AC for a very small room

chrisgeary

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Is it possible to buy a really small, silent mini split (or possibly ducted) for a 3.3 x 2.6m room? I currently have a Daikin FXTS25k installed and its way too powerful for the room. I guess I'm looking for something that is around 5000btu with inverter so it can run even lower than that.

For evening movie watching during the summer months, even with the Daikin on whisper fan mode, 22c set point (at which point its consuming 140w of power which is as low as it will go), the room gets cold quickly, then it turns off the compressor so we get loads of humidity. I'm currently using a Tado Smart AC to do the temperature regulation which avoids the humidity dumping. Even during the heat of the recent warm days, whisper fan mode is enough to keep the room cool with it running constantly.

I can't seem to find any split systems lower than 9000btu. Anyone know of a super small quiet split system that might fit my small room needs?
 
My new Daikin is probably as you say a bit too big for my room very small cinema room.

I don't know exactly how yours is set up or know your model - but the newer units don't run the fan all the time when the compressor is shut off. If yours isn't configured like that there is usually a jumper you can cut to prevent the fan running all the time. My old unit in my attic had the fan running all the time and as you say that just pumps humidity back into the room once it shuts the compressor down.

Be interested to know if you find anything. I wonder myself if there is some way to knobble the units so it doesn't have quite as much cooling power. If it was a car you could cover half the radiator, for example.
 
Funny you should say that @jfinnie but I went through the service manual earlier today and found the JB jumper - cut it, and now the fan shuts off with the compressor. Much better :)

I've also just installed a ceiling fan so I can set the AC set point much higher than before. Now the AC seems to cut in as needed, no more humidity and there is always a nice gentle breeze in the room. I think the oversized AC is a non-issue now but we'll see over the coming days.

Thanks also @PsyVision :)
 
I should have probably taken advantage when I was dropping the idea of using the Mitsubishi unit (which was a 2.5kw/9000btu minimum) to go for the smaller Emura, but didn't...

The Emura does at least shut the fan off shortly after stopping the compressor. It does run for a little while. During the compressor off, slow running the air has a slightly "sweet" smell to it.

I do wonder what the difference is between the different size units and what you'd have to do to knobble a unit's capacity.
 
You can get 7000btu units, I don't know all the lingo etc to know if they're the "right" tech/thing but:

Daikin FTXJ20MS 2kW Silver Emura Wall Mounted Inverter 240V~50Hz
It's not clear that the smaller headline capacity is actually of any benefit here; would be great if any AC engineers knew.

Reason being that the 2.5kW Emura FTXJ R32 unit has a lower minimum cooling capacity than the 2.0 (implying it can be set to cool less than the smaller unit). How odd is that. And the previous R410 FTXG Emura (that I have) has the same minimum cooling capacity for 2kW vs 2.5kW.

Clear as mud.
 
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I only have experience of my own Daikin and it operates near silently on the lowest fan setting. The air noise is so low you can hear the refrigerant moving around. Fujitsu's units are also pretty quiet also, if the specs are to be believed.
 
What would you guys recommend for my cinema room?

I'm looking for something that will suffice for a 4x6m room. Quiet operation is perhaps the main thing I'm looking for. Wifi/app/home automation control is a huge plus too.

The Emura's look like good bits of kit. The other I had looked at was Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning MSZ-EF25VE ZEN 2.5Kw 9000Btu Inverter Heat Pump Wall Mounted A 240V 50Hz
I really like the Emura, and if the data is to be believed the 2.5kW looks versatile. Worth taking advice I guess on sizing it for your room.

Watch with the Mitsubishi units that they are super-glossy which might be an issue depending on placement. Wifi box for Daikin cost me £40 which is negligible in the general scheme of things, but I think they're including it in some of the units these days.
 
What does the wifi box do for you?
 
What does the wifi box do for you?
There is a Daikin phone app that acts as a proper 2 way remote which is nice; as the IR remotes get out of sync if you use another remote too (like I do, a Harmony for quick AC preset selection). Plus it supports IFTTT for automation (not tried it yet). Remote app works both via local wifi and internet if you log your unit into Daikin's web service.

Not sure app can control all the various fan modes but it is pretty close. Has a couple of nice touches like it reports / modifies the the set point, and also reports both the measured indoor and measured outdoor temperature (at least on my unit).

The app allows you to aggregate a few units into a system, which I'm hoping to do if I can find a module for my older attic aircon unit.
 
App screenshot:
Screenshot_20180712-202020.png
 

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