MRCOOL Mini Split Filter Box

About a year after installing my Mr Cool mini split AC unit in my shop I decided to build a filter box above the unit to pre-filter all the fine dust you will find in a wood working shop. The area around the mini split is limited so I used two 16x25x1 (MERV8) furnace filters which will provide about 4 times the area of the unit's current air intake. The filters will be rotated regularly to keep the air as unobstructed as possible. This pre-filter should keep the inside of my Mr Cool good as new!
Overall a pretty easy project with just basic tools and no fancy joinery. I used ½ inch cabinet grade ply wood left over from a previous project and a scrap piece of ¾ plywood for the french cleat.
I plan to post and update here after a few months of usage to let everyone know how well it works.
Let me know if you have any comments, questions or suggestions and feel free to share this video with your family and friends. Subscribe to be notified when we post new videos.
Original video music by Dr Joel Hoffman, MD
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#mrcool #splitunitac #woodworking

[@SapperWoodworking]

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[@williamfitzer4805]

I have had the exact same issue with dust build up in the condensate drain pan.

[@SapperWoodworking]

William, the pre-filters do work and they work very well. I change the pre filters regularly and when the app tells me to clean the inside screen there’s practically no dust to be found inside the blower unit. Cheers, Michael

[@johntaylor5785]

Nice work very simple and functional. I just installed a three head Mr cool in my basement and now I have a road map for a great pre filter. Since you’ve had it in for a year how has it worked out?

[@SapperWoodworking]

John, it’s working excellent! Now when I get the regular app reminder to clean out the internal filters, there’s practically no dust inside the unit. I just regularly blow out the external filters and rotate in a new one every few months. And thanks for watching. Michael

[@davidseverance7385]

Do you have any idea how I can get a replacement filter for the evaporator unit. The company won't even answer their phone.

[@SapperWoodworking]

David, sorry you had trouble getting a hold of the folks at Mr Cool. It’s always been pretty straightforward for me by calling the customer service number at 270 -366-0457. They’ve always been very responsive to my calls.

[@codyj2275]

I am curious what the static pressure is inside the filter box when the fan speed is set to high.

[@SapperWoodworking]

Great question! I did some serious research into static pressure when designing my dust collection system. I unfortunately do not own or have access to the specialized tool required to measure SP inside the filter box. MRCOOL tech folks were OK with this setup and just reinforced regularly changing the filters. The filter box does work as designed. There is barely any sawdust inside the unit, which is regularly blown out with compressed air.

[@EdPalmatier]

How is it doing after a year of use?

[@SapperWoodworking]

Ed, the filters are working perfectly. I did add another box to hold two additional filters. So now I have four total. When I do the regular maintenance on the unit's own internal screen filters there is almost no dust to be found and my condensation drain line is still completely clear and clean. With space for four furnace filters I usually replace one each month and blow the other three off with compressed air. I highly recommend this type of pre-filter add-on if your split unit blower is in a dusty environment. Cheers and thanks for watching, Michael

[@shill71]

@@SapperWoodworking What made you decide to increase to 4 filters?

[@SapperWoodworking]

I had the scraps laying around….seriously I was catching so much dust in the two filters that I wanted to minimize the possibly of stressing the bower with air restrictions so it just made sense. I now regularly replace one of the four filters and compressor air blow out the others.

[@EdPalmatier]

@@SapperWoodworking What size filters for the four you increased it to? 16x25x1 x 4 ?

[@SapperWoodworking]

When I added the extra two filters I changed them all to x 4’s.