I appreciate your real world honesty that you showed in this video.. Not everything goes according to the plan.

I think we DIY types learn a bit more by showing and explaining something that went wrong even when instructions say it's OK to do something different or out of the norm, which triggers me to look into it deeper. Great video to save for future reference. Thank you.

I am a union tech/installer , with 43 years of experience. . I have installed many different brands of mini-splits . There are many specific tools that make these installs much easier. These tools would be to cost prohibitive for a one time installation. 1. A mighty bracket ; hangs on metal wall bracket and supports the head unit during install. 2. Tubing benders ; used to make tight bends of line set with without kinking. 3. Flaring tool and tubing cutter; used to cut line set to proper length and flare the end of the line set at the condensing unit. 4. Mineral oil ; lightly used on the threads of the brass fittings, for a tighter connection without kinking. 5. Vacuum pump ; used to remove air and moisture from the line set. All that being said, I would recommend this install for a novice first timer.

Great job sir. I can appreciate someone who would give it a try. I am a diy'er at heart. I installed an 18000 btu unit in my 2 car garage. I ran power from box (220) up through top of garage out to a fuse box I installed. I Insulated above the garage with R19 bats and r9 panels on my garage door. Fabbed an aluminum stand to mount condenser unit about 1 foot off the ground. When i mounted the inside unit, I also ran the lines out the left side, but my unit had the lines that had some ribs made into them so to be able to bend the lines through the hole in the wall without kinking. It was tough though getting the 2 lines, the drain hose and the electrical through the plastic tube that was included. The unit did come with 25 feet lines which was crazy. My run from inside unit to the outside unit was only 12 feet. I did buy a tube flaring kit and a tube bender and cut the lines down. Flaring the ends was easy, It was bending the 1/2 inch line that was really tough. But I managed to get it done and connected. Connected a vacuum pump and sucked down the evap unit and lines. Let it set for an hour and checked the gauge for any drop off. All good. Opened both lines and ran unit. I am totally impressed with it, I live in Socal desert with summers of 120 degrees plus and can cool the garage to a comfortable 76 degrees all day long. Yes it was tough from beginning to end, but I saved myself a bunch of money and the gratification was well worth it.

Funny that you made the connection on the inside before mounting the head unit. I woulda been so pissed when I figured out I did that wrong. 🤣

VERY HELPFUL VIDEO!! i plan to install 2 of these in my small house. I will for sure need an electrician / HVAC person.

I’ve learned that when going out the left I remove the gray plastic corner in back of unit. It snaps out. Then cut a bit of an oval on inside hole with a drywall saw. Think football shape just a bit on inside hole. Then duct tape lines and pre bend the copper just beyond that mend. Also u can put a little splint on fragile areas. Definitely can’t force it at all as u found out. Anyway those ideas will help u next time.

Great that you explain your mistake, that should help others.

Thanks very much for the video. I am installing one of these shortly, and we learn from our mistakes ... or even better, from someone else's mistakes.

Always love when people are honest. Shut happens, keep it up!

Oh almost forgot. Love your assistant/supervisor Bob Barker!!!

Thank you for that video and the warning about the lines,that detail alone is worth a 10,who doesn’t screw up ? Everybody has,thankfully I don’t have anything in the way,I just got my unit but installation will have to wait,till fall.

Wow !! Sorry you had to go through this the hard way but thank you for sharing. Glad you were able to correct it. Getting ready to install one next week so these videos really help. Thank you !

Appreciate the honesty here, as I am thinking of installing a unit the same size as yours…..Thank you and nice job!

I'm only halfway done but I see two mistakes: 1) You are supposed to tape the condensate drain line to the lineset to keep it on the bottom of the bundle. 2) I would recommend placing the air handler BEFORE the outside unit (actually maybe you did this but it's not clear). That way you can make the final call on outside unit placement regarding lineset length.

Great video with install and what to watch out for. I need one of these in my garage now.

Good advice! I have only installed a few of these, but always put it where the pipes from,Evap go,straight out.

Thanks for posting this video! I need a 24k and would have probably done the same thing. Now I can avoid that mess. Thanks again!

Useful video, I also went out the left side, but, I went out the left side altogether. Definitely a thinker connection. Make sure you make as tight as possible otherwise you will have trouble snapping the unit to the mount. Also, ty hey say, move the drain to the side to exit. There is a plug. But doesn't go in as easy as it comes out. I used some silicone caulk to seal, and wouldn't you know, it went in with the added lubricant. Last words of wisdom. Go for the 4in lineset covers. So much harder to use 3in. And also use duct tape to gather the material together about every 6 inches.

Nice job and thanks so much for pointing out the problems you had by going with the less than desirable hole location through the wall. While these systems can work that way the safer and ideal way is for those connections to go through the wall and be on the outside. There is always the chance for future leaks at those connections which can be damaging to your building and harder for the guy you are hiring to find and fix the problem whether it is the drain not working or the system not working very well. If it leaks on the outside, less or no damage and easier and faster to find and repair for the technician.

Installed my first Mr. Cool back in 1921, will be installing another one next week…

Good man for showing the problems you had. I have installed dozens of ac splits over the years but never the pre charged lines like you had here. I can see the difficulty these chunky connections cause. You are right that you can exit left or right and I prefer the left side so if you ever need to access the drain connection etc, you can swing the bottom of the unit away from the wall enough. If you pipe out of the right and then drop straight down the wall the other side, the unit isn’t going to move an inch. I also often used to cut off the flare nut connections and braze the pipes together so eliminating any possible future leak in a difficult to reach place. Also it’s worth bending the the pipes with a pipe bender so they fit neatly through the wall.

my suggestion for diy installing mini-split system, pre-bend the tubings first using bending tool for both and inside and outside fittings before doing the connections. once the tubings are properly bent, insert them from outside so you only need to insert thru the hole a shorter length of the tubings, electrical wire, and drain hose. also cut the hole downward (45 degrees) from the inside part of the wall. you may want to order the tubings as short as possible to avoid coiling them.

You should install an overcurrent and light strikes protection like an ICM 493 - 30 amp .

Nice job!

Great video and respect for showing your goof ups. I know when I do stupid and run together different combinations of cuss words, I wouldn't want it filmed either. Enjoy the now cool shop.

Awesome video!

Good heads up. Thanks

there wasn't a vacuum in the line from the factory. It had refrigerant in it that was needed to keep the unit running at top efficiency. Line sets should not be shortened because they need to have enough volume to handle the whole charge. I would hope that the HVAC company that brazed the lines used a nitrogen purge while brazing. You do a good job on the video and I like your dog and I hope it keeps working for you.

Looks fine. Live and learn.

Love the Video and PUP!!! you guys look great together. lol

In areas of heavy use . Run the drain line as short and as straight down as possible. Ran mine in pvc with a trap in the end . Outside of the line cover for easy access. Clean and inspect units twice a year .

I have the exact same unit, and similarly had a lot of trouble with the lineset. Mine didn't snap off, but folded so the result was the same........call out the AC techs to cut, paste, and recharge the line.

Thanks brother

It’s a big difference

FYI, I have installed the 18k unit and even 12k on my friends house. The left side exit is for straight connection with the line set going through your house then to the outside, therefore no bends are made.

I always figured the next dog I’d get that I’d name Bob Barker.

Dam i feel you

Great video!!! Question, I picked up the same disconnect box, what size fuses did you use for each side of the poles??

Thanks for sharing... I was questioning that very thing myself! Also on a 24K head....

mr cool should should use a flexible copper tubing (similar that you can buy for water heater copper pipe) for the inside connection and to the outside unit. by doing so, it will avoid this type of bending problem.

On the first generation the lineset was hard plumbed to the air handler which as you know, makes it quite a bit harder to install by one person. They changed that.

I am just about buying a unit . I am trying fig best lay out to with and left side would be closer to outside wall . Is it possible you make hole larger so line would be easier push through the wall ? How long is that pipe line that hooks up to compressor? Need about 40 FT Good luck with it. Looks good and works. Nice job.

I've had my mr cool for a few years now. I've had to replace an air handler motor twice, and now have a low pressure warning meaning I've got a leak somewhere...

No wall insulation when you put in the tube?

Good points of view here. I need one for a sunroom I'm closing in and doing most myself, but, by the time you pay an electrician ( if you have to ) and a heat and air guy after the fact? I'd rather spend 15-2000 for the unit and wiring, and save the money, but calling the a/c guy after I f----d it up, that had to hurt. It's hard enough to find a/c guy eager in the first place nowadays.

Nice dog!

What is diameter size of the liquid tight conduit need you happen you use? Thanks

Working on the same project, same size unit but different brand. The question I have is on placement of the indoor unit ... if you are working at the table shown in the video ... how is the effect of the "wind" blowing directly on you? Where I would like to put my unit is either in over my milling machine or over my toolbox with main workbench directly out from that (spend a lot of time standing between toolbox & workbench ... and a bit of time at my mill). I could go on side wall ... but it would be in the corner and I would have the left side exit. :-)

I wish you had showed the contractors setup when he recharged the line set

one more question. on you lineset cover, did you use normal screws (like the ones that came with the lineset cover) or did you use a specialty stucco screw? you are the first you tuber i've seen that did this on a stucco wall which is what I am about to do.

Did you discuss the line set stiffness with Mr. Cool? If yes, what did they have to say?

I'm getting the 24,000 BTU for my tractor trailer and a suggestion

I named my dog Bob Barker too!

Great job. What is the size of your garage? Mine is 24x36 and I have a full upstairs with an office. I'm wondering if this thing can heat the upstairs too! I don't need the a/c upstairs as I have a very good window unit there for any really hot days. And, my garage has 11 foot ceilings... Thanks for your anticipated response.

I wonder on the left side would a right angle fitting have been lined up with the hole in the wall?

Thats not solder, thats brazing, you couldn't have done this either, you made the right choice by calling the ac guy.

I'm looking to do similar 600 sq ft Can I get one mounted on inside wall? How to drain? I am at an Airbnb and there is a head unit mounted on inside wall. The drain is what I wondered.

What gauge wiring and breaker for the 240V circuit? Stranded or solid conductors?

What happens when you release the coolant and it pressurizes the whole line? Wont the pressure be super low after and have poor performance? You should have an HVAC guy come and top you up.

I got an ad for mrcool before this video

What did the pros charge you?

It is a year later now. How does it work? Happy with it?

How does the heat work? I am thinking of installing one, but I am nervous about the heat keeping up

Definitely paying the puppy tax sir...well done :)

Where did you get the pvc track?

how is the unit holding up ? what size garage do you have?

Or run the line set straight down inside the drywall then pop outside at the bottom of the house. Looks better from the outside and still invisible outside.

how was the hole saw through the stucco?

Easy way to put line through hole in wall is… put short section already attached to inside unit through the wall.. then outside connect the rest of the lines outside.

Note to those watching this before their own install: the 3.5" hole was drilled on the wrong side. The cardboard template shows the correct placement (on the right). That way the bend isn't made near the connection.

Do you have an issue with the angle of the louver (the piece that swings up and down to let air flow) when using Cool mode vs Heat mode? On my MRCOOL, when I'm in Cool mode, the louver stops about half-way down and swings back up. In heat mode, the louver swings all the way down, parallel to the wall, and swings back up, only stopping half-way, and swinging back down again. Do you have this issue or is this expected functionality?

Unfortunately your system is now undercharged. You need to ask Mr Cool how much refrigerant was in the lines and inside unit. It's probably 3-6 oz low on charge and the only way to fix that is to recover all refrigerant, vacuum down the entire system, and recharge to the spec on the outside unit + the amount for the lines and inside unit.

Connecting behind unit always turns out being a disaster. Always try to go out through the wall.

For anyone out there watching this before installing One of these, the 9K BTU units have the exact same problem! You cannot run the lines that come attached to the unit on the left hand side.

If your dog is Bob Baker, then shouldn't your show tune be the theme from The Price is Right?

He was not soddering he was brazing the line

Fuses???

We want the footage !! Also, you should've titled this video DIY FAIL!! it would get you more views!

I was surprised your "pro HVAC" installer left the quick connect fittings on the outdoor unit. But I see one problem was the line set has a corrugated pipe surface to make it less likely for a DIY to kink it. That inhibits cutting it off and installing the normal flare fitting. The right thing to do was to replace the line set large tubing with correct non corrugated soft drawn copper. Those quick connect style fittings go back to Westinghouse Hi-Re-Li heat pump systems back in the late 1970s, as the idea was to enable any contractor to install them. Sadly they never worked in the cold where I grew up in North Dakota, as they dropped off heat collecting ability around +5F (where 100% electric heat was needed as the COP dropped off to 1). That's still an issue even today with air source heatpumps.

..GJ..It doesn't half to centered..your just just Crazy..

The design of the indoor unit connection is just flawed. I had similar issues, except I wasn't going thru an exterior wall, so needed the lines to be hidden in the wall of the house. That connection has to be checked after you pressurize the system. But you cannot because it is inside the wall. On your install going out the left side causes the same issue. Also regarding line size, the right exit is difficult because they already bent a 90° in the tubes for compact packaging and for left side installs. You have to straighten that bend, and the tubing isn't annealed anymore. Then down the road if there is ever a problem you have to remove the unit from the wall to get to the connections. But that means you have to disconnect the lines outside and pull them back to get enough to pull them out of the wall. It's a bad design and all of them are made that way. They should pass the connections thru the back to the front side of the unit and do that under the front cover. Then you can check the connections after install, and you could replace the indoor unit without re-pulling the lines. In my case I ran the lines thru a now finished ceiling. The only way to replace the indoor unit is to cut holes in the wall.

Something to keep in mind when doing this job yourself. He mentioned the lines come pre vacuumed which may be correct, but when you remove the seal to connect the line set to the unit you lose any vacuum you had. This means you still need to pull a vacuum on the system before releasing the refrigerant from the condenser. It will work if you skip this step, but you’re starting off on the wrong foot with moisture and non-condensables in the system. Great video though. Source: I’m an hvac contractor.

What was the SEER number?

Why didnt you go out the right side?

Wish you would've included the footage of when the line broke. Sounds like it would've made great "blooper footage" with a little editing to bleep out the cuss words.

Should have left that line set off until unit mounted.

Although still unacceptable, I could see the problems with left exit for the lines with cheaper off-brand units. But, that is absolutely unacceptable for the DIY from Mr. Cool. Nice video, though.

You had a a hard time feeding the lines because you added the insulation

Its not solder its braze with silflux. Way hotter and harder.

Looking to do a left side hole. Can I stool do it?

You shouldn’t oversize the unit for the area you need to cool off. If the unit is too big it won’t run long enough to extract all the moisture from the air and result in mold problems.

A/c guy screwed you also. Since he was there he could’ve properly 90’d it and still kept the unit where you originally wanted it js

"the wife", c'mon dude, I cannot imagine your wife likes to be referred to as that.

thanks for showing mistakes it's not easy i know.

Maybe just hire someone to do something they are highly trained to do. If (or when with these units) there is a warranty issue the professional contractor will fix it. And it’ll be under a warranty.

i just buy window unit and make big wall mount hole for windows unit...than making no fuss with line sets when i realize, it was huge problem in my situation ..there is no guarantee mini split gonna last through 10 years when window unit already lasted beyond 15 years in my experience ...i seen a lot of split systems go out after 2 years of life span...its never wise to replace entire hvac with this tech for entire house , it be bad luck for homeowner that a central was more cheaper and reliable to your home for long long long time than new mini split system have no clue how long is gonna last in the back of everyone mind...the line sets are not solder in and very rigid with dependence by embedded flare nut , even newer expensive ones is not all 100% flare proof designed from other units that people have to vacuum the connections...any moister build up it just really make big mess in evaporator

Those units don't holdup they like a microwave tearup throw away by new 1.

Told me nothing was a waste of my time

I hate the Mr. Cool DIY, just pay a professional to start with and get a high quality unit and Installation.