Hi

A question to all you posh people who have had air con fitted to their cinema / bedrooms etc.

i have a 5 x 5 room (bedroom) and im considering a 12000btu air conditioning unit.

i know i can get a self install "easy fit" system for around £400 (dont know how easy they are to fit mind) or pay an installer £800 for them to instal one

Question - how much did you pay

wow - no one on here got AC?

[Bruce_]

I think you would be right that "posh" people have AC. Normal people, in the UK, don't have much need for it.

I've seen on eBay that you can buy split systems quite cheaply. The only problem is that you have to get someone to gas it, once it's installed. As far as I know, that will cost as much as the kit, simply because no-one wants to do the job. Refrigeration mechanics want to sell you a complete system, so getting just the gassing done will also cost you the profit they missed out on. So I think it's almost pointless getting a cheap system unless you have someone friendly to gas it for you.

I'd rather spend my money on AV kit rather than AC, and I suspect others here are much the same, hence the lack of response.

been reading around due to lack of response and founf that these new easy install kits are pre-gassed - its a question of mounting, plugging in and attaching leads to both units

the difficult part seems to be the drilling through the wall

[Manni]

I had AC installed last week (by a forum member - top bloke), very happy with unit (wife even likes colour)

The chaps were very helpful and I could not praise them highly enough

Happy to PM details if you like

[b4rge]

Hi Suzy,

If I may offer you some advise as an Airconditioning engineer, generally I would steer well clear of the diy option unless you are on a really tight budget.
There is a lot more to consider than just the price, Are you going to be able to get someone to fix the unit in the future if it fails, are spares available (which I very much doubt). What Refrigerant type the unit operates on, is it of the latest generation. What electrical rating is the system try and get a "A" rated system like you would if you were buying a washing machine because these are giong to be the day to day costs every time you switch the unit on.
How quiet is the unit both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, A Noisy outdoor unit will annoy the neighbours if its near to a neighbours property chugging away at night, unless its inverter controlled. And if you take any advise from this get a Inverter controlled unit these are very quiet, energy efficient state of the art units.

Also the diy option like the B&Q units have coiled fixed length pipes which means the outdoor unit can only go where the pipes reach,
is this acceptable do you want the outdoor unit to go there.
And as an engineer it would take as long to do a cheap install ( when i say cheap i mean the kit used and not a rough install) as it would to spec decent kit that should serve you good for many years to come, and should it ever fail
any good engineer will be able to get the parts and fix it.

Hope this helps, any questions please ask.

thanks B4rge. i think the installation one is still a aquick fit system, jsut installed by someone else.

manni - the name of the guy would be gopod, the problem i have is that most dont support or fit in my area (Gateshead)

im not to sure of the economies of scale but professional companies were charging between 1600 and 2000 when i got them out last year. ofr that price i can buy 4/5 quick fit systems and replace if they go wrong.

i need to check economy rating of them but all i have looked at use the new gas as per the 2006 regulations

[hornydragon]

A warning on cheap bedroom aircon dont do it they are loud and clunky spending the extra on quality units which are quieter is well worth it

[Mark Grant]

I would agree with B4rge and hornydragon about avoiding the cheapy DIY stuff from DIY superstores and ebay etc.

Noisy and not very efficient with no support if it needs repair etc.

Daikin are the best ( in my experience), almost silent and the most efficient.

£2000 was a fairly high quote Unless its a complicated install.

You can find Daikin installed for less than that for a room that size !

Mark.

Hi

i suspect the £1950 quote i got was due to me being persuaded to go for a side wall mount which required a smaller internal box. Personally i think £1600 is extortionate although i suspect they werent really interested as its only one room. the average price came down when i got interested in a multi room fit

[Manni]

Originally Posted by SuzyG

manni - the name of the guy would be gopod, the problem i have is that most dont support or fit in my area (Gateshead)

It was B4arg
It is a Daikin unit, very quiet, the wife is thinking about getting one for the bedroom!

[RockySpieler]

The AC installers can be real cowboys, you really need a recommendation. The units themselves are relatively cheap, even Daikin (Best Make....and I work for another manufacturer). It's the installation where the margins are, and some try to cut as many corners as possible......at the end of the day they are plummers/electricans/plasterers/and mechanics rolled into one.

Do not forget that you need an outdoor unit, sometimes planning permission is required, the outdoors can be nosiey, (newer units are better, as the inverter control can slow down the compressor speed and reduce noise, older units cycled on/off)

There is an explosion of Chinese produced AC units, some are re-builds (Joint Ventures) of major Japanese AC manufacturer's old kit. Other's are locally produced, they all work fairly well (some very well).

The major issue with the Chinese stuff is technical support, the newer R410A AC units are mainly inverter driven, with PMV control (ie complicated to fault find). If one does not work properly the Service Manuals, and control algorithms, let along replacement parts can be a nightmare.

As an installation option, most homeowners go for wall units, a quieter option is a large duct unit in a loft-space with duct inlet/outlet's to each room (you do lose individual room control).

If you want different rooms to have different control there are Mini multi-splits with 4 indoor units, but these are quite expensive.

Regarding Noise levels, if its a wall unit look for around 26dB at Low Fan speed.

The latest trend is for a total AC Heat-Pump, with the AC Outdoor unit being used to both Heat water for radiators and Hot-Water, and also provide Air-conditioner Cooling when needed. This approach gives very high COP (ratio electricity to Heat/Cool) moving from 4.0 to over 6 (1kw in / 6kW out) [Mitshbishi Heat Pump Boiler range].

Rocky - quite an interesting read thanks.

im going for a bderoom only install for now and having had a local guy out he has given me a couple of ideas for placement of the external box.

like most people, it boils down to cash. im looking at what i can sell to make the money

there are so many now but the local guys think they have a monopoly and are charging what i believe are stupid prices. They go on about them haveing mitsubishi motors etc and then when i do some research it seems like quite a feww of the less expensive units share similar "brand name" components.

Its a shame there isnt a what hifi or home cinema choice for these things!!!!

thanks to everyone - keep the replies coming - anyone wanting to make me an offer for professional install then let me know.

For now its back to reading and investigation!!!!

[meega]

Hi Suzy,
we had a 2 page thread on this kinda topic last year here:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showt...80#post3168280
must state we are still unswayed on a given model/type etc. even moreso as we are moving house this year.
check out here if you will http://www.airandwatercentre.com/
Daikin ones appear the form horse as mentioned & 'you gets what you pays' is true to some degree but heard of many a buyer of the cheaper models not complaining so the juries still out i guess?

thanks meega - the kristal looks an easy option. it says it needs to be on an external wall as the pipe comes out of the back. i believe i could mount it on a stud wall then push the cable through the back into the spare room and run it outside from there. i am trying to arrange a good offer on a daikin install at mo which i would prefer but they are rather expensive. i shall check out your thread

[Sheks]

Hi,

Been thinking about AC myself for some time.

This looks to be reasonable value:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DAIKIN-INVERTE...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyone in the know care to comment?

Sheks

[lupo]

Hi
I am getting air conditioning fitted at the end of the month. Not just one room but a whole bungalow!
I looked at a variety of ideas, wall mounted and ducted, in the end I decided on high velocity mini ducting
from Unico as it is the neatest option and it is supposed to be very quiet.
It is the most expensive system of course

you can find local installers. As you see I live in Berwick upon Tweed. Not that far away from you.

Kevin

[b4rge]

Originally Posted by Sheks

Hi,

Been thinking about AC myself for some time.

This looks to be reasonable value:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DAIKIN-INVERTE...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyone in the know care to comment?

Sheks

Sheks the guy on ebay is quoting £895 + vat which is £1051 installed, this is only for a 2kw heat pump are you sure this is going to be big enough for your application. Secondly does the guy come recommended because its all okay purchasing a decent make of kit if only to be let down by a rough install or worse a bodge job, like with any trade you get the very good to very poor "tradesmen" which unfortunately seem to target the domestic market and wouldn't get away within the industrial comercial market.
If you can go on recommendation, or be the first to try someone new, you never know he may be really good, as they say you pay your money you take you chance.

[acave]

http://www.lake-ref.demon.co.uk/

Anyone used these guys?

has anyone done one of these self installed "Easy fit" installs then.

just wondering if they are stupidly loud. or stupidly difficult?

got a video of how to install one and it looks straight forward

If i dont manage to get a 12000btu Daikin system installed by a pro for £1100 then i may be reduced to this (spend the change on £800 worth of ear plugs maybe?)

[KILLER NADS]

Hi Guys!

Now that im getting my bedroom put togather and my home cinema installed by the 25th april, I am looking to install air conditioning only in my bedroom!

Any recommendations? Needs to be as cheap as possible, i dont think i will be able to get a fitted install for under £500 Will i?

Therefore i think the best option would be to go for a portable air conditioner, are these decent? Do they actually work when its boiling hot out there? The one that ive seen is:

http://www.airandwatercentre.com/sto...uctdetails.htm

which looks ideal for the price!

Can someone please comment?!?!

thanks alot.

[Sheks]

Originally Posted by KILLER NADS

Therefore i think the best option would be to go for a portable air conditioner, are these decent? Do they actually work when its boiling hot out there?

Hi,

I have a portable air conditioner a 9000btu model. It does work and can keep the room nice and cool. BUT it is very noisy - I use mine in my media room - I don't think I could sleep in a room with it on.

Remember you also need to poke a vent tube out the window for the hot air to be exhausted.

I wouldn't be without the unit in high summer, but I am looking into fitting a proper "split" system at some point in the future - funds permitting.

Sheks

[KILLER NADS]

Originally Posted by Sheks

Hi,

I have a portable air conditioner a 9000btu model. It does work and can keep the room nice and cool. BUT it is very noisy - I use mine in my media room - I don't think I could sleep in a room with it on.

Remember you also need to poke a vent tube out the window for the hot air to be exhausted.

I wouldn't be without the unit in high summer, but I am looking into fitting a proper "split" system at some point in the future - funds permitting.

Sheks

thanks.

Any advice on the cheapest installation kits out there?

[Phil57]

Hi,
I installed a B&Q air-conditioning unit in my sitting room in 2005, it is a very easy DIY job (Two person job)
Bore a hole through an outside wall (B&Q sell an attachment for your drill costs about £15) Secure a metal plate to the inside wall, feed pipes-cable through the hole, hang the internal unit on the plate, secure the outside unit to a brackets on the outside wall, attach the connectors, plug into the mains and away it goes. (I have probably missed out one or two minor details)
Yes it is not the quietest air-conditioning unit going but but a saving from the figures being banded about in other posts tells you I am smiling.
The B&Q units have remote control, timer and can be used as heaters or for air circulation (fan!)
B&Q do a DVD that shows how it is done.

[Sheks]

Originally Posted by Phil57

Hi,
I installed a B&Q air-conditioning unit in my sitting room in 2005

Hi,

Seriously considering one of these systems myself. I have a couple of questions, which model did you get, how do you find the performance. Some web sites I have seen have not been very positive of the B&Q units - not sure if this is because they are worried about the competition.

Thanks

Sheks

[Sheks]

Originally Posted by KILLER NADS

thanks.

Any advice on the cheapest installation kits out there?

Truth be told - not too sure, still researching. The B&Q systems seem to be good value - but cannot confirm what the performance is like.

Sheks

[Phil57]

Performance of the B&Q unit I have is very good, I have no problems at all.
I have the 12000 btu unit.

[KILLER NADS]

how much was it?

Wats the cheapest at B&Q at the moment?

[Phil57]

It was (I think) about £550 but that was in 2005, I think it is still about the same price.

i looked at a similar system at the end of last year when the sale was on - was £375 in the sale - if you can wait