How to de-ice a mini-split heat pump

This will help with keeping the unit from defrosting too much & if mother nature throws a lot of freezing rain or snow at us, it can sometimes prove too much for the unit to keep up

[@marymattern4710]

My fan stopped working and I did have ice buildup. Followed this and it’s working so thank you! Coils were dirty as well so wiped those down in back.

[@BoriPR82]

Another way is to put it on ac mode. It will suck out heat from in the house and melt the ice faster. Yes you will get 3-4 minutes of cold but its faster.

[@Froggability]

A Font. It should happen automatically, by design the indoor fan will not run or that will be chilly

[@jasonrichard2129]

yes, that will work in milder situations, but if the fan is froze or there is an accumulation of heavy ice, that will not cut it. The unit in the video wasn't even froze up, but more or less just to show how it's done in extreme situations.

[@ROYALPRIX]

Still looking for how to extend my mini split's defrost cycle. Mr. Cool's only run about 3 minutes I've read, which seems accurate, but simply not long enough where I live. Stinks they won't tell us that info. I think others can simply pull the cover off and there are simple switches.

[@coolspot18]

My Mr. Slim just "died" last night - it was due to a frozen compressor fan. If the fan is not spinning, that might need to be unstuck as well. Odd thing is that there are no error codes when the fan can't spin ... but the unit does know something is wrong because it doesn't kick in the heat or blow hot air.

[@tigrehermano]

my unit just froze... I am thinking, wouldn't be possible to put an Infrarred heating lightbulb by the side of the compressor? so it radiates that thing you show in the video so it doesn't freeze?

[@AlrightRiding]

We just got back to a frozen unit and it’s cold inside the house. Should we turn all the inside units off, then reset, then pour warm water?

[@2424Goldie]

I don't know if you are able to help me but I have a Panasonic Mini-Split heat pump and it keeps defrosting every 30 minutes even without frost and the defrost will last about 30 secs

[@XRinger]

Who is going to go out there and pour hot water during a snow storm, or when it's humid and 5 degrees?? What we have done many times, is put the unit in Cool or dehumidify mode.. There will be a blast of cold air in the house (turn on a space heater), but the ice melts in 5 to 10 minutes.. Turn it off and allow it sit for a while so the heat exchanger can drain.. Then turn it back on heating mode. On our old Sanyo units, I can only set the thermostat to 1 deg above room temperature.. Then slow crank it up as room temp increases.. Otherwise it goes nuts with high power use.. :(

[@andreadaley6708]

Richard Lee

[@bradrenfro1974]

What’s your thought if this happened in above freezing conditions with no precipitation overnight?

[@tigrehermano]

When your refrigerant levels are low, your system's pressure will drop, which causes the coil to become colder than usual. This is the most common reason for heat pumps freezing up in the summer.

[@macoeur1122]

This is the brand I'm seriously considering buying. Do you not have to have a cover over it to keep snow off?...or does this not apply to Fujitsu Units? (Or maybe you don't live where it snows much?)

[@BoriPR82]

I recently installed a 36k btu multi zone in my house. So far I love them. But for best results, tightly insulate your house. That is what I am doing. The less heat escape, the less the unit has to work. I had all electric baseboard, they sucked.

[@bradrenfro1974]

I’ve had a ton of problems with my fujitsu halcyon with pretty poor support 🙃 would not recommend (in the US anyway) and I’m over $8k and stuck with it basically. This comment is probably way too late but just thought I’d give my experience 😭

[@macoeur1122]

@@bradrenfro1974 I ended up going with a Senville SENA-18HF/D It's an 18000 btu with two 9k air handlers...wi-fi endabled...and cost just over $1800. Keeps it very comfortable in my new addition in Kansas...It's supposed to heat down to something like -22 degrees fahrenheit...and it did seem to manage with the -10 we've had here in the last couple of weeks but it was less efficient at those temps. Haven't had it installed long enough to know the actual energy efficiency (monthly cost wise) as I've been also backing it up with an electric space heater since it's new...I don't exactly know what to expect from this unit yet....and I I have pipes without fixtures installed yet so can't leave them dripping... However, this model is rated at 23 SEER, so I have high expectations, and the cost seriously beats Fujitsu.

[@bradrenfro1974]

@@macoeur1122 hey fellow Kansan! I’m glad you found something! In the first year of ownership of this thing the entire thing was replaced at different points. Bc of my setup I opted for a ducted mini split so there’s an air handler in the garage mounted in the attic. The outdoor part is louder than they said it would be during the sales process (lol) and I woke up to it encased in ice this morning (just above freezing). But it’s been fine since I thawed it thanks to this video. Hate the thermostat but the converter I bought from Fujitsu allowed me to use a smart thermostat for a while but then the converter crapped out too so ¯\_(ツ)_/ live and learn I guess

[@macoeur1122]

@@bradrenfro1974 This Senville Sena defrosts itself...So far, it seems to work...I swear I've practically been holding my breath, waiting for something to go wrong. It would suck royally if it did because I had the line sets built into the walls and my "HVAC guy" was a nightmare...Had to do the best I could on my own to check for kinked lines (through the insulation...Not easy)..and caulk wall protrusions...and adjust condensate lines. which were also in the walls... to the right angle to drain properly... Did find someone new to install the air handlers after drywall went in. So far I'm truly thrilled with the thing (feel like I need to knock on wood though!)

[@robertstringer1431]

In really damp climates with ever changing temperatures this solution does not do well. Directing water to where needed is not easy and, if quite cold out, the water cools quickly being ineffective if the ice is thick. A heat gun or good hair dryer works better. Using these in minimal wind is best. Also if using water, a larger squirt bottle is good as you can direct the water more effectively than with a bucket. I think an insulated hot water filled plastic cannister with a pump similar to an old fashion fire extinguisher would be best. Something like a garden fertilizer/pesticide sprayer.

[@MauriceNL1]

this is BS, it goes in defrost mode automatically no need to turn power off

[@coolspot18]

This depends on the weather - I'm in Toronto, and last year, my heat pump was encased in ice after a rain/ice storm. Last night, my other one stopped working beause the compressor fan got frozen stuck (didn't seem to take much to freeze the fan). The auto defrost cycle sometimes doesn't work fast enough... and also, the heating coils aren't in optimal places to melt all the ice.