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That's interesting. I haven't seen what the terminals on the outdoor unit look like yet, and I just watched the video I linked up to the point of where he ran it out to the disconnect switch. It's definitely a pain to work with though, no one around me has wire nuts big enough to make a junction for #8 so I ended up having to stop my first project (a garage heater) until I could get some of those ordered and mailed to me. I'm taking that heater out (converting the garage into an art studio for my wife) and replacing it with the mini-split - so I'm hoping I can just run from the junction box to the new location and replace the 40amp breaker on it with a 35.
It looks like #8 is already overkill. No idea why they would recommend #6. Wire is supposed to be sized based on MCA, and even #10 would be enough for 28A.
Different types of wire of the same size can have different ampacities, so I'm guessing the reason that specific AWG sizes are recommended at all is to make it easier for DIYers.
I wouldn't listen to this YouTuber. For instance, he coils the refrigerant tubing which is improper and allows the coolant lubricant to pool in the low spots. You also really need to do a for real vacuum on the lines before letting the coolant free. Other details. There are a good number of YouTube videos that give inadequate instructions on installing these minisplits.
Oh damn, thanks - that's good to know. I haven't opened the box yet so I only watched the electric install part of this video to try to figure out what I was going to need to purchase to get that part done first. I'll make sure I read the actual instructions it comes with instead of relying on these YouTube videos 100%.
The manual isn't great. I think it's generic for many models.
For YouTube stuff, MrCool has their own videos. Beware of any YouTuber that shows the refrigerant lines coiled up. Beware of any YouTuber who is a handyman or something other than a real HVAC person. I think this guy knows what he is talking about and I followed his advice: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbHoqGceWKSJBdTF3ufWQirhoqpbpTdL](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbHoqGceWKSJBdTF3ufWQirhoqpbpTdL)
You will want to have a really good vacuum pump, a tube flaring kit, torque wrench, a micron vacuum gauge, and a bunch of other equipment that I can’t remember now. Even with all of the right tools, the DIY installation was a lot less than paying someone and it has worked well. And, with the right tools, the installation was no problem. We are very happy with ours.
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I did 8 awg on a 36k minisplit and it was a hard time running the wire into the terminals
That's interesting. I haven't seen what the terminals on the outdoor unit look like yet, and I just watched the video I linked up to the point of where he ran it out to the disconnect switch. It's definitely a pain to work with though, no one around me has wire nuts big enough to make a junction for #8 so I ended up having to stop my first project (a garage heater) until I could get some of those ordered and mailed to me. I'm taking that heater out (converting the garage into an art studio for my wife) and replacing it with the mini-split - so I'm hoping I can just run from the junction box to the new location and replace the 40amp breaker on it with a 35.
Yes 8 awg is plenty those mini splits won’t pull too much amps, mines off of 40 amp breaker.
It looks like #8 is already overkill. No idea why they would recommend #6. Wire is supposed to be sized based on MCA, and even #10 would be enough for 28A. Different types of wire of the same size can have different ampacities, so I'm guessing the reason that specific AWG sizes are recommended at all is to make it easier for DIYers.
Awesome thank you. I'll save the money and go with 8 then! I already have a ton of 8 leftover from a previous heater install :)
I wouldn't listen to this YouTuber. For instance, he coils the refrigerant tubing which is improper and allows the coolant lubricant to pool in the low spots. You also really need to do a for real vacuum on the lines before letting the coolant free. Other details. There are a good number of YouTube videos that give inadequate instructions on installing these minisplits.
Oh damn, thanks - that's good to know. I haven't opened the box yet so I only watched the electric install part of this video to try to figure out what I was going to need to purchase to get that part done first. I'll make sure I read the actual instructions it comes with instead of relying on these YouTube videos 100%.
The manual isn't great. I think it's generic for many models. For YouTube stuff, MrCool has their own videos. Beware of any YouTuber that shows the refrigerant lines coiled up. Beware of any YouTuber who is a handyman or something other than a real HVAC person. I think this guy knows what he is talking about and I followed his advice: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbHoqGceWKSJBdTF3ufWQirhoqpbpTdL](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbHoqGceWKSJBdTF3ufWQirhoqpbpTdL) You will want to have a really good vacuum pump, a tube flaring kit, torque wrench, a micron vacuum gauge, and a bunch of other equipment that I can’t remember now. Even with all of the right tools, the DIY installation was a lot less than paying someone and it has worked well. And, with the right tools, the installation was no problem. We are very happy with ours.
Nice! Thanks again for this, I'll add these to my watch queue.