mini split heat pump options for heat

Fortunat

Hi there,



I'm interested to know other people's experience with mini split heat pumps for heating  exceptionally well insulated buildings in cold climates (northern New England).



We've used the Daikin VRV a number of times and it performs well and we like it, but I'm not crazy about the tech support (or quoting support) we get through the distributor so I'm interested to know if there is an alternative product with similar performance.



I've seen LG, Mistubishi and a couple others out there. how do they compete with the Daikin in low temperature performance (remember these are heating dominated applications in a cold climate). Any first hand experience either good or bad?



how about support? from either the local folks or the manufacturer? adequete? exceptional?



Thanks for sharing your experience.



~Fortunat

meplumber

Mini Splits

I have used LG, Mitsubishi, Fujitsu and Sanyo.  I like the fujitsu.



They are easy to install and hook up.  Not bad to repair.  They all suck because they cram so much into the condenser box, but they seem to be the most serviceable.  I have had bad experiences with both LG and Sanyo.  Mitsubishi isn't bad, but pales in performance compared to the couple of dozen Fujitsu's that I have out there.



I am in Maine and primarily use them with radiant and in commercial buildings.  They have multi's that can run up to 8 evaporators.  Heat pump is capable down to about  15 - 20 deg F with enthalpy above 7 btu/lb outdoors.



Tech support isn't great with any of them.  But Fujitsu has taken the time to train their wholesalers.  I use Johnstone Supply and they have always been able to find the answer for me.  They also have a dealer specific website that has quick access to parts breakdowns and troubleshooting guides.



For my money and reputation, I am sold on the Fujitsu in this climate.

Techman

Mini's

It still comes down to how many BTU's you need vs. how many BTU's the unit produces @ design temp.