DIY Mini Split Install: Mr. Cool, Multi Zone System. 

Forgot to mention, my second channel is Farmcraft102. This was a great addition to my shop. Installation was definitely easier than expected. My only critiques are that I wish the base was easier (maybe I should have looked into getting the wall bracket), and that I wish they sold a reasonably priced pre-filter for my dusty shop environment. Minor critiques, the base wasn't that bad, and I'll just build a pre-filter box. Have an awesome weekend everybody!

"I don't always trowel concrete, but when I do, I wear Crocs and pajama pants." ~ Jon

Oh that teaser at the end! Also, Dozer is getting big!

A note for anyone subject to code compliance, or expecting to be in the near future - officially, you need a disconnect and outlet within a few feet of the outside unit. Generally people use conduit or romex through the wall into the back of the disconnect, and then an "appliance whip" from the disconnect into the compressor. Not a safety issue per se, I believe it's so that anyone servicing it can be confident that power is off. Also, good call-out on testing for leaks in heat mode - the pressures overall are higher in that case, IIRC.

The hammer drill joke was good 😂

Like a right of passage. Every RU-vid channel needs a Mr Cool commercial and another for those damn battery/inverter units. Glad to get this out of the way on this channel.

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

For the benefit of other viewers when drilling joists always use the middle third, not the top or bottom thirds as this zone carries less stress than the other two.

An issue you may run into by running 4 tons of cooling in such a small space is humidity. You probably don't have a lot of humidity there, unlike here on the gulf coast, but if you cool it down too fast what you'll do is go from 10% humidity to like 80% very quickly because the system won't have time to suck out all the moisture. You might end up with mold growth.

I used to come for the seals. Now I'm all about the goats!

Haha we used to say “there is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix “. All the best - good job!

You might consider putting the external electrical wire in conduit. The environment you live has a lot of critters that will think anything soft is food. Nice installation, it will make time in the shop much more enjoyable. KOKO!

John. Most (all I've seen/installed as an hvac mechanic) of those split systems indoor units have cutouts for the lines to come out the side or bottom so they can be mounted to a wall without needing standoffs.

OMG the excavator teaser at the end!!!!! John is the man

Wrap the white wire with red tape. 240 volt circuits should be red/black. Someone unfamiliar could confuse it with a 120 volt. I know, doesn’t make sense but I have seen it happen many times. 😊

Having your own sawmill means you have the nicest looking form boards ever!

I’m a big fan of the mini-splits, I bought a different brand offered local to my state with a multizone setup combined with the old central hvac. My HVAC was not keeping the house cool during the summer months very well, but the cheapest price I was offered for replacement/repair was double the kit cost for mini-split. So I bought the kit and installed the ceiling cassette style in the ceiling of the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom myself over a week after work. That was 8 years ago that I installed those and the system still works perfectly. I did have to vacuum out the lines with my DIY kit, but was able to rent a a/c pump and gauge kit from auto parts store. I set the mini-split to my main temp temperature and the old HVAC to a few degrees above and it rarely ever comes on to aid the mini-split. I can’t remember the last time I heard the old hvac come on.

Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but Jay Bates had a good video on making a pre-filter for his unit in his wood shop. Great video!

The most exciting part of my work day is watching your videos!

“Alright. We’re done here. I need to find something else to work on now.” 😂 pay no attention to this foreshadowing lol. Excellent video as always!

I installed one of these in my old single level home as it was not plumbed for Central Air. I have nothing but positive things to say about it. I had the 18k btu unit for a home just over 900sq ft and for the 6 years I lived there it kept the house very comfortable all winter and summer. I worked from home the entire time and ran it basically 24/7 and my elec bills were always at or below the average for those in similarly sized homes around me. I would 100% buy one of these again if the circumstances warranted.

Mr. Cool - THAT'S HOW YOU SELL UNITS! This was one of Jon's best single videos so far. Sorry, my favorites are still the multi-part series... but what a great way to showcase the ease of your product's installation... and that trick with the pre-charged lines is AMAZING.

Subtlety and sarcasm are 2 of the reasons i watch this channel. also...the occasional Metal outtro is kinda cool🤘

Never knew I needed Norwegian goats until today.

John. Love the show and your low key style of delivery. After watching your AC project I thought you might get some flash rusting on your machines with that much cooling. I use a product called Dry Coat Rust Preventative. Just spray it on the steel surfaces and it dries fast to a clear coat. Stops rusting 100% , or as you say “ a good seal” . JC

That teaser at the end was perfect!

Ok John you did a great job. So lets look at a few things that are the basics of heating cooling units no matter the system you are using. You have to have a disconnect at the outdoor unit. Code required. Your breaker location can't be seen from the unit. The next thing, the vertical loops in the line set at the outdoor units. They are oil traps and huge. The compressor pumps refrigerant as well it's oil. Your frig and freezer and house a/c do the same thing. You get a leak and the compressor keeps pumping but now doesn't have what it needs for oil return. Guess where the oil is. In those big loops. Locked up compressor with no oil. You willing to chance it. There is not a gallon of oil in the compressor. In Hvac world maybe less than 16 oz.

Thanks for taking us along on this one. oh and masterful set up for the "next" project.

At this point, if you haven't put "Don't Worry, It's Only Temporary" on any of the stuff you sell, you're missing out!

You are one of three RU-vid’s that I watch that I check the thumbs up before I even start the video Hammer drill ha ha ha lol

OMG, that mini roll trick for tape is going to be a LIFE SAVER! Alright, that's hyperbole, but it's a really cool trick that I've never seen in my 45 years on earth.

Thanks for another great video Jon. I am an all rounder like yourself and I enjoy learning from your posts. Some tips regarding concrete plinths. Tapping the formwork early with a hammer helps get rid of air bubbles and improves the finish off the form. Instead of gravel you could have used higher formwork placed directly on the ground with some blocks or bricks inside to reduce the concrete volume required. A day where you don't learn something is a day wasted IMO.

I installed a 18K do it yourself Mr.Cool mini split last summer. Has worked great and installing it wasn’t too bad. Heats and cools perfect. I built a unistrut bracket for the condenser to sit on, to keep it off the ground about 2 feet. Also I bought a plastic cover kit to conceal all the lines on the outside of the house.

You're the third RU-vidr to install heat pumps. I have seen 🐿️

Your work ethics and knowledge make EVERY project look easy

Enjoyed the “aging wheels” style time-lapse.

Dozer didn’t hike his leg on your install, so you did great!

Love John’s videos. He’s a hard worker, very widely talented and interesting to watch/listen to.

Mini roll of electrical tape!!! Genius!! Thank you!!!

in 1980 when I built my house, I ordered a complete precharged 5 ton split unit from Sears. Not really a typical DIY, but doable with a little duct and electrical knowledge.

I forgot it was Friday until I saw John's video!

I've had my mr cool for over a year and I couldn't be more happy. I went with the 36000 btu system and was able to install it by myself over a couple of days.

You should have a disconnect outside behind the condenser unit. Use sealtight between the condensor and the disconect to prevent rodents from shortening their teeth on the conductors.

Those little goats are beyond precious

I love my MrCool unit! Easy to install, super efficient! 2 years running with no problems! Just make sure you clean it every once in a while.

John. Don’t get beating yourself up about how you mounted that main unit. You did a great Job. I knew an old couple who got paid a great deal of money getting one of these things installed, one time and they didn’t do any better than a few rough old house bricks as a base. The guy who did the fitting didn’t rip them off either. Had one hell of a new Tesla though, all the same.

Hammer drill… I love it. You’re cooling problem upstairs. I wonder if it could be a problem with “heat compression“, that is where an attic space heats to the point where it progressively produces radiant heat through the ceiling and heats the space below. Improved convective ventilation, or forced ventilation could possibly relieve some of the excess heat. It’s no fun trying to read a tape measure with sweat running in your eyes.

Thanks for taking us through the mini-split installation. It'll be helpful in the future when I help my sister install one in her house. Glad to see it worked out so well. Cheers from Oregon, Philip

Contractor wanted 18,000 dollars to do this same type of system in house ,yea screw that im looking into doing this instead , thanks for the information !

I never realise how long I watch this channel. From the era of canon and giant wood Lockpad. At that time I was learning english, and still not good with gramatics kkkkk

I installed a mini split in my barn and looked at the Mr Cool DIY option. You pay a lot for the special pre charged lines. An Amazon bought vacuum pump was a little over $100. So I did with less expensive mini split. You need the vacuum to take the air out of the lines. The coolant is in the compressor and you just turn a valve after to release it into the line set. It’s been working for almost a year.

Man, Dozer got big! Thank you for another video!

Been thinking about getting a heat pump for my shop once I have it finished ... This kinda sold me on Mr Cool.

Love your content. You explain everything so even a dunce like me can understand. Thank you

I very much love your channel and content. Been watching for years. This project was a piece of cake when compared to fixing the mechanics on the heavy equipment (tele handler, bulldozer, etc) …. and you’re right that concrete slab “isn’t going anywhere”. Most ac contractors would have considered those concrete block you had as over kill.

John as always well done and it’s fun to watch and your sense of humor is impeccable

John. I absolutely love it ,”hammer drill “ lmao

Splendid job John I installed a much smaller system many years ago and it is still working well I was quoted £1300 and so a unit was advertised @ £250 plus £20 for the Trunking for the line so you took the right decision for DIY job as I did.

I'm impressed by MrCool. Looks relatively easy to install and high quality.

Don’t know what the humidity is like in your neck of the woods. The only problem I see with running 4 tons of air in that small space you could have what they call flash cooling. It’ll be cool, but leave the humidity behind something to look out for. Keep on. Keeping on.

Dedication and down-to-earth approach make you a favorite. Congrats!

Once again, I am learning every time I watch your videos. Thank you for the great ones the mini electrical roll lifesaver.

Great job You obviously have numerous skill levels.

Great video, anyone could follow you and install their own unit. You’re a great teacher .

Not a single seal got split in half, great video man!😂

Dear Jon - please don´t push yourself to hard to get us video content every week! Last Video you saw it yourself - getting hurt by the woodstump cause you didn´t wear gloves to protect your hands! And where did it come from? When people are stressed or tired they become careless! Love all your content , doesn´t matter if 101,102 - or guncraft , but you should also find the time to rest a little bit and enjoy your life - What I´m trying to say is that it won´t hurt anybody to wait a week or two more for a video where we can find you healthy and entertain us with your incredible talents - Best Farmer on the planet

49:28 - The mini electrical tape roll on the socket.... Brilliant. ty.

I would caution you to pay very close attention to your condensate water lines running from the indoor units to the outside. They are the biggest cause of trouble with these units, from my experience. The lines are small, and the ribbed texture collects water and encourages algae growth, clogging the lines. Especially if the unit doesn't run consistently (like your wood shop), you should consider an inspection or cleaning for algae to be a regular maintenance item.

Nice job Jon. BTW, Freon is R-12. Those units don’t use R-12. Just saying “refrigerant” is more accurate 😉.

No drama! Wow! Nice job!

John, this was very informative. We are considering a mini-split system for the second floor of our house. This video will help me determine our requirements, even though we're having an HVAC tech do the work. Excellent. Much appreciated.

Coming along nicely Jon The Conduit covers Look really clean 32:55 @FarmCraft101

Thank you Mr. Cool Good for you John I'm excited for ya.

We had a mini-split installed in our garage and our FROG, which is where i spend most of my time. The one in the FROG is on the wall with the atic on the other side. (I had the HVAC guys do the install.) They ran the refrig, electric and drain lines out the exterior wall and down the outside wall. In our case, we don't have a roof to worry about the lines going through, so we don't need to worry about leaks. They did a good job of sealing the holes in the walls. Yeah, we paid $12k for about a 3-4 ton unit with install. The original one was a Samsung, which seemed to work very nicely, was very efficient and had tight thermostat control. Until it didn't. We had a new, less-expensice HVAC company by then, and they worked hard to repair it. Unfortunately, they replaced every single board on the unit , but it still wouldn't work. They had to call Samsung in Japan and discuss the troubleshooting each time. I suppose there was something lost in translation. And apparently they'd had similar poblems with other units of the same brand. To make a long story shorter, they ended up replacing the entire system, basically at cost 9f the system. In orher words, they did the install for free. It took several guys 2 days to pull out the old one and put in the new one. This time, they used a Motsubishi, which they've have better luck maintain8ng. Now, years later, it still works, but the temp control isn't as tight. Good luck with your system!

Cool...Mr. Cool...Mini split... not forced. Love these things. Even an energy rebate in my area.

Jon, you are the guru on top of the mountain!!

FC101, looks like a professional job installing the Mr. Cool System.. will keep ur butt cool in the summer and warm in the winter. great job..

The Nigerian Dwarf Goats are ao adorable Jon to cute 12:46 @FarmCraft101

What a great video, loved the in-depth look at installing this machine.

Hey John. This is Jason watching from Toronto. Long time viewer. Just wanted to say love the channel and the humor. Don't change a thing. Also just subscribed to your 2nd channel. Thanx again for the great content

I think you did a great installation Jon great video thanks

I was just looking at DIY installs of mini splits yesterday before pulling the trigger on buying one! Good timing.

Looks like a great product, thank you !

Thank you Jon for another great one!

You always make a very professional job of whatever you do,great video !

You will definitely like the mini split over the window units. I've installed a three of these (one under the supervision of an HVAC tech and two myself). You will want to keep an eye on the filter, generally you want to clean them every 30 days, more often in a shop. If it ever feels like it's not working as well as it did, it's probably the filter. You will want to keep the condenser clean as well, I generally hose them off with just plain water ever spring. There are cleaning chemicals (for both indoor and outdoor) but I've heard it's best to avoid those unless it's absolutely necessary (things are really dirty). The indoor unit on the mini split is a great place for mold to grow, you'll want to keep an eye on that. You can get inhibitor sprays and some units you can get a UV light (I've never tried one). The line set isn't charged with refrigerant, it would have a vacuum pulled on them. When you install a traditional mini split you connect the line set purge and leak test with nitrogen and then pull a vacuum on it. The best way to run these units (for efficiency) is to set the temp and just let them run. Granted in your downstairs shop you would not want to do this because you'd just be heating/cooling outside. Your best bet (for efficiency) in that case is to insulate the shop. Heat pumps don't do well in the "only turn it on when I need it scenario." In your upstairs shop (which is insulated?) I'd set the temp and let it run. You can use auto mode to go from heating/cooling as needed but I just switch that manually in my shop, for heating I set it at 68 and leave it be. For cooling, I set it at 72 and leave it. It's more efficient (for a heat pump) to get the space to a set temp and maintain that temp then try to take a space that's 80 and bring it down to 72. If I'm going to be gone for a bit I will bump the temps to 65 (heating) and 75 (cooling). The coil of excess line set is the number one reason I don't like these units. Fine on a shop I suppose it's ok but it's generally makes for an ugly install (in my opinion). When I installed the two most recent units, my HVAC guy flaked out on my so I broke down and bought all the tools needed to do the install. It was ~$1,000 worth of tools but since it was a traditional unit I could trim the line set to just the right length. Plus I have to tools if I need to install another one, or do a repair.

This was a great video! I've always wanted to install one of these systems, but was a little unsure. Your video makes it super easy to do! I'm going to order one! Thanks!

Condenser Drainage may benefit from a Gravel pit receptacle... Nicely Done, Thx for sharing.

As always - pure gold. I wish I already had this before I installed my own.

Good Job Jon.

The Dream Collab, Farmcraft and Technology Connections talking about Heat Pumps!

I have recently had a bad time with Mr. Cool trying to get customer service to help me with broken units. In the past they were decent with repair and diagnostic help but in the last few months they have dodged phone calls and emails and generally been worthless. That being said, the units are cheap, easy to install, and decent for the price

Very interesting! Also I did not know that the heat pump can cool and heat!!!

Great minisplit video. I have them throughout my house. Put up the video of when you make an air filter for the shop minisplit, I have one in my shop and need to do the same thing. Thanks neighbor.

Nice job John. Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to "quick and easy" excavator repairs. Interesting that you can do these installs DIY, in most of Europe you need to be certified. It adds cost but saves the environment from DIY klutzes.

Thanks Jon, helps a lot.

Jon, Thanks for the install and review video. Of course I would have made the same (probably more) mistakes, but you conquered the beast! That really is a nice system and (as you said) very well engineered. I’m thinking about getting one for my garage and would record it if Mr. Cool would like to help me out as I’m retired military and on a tight budget! Anyway, They really do seem to be nice units and well thought out. A neighbor of mine was asking what I would recommend for his garage and I told him to check out the Mr. Cool. He’s not very mecanically inclined, so I offered to help him if he does…haha. These Mr. Cool Units are another wonderful innovation that was invented and has becime popular during ny lifetime. Big Congratulations to them and to you Jon for getting one for your shops!

I wish so bad I was your next door neighbor. I would gladly volunteer to just follow you around learning as the day goes. RU-vid is the next best thing. You’re a genius!

31:21 Glad I'm not the only one that says "No leaky leaky!" lol, I work maintenance at a condo, so I say it quite often.