Minisplit wiring and refrigerant lines
bobhol
| Posted in General Questions on
How can I camouflage these lines The mini split is dead center between two picture windows on the main floor on the front of the house .I have 5 inches of foam and the original plan was to clear a 3 inch by 2 inch channel on the outside of the foam to house the lines. The code says the refrigerant lines have to be accessible ,so we cannot do that .The siding is horizontal on the house so we do not want to see this 8 foot vertical lineset .The line will follow the bottom of the siding and the disappear under a deck. How have others disguised it ?
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Replies
Where are you in the construction process? Is there a compelling reason why the unit has to go between those windows? And why can't the lines emerge at the bottom of the wall instead of 8' high? What does "accessible" mean in reference to the refrigerant lines? Can they only run through a wall, but not inside a wall for some distance? Obviously, I am pretty uninformed, but my minisplit lines are going in soon, so your concerns may become mine, to some extent.
My new house will have 2 minisplits and, subject to a 60' length limitation (from inside unit to outside unit) the outside units can go anywhere, so I plan to locate them on the wall on the outside of the mechanical room, where they will be out of sight of anyone approaching the house.
Would creating a vertical chase out of the foam and then putting in a removable cover of the same colour and material as the siding, and flush with the siding, pass code? I assume there is a rain screen under the siding.
I am just starting outside trim and siding...the unit has the best look at the ground floor from that location ...my original plan was to have them behind siding but that got rejected as the code says refrigerant lines have to be accessible...I have been thinking of a giant removable panel 8 feet by 4 feet that would match the rest of the wall but could be removed ,if that would satisfy the inspector ...to be symmetrical ,i would need two vertical chase as the unit takes the line on one end ,not the center....keep the ideas coming so I can satisfy my boss
If you worry about symmetry, you could put in a second, dummy chase that matches the real one. Make them a design element? May be just paint the lines the same colour as the siding and live with it. Fifty years from now, no one will notice.
Yes ,I have been thinking about a false chase but I am now wondering about going up and following the soffit across... hmmmm..I have to measure total length of the line to make sure...
Is this really code? NO one has called me on hiding lines, I have 3 in this house run inside the wall
I do not believe a standard split system is installed with lines accessible, and I have never heard that mini splits are subject to some other code.
My builder believes it is code but I will talk to the building inspector directly and explain my problem...see if he has a solution...