# Heating and cooling for my new (hopefully) shop



## alloy (May 12, 2018)

I've made an offer on a place with a really nice shop.  The shop is 1632 square feet and insulated.  The previous owner restored classic cars there.

It's in Silverlake, WA and it gets pretty cold in the winter and hot in the summer.  It's right on the lake and it's windy I'm told.  There is no heat source in the shop now and I've been looking into a mini split system. Mrcool has one that is precharged and a total DIY install.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-...r-and-Heat-Pump-230V-DIY-36-HP-230A/207075124


I'm going to have a mini split system put in the house and will get a $1500 rebate from the power company for that, but not one for the shop unfortunately.

Has anyone had experience heating and cooling their shop with a mini split system?


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## cg285 (May 12, 2018)

i have a 1125 sq ft build-out in my shop with 1 outside unit and 2 inside mini splits. they work fantastic.
	

		
			
		

		
	




	

		
			
		

		
	
 there are 2 because it is divided into work area and office


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## Ray C (May 12, 2018)

Can't say I have experience with a system like that but, a few people in my area have purchased them for additions to their homes.  One of my neighbors has had it for about 3 years.  No problems that I'm aware of.    I know one other fellow who installed one in his 40' insulated truck/trailer shop.  This was his first winter with it.  He said it was fine.

How high are your ceilings?  Off the top of my head, I think you might need at least a couple units.

Ray


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## alloy (May 13, 2018)

Ceilings are high, high enough for a 2 post lift.  I think they are called vaulted.  Everything is very well insulated.  

I was looking at a single 34.4k unit.  That's around $2500.  After making the down payment that's about all I'll have for this.  And just don't have enough amps to run two units.


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## hman (May 13, 2018)

About the only disadvantage I've seen with mini-splits is that the indoor unit is pretty small.  It may not do a great job circulating the "conditioned" air throughout a large space.  But that's easily remedied with a large fan or two.  I just had a mini-split installed in an "Arizona room" that was fully enclosed by the previous owner.  No way to bring ducts from the main heating/cooling system.  The mini (Mitsubishi, 8000 BTU) works very nicely - and QUIET!!!


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## alloy (May 13, 2018)

Ideally it would be nice to enclose a smaller space for my machines and heat that, but knowing me having such a big space I'll find things to fill it up and there goes my smaller enclosed space.

I've been reading about different systems and most seem to be  made in china as are most things now days.  I'm concerned about reliability and longevity.  I'd hate to have to replace the unit in a couple of years in the middle of winter.  But on the other hand I hate to pay $1000 for an install that takes 3 hours.  The Mrcool unit is set up for self install, others need a pro installation.  I don't have a choice on the house, I need a pro install if I want the rebate from the PUD, but I do have a choice on the shop.


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## mattthemuppet2 (May 13, 2018)

Are home AC systems that different from car AC systems? If not, then a vacuum pump and set of gauges from HF for $150 or less will get the system vacuumed down and filled. It's pretty simple. I had a look at that MrCool DIY set up and it's quite a bit more expensive and less efficient (going by amp draw per tonne) than similar systems on Amazon. I'm not sure if that's enough to swing it one way or another for you, but don't let the vacuuming/ filling process put you off other systems.


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## alloy (May 13, 2018)

I've found this 

http://www.thermospace.com/ductless_split/T116S-H236_36000_btu_ductless_air_conditioner.php 

It's less and it says it's precharged.  But no reviews anywhere on it.  I really don't want to do this again in a few months.


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## Cobra (May 13, 2018)

I am envious.  Where we are on the east coast of Canada my 1500 sq ft garage has two 75000 btu natural gas overhead heaters.


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## hman (May 13, 2018)

I had my mini-split professionally installed, watched the process.  Part of the "professional installation" involved running new 220 volt service (inside new conduit from about 60 feet away).  The unit was pre-charged.  But the installers had to cut the freon tubes to length, make the initial connections, then evacuate them with a pump for about ½ hour.  Once that was done, they opened up a pair of "hidden" valves at the outdoor unit, to fill the tubes and indoor unit with the pre-charge.  The Home Depot unit looks like it has special fittings on the freon lines, so they remain sealed until connected.  And I'd guess they can't be cut to length.  What you get is what you have to use.

Installation on mine was very reasonable.


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## cg285 (May 14, 2018)

alloy said:


> And just don't have enough amps to run two units.



i have 2 evaporators, one compressor/condenser. the whole system runs on a 20@ breaker


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## Bob Korves (May 14, 2018)

You can get them with pre-charged hoses of any length you want.  That makes owner installation quite possible, subject to local laws...  If you can install a machine tool, you can install a mini split.


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## Bamban (May 15, 2018)

alloy said:


> I've made an offer on a place with a really nice shop.  The shop is 1632 square feet and insulated.  The previous owner restored classic cars there.
> 
> It's in Silverlake, WA and it gets pretty cold in the winter and hot in the summer.  It's right on the lake and it's windy I'm told.  There is no heat source in the shop now and I've been looking into a mini split system. Mrcool has one that is precharged and a total DIY install.
> 
> ...




Not heating a shop. When I was an expat in China for 4 years, my wife and I lived in a 3 level 3500 square foot corporate  apartment. The place had these units in every room. Where we were it froze by November sometimes through  March, then the summer is in the 90s with real high humidity. These units kept us comfortable throughout the years and never once we had any problem with any of the units. The timeframe was 2000-2004. The apartment was a year old when we moved in. My guess the splits were 1998 vintage, all made in China, the units they are exporting now should at least be as reliable as the ones we had, if not better.

Ours ran 24 hours.


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