Air Con Installation Confusion & Frustration

[Alex P Keaton]

Everyone is telling me different things and I am sooooo confused

All I want to do is put a godam air con in my unit

My unit is #9 up the far end of the building complex on the top floor. The mains switchboard is next to #1 about 15 or 20 metres away.

Sorry for starting this new thread but im getting kinda desperate here.


Rick Hart
Guy says I would need to get a quote to see how much it would cost to install the air con, cos my unit is quite a distance from the main metre board. I have tried to make a time but no luck with that.

Harvey Norman
Guy says some 3.5 kw can be run directly off my own units powerboard but some need to be run off the main switchboard. Mitsub starting current is 5 and maximum running current is 6.5 for the 3.5 kw inverter. Is this amps?

Retravision
Guy says all the brands except for Fujitsu and Samsung have to be installed via the mains switchboard. I was thinking of getting Fujitsu because it can be run directly from my unit meaning it costs less to install cos it doesnt have to be connected back to the mains board. But how do I know I can trust this guy. Does anyone know is that correct with Fujitsu. Its the plasma inverter 3500 watts cooling 4800 watts heating 15 amp plug

The Good Guys
Guy says that the man at retravision doesnt know what he's talking about he is a salesperson and that they all have to go back to the mains switchboard. He showed me a samsung 10 amp inverter that could be plugged in just into normal socket and doesnt need costly instal. I'm now wandering how many amps i have in my unit. Oh yeah and he also said are the units walls joined. I said yes. He said that you wouldn't be able to install back to the mains switchboard anyway cos you cant go through all the other units in the building with the piping.


I am so confused I dont know what the h*** to do now. I feel no one has helped me, im just more confused than ever. I'm even thinking of getting an inverter just for the bedroom, at least then I'll know the installation isnt gonna cost me an arm and a leg and I can end my frustrations. Harvey Norman have a free installation deal going for standard instal $ 1099.

arrggh why does this have to be soooo hard

Perhaps I should just get one for the bedroom.

 

[Nards]

Hey Kim,

How about just calling an aircon installer direct? A salesman will tell you anything, but hopefully the actual installer will be able to give you the answers you need...Are you planing on using the stores installer or getting someone to install it for you (unrelated to the store you buy it from...)

Nadia

 

[Alex P Keaton]

hiya

I have even tried that too. Rung a few and they dont seem to care. Dont want to come out and help. Maybe ive just been unlucky or ringing the wrong organisations, like ford and doonan


I think i'll just get a small one for the bedroom.

 

[tez]

How big is the unit? If its a one bedder, a 5ish kw unit should be enough to coll the living and bedroom reasonably. I'd be looking in the local paper and getting someone to come out and quote it.

 

[handyandy]

I would think that you should have a seperate power supply even for the 10amp system (certainly for the 15amp systems).

Your unit will have outside walls and no doubt a balcony (sometimes not). The install should be to this area with the unit located on or about the balcony.

The new power cable is installed through the roof in that a cable is taken up to the roof and then dropped in the brick cavity down to your unit. As you have a top floor unit this makes the drop from the roof so much easier.

Just as a side note have you taken up the government insulation offer? I would certainly do this before installing the aircon.

Cheers

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Just as a side note have you taken up the government insulation offer? I would certainly do this before installing the aircon.

Yep im taking up the insulation offer

hmmm I'm thinking maybe I'll leave the air con until next summer. Most of the other units dont have it. I'm sure the insulation will help a bit.

If I wait and install it next summer then I can get a deduction cant i and then have a reason to charge more per week.

 

[Rooster]

Everyone is telling me different things and I am sooooo confused

All I want to do is put a godam air con in my unit

My unit is #9 up the far end of the building complex on the top floor. The mains switchboard is next to #1 about 15 or 20 metres away.

Sorry for starting this new thread but im getting kinda desperate here.


Rick Hart
Guy says I would need to get a quote to see how much it would cost to install the air con, cos my unit is quite a distance from the main metre board. I have tried to make a time but no luck with that.

Harvey Norman
Guy says some 3.5 kw can be run directly off my own units powerboard but some need to be run off the main switchboard. Mitsub starting current is 5 and maximum running current is 6.5 for the 3.5 kw inverter. Is this amps?

Retravision
Guy says all the brands except for Fujitsu and Samsung have to be installed via the mains switchboard. I was thinking of getting Fujitsu because it can be run directly from my unit meaning it costs less to install cos it doesnt have to be connected back to the mains board. But how do I know I can trust this guy. Does anyone know is that correct with Fujitsu. Its the plasma inverter 3500 watts cooling 4800 watts heating 15 amp plug

The Good Guys
Guy says that the man at retravision doesnt know what he's talking about he is a salesperson and that they all have to go back to the mains switchboard. He showed me a samsung 10 amp inverter that could be plugged in just into normal socket and doesnt need costly instal. I'm now wandering how many amps i have in my unit. Oh yeah and he also said are the units walls joined. I said yes. He said that you wouldn't be able to install back to the mains switchboard anyway cos you cant go through all the other units in the building with the piping.


I am so confused I dont know what the h*** to do now. I feel no one has helped me, im just more confused than ever. I'm even thinking of getting an inverter just for the bedroom, at least then I'll know the installation isnt gonna cost me an arm and a leg and I can end my frustrations. Harvey Norman have a free installation deal going for standard instal $ 1099.

arrggh why does this have to be soooo hard

Perhaps I should just get one for the bedroom.

Firstly, as has been said before, listening to sales guys is no good.

I'd suggest that you measure the area that you want to cool and then use one of the online calculators for what size aircon you require. Like this - http://www.air-conditioning.com.au/air_calc.html

Here goes -

In some cases inverter aicons can just be plugged straight into your standard power point because they draw minimal amps. eg: 6.5 amps for a 3.5kW. Your standard power circuit can carry 10 amps so you can squeeze the aircon into your power circuit as long as your total power usage on that circuit doesn't go over 10 amps.

Doing things this way means that a new circuit does not have to be run from the main switchboard and thus saves on cable, a new circuit breaker and the man hours involved in installing this.


If you were to install either a larger size aircon (kW), which would draw a greater amount of amps, or an aircon that is not an inverter then you would require a designated circuit installed just for that aircon system.

This is where your costs are increased significantly because of the extra materials and man power required.

So basically

1- Measure the room to be cooled and calculate what size unit is required.

2- Try again to get more quotes for the installation of the aircon from a aircon/refrigeration company. They will ask what size you are planning to install and based on this will be able to tell you whether you require a new circuit or can get away with plugging it into an existing power circuit. They may also recommend your best option and possible brands that they will/will not install.

3- Armed with that you are now able to return to the sales people and tell them what you want.

4- Get the aircon installed!!

Hope all that helps

Cheers

Rooster

 

[units4me]

In the event that you have to go back to the switchboard with a dedicated circuit, you only need to go back to the switchboard in your individual unit, not the main switchboard (meter location) at the front of the complex. If sufficient capacity is not available at your individual board, then a current limiting breaker/main switch can be installed, 25A, 32A, 40A etc, depending on the size of the main you are protecting. Get an installer to check your site before buying an AC though.

 

[marg4000]

FIRSTLY apply to the body corporate for permission.
Don't run the risk of having to rip out an unapproved alteration.
Marg

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[Rob Williams]

FIRSTLY apply to the body corporate for permission.
Don't run the risk of having to rip out an unapproved alteration.
Marg

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission

 

[marg4000]

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission

Tell that to the owner in a complex where we owned a unit.
He had to remove his new air conditioning system as he had installed it without permission and in contravention to by-laws.
Then he had to pay to "make good" the damage to the exterior walls.
Marg

 

[yadreamin]

Kim5
ring synergy. They are very helpful with this type of query. I also ring Alinta Gas when l want to install a gas appliance as there is different gas flows in each area and you need to mach the flow with the appliance.
cheers
yadreamin

 

[James Allen]

There is no simple answer that a sales man can give you without all the info.

Yes some units that draw less than 10 amps can be run on a existing power circut, but you have to consider what else is being run on them.

If your unit is drawing 7.5 amps and you only have two or even one power circut's (being a older unit this is likely) you need to consider what else is being run on that same circut. Ad in a plasma, fridge and a few other appliances and chances are you will keep tripping the breaker. Your tenants will then complain.

As you don't know what your tenants will run off these circuts, the safest way to install A/C in all rental properties is to run it on its own circut. The problem with this is if your fuse box is external to the unit, the body corp can sometimes object to conduit being run on the walls to carry the new cables.

Best way to tell if it's possible is to talk to a pro and if other people have A/C in your complex, chances are thats it's possible.

I think your mistake is that you are talking to retail chains, go and get some onsite quotes from air conditioning companies.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Best way to tell if it's possible is to talk to a pro and if other people have A/C in your complex, chances are thats it's possible.

I think your mistake is that you are talking to retail chains, go and get some onsite quotes from air conditioning companies.

Found out the other day the name of the electrican that installed an air con into one of the units in the complex. Anyway I think I will wait till next summer, probably next november. The insulation will do for now.

Thanks for your help, I will refer back to these threads later on next year.