) and not sure why the MPR 600, which was in for only 2 weeks was so noisy and bowed. ?

So, to end my thesicle for today......I will keep my eyes out for bowing.....and ears out for noise and report back later.
 
 

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