Fujitsu units serve purpose of Central Air Conditioning?

amother

Silver

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 11:48 am

I asked someone about replacing a Central Air Conditioning unit and they said to look into Fujitsu units thats different but cheaper and very good. I never heard of it. Anyone has it?

Any info anyone can give will be helpful.

thunderstorm

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:01 pm

amother wrote:

It's a wall mounted unit. I dont have it but we plan on getting it. We were told that this system would be better for our home rather than central A/C

The Happy Wife

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:23 pm

I have it and am very happy. Our house doesn't have ductwork so adding central would have been very expensive. It's much better than window units, and it's nice that you can turn on individual units as needed, which saves money. They also can heat a little in the winter.

I guess it depends on the size of the unit you're replacing and the setup of your house, but adding several mini splits could cost a lot more than replacing a single ac unit.

amother

Silver

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:23 pm

Bizzydizzymommy wrote:

It's a wall mounted unit. I dont have it but we plan on getting it. We were told that this system would be better for our home rather than central A/C

Why is it better? Please tell me anything you know. Thanks.

amother

cornflower

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:36 pm

amother wrote:

Fujitsu is simply a brand. I think you are referring to a Ductless mini split-system air-conditioner. There are other brands that make them.

thunderstorm

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:36 pm

amother wrote:

Why is it better? Please tell me anything you know. Thanks.

Here is some information I found to help you . Fujitsu is the brand name of the most popular Ductless system

Ductless Air Conditioning

Ductless air conditioning, also called mini-split systems, uses an air-handling unit that is located inside, mounted on a wall or inset into the ceiling, and connected by refrigerant lines to a compact outdoor compressor. As the name implies, there are no ducts involved in cooling the home. Instead, the wall unit pulls air across it’s coil, removes the heat, filters the air and sends it right back into the room where it is located. These systems are far more efficient, precise and quieter than many central air conditioning units.

Advantages: Ductless systems are more targeted and can cool just one spot or multiple zones in the same house. Generally up to four, sometimes eight, air-handling units can all connect to the same outdoor compressor. Unlike window units, ductless air conditioning units have programmable temperature settings (not just low, medium, and high). Unlike traditional central systems ductless systems can vary their output and energy usage based on the current conditions inside and outside the home. This ability to ramp up and down to just what is needed is what sets these systems apart.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average household saves up to $1,000 every year on cooling costs by using ductless air conditioning units. Since there are no duct systems to install, labor cost is reduced when compared to central air conditioning installation. Other people praise the environmental benefits of the focused energy use as opposed to wasted air through central systems. Finally, the outdoor unit runs virtually silent. This feature is especially ideal when units are placed near bedroom windows, neighbors or in the backyard.

Disadvantages: With this type of air conditioning there is not one central place to adjust temperature for an entire house. For those who choose ductless systems, this is a small price to pay. Some people also view the aesthetic appearance of ductless units as a disadvantage as they are not hidden in the walls like duct systems. There are smart ways to integrate these systems though that make them less obvious in the rooms where they exist.

The best way to decide which to use is to know what is important to you and your family, what your budget is, and find out what your homes requirements are. Whatever system you choose, remember that a proper installation of any air conditioning system is what will contribute to the most comfort, energy efficiency, and safety your system can provide. Consult an air conditioning specialist for even more advice on what may be best for your space.

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 12:48 pm

The Happy Wife wrote:

They also can heat a little in the winter.

Really? Our landlord installed it and that is expected to be used as the main heating system.

Even the AC part we do not enjoy at all. Now with the three day yom tov coming up the AC will just work and work and work without shutting off. The guy who installed it told us that the compressor does shut off at intervals, but the fan doesn't. So we have the option of paying an electrician to install a timer, or just letting it run for three days .

anon because I complain about this to whoever will listen.

Marion

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 1:12 pm

amother wrote:

It didn't come with a remote control? These are pretty "standard" units in Israel and mine definitely has a built-in timer function. It can "sleep", it can turn itself on/off the same time several days in a row, and I can program it to go on/off up to 3 times in a 24 hour period (not including the sleep function, so up to 4 times).

amother

Taupe

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 1:44 pm

If you're in Long Island or Queens, I can recommend someone frum to install them.
He'll also answer all your questions.

We were very happy with his work.

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 1:56 pm

Marion wrote:

It came with a remote but the timer can only go on/off once. After that it stays off.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jun 06 2016, 4:08 pm

I'm not familiar with the Fujitsu unit but most of these units are actually heat pumps rather than air conditioners. The in wall units are built for residences that don't have ducted heating and cooling. If you do have ducted heating and cooling do some research for units to service your entire home. These are quite common here in the PNW and come with some tax credits.

amother

Maroon

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 12:54 am

Amother taupe, who do you recommend?

amother

Silver

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:11 pm

Im confused.

I think the Fujitsu units dont take the place of central, because youd have to install a unit in every room. I think the Fujitsu units are used when you only want to cool individual rooms and are installed in addition to central, if someone has the duct work.

jump

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:17 pm

You don't need to have central air to install it. We don't have central and thinking of getting this.
You have different units inside and they could be turned on or off at different times. Unlike central all rooms with the central air vents will have the ac running you can control each room so let's say your only going to be in the living room the whole day you don't have to have the whole house running the ac.

amother

Silver

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:36 pm

jump wrote:

How are they different than the old fashioned air conditioners? Use less energy?

How many units do you need for a living room, dining room, kitchen/dinette and three bedrooms? I think one for each room, am I right?

Stars

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:38 pm

amother wrote:

They don't use a window, for one. Not sure about the energy part .

Depends on your apartment layout, we have 3 units for a four room apartment.

amother

Silver

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:42 pm

Stars wrote:

They don't use a window, for one. Not sure about the energy part .

Depends on your apartment layout, we have 3 units for a four room apartment.

I cant see how one unit can cool more than one room. For sure not two different bedrooms where doors are often closed.

Suppose you have an open space between the kitchen/dinette and living room/dining room. the same unit can col both?

Stars

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:45 pm

amother wrote:

Yes exactly. Our kitchen/living room/dinette area share one. When the kitchen gets really hot I just open the bedroom doors . Works for us.

The Happy Wife

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 1:58 pm

amother wrote:

Once it reaches a certain temperature outside it really can't heat properly. I can't remember the temperature cutoff.

We keep ours on set to 76 with a ceiling fan. If it's really hot we adjust the fan speed and it makes a big difference. Yes, it keeps blowing but the compressor is not running the whole time so it's not so expensive to leave on. We use the timer on the remote for night and it turns on in the morning. We have Mitsubishi brand, though.

amother

Gold

Mon, Jun 20 2016, 2:20 pm

In the UK split air conditioners are very popular. Window units are sooo old fashioned here. When I was in the US recently I was astonished to see window units all over.

Fujitsu is known to be tops along with Daikin, not sure if you have Daikin in the US.

I imagine it works similarly to a window unit. There is an inside unit and an outdoor compressor unit. It also comes with a remote control so that it can be set to a preferred temperature. If you have a large open space it's best to get 18,000 or 24,000 BTU. For a regular size room 12,000 is good, even 9,000 may be enough.

Good luck with your purchase.