# Air conditioning - installing from scratch



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We've decided that as we aren't getting any younger and hot spells like last week are likely to become more frequent, we are going to install air-conditioning.

We've found a system that will run four interior wall units off one external box, which will go on the roof. It will heat the rooms in winter as well as cool them in summer, and shouldn't trip our existing potencia as we will never use more than two at a time.

Has anyone here done something similar? How long did the installation take? Any advice or problems to watch out for?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> We've decided that as we aren't getting any younger and hot spells like last week are likely to become more frequent, we are going to install air-conditioning.
> 
> We've found a system that will run four interior wall units off one external box, which will go on the roof. It will heat the rooms in winter as well as cool them in summer, and shouldn't trip our existing potencia as we will never use more than two at a time.
> 
> Has anyone here done something similar? How long did the installation take? Any advice or problems to watch out for?


Are you planning on doing the work yourselves or getting somebody to do it for you?

If the former it is a case of how long is a piece of string. 

If the latter, get the suppliers of the equipment to do the work. We have individual units and have always got the local electrical shop to "supply and fit." The job (individual units) normally take just about 1½ - 2 hours and has the advantage that if a unit doesn't work or fails to perform as it should, they replace it instantly with no hassle.

I'm not sure if the system you are proposing is a good idea since if the one outside unit goes on the blink, you have lost everything whereas with individual units, you can temporarily move to another room.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

If you can afford it go for two separate systems. As Baldi says, if one goes wrong you still have the other. Check the suggested running costs. Modern systems should only cost around 8 cents an hour to run for both cold and hot air.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I should add that because of the ever increasing heat we were definitely going to have at least one installed this year but we definitely didn't.... Maybe next year, or even better winter when the cost of installation drops dramatically...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Whatever you choose, make sure the pipes that come out of the wall and into the outside part have a U form rather than a ∩ otherwise when it rains the water landing on the pipes runs back into the wall causing a damp wall and staining.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> We've decided that as we aren't getting any younger and hot spells like last week are likely to become more frequent, we are going to install air-conditioning.
> 
> We've found a system that will run four interior wall units off one external box, which will go on the roof. It will heat the rooms in winter as well as cool them in summer, and shouldn't trip our existing potencia as we will never use more than two at a time.
> 
> Has anyone here done something similar? How long did the installation take? Any advice or problems to watch out for?


These systems are very popular in Australia and I know of no-one who has had problems with them (most of my friends have had them for years and would not go back to separate units - even though supply and install of a centralised system is more expensive). You do, of course, need to ensure the system is properly installed - as has been pointed out. In Oz most people opt for installers licensed by the manufacturers - don't know if that's an option in Spain.


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

For the past 10 years we have had an integrated air con system downstairs, which subsequently broke down this year and was so costly to repair that we changed to individual units. In my view the difference is significant, perhaps because the units are more modern, but the advantages of having individual units, that seem to cool the room quicker and seem to quiet in comparison to the integrated system.

The ability to just cool a bedroom in the evening, or the living room must surely be more cost effective (we havent received an electric bill since having the new system installed).

As others have mentioned, whilst we had a large initial expense, hopefully in the long term, we can replace individual units as and when required.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Modern integrated systems do allow you to choose which room(s) to cool/heat (remotely at that) and are as quiet as modern individual units.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Thanks for all your comments. We're getting them from Leroy Merlin and using their licensed installers. We did that with our bathroom and they were very good and reliable.

Because the external unit will be on the roof, it will be easier to repair or replace than if it were hung on the wall. The one we are looking at is apparently very quiet.

It also means we won't need planning permission; this would have been a problem because you can't apply for a permiso without a quote, the quote is only valid for 30 days, and there is a two-month wait for the ayuntamiento to give its permission. Aaargh!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Chica22 said:


> For the past 10 years we have had an integrated air con system downstairs, which subsequently broke down this year and was so costly to repair that we changed to individual units. In my view the difference is significant, perhaps because the units are more modern, but the advantages of having individual units, that seem to cool the room quicker and seem to quiet in comparison to the integrated system.
> 
> The ability to just cool a bedroom in the evening, or the living room must surely be more cost effective (we havent received an electric bill since having the new system installed).
> 
> As others have mentioned, whilst we had a large initial expense, hopefully in the long term, we can replace individual units as and when required.


You can use the interior units individually, they don't all have to be on. It's just that they are all connected to a single exterior unit rather than having one each.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

thrax said:


> I should add that because of the ever increasing heat we were definitely going to have at least one installed this year but we definitely didn't.... Maybe next year, or even better winter when the cost of installation drops dramatically...


We've done that every year - till five consecutive days of 40+ temperatures left us like limp rags!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

It's done! The house is transformed!! It took five men all day Thursday and two yesterday morning to install it (and clean up the mess). Total cost for installation was about €600. 

All the units have separate timers and their own settings, the only thing you can't do is have one on hot and the other on cold (though why would you). No need to increase our potencia either, 4.7kW is fine even with them all on.

So if anyone is still dithering, I'd say go for it. You'll wonder why you ever put up with sweaty sleepless nights.


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## MalagaMike (Aug 16, 2017)

Enjoy we have had something similar fitted ....you really will appreciate the difference


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Thanks for all your comments. We're getting them from Leroy Merlin and using their licensed installers. We did that with our bathroom and they were very good and reliable.
> 
> Because the external unit will be on the roof, it will be easier to repair or replace than if it were hung on the wall. The one we are looking at is apparently very quiet.
> 
> It also means we won't need planning permission; this would have been a problem because you can't apply for a permiso without a quote, the quote is only valid for 30 days, and there is a two-month wait for the ayuntamiento to give its permission. Aaargh!


Be careful, some professional installers will only install units that they supply. The basic reason is that they can't give a warranty on equipment that they haven't supplied.

We decided to run 5 internal units from 2 external ones. We chose panasonic inverters as they are about the best on the market. The whole installation took less than a day.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Be careful, some professional installers will only install units that they supply. The basic reason is that they can't give a warranty on equipment that they haven't supplied.
> 
> We decided to run 5 internal units from 2 external ones. We chose panasonic inverters as they are about the best on the market. The whole installation took less than a day.


The work's finished!


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