Community Forums

Kim A. · 06-19-2021, 10:29 AM

Good morning. Curious to any mini split installers out there if anyone has installed a ceiling cassette in the place of their ac units. I'ld lke this option to work but am thinking about the drain lines from the ceiling cassettes and how to handle them. Also my husband is concerned about bathroom heating and cooling wondering how best to handle that. I figured we could leave the bedroom door open as opposed to having an air handler in there he's not so sure. We have a 40' 5th wheel with 2 roof top ACs. I was planning on mounting the compressor off the back and running our line sets up the back and a cross the top to the ceiling mounted air handlers. Any experience or thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

glennwest · 06-19-2021, 04:28 PM

Well, we have removed the rv acs and replaced with mini splits. We do have 1 ceiling cassette in bedroom. No wall to put a wall unit on that could be used. The cassettes have a pump in them and shoots water where you want it it go. I just ran line to roof and let it run down to gutters like normal. You could follow your ac lines with drain line. Algae can build in them and I just prefer to let it run on roof. No algae to bother me. It will shoot water on you though if you happen to be there when pump comes on. lol. Mine is a square unit but recently some manufacturers have started making narrow longer units to fit between studs. I had to cut a rafter. I advise to get the narrow unit if you do. Simpler. They are taller that roof so a skylight top to seal off works great. I just boxed mine in with wood and sealed it. A friend of mine done theirs with cassettes and ran ac lines down factory ac ducts. Came out behind cabinets and down back wall and through floor to get outside to unit. I ran mine down roof on top and encased in ac covers for this. They are inexpensive and look nice. The coming out at floor looks best if you have a way to hide lines. In hind sight I should have ran mine in the factory ducts. We are 40' with 2 12k units. We can get it cold as we want. Previous was 2 15k Dometics and they barely kept it cool in mid 90's humid heat. Our power bill was cut noticeably and it is so quiet in here now. We will be going all solar later and this was part of the process.

Kim A. · 06-20-2021, 07:15 PM

Thanks! So glad to hear it worked for you.

I was thinking of running along roof and down back using the cover pieces and tuck behind the ladder. Was it difficult to enlarge opening at roof for the cassette. Do you think the narrower ceiling cassettes would have been a better or easier to fit? I think the square ones would look nicer in our rv.

On the pump for the drain line did you need to make a hole in the cover? I also read somewhere that the top of the cassette should be insulated. Did you insulate yours.

How is the bathroom cooled? Do you need to keep bathroom door open?? We also have 40'. Thanks again for the info!

Kim A. · 06-20-2021, 07:23 PM

Glenn, do you have any thoughts about the ducted air handlers in an rv?

glennwest · 06-20-2021, 07:37 PM

roof is hottest area in an rv. Anything to do with cooling and ducts is in the worst place in an rv. On my cassette the drain and freon lines come out above the roof line. So easy to run with lines. Just ran inside the covers and made a hole and exited the drain hose on the roof. Our wall unit has a long drain hose on it and it is gravity feed. Algae will grow in it. I put vinegar in it regularly to prevent this. No problem with the cassette. Air circulation is not a problem if that is why you asking about air handler. Just a note, this is the best upgrade we have made. We are so much more comfortable. And yes, enlarging the hole was a job. I would research the narrower units. Be much simpler. NO boxing in rafters due to cutting them out. Lengthening would not be a problem. This was not an option when I done ours.

Kim A. · 06-20-2021, 08:27 PM

Thanks again. I look into the longer units instead for ease of install.

Gray01 · 06-20-2021, 08:37 PM

Glenn,

Do you have photos of your installation, and also, what brands and models are you referring to when you mention "some manufacturers have started making narrow longer units to fit between studs"?

Thank you

MarvinG · 06-20-2021, 08:50 PM

Is the ceiling cassette as quiet as the wall-mounted unit? I’m quite familiar with the wall-mounted but never heard the noise output of a cassette unit.

I too would like to see pictures of your install.

glennwest · 06-20-2021, 10:06 PM

Yes they are just as quite. Actually distribute air better. Blows air in 4 directions. I have my outside units on back of my Teton that I built. There are lots of installs on rvs on youtube. I have the Pioneer unit but they don't make the narrow unit last time I looked. Mitsubishi I know makes a unit that fits between 16" studs. Maybe others.

glennwest · 06-20-2021, 10:24 PM

I can't post pics on here

MarvinG · 06-21-2021, 05:58 AM

As to what to do for the bathroom, one option is to install a small whisper fan with grill in the wall between bathroom and rest of the area. Such a fan with grills can be rigged up or you can purchase one, designed for the purpose that is sized to go between studs. Depth might be an issue on the ready made one. Either way, you could put the fan on a manual switch or a thermostat.

Kim A. · 06-21-2021, 07:32 AM

So far the only rectangle unit i found was a mitsubishi model. However I'm hesitant as the compressor looks to be a hot start vs a slow start I am also leaning on the pioneer units for the ceiling cassette square ones. Still looking for other brands I'm wondering if we take the bottom off our existing unit if we can measure our distance between rafters. I think I read somewhere most are 14" which would require us to still need to rework the rafters.

Thanks again for the great information

Kim A. · 06-21-2021, 07:41 AM

Not installed yet, planning on ordering soon. Quick question on the whisper fan. Is it to blow the air from an inside wall? Not familiar with them and when I looked them up most at least the ones I looked at said to install on outside wall

glennwest · 06-21-2021, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim A.

So far the only rectangle unit i found was a mitsubishi model. However I'm hesitant as the compressor looks to be a hot start vs a slow start I am also leaning on the pioneer units for the ceiling cassette square ones. Still looking for other brands I'm wondering if we take the bottom off our existing unit if we can measure our distance between rafters. I think I read somewhere most are 14" which would require us to still need to rework the rafters.

Thanks again for the great information

All mini splits pull low amps. They is no large draw on startup. Now if you pull in and it is hot inside it will pull max but that is less than half a dometic pulls. As temp approaches the thermostat setting it pulls less until thermostat satisfied and then 3-4 amps.