A DIY mini-split installation can look flawless on paper and still leave a homeowner with warm air and a lot of frustration.
One Reddit poster learned the hard way after a newly installed MrCool 24k unit "started right up" but failed to cool or heat.
Here's what to know
According to the user's Reddit post in r/hvacadvice, the MrCool 24k DIY unit showed no obvious installation problem: the valves had been opened, no leaks were found, and the compressor was showing 57 hertz. Even so, after 20 to 30 minutes, the air was still not cold.
The poster said they had confirmed 240 volts at the condenser and gone back over the control wiring, yet the system remained nonfunctional.
"It won't produce heat when on that mode…dunno what that means," they wrote.
Replies mostly focused on setup and power questions.
"Are you sure it's set to cool and not just the fan?" one person said, while commenters also raised the possibility of breaker-placement issues, improper voltage across the two legs, and the need to check amp draw.
Even pre-charged systems can run into trouble if the electrical setup, controls, or startup checks are not quite right.
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The original poster later wrote, "At least 9 out of every 10 people were trying to help! I'm calling MrCool tomorrow! Cheers!"
Those in the market for a new heating or cooling system but don't want to deal with maintenance issues could consider Palmetto, which offers leasing plans for HVAC units like heat pumps with a Comfort Plan that includes 12 years of free maintenance.
Where can I learn more?
Cases like this often trace back to a basic thing that was missed, a setup problem, or the bigger question of whether a different heat-pump option would make more sense.
• On the hottest day of the year, an HVAC tech found the no-cooling culprit in plain sight.
• An appliance repairman showed homeowners how reversing a ceiling fan can cool a room in minutes.
• In Texas, a man demonstrated how to stay cool on the cheap without AC.
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