How did Midea fit a full mini-split system inside their new "U" window unit?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Here is a photo journal of taking apart the inside half of this same model... photos.app.goo.gl/HkgipAV39j8BWXWm7

[@Beardinc]

now split it in half! 😁😁😁

[@outerlimits7527]

Thank you for the helpful photos! Midea sure did make this a bit time consuming to properly clean -> I'm gonna have to undo that fan housing so i can access the fan AND the back part of the evaporator in order to properly clean the mold that accumulated after a few month. Here's hoping I don't break the thing!

[@jdlightizer]

Can you do a test and see if the dongle being unplugged lets the AC boot up from being turned off/unplugged? I am considering buying one of these ACs but want it un-smartified. If it does turn on, what happens when you hold the AP button?

[@joseolmedoa.919]

is that high pitch whine normal? mine has it and other's say it shouldn't nor is it present in other videos. Ran it for two hours and its still there plus, you can hear it inside.

[@RLTIII]

​@@Beardinc Cut anything in half for any reason kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIuXopiAod5knZI

[@mikeberger1688]

Let's vote for this guy doing all "hardware" videos on youtube. Finally someone who is detailed and informed. Compare this to what you normally see here. -- EXCELLENT

[@TheTrueCallen151]

I just installed one yesterday. It's so nice. The window unit I had in before was around 80db and was just so loud. Even on high fan this one is only at 50db. Such an awesome unit so far.

[@steve0826]

Does it act as a heater in winter?

[@encoreimages]

Thanks for posting this! I was planning on picking one up and taking it apart and you beat me to it. I'm going to cut the lines and make it a true compact mini split for my sprinter, recharge, extend the umbilicals, should be clean, efficient, and much better than a dometic!! Midea would kill it if they made something like this for the RV market. I installed a mini split in my 40ft 5th wheel and it changed my life. The 18k dual head Midea unit had double the cooling capability of my 2 Dometic rooftop "15.5k" ac units, and at full output it still only pulled 1900 watts, what a single dometic unit pulls. At 100+ degrees outside the 2 Dometic units would only keep the coach around 85-88 degrees. The Midea mini split will freeze us out, I keep it at 70 and has no issues at all maintaining thet temp even in 110 degree AZ summers.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Please document your project and post back here! I know so many people would be interested in seeing your progress!

[@HELLCAVALIER]

I had the same idea. Splitting the unit in half and making it function like a split AC for a RV. Technically it should work , I have seen guys split window ac . I am waiting for someone to do it 😊. It should be easy two copper pipes and probably some wires.

[@jonathanmiller8977]

n Miller 0 seconds ago Any idea how the thermostat works on this thing? I need a thermostat I can program, to use on a solar set up. I would like it to shut off at 72* then kick back on when Temp reaches 85; for example. So it doesn’t just run continuously. Would it be possible to wire in a digital thermostat to this unit?

[@keithbrookshire]

Have you done this yet? I found this video while looking for a video of someone splitting this unit for a van installation.

[@chblabah]

Did you ever try this? Would be interested as well ;)

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

Thanks again for your teardown. I've managed to get this unit running on 320vdc. Excited to install it in the Sprinter. Also thanks to your commenter who let me know it could be done.

[@81Sazerac]

Great Technical review! Thanks for all of the details regarding why this unit is superior to traditional window units. It's a lot more aesthetically pleasing to boot!

[@Phloored]

Just installed mine yesterday. Pitched roof, 3rd floor. Only 3 inches of space below the window. Modified the sill to lift the unit 4 inches to accommodate the bracket angle support. This thing is whisper quiet and no clunking sounds. Measured 45°F breeze coming off it on high. The install is different but the unit with it's platform bracket is amazing. This video makes me happy i invested in this. 👍

[@DJizLurch]

This is a great in-depth review! Me being an IT I like to take things apart and see how they run inside, just like a computer, but me also being a consumer and it being extremely hot in Virginia I just ordered one of these off of Amazon and it should be in this weekend so I was interested to see how they made this design work and it’s pretty cool.

[@franleck]

Bought two last summer,. One for a Bedroom 12x14 and one for the room above our garage 12x24. Both have worked flawlessly, Whisper quiet, Great app. Liked the brand so much, we just purchased a Midea fridge.

[@daagdafire]

i just saw this beautiful design yesterday on one of the stores.... I stay in Gcc where temps peak at 113f to 115f let's see how is the Durability of these UNITS. Just beautiful and simple Innovation. Midea will be taking a HUGE MARKET if there are no issues. As I saw from your Video I don't see any issues in maintaining the front can be washed with a Karcher or any washing system. I have 7 Window units at home I will give it a try with 1 unit. If all goes well We have a Winner here.

[@USArmyVet91]

I have the 8000 BTU Model and I gotta say knowing HOW Midea made it so efficient, and quiet is awesome. Thanks for letting us see the magic behind this amazing Unit. You gained my subscription for sure. Take care. 👍👍

[@sgorneau]

Awesome review! I just got one for my office and I'm so impressed with how quiet and effective it is. Was hoping to see how it works and you did just that!

[@benr2952]

Thanks for sharing and creating this video. Your angle to provide a technical dissection review was exactly what I sought. Thanks for your work!

[@richardgomez5008]

Great video on this u shape ac unit. Nice break down explanation on compressor and single shaft driven motors which many people don't know. The fact that these two parts are separated gives it better ac process. FYI: This unit does not have water drainage problems like new saddle Clearview units. ❤❤Enjoy your AC❤❤

[@2006gtobob]

My wife purchased two of these for our Arizona home last week. One for use, and the other as a back up unit. I work up in the Chicagoland area and wasn't there for the install. My wife and sister in law installed the unit in our master bed room and my wife is in love with it. Very quiet and extremely effective while allowing for the near shut down of the two household units. Our master bedroom suite is quite large and she spends most of her time in there anyway with minimal need to run the house units. So, money will be saved on utility bills immediately.

[@chadmason8526]

What's nice about this ac is that you can ask Alexa what the indoor temp is and it will tell you even if the unit is turned off.

[@blackboy424]

How would you take the front part off to clean that wheel? A lot of people are having some serious mold issues with this unit? Thanks

[@LawyerPapa]

You are the only guy who took it apart! That's awesome. I noticed that it does well when it's dehumidifying. But as soon as I turn it back to fan mode, the humidity comes right back into the room, as if there was no drainage at all. And it doesn't have any drain hole. (it's tilted out so water wouldn't come back in) If the condensed water is used up in "super-cooling" the moisture shouldn't be back. This is baffling. I wish Midea had a drain hole that could be plugged for arid areas and opened for soggy areas.

[@bigjoshlevine]

The unit is meant to be slightly tilted towards the outside. Like this, I would think all of the condensate would flow though that channel to the outside pan and there would not be much left on the inside side to re-evaporate. I could think of some experiments that would pin this down, though!

[@LawyerPapa]

@@bigjoshlevine When I installed it, I didn't have a level. But I did have an AA battery rolling about. After installing the support brace, I rolled the battery on it. Even if I rolled the battery inward toward the room from outside, the gravity would make it roll back out. So I know it's tilted out enough. I wonder if there is a smaller reservoir on the room side. Once that's filled, maybe only the overflow would go outside? Dry places like Arizona would need to preserve moisture inside. Since Midea U is the most popular unit now, your experiment could bring interest. I certainly would be interested!

[@bigjoshlevine]

@@LawyerPapa There is usually a gutter inside under the evaporator coil that catches the water as it drips down. This leads to a drain just like a drain in a roof gutter, and that leads to a channel, that leads to the try outside. So there really should not be any standing water inside, just droplets waiting to get big enough to make it out. I would not expect much if any water to condense in a place like arizona. For water to condense, the evaporator coil must be below the dew point of the inside air, and these coils typically run about 45F. They don't run any coiler because of the risk of going below 32F and forming ice and frost which would block airflow and potentially make things start to break.

[@mikeluongo537]

Have one, acts like the mini split I had at house. NO NOISE, and dehumidify feature,, I see all the time. Def a mini for your window. Love it.

[@manojavaprashanth7561]

Best breakdown of all times, people should be watching this instead of mindless mobile teardowns

[@nicola3060]

Mine comes Saturday for my converted shed. I have a mr cool mini split in my tiny house and I love it. Was gonna buy one for the shed but this is 1/5th the cost. Thank you for this video

[@ralfwalter3923]

I installed one in my home just this past weekend (in a window width over max, so it's custom). VERY nice unit. Very quiet.

[@rbarr182]

Hooray! I was a little skeptical given the branding (I'm not familiar with Midea or the alternate Danby - same unit) but seeing the inside actually proves that this is a solid appliance, well-designed and well-built. Thanks very much!

[@dplj4428]

I know it's 2 yrs late by 2024, background: Midea and Danby are part of one huge international company. Not sure which originated this uChannel tech, but just looking at Danby video and instructions, you know they are cousins. Also, I think Danby had or has a factory in USA. That was what I read a year ago before I decided to buy.

[@johnbrown9502]

It's nice to see them revive the old Silent Knight air conditioner, Montgomery Ward sold them in the 70's. The evaporator was inside and the condenser was on the outside just like these "new" U style units. By keeping the main workhorse components outside the window the noise was greatly reduced. The new technology of the variable compressor really makes these rock. The mini split concept is a great idea. I've been looking into ideas for cooling my campervan project. Thanks for the great how to.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Wow, I've never even heard of Silent Knight. LMK if you ever come across info, I'd love to learn more about them!

[@donnmilton247]

Hey this was awesome! It reminds me of the boltr tool reviews that the AVE channel used to do. Im looking at buying one of these units for an upstairs that tends to get way too hot during the summer but doesn’t have enough floor space for a mini split system. I honestly was already sold but this review is icing on the cake. Thank you for taking the time.

[@bernelnery2191]

For those that are new to mini split, I've never seen any manufacture think outside the box. I've had this unit for a year now and I run it for 24/7. It is definitely 40% efficient and quiet than conventional window AC. I would never buy anything else but an smart inverter AC like this. Oh before I forget, great video of actually opening the unit lol. I can be wrong on the number, but if you run this at ECO mode, you are looking at 110watts power consumption.

[@4seeableTV]

Why all AC's don't come with inverter compressors is beyond me. Even in units that don't have a gap in them, they still make for a quieter, more efficient unit.

[@NiHaoMike64]

I wonder how difficult it would be to hack it to allow setting the compressor speed to anything within its supported range. A few of those units could then be a good option for those looking to make the A/C unit(s) follow solar production closely, reducing the battery capacity needed for buffering.

[@bigjoshlevine]

I don't think you would have to do much hacking - you could probably just control the setpoint temp over the Wifi using something like a RaspberryPi! Add something like a Sense.com power monitor and you should be able to pretty accurately match the load to the solar supply on the time scale of minutes to hours.

[@GoatZilla]

Wish they would make DC units for this purpose

[@EspHack]

I think anything "inverter" is essentially running DC internally, PWM motors, thats why they are pricy, pure sinewave AC-DC stuff

[@liminalsunset]

This looks like a pretty standard Midea unit. There exists some debugging tools for Midea air conditioners that can communicate with their split models and drive them, but I don't know if they will work for this. On 9000btu mini split, the compressor draws less than 200 W under its minimum speed, but there is a limitation on how low you can go, because the compressor has minimum RPM for oil lubrication.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@GoatZilla They do make DC mini splits.

[@BasedBidoof]

seeing the inside of this kinda sold me. Nice build quality, well for the price

[@AnIdiotwithaSubaru]

You inspired me to upload a video tomorrow about my Midea Duo heat pumps. They look like they have a ton of similar parts on the inside. I wish they would make a heat pump version of the U shape design. The only issue with the Duo is that it stops heating when its below freezing despite having a fully functional defrost mode. They are pretty loud when they defrost though. I have managed to make them heat down to 10f outside by letting them suck a little more indoor air. It definitely makes a low pressure zone inside the house but its worth it to me as my only other heat source is a 200,000btu 70% efficiency low-pressure boiler. $$$

[@brucelee2550]

Have you figured out how to open the front and clean it up? I got mold issues on the front fans and don't know how to properly and efficiently clean it

[@rollerboogie]

I don’t know a ton about ACs but I’m an EE. Pretty crazy that this thing is revolutionary for having a few temp measurements and a basic little computer. I’ve been looking at this AC and I haven’t really seen anything better. Especially for $300 at costco. I watched another video and it looked like this thing pulled about 450W at max. Seems very reasonable. My dad never let me have AC as a kid and I can’t really put into words how excited I am to not be melting all summer.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Agreed! AC tech moves slowly, but things have been speeding up a bit lately!

[@richardgomez5008]

Your dad gave you a good education in hot summer days.🤣🤣 Stay cool.👌😎

[@jerryhuff4767]

I have no need for one of these but I love how you seem genuinely excited by it, good job mate

[@tren133]

I've got full central AC in my house, but I still just bought a unit for a room that is far from the thermostat and facing the afternoon sun, just because of how neat the design is. Was watching prices on Amazon and as March started turning into April they started selling out so I bought one and put it in today. It is indeed quiet and the install wasn't too bad. I'm impressed.

[@AFluffyMobius]

Funny enough you have videos of the other "quiet" A/C unit from Heir of their "Serenity" series. I was just about to purchase that one until i saw that not only was this Midea one was quieter, its actually quite a bit cheaper AND has a higher BTU rating! Placed my order today, cant wait to get it so i can finally retire my 8 year old KACHUNK-ing 5000 BTU unit. Absolutely could not sleep with that one on in my bedroom. Thanks for the video!

[@Zalagar619]

Now I'm really wishing you took the front apart as well lol. The whole inside of my unit has a bunch of black mold built up in only about 2-3 months :( I need to take it apart and clean it out.

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now. e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@MyGoogleYoutube]

Why oh why did you not hook this up to a Killawatt or a clamp meter or something to see what kind of current it draws?

[@williampennjr.4448]

because who cares?

[@wertiaaudit5746]

@@williampennjr.4448 I care as even if its listed on site , good reliability calls for frequent audits if what they claim is true

[@DrewVaxination]

@@williampennjr.4448 people who are off grid care...

[@sergeybelt6300]

I've seen 3 of them. All have the same error in 6 months EC07. Manual says it refrigerant leak but actually it's main board defective. Spend a day to find a part no luck. Midea said "we can shipp it in September".

[@davem7722]

these things are awesome, I'm currently up to 4 in my home. 3 12s and 1 8

[@th3m1ke]

You happy with them? Im considering going that route instead of a full mini-split system.

[@GODBODYONE]

120v ac or 220v ac?

[@BFArch0n]

Please share how to fix ec 07 error Also how to stop fan from getting moldy. Guessing removing the door that closes when turning it off?

[@antronx7]

That's what I did. Removed the door flap. Will see how it fares this upcoming summer.

[@julienv1]

I purchased this A/C in April. Very happy thus far. Loved learning even more about it from you. You might mention, and/or pull out the removable/washable filter located in the front section of the unit. For me, this feature was in my top 5 must haves and in my research, I found that many window units don't give you this capability.

[@fuxbox]

In my case tho on high power it's not even comparable to my older unit on low. It's too weak that's part of why it's so quiet

[@tpapictures]

Hey, very useful video. We just ran a whole summer of this AC and it accumulated water like nothing we've ever seen and we don't even live in a particularly humid area. We're lost about how to keep it clean inside. It's a bit of a dusty and corroded mess. Is there a relatively easy way to remove the components of the back part to clean properly?

[@glorifyhymn]

If it's a split mini, can it heat as well or be configured to do so? Would love to use in my RV.

[@glorifyhymn]

@Brock Clyde If you're willing, I thin many of us would love to see a follow-up video to learn more. Thanks!

[@dannymiller2123]

That would be a heat pump, which requires reversible valves to reconfigure which way the compressor and expansion valve flow. Those coolant valves are a very different thing than just making it a split system

[@IThinkICare]

Sure. turn it around :) :) :)

[@southbridgeforestHOA]

@@IThinkICare clever but I doubt the control panel would work after afew rains!

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

If anyone is interested in running this thing efficiently from 12v, Amazon has 150w inverter modules that output the perfect voltage. QS-100. You'll need 2 of them and 8 high speed diodes. It was drawing 20-30A @12v with 50% load

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

There's a thousand watt version which I'm going to try, with that you would only need to make one Bridge rectifier

[@JagaimoNeko]

I don't like the idea of having the control board in the external part of the unit, it makes it exposed to humidity, water and cold weather. Have you disassembled the internal part btw? Is there any potential room for the board?

[@oakley2001]

I can't find a tear down of the front of this unit anywhere online or KZbin. Can you access the blower fan from removing the rear or the front of the interior unit?

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@Ldall87]

I’ve seen some people drill drainage holes in the back. They argue that they’d rather sacrifice some efficiency for longevity by reducing rust, mold and corrosion inside the unit. What are your thoughts on that?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Yea, I do not know what to say on this one since I have not personally see the slime on these units. Usually when you see slime on minsplits it is an indication that too much moisture is getting into the space - so you really want to figure that out and fix it as the best way to stop the slime. I would wonder if that might be related to what is going on with these U units? I do not think there is much hard in drilling holes to drain the water except that you will likely get rust-out around the hole since you are breaking the powder coating there. I guess if you drill the hole and then cover the bare metal inside the hole with a grommet seal then that should not cause any issues except slightly lower efficiency.

[@frankm2588]

Happy to see this. I've had the 12,000 installed for a few weeks in hot weather. Took out an old conventional 10k. No comparison, the old 10 blew way more air on low than this one on high. I suspected there was one fan outside trying to blow air down through the bottom of the "U" but this vid proved me wrong, so there is an inside fan. Don't know why the flow is so weak, on Midea site many similar complaints in reviews, maybe it's the efficiency. Midea now makes a similar inverter AC but no U shape-MAW12HV1CWT, smart inverter with heat mode but conventional shape. I wonder if that has 2 fans.

[@AJTarnas]

i have this same problem. it's not entirely clear why the AC throttle cooling under certain conditions. but it's super frustrating. there's a guy who is working on a hack involving tricking the exterior air thermistor.

[@ryanmclean2658]

Any sense of the noise on the OUTDOOR side? It seems like it would be somewhat lower by virtue of the variable speed compressor and fan. I have neighbors not to far from my current window unit and even from the end of the "canyon" crated by our two buildings, I notice a lot of white noise from my current unit - the dominant noise by far. I've noticed window units and this seem to "PUSH" the air at the outdoor heat exchanger, it seems like mini split outdoor units "PULL" the air through the heat exchanger, which seems quieter. I'm guessing this would be quieter (on the outside side) than a typical window AC but not as quiet as a traditional mini split.

[@bigjoshlevine]

You right, the outside side is louder than the inside side, but quieter than the outside side of a normal window unit. Of course nothing is as quiet as a nicely built minisplit outdoor unit like the MCROOL ones!

[@bolttracks]

How quiet is it? I just put one of them in my recording studio space. That’s how quiet they are 👍

[@Mr_nah]

I have two of them. 12k and I love them! I wish they used better plastic though and a humidity sensor. I connected them to Amazon Alexa so I can just set the temperature with my voice. Also, you can ask what is the temperature in your room because of the built-in sensor...

[@GODBODYONE]

Are the 12k 120v ac or 220volt ac?

[@Mr_nah]

@@GODBODYONE 120v

[@fezbpu]

It might just be a thing with the phone audio, but I definitely heard a really high pitched almost coil whiney sound

[@FelipeLenschow]

There is a cricket trapped inside that compressor... poor thing

[@Resomius]

That could be on of the parts it´s like when you hear a releay whistle or you hear an Old tv. Around your mid 20ies Humans experiance a lose in the Frequency band they hear. Usaly from around 28. I think i´m more impressed that his Audio equipment pics it up, it speaks for some quality.

[@LazyCrazyGuy]

It's a byproduct of inverter compressors. I have an LG Inverter Window AC. I am completely impressed with it but was very interested in seeing how this unit faired. From what I can tell it seems they are almost on the same level. Only this one takes it a step further by having the compressor on the outside vs the LG which is still one whole unit but still manages to be very quiet. These new units blow away the traditional window AC's out of the water.

[@GoatZilla]

I think that sound was coming from you

[@soulofjacobeh]

Yeah... The whining/squeal is a bit frustrating. I notice he mentioned there's a blanket for the compressor that likely comes equipped but mine doesn't have that :(

[@Zonker66]

This came out a few years ago, I think GE's Profile came out after... not sure which to get. The GE is an inverted U... on an n, I suppose... same basic idea.

[@iqbalchaudhary218]

Is there a way to put temp limits on the thermostat on this unit? Thanks

[@Qeswara]

Thank you very much for the explanation. This electronic circuit converts alternating current into direct current, isn't it? If it runs on direct current, how many amps and how many volts are needed to run the machine? How much is it in US dollars, and where can I buy it? Is it an air conditioning unit with a heat pump?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Here is a great post where someone has gotten one of these to run on DC... diysolarforum.com/threads/midea-u-12k-power-from-dc-it-works.77577/page-2#post-994190 On low, it uses 316V * 0.34A. These typically cost $200-300US and you can buy them everywhere, including Amazon... amzn.to/4c2dpkh This model only has cooling mode, no heating mode.

[@newwavepressure6478]

How did it hold up any mold issues???

[@Elavid]

That looks better than what I have on my house! I have ka-chunkers that make a ton of noise because they always blow at full speed, even if only one zone is calling for cooling.

[@nobaddog1]

How do i get into the evaporator section to clean the coil and blower wheel that has covered itself in dirt and mold. This is a problem with these units. Mold builds up fast. I need to at least see what's in there so i don't get water on the motor when i attempt a cleaning of the blower wheel. Any help is appreciated.

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@elisabetk2595]

Josh, do you have any tips on how we can open the front cover so we can clean the blower vents? Our unit has been great, but after not being used for the summer there's some mold or dust in there we don't want to be breathing!

[@bigjoshlevine]

Here is a visual guide to taking the indoor side to bits. The hardest part is unsnapping the plastic snaps that hold the clamshell together. I used a pair of flathead screwdrivers, but there is probably a better way. photos.app.goo.gl/HkgipAV39j8BWXWm7

[@williamnunez9609]

people have complained not being able to figure out how to open the front to clean out the condenser drain and everything else in the front, especially when mold gets on the fins and inner walls, could you do that video

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@postaudio]

Own 3 now. Whisper quiet. Easy install. 8000btu for rooms 12x14. Ideal.

[@brianbattuello9513]

Great video, thanks! We are really enjoying our new unit but another request for any information on disabling the annoying beep when you reset anything. It is way too loud. We have asked the manufacturer for a firmware update but no reply.

[@bigjoshlevine]

I already put mine back together, but I bet you could find the speaker pretty easily if you were willing to remove the cover. If so, you could either cut one of the leads, or probably even just put a piece of tape over the hole.

[@MITCH1221]

Do you know if there’s a valve on it so I could disconnect the refrigerant line without destroying the unit? I’d like toset this up in my camper van. I have an isolated metal box where my generator is currently sitting that I’m going to pull out. So I can mount it in the box through the wall. It would be a lot nicer if I didn’t have to cut a big hole in my wall though and I could completely split the unit in the two to install it and then put it back together

[@bigjoshlevine]

The refrigerant loop is sealed so you would have to recover the refrigerant from it, then cut the lines, then reconnect everything, vacuum pump the system down, and then recharge the refrigerant. This is not that hard (AC techs do it every day), but you do need stuff like a manifold and a vacuum pump. If you know someone who works on AC stuff they can probably help. I also recently saw this nice vehicle unit from MRCOOL, but I'm not sure if you can buy it yet. imgur.com/a/xB1p3Ne

[@MITCH1221]

@@bigjoshlevine Cool, I might try it how do you mean recover it? I think this unit would be nice in my van and take up way less space than a mini split

[@arabcampers9554]

What is the model number for this specific unit please ?

[@wally1957]

Do you know where the temp sensor or probe is located on the front? I want to get my unit colder.

[@wally1957]

never mind I found it behind the front grill cover and behind stringer. Now I can get the unit colder.

[@sweetiepienumber1]

Question: Would this create a vaccum pulling outside or other room air in? My window or worse portable units seem to pull in air from elsewhere. This might be a better solution than a traditional mini-split in my current situation. Thank you for taking the time to make and share the video.

[@bigjoshlevine]

This unit is neutral pressure, so running it should not pull in air.

[@joeboyfast7827]

You think it would be possible to split the 2 pieces in half and installer in a rv .... extending wiring and any copper pipes???

[@videosvideos6243]

How is the outside sectioned cleaned? Is it just a water hose?

[@bigjoshlevine]

I guess that would work, but I'm not sure you even need to clean the outside.

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

I think I'm going to put one under my van. Might even attempt to install a reversing valve

[@bigjoshlevine]

Yea, I'd love to spend some time figuring out a way to split this unit without releasing the charge so people without AC equipment could do it. Maybe by crushing the pipes in two places so you could then cut in the spot in between, and then using vampire taps to remake the connections?

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

@@bigjoshlevine you still need to pull a vacuum on the new lines. Perhaps some entrepreneurially minded individual would be interested in selling units ready for split installation. Ship them with pre-charged lines. The valved fittings already exist

[@bigjoshlevine]

@@Homestead_Adjacent I was thinking you could just blow a little puff of refrigerant to purge the new lines when you connect them (like when connecting lines to normal AC service port) so no need to pump down. There would be a little bit of moisture trapped in there, but hopefully the filter drier would be able to clean that up. Midea could ship a split version of this with quick connect fittings like MR COOL does, but not really their market. But there might be enough demand for someone who has the equipment and certificate to start selling properly modified U units with with quick connects already installed. LMK if you decide to be that someone! :)

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

@@bigjoshlevine for $200 a unit it's hard to beat. But the efficiency needs to get better. There's a senville 9000btuh with a stunning 16.2 EER. In a van efficiency is everything. I even considered powering the Midea unit with a boost converter. 12vdc to 180vdc. No power factor issues anymore. Some of the mini splits can run directly from solar DC

[@MichaelWeaser]

Mr Cool Mini Splits are actually rebranded Midea mini splits anyway , actually lots of mini splits are rebranded Midea.

[@southbridgeforestHOA]

I like the saddle desing better because less window space is blocked. what would be best way to protect control panel if the unit was instaelled backwards to act as a heat pump.

[@robbie31580]

Great video and I was curious if you think its possible to get a heat pump in one of these window units with this design. I've been searching for a window unit that also heats but they are just heating elements and the ones that say they have heat pumps only heat above 40F. I've currently got a mini split that I installed and I'm running it off a solar setup with a battery back up. It would definitely be a lot easier to just slap one of these in a window if they can actually get heat in them.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Yes, it would be straightforward for Media to make a version of this unit that could also provide heat, but it would necessarily be more expensive so for this first iteration they were aiming for a low price price point - and that strategy seems to have paid off for them. They have shown a larger unit that includes heat at HVAC shows, but no world on when it will make it to retail. Note than you can always just install this unit backwards in a window and it will heat the inside - just make sure it does not rain on it and that the outdoor temp is not low enough that you could get ice on the outdoor coils!

[@rickslife]

What’s the purpose of the little bit of supercooling you get with this unit?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Just slightly increases efficiency. Easy way to think about it is that the condensate water is by definition colder than the outside air since it comes from the inside coil. This means that it can lower the temp of the refrigerant to be lower than the outside air temp. So you are basically taking some of the "coolth" (opposite of warmth) stored in the condensate water and moving it back into the room rather than just dripping it onto the ground outside.

[@digitalalchemy6414]

Are there any actual power use comparisons at different speeds between the 8/10/12 models at different fan settings, etc. I've seen a lot of user experience where even the 12000btu model hovers around 600-700w on high and often around 200w. I'm off grid solar... more power than I can use or store on a hot sunny day but less at night, etc. So for example running full tilt during the day to cool it down and letting it run on low at night to maintain may be the perfect setup... but really not much info out there. anyone? a video with it on a kill-o-watt would be fantastic.

[@mattolsson8816]

I would love to see a test on power consumption as well.. Getting ready to decide on window AC for my box truck RV conversion

[@digitalalchemy6414]

@@mattolsson8816 I actually own two of these now, bought a 10k for the living room and liked it so well I bought an 8k for the bedroom. They are both extremely quiet, never 'surge' as the compressor / fans just ramp up and down as needed. The fan speed and mode determine power use. The 10k unit can definitely hit 700-800w on high on a hot day... but it cools very well and over time the power use comes way down. Its not like other AC units there are either 'on', 'fan on' or 'off'... everything about these is on a sliding scale that adusts as needed. On Low it starts out at around 2.6a and can work its way down to 1.8a with rare bursts to 3.5-4a for a minute our two here and there. Setting it to 'dry' is the next lowest power use... 4-4.5a and cools while doing a lot of dehumidification. Medium uses around 5-5-6a and high can use 7-8a. But note these are 'MAX' values... it often uses much less power at all those settings depending on how hot it is outside and how long its been running... its like it hits its stride and can coast for long periods. The 8k unit is the same thing with the power use curves geared a little smaller... 2.2a on low and often gets to 1.1a when running over night. Otherwise the units are identical in function and same size in 2 out of three directions... the bigger ones just extend out a bit more. Being off grid... I use LOW at night and on cloudy days and medium or high on a good sunny day. I've really never seen an AC like this... it sips power... overnight use is saving me 15-20% vs the old frigidaire 6000btu unit I had in the bedroom and it was a very low power model.

[@mattolsson8816]

@@digitalalchemy6414 wow.. Thank you for that detailed description.. You may have convinced me to buy one of these instead of the 6000 BTU GE Profile unit. Sounds like it may be very suitable for my application.

[@JeiceNismo]

Love my 12,000 btu unit. Same size as the 8k but more powerful. Even looks small and physically is. Great design and company. My remote doesn't work though ...

[@mobilecommunicationsnetwor5268]

Is this his Slinger design or does this unit have to be angled to drip out the condensed condensation?

[@DonHajPila]

Please can I see the video of how to open the front side because I have a key that been dropped inside where the cooler air come from Thank you so much

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@aaroncameron1494]

Do you remember where the outdoor air temperature sensor is located?

[@bigjoshlevine]

It is possible that there is no outdoor temp sensor. The unit really does not need to know the outdoor temp. As long as it knows the hot gas will always be hotter than the outdoor temp (reasonable assumption!), it only needs to know the high side liquid temp to figure out if it should speed up or slow down the condenser fan. There is a temp sensor on the bottom of the condenser coil (shown in the middle of the video) for this.

[@aaroncameron1494]

@@bigjoshlevine thanks fpr the reply. There has to be one somewhere because the Midea app tells you the outdoor temp as recorded from the unit.

[@bigjoshlevine]

@@aaroncameron1494 Possible to compute outdoor temp if you know temps at the top and bottom of the condenser coil and the outdoor fan speed. They might also just be grabbing it from the web based on your location. I have never noticed an outdoor temp sensor before and it would have to be on the sides of the coil where the air comes in so I think would be pretty obvious, but I will try to find one next time I open up one of these units.

[@aaroncameron1494]

@@bigjoshlevine thanks for your help. I did confirm with a hair dryer that the outdoor temp is gathered from the temp sensor on the condenser output.

[@chblabah]

Would be interesting to hear your opinion on the EcoFlow Wave 2, which seems to be quite a promising alternative for vans...

[@bigjoshlevine]

This looks similar to the Zero Breeze, which I did a teardown of here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWm1ZHqnopV_erc These have very narrow cases where I think they are a good fit since they are not really "split" and so you loose efficiency and comfort.

[@chblabah]

@@bigjoshlevine there is a teardown here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5itZGCNp5KkaKs I think it's quite different, it apparently is inverter controlled and evaporates the condensate.

[@lunaumbra5179]

You've mentioned to people hoping to split the two halves for a variety of applications, mostly RV situations, and suggested it may be easier to buy all new parts and make someone specific. But this sounds more difficult for someone with zero experience no? Doesn't the MideaU control board have features you would struggle to replicate if making it yourself? It has IoT connectivity and multiple temp sensors and smarts for calculating the best power draw for the situation. I have finally found a tech willing to evac and refill for me and I'm narrowing in on doing this in my own vehicle, but still trying to fully grasp every option before I commit to this complicated route.

[@andrewhunter2520]

that's awesome! finally some contemporary tech! it'd be even better to have a U unit that worked without blocking the window. (that one but flipped over)

[@bigjoshlevine]

Agreed! SoleusAir makes one. Here is the link... soleusair.com/index.php/2020/05/16/press-release-the-2020-winner-for-best-global-design-for-housewares-and-home-electrics-is-soleus-air/ It is a harder problem because walls can be much thicker than windows. Another interesting design that I have not seen would be completely flat with horizontal coils indoor and out. This could potentially be more efficient & confortable because of the upward air flow, but would require some creativity on the compressor placement. Maybe use a few of the soda-can sized ones in a row?

[@MrDevanWright]

Do you think it's possible to separate the inside and outside unit? Splicing in some tubing, extending the power cabling, etc?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Certainly *possible*, but would likely require opening the refrigerant loop so you'd need a vacuum pump and other AC tools.

[@SallySparks]

I ordered one for our Ford Transit van conversion project. I’m hoping I can separate the two sections (enlisting our auto mechanic for the refrigerant line work) but i see a lot of electronics cables between them. How hard to you think it would be to extend them?

[@bigjoshlevine]

If you are going to break the seal on the refrigerant lines (needs EPA certificate) then maybe easier to make one from scratch using new parts that exactly fit where you want. If this is for a 12VDC vehicle then you can get a compressor with a driver board that runs directly from that and it will be more efficient than driving this from an inverter.

[@orangeisnon]

@@bigjoshlevine I had the same idea, in my case I had bought the U from the Indiegogo campaign and have been using it all summer. You mentioned 12v compressors - I haven't been able to source one outside of very sketchy Chinese websites. Where do you source your compressors from? My bus will actually be 24v if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance!

[@bigjoshlevine]

@@orangeisnon I've gotten many compressors from Aliexpress and always had good experiences. The new good ones are brushless and usually come with a driver board that runs on DC so very efficient and easy.

[@affordabledcgenerators1607]

Dude this is what I just asked about. My thoughts exactly! So I have an HVAC recover the refrigerant and I cap the lines. Get it mocked up on the truck with new lines as the two pieces are now away from each other. Figure out how to evacuate and charge, can just get a gauge set or pay an HVAC guy. I'm on the same idea. Just have to learn more about this type of system. I'm an automotive guy some R12 and R134 is my bread and butter.

[@Homestead_Adjacent]

To all the refrigeration Engineers out there... census unit is optimized for a capillary tube, would installing a TXV give the increased efficiency of a TXV or with the programming optimized for a capillary conflict with the txv?

[@dearlaserworks]

We love ours, but it removes zero water from the air as far as we can tell. Humidity doesn't drop (stays 55-60%) & there is no water dripping outside. Is that expected/normal?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Usually the target indoor humidity is 40-60% so it is possible that the airconditioner is not getting the temp down below the dew point of the air. You can try switching to dry mode which is supposed to run the coils colder and the fan slower to condense out more humidity. Normally this unit is designed to heat up and evaporate the water that ends up un the bottom pan, so should not drip any.

[@dearlaserworks]

@@bigjoshlevine Thanks. We tried Dry mode as well with no better results. I hadn’t realized this unit will evaporate the condensate. Maybe it did pull some moisture out, but it just didn’t change the readings in the room. We’d prefer the drip & low energy consumption, given a choice. Then again, we may add a second unit over the garage and dripping from there would be a nuisance.

[@postbreak]

I wish they would make one that works with side closing windows. Part of me wants to modify this one to do exactly that.

[@garcia6115]

My media a/c unit won't power on. it was working find and then I heard a popping sound coming from the unit, some one tall me that it's maybe a blow fuse, any suggestions and how can I fix it.

[@secretsofthetrades246]

Are there service ports? If so where are they located.

[@bigjoshlevine]

I don't think consumer AC units in the USA are allowed to have service ports. You can always clamp on a piecing valve or solder on a shcreader valve. Why do you want a port?

[@AlexandreBaillargeon1]

Thanks for the tear down! Do you know where the outside ambient air temperature sensor is? My unit doesn’t seem to be cooling as much as I’d expect based on the set point - it seems to factor in the outside temperature as well. Since it’s upstairs in an old house, sometimes that’s not ideal. If I could find the sensor I’d like to measure power draw and possibly replace it with some resistors

[@bigjoshlevine]

I do not think there is a sensor to directly measure outdoor temp, instead i think it measures the temp on the return liquid line and uses that to calculate how much heat is being rejected on the outdoor coil with current fan speed. Also, these are digital temp sensors so you cannot just jumper them out with a resistor. You could fake the controller out with something like an Arduino, or move the sensor someplace warmer in the system.

[@Blue_Azure101]

I’m having rust issues in the back; is there a drainage hole somewhere?

[@bigjoshlevine]

It does not have a drainage hole. The hope is that the water in the condensate pan will evaporate. You could drill a hole in the bottom of the pan if you wanted to no have water in there. I'd do it in the left corner (looking at it from the outside) so that the condensate water could still flow over the bottom of the condensing coil.

[@Blue_Azure101]

@@bigjoshlevine thanks for the reply…..I have decided to spray the bottom of the inside with a zinc galvanizing compound to temporarily halt the rust. I think there’s a galvanic reaction between the copper tubes and the Aluminum case.

[@joerad4722]

Crazy idea, but you think it would be feasible to disassemble this and move the major components into a VanLife vehicle or even a small RV where it could be pretty unintrusive?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Lots of people have asked this. It is possible, but you must be able to break the refrigerant line, which requires skills and tools most people do not have. Someone should really make a DIY micro-mini split just like the MRCOOL units but smaller! :)

[@aperson1181]

Also, trying to figure out the same with Midea DUO Smart 12,000 BTU Dual Hose 4-in-1 Inverter Portable Air Conditioner, how to disassemble to access the WIFI module?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Sorry, I have only seen the U model!

[@steve0826]

How does it deliver heat? I do not see a reversing valve in this video.

[@bigjoshlevine]

It does not. This unit only does cooling.

[@steve0826]

@@bigjoshlevine My 12000 BTU does. I will find time to open mine and look-see. [Edit] I was wrong, only the remote says "heat"; the AC unit has no such function.

[@codyramos3200]

​@@steve0826🤣🤣🤣 midea strikes again.

[@DK-vx5co]

I don't know if you still monitor this feedback, but I have a question since you seem to be familiar with this unit. How much does this unit dehumidify? How does the water (condensate) get out? Is it a direct air pathway (connection) to outside? I'm wanting to use this unit to maintain temperature and humidity for a shed project. If this is a simple drain, humidity will leak in. Is there a p-trap or check-valve to prevent direct air flow? I'm building this in hot, humid Florida. Planning to use a slab with vapor barrier (ground is always 55 degrees), Zip-R walls & cellulose dense-blown walls & ceiling. It will be an ice chest. I'm concerned this will be my biggest air/thermal/moisture leak in the entire system. Any information you have would be helpful.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Some have complained that these do not dehumidify their space as well as older dumb units. My guess is that this is because these people have a lot of moisture coming into the space through a leaky envelope. Since these units will run at the marginal indoor coil temp the keep the temp set point for efficiency, this means that they will not dehumidify as much as a unit whose coil is pegged to, say, 45F always when the unit is on. There is a dehumidify button that I would guess tells the controller to run the coil at a lower temp and probably to also slow down the indoor fan, but I have not tested this. The condensate flows out via a gutter than you can see at 3:48. You should be able to hack a drain tube into the indoor condensate gutter and run that tube to a P-trap if you want to get the water out without letting any air in. I've also seen cool negative pressure condensate traps like this photos.app.goo.gl/VT8UryMUyD4fp8Rh8 that are even better than P-traps because they get all of the water out of the envelope immediately (P-trap always has standing water) and mechanically block backdraft into the space. With such a tight airseal, a unit like this might be overkill. You might be able to get by with something like amzn.to/3mzDulZ since the small amount of heat that it rejects into the space will just get absorbed by the slab anyway. Good luck and please report how it turns out! I want to sleep in your ice chest. :)

[@johngalt4019]

@@bigjoshlevine Thanks Josh. I want to unpack this and I’ll get back to you. Wish I wasn’t busy right this minute. Sounds intriguing.

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

Mine has a condensate water tray under the fan. You can hear the fan splash the water around to help cool the components and evaporate the water.

[@orangeisnon]

Josh - while you were in there, did you see any refill ports on the refrigerant lines? I will more than likely be disassembling my unit to make a true mini-split once the summer is over.

[@bigjoshlevine]

Like almost all consumer AC units I've seen in the past decade, this has crimped and soldered fill stubs rather than ports. I think this a rule since the refrigerant restrictions, and probably a net good thing since it reduces chances for leaks. Luckily you can always add a vampire tap for like $3 (but these do sometimes leak). amzn.to/2ExkwGq

[@orangeisnon]

@@bigjoshlevine you know your stuff! Thank you for the insight!

[@casstippit766]

I want to do exactly this. Did you ever do it?

[@orangeisnon]

@@casstippit766 not yet, life got in the way. Hopefully this summer at some point.

[@gmd1417]

@Josh Levine - Any problems with leaking where the window meets the air conditioner when it rains?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Not for me. I don't think this would be any different than a normal window unit for leaks, probably better because the window is more closed.

[@aperson1181]

How do you disassemble it, how to access the WIFI module/receiver?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Here is a photo journal of taking apart the inside half of this same model... photos.app.goo.gl/HkgipAV39j8BWXWm7 But you do not need to take it apart to get to the wifi module, it is right behind the front filter panel.

[@aperson1181]

@@bigjoshlevine Thank you

[@aperson1181]

Does it have an option for fresh air or the air is recirculated?

[@bigjoshlevine]

No, but you could also just punch a hole in one of the side baffles and run any kind of tube or hose to in front of the air intake grill. Maybe put a screen or filter on the outside end ofth e tube to block insects from getting in.

[@aperson1181]

@@bigjoshlevine Thank you, just trying to envision this....I am bad at abstract visualization. Wouldn't the tube bring in (suck) the unfiltered air (hot/humid) from outside? So basically, you're bypassing the AC completely, and just making a straight pass from the outside to the inside? As thought, keeping a bit of an opening in a window?

[@bigjoshlevine]

@@aperson1181 The idea is to put the indoor end of the tube in front of the filter grill of the AC unit. Thanks to the Bernoulli effect, fresh air from outside will get sucked into the tube and will then will get sucked into the grill, where it will go though the AC coils and then get blown out into the room nice and cool and dry. Make sense?

[@AffinityPhoto]

I own this unit. You better believe you can hear the 6kHz compressor inside. My neighbors complain about it, too. The window foam does not install well and gaps let the sound through but the bulk of the compressor sound comes right through the inside filter. It’s a high pitch sound that leaves my ears ringing from about 12 feet away in my office.

[@andrewnoblet5685]

I have the same issue.

[@AffinityPhoto]

@@andrewnoblet5685 I'm installing dynamat around the compressor now. It's an adhesive pad made from 1/8" asphalt. Should block the sound. Will update.

[@andrewnoblet5685]

@@AffinityPhoto Let me know how it goes!

[@AffinityPhoto]

@@andrewnoblet5685 well, first off, the "sleeve" over the compressor was not installed completely...

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

I don't have this issue. It's super quiet.

[@tysauce1986]

So drilling holes in the pan to drain the condensate is not a good idea?

[@bigjoshlevine]

It probably slightly reduces efficiency and probably gives rust a place to start unless you carefully protect the newly exposed metal, but other than that it should be fine.

[@joed239]

how do you clean the evaporator coils? can you disassemble the front part?

[@bigjoshlevine]

Almost all AC units (including this one) have an easily removable air filter that keeps dust and crap from getting to the evap coils. Keep that filter clean and the coils should stay clean.

[@jonathanmiller8977]

e Channel 10 months ago Three screws under the front cover then unplug 3 wires. Use screw driver to pry open the front cover. It IS only snapped in. Then two screws on top. 3 screws on each side then you have to unsnap gray cover to get to fan.Just opened mine. Fan stopped spinning. Put grease on rubbeer holding fan in place. It was making whining noise then stopped spinning. Works fine now.

[@travisx91]

Hi Josh - Thanks for the video. The high pitch noise of the compressor when its running is audible and bothersome on my unit. What would be the best way to quiet that down? I'm thinking of adding some 1/2" thick closed cell foam (neoprene) on the interior of the outside case in that corner where the compressor is at - serving a similar function to the blanket that comes on it already. Any thoughts on that or additional ideas for quieting it down? It's only audible if you can hear extremely high pitches - super annoying for those who do

[@AffinityPhoto]

I measure the sound at around 6000 Hz. I’d guess that over 99% of people can hear that just fine. Last test I could hear up to around 16kHz and I’m 45.

[@andrewnoblet5685]

Did you make any progress on this?

[@AffinityPhoto]

@@andrewnoblet5685 For me, I contacted the support who were confused. Kept offering me a new unit but mine is functional just annoying and I don't want to go through that installation process ever again. I'm about to add dynamat (mass-loaded vinyl) to the compressor. The unit comes with a cheesy cloth blanket which doesn't do jack to cut down the sound.

[@andrewnoblet5685]

@@AffinityPhoto I was going to try mineral wool, or putty pads.