PTAC vs mini split for home theater

[watchdoc]

I'm finishing a bonus room above my garage that is 12'x42' or about 500sq with only 7' ceiling. The space is going to be a home theater and entertainment room.

I'm trying to decide between a mini split and a GE Zoneline 5500 PTAC in a 12000 btu heat pump.

1. Noise, even though the system will be on the other end of the 42' room from the main viewing area, I don't want a noisy system that would distract of the theater.

2. Useage, the room will likey be used 1 or 2 nights a week for a few hours and then maybe a party once a month. I was thinking I would save energy by turning the unit up or down between 60-80 degrees and just heating or cooling a few hours before the planned event. Is this unreasonable or will it cost even more to do it this way?

3. Pricing. The 12000 btu zoneline 5500 seems to be about the same price as 12000 btu mini splits. I guess the main difference would be installation costs. What does it cost to install a mini split?

4. Location, I'm located in greenville NC and it gets very hot here in the summer. Since this is an attic room, I'm guessing cooling efficiency will be a lil more important than heating.

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

[BaldLoonie]

The mini will be quieter. BUT, most minis don't have backup heat so if a cold area, the heat pump alone may not cut it. The 5500 (and newer 5800) have up to 5kw backup. They are the quietest PTHPs I've heard.

Installation costs will be higher with the mini. All the PTHP needs is an outlet and a hole in the wall.

Has someone done a heat gain calc to be sure 12K will do it?

[maxster]

PTACs are definitly noiser and a heat sink in the winter thru the wall,how about ceiling mounted and(recessed evaps)heat pumps.ductless one compressor/condenser 2 circuits check out Mitsubishi Mr.Slim http://www.mrslim.com/Products/Categ...ctCategoryID=7 i have worked in hi-rise condos with PTAC in each room and the biggest complaint is fan/compressor noise and drafts.the ductless are super quiet on the air delivery,2 on that 42'wall or in the ceiling might be a way to go.

[Edited by maxster on 03-12-2005 at 12:04 PM]

[watchdoc]

I haven't done a heat gain calculation but here are some facts about the room.

1. 12x42x7=3528 cubic ft ??
2. it's an attic space and insulation is not installed yet.
3. the roof is black
4. greenville, NC has a moderate climate but the summers can linger in the 90's for days on end but we rarely have days colder than 25 degrees for any length of time.

I have a few supplemental oil filled heaters and I wouldn't mind using them of the temps got really cold on occasion.

Also, how do you compare the EER and SEER ratings between the PTAC and the mini splits? Which ones are more efficient and would save money in the long run?

[johnsp]

Another issue is a PTAC's usually only go up to 1.5 tons. They make 2 and 2.5 ton mini-splits. Like Maxster said, you might want 2 evaporator units to get good air flow on the whole space. They have models with 2 evap units (1 ton each) on a single outdoor condenser unit.

[brent]

The mini split will definitely be quieter. The airflow will probably be better also. If you get a wall mount mini split you will get a decent throw since you will be blowing out from a height of maybe 5'. A PTAC will blow low and probably be blocked by lots of chairs and sofas.

I am not sure how finished your space is now but remember when comparing installation costs: With a PTAC unit you will need to make a 42" wide hole in your wall. You might have a fair amount of carpentry costs to head off the studs and modify whatever exterior trim you have.

[frank shelley]

The most important thing to consider that has not been touched upon is which one of these options offers a remote control?

[mark beiser]

Its hard to tell for sure without seeing the space, but considdering the room is 42 ft long, my gut reaction is that you should considder a minisplit with 2 cieling mount evaperators.

Considder ussage when determining the heat load also. What kind of heat output will the AV equipment be putting out, and how many people will be using the space at a given time. Home theators setups can have some fairly large heat loads just from the equipment alone.

[watchdoc]

Ok, I've pretty much decided on the mini split at this point and I"m looking at the full range from Soleus to Mr Slim (wow what a price difference!!) I can get the Soleis 12000 btu heatpump with 500 watts of supplemental heat shipped and installed for less than the PTAC's.

The idea of two evap's sound great but unfortunately the the evaps would be running with a 50+ ft lines and this appears to be too long of a run unless I completely reconfigure the setup. The Soleus are cheap enough I could acutally buy two complete systems for less than half of what one Mitsu or Sanyo dual unit would cost. All the units I've looked at come with a remote.
Ideas or suggestions???


ps, I really like the Soleus heat pump with supplemental electric heat also. Seems like a great bargin and I've spoken to about a dozen satisfied customers. Several people have mentioned I should oversize the unit to the 18000btu for the 500sq space.

[Edited by watchdoc on 03-14-2005 at 05:09 PM]

[maxster]

here is another line of ductless info on their site might add to you search http://www.enviromaster.com