How To Clean A Mr. Cool DIY Mini Split Yourself

Рет қаралды 35,264

2 жыл бұрын

#tinyhouse #Maine
How to clean a Mr. Cool DIY Mini Split. It’s become quite clear that our Mr. Cool had a serious problem . . . it hadn’t been cleaned since we installed it. Who knew it needed to be cleaned regularly? Today, that’s exactly what Mitch is doing, and he’s going to show you all how to clean a mini split heat pump yourself. From now on, our mini split gets cleaned a couple times a year at a minimum to preserve the life of it and keep it from blowing that awful smell into our tiny house.
***********Hi, I'm Christine. Welcome to My Tiny Retirement. My husband, Mitch, and I went tiny two years ago for various reasons. The number one reason was to have control over our own lives. Going tiny for financial independence was also a big reason. It felt like every time we got on a path to lower our monthly bills, we were right back in the same spot within five years, the hamster wheel had us but good. And we wanted to retire . . . we were in our fifties, young enough to be able to do things but the health issues of age were creeping up. It was obvious that as long as we had the big monthly mortgage payment, nothing was going to change. We’d been watching the tiny house movement for years, loving it, but a tiny house on wheels was not what we were looking for . . . we didn’t want to be nomads, we wanted permanency to garden, raise chickens, we wanted a homestead but we didn’t want the big farmhouse that typically goes with it (at least in our minds). And we definitely didn’t want a loft for a bedroom. And, surprisingly, a tiny house on wheels is quite expensive, which we also didn’t want. One day sitting around the firepit at our camp in my hometown in Maine, we contemplated never leaving, we loved it at camp. We started visualizing clearing out some of the trees for a garden, where we would put the chicken coop, where a good place for a couple of guest cabins would be . . . all in daydream mode, mind you. But . . . as long as we had the big mortgage and the big house, we could never retire or do anything but work to pay for that house because we still had a good fifteen years left on the mortgage. Then the light bulb went off. What were we doing?! We wanted to go tiny. We OWNED over six acres outright. We already had a shell of a tiny dwelling on the property. Anything we needed to do to make it habitable would have to be done anyway to a new tiny house. What the heck was wrong with us?! Decision made. We were going tiny for financial freedom and going tiny to retire early. The house in New Hampshire was going on the market! IMMEDIATELY. This was mid-May of 2019. June 13th, not even 30 days later, we were moving into the camper with all of our belongings in storage, and went to work making our tiny camp into our perfect tiny house cottage in the woods. We were officially pulled into the tiny house movement. Follow along our journey as we live our tiny house lifestyle as we garden, work on our tiny home, cook some fantastic meals, and just enjoy our tiny house life and live our own way, thanks to living in a tiny house. How about you? You know who we are now, drop some comments and tell us about yourselves.
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Watch more of our videos: • Selling Everything and...
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Help us buy our boat: www.gofundme.com/f/k69mkf-hel...
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My Tiny Retirement Merchandise . . . because size DOES matter, at least when it comes to tiny houses!!! my-store-bc6501.creator-sprin...
*******************Contact:
EMAIL: mytinyretirement@gmail.com (but give me some time, I'm horrible at email, lol).
Mail:
Christine Muehlhausen
My Tiny Retirement
P.O. Box 374
Wayne, ME 04284

Пікірлер: 77

@origtex 2 жыл бұрын

Taking the cover off and showing it would be priceless. That is the hardest part.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry about that. Mine just popped right off nice and easy.

@rchavez5056 Жыл бұрын

So you are saying that there are no screws to remove?

@katelyn_civitello Жыл бұрын

@@mytinyretirementhow did u get the cover off to clean and flap off?! Please help

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Ours just popped off, but apparently they don't all vote off that way. Scroll through the comments because others say theirs have 2 or 3 screws that hold it on. Hope this helps.

@katelyn_civitello Жыл бұрын

@@mytinyretirementI think I have the same unit as you everything looks the same. Yours just popped off with no screws? I just don’t wanna break anything trying to clean it. All the dust in mine is behind the flap stuck to the back of the vents and I can’t reach it 😕. There’s like no info on this! Best video I’ve found is yours

@karenwiersig2260 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video. One thing you might be intersted in is that the condenser and evaporator are named based on what the refrigerant is doing. The outside unit is the condenser because the refrigerant gas is compressed and then condensed by cooling in the outside coils. The inside coil is the evaporator because that is where the refrigerant vaporizes as it sucks up the heat from the house, turning the liquid refrigerant and turning it back into a vapor. You are correct that some water vapor from the house is condensed on the inside coil, but the inside coil is still called the evaporator. Thanks and God bless

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for adding this information...I just knew it needed cleaning and since I had to teach myself how to do it, thought I'd film what I could.

@TedZarcone 3 ай бұрын

This video below might help with removing the cover. It was a video on replacing the blower motor, but they removed the coverb in the beginning. I have a gen 4 and saw the first 2 screws on mine with not one but 2 hidden screws by the vent. I'm going to try and take mine apart very soon so we will see. I might try and make a video if everything goes ok.

@Zzze224 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Awesome video and so very helpful!

@SirkillzAhlot 2 жыл бұрын

You didn’t show how to take the cover off!

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

It just pops right off.

@judyfinnegan374 2 жыл бұрын

Hello christine & mitch!!! Wishing u a blessed day!!! Thanks!!! See u soon! 💕🎃💕

@jeremyfertig4187 Жыл бұрын

first...thank you this answered several questions I had. Second.... I love Mrs retirements questions...I am quite sure i will hear the same when cleaning our mr cool unit :)

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

😆...I have no clue when it comes to this stuff...I just don't want to clean up a mess inside the house! 😆 🤣 😂

@71filter 2 жыл бұрын

That coil cleaner works absolutely wonderful!!! It made that unit look brand new again.. have a wonderful day guys!!!👍

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

I was shocked...that mini split was so disgusting! It really works great now...I was afraid that it was already wearing out, but then we opened it up to see what was wrong and THERE was the obvious problem...filth!

@ohno-zx4if Жыл бұрын

How do you remove the drain pan so you can remove the blower wheel. Thank you

@newsview7844 10 күн бұрын

@@ohno-zx4if Same question.

@ohno-zx4if Жыл бұрын

How did you remove the blower wheel to clean it it seems like it’s impossible to remove. Thanks

@CHunt-cz1ek 5 ай бұрын

Be sure to clean out the condensate tube. That can be a mold factory.

@DebsWay 2 жыл бұрын

That spray foam cleaner worked wonders on your outdoor unit. Good job, Mitch! I've heard that these mini-splits are great units. Stay warm!! I think we're finally seeing some Fall weather here! Temps were down around 57 degrees when I got up at 7am this morning but the day is supposed to warm up to over 80 degrees.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

Deb, I was shocked at how filthy the system was....you'd think we'd have known that it needed to be cleaned regularly like with any other hvac system, but alas we never thought about it. It's working great now...for less that $20! We're supposed to get all the way up to 55 today 😆 🤣 😂 The Fall colors are definitely here. ❤ 🍂

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

We haven't had any issue, even when the temp drops below zero, which happens often here in Maine. However, our woodstove is our primary heat source and we use our minisplit as a backup at night.

@brianmaloy7791 Жыл бұрын

Thanks, I got the same stuff and same units. I was thinking I might have to take the whole air handler off the wall and disassemble it. I really like the idea of using the spray bottle on the indoor unit.. While likely do the same to rinse it out

@marilynwalker4649 2 жыл бұрын

My unit has the self cleaning feature. I appreciate the video though. Great job. You’re very diligent.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

Ours does too, but the whole system still needs a deep clean once or twice a year for us...we have so much sand and pollen here that the self clean just only kind of skims the surface. Thanks for watching.

@ericmaldonado6192 Жыл бұрын

Would really like to see how you got the cover off

@onethumbks Жыл бұрын

Did you ever figure out how? For the life of me I can’t get it off

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

I've been hearing that some units have 3 screws on it...ours does not. Scan the comments below as some other folks have chimed in with helpful comments.

@versus023 2 жыл бұрын

great vid! just a FYI. the unit inside the house is the evaporator, the unit outside is the condensator ( I beleive thats whats their called in english)

@leighphotographystudios1132 Жыл бұрын

What was the spray you used

@kimberlyharris9915 2 ай бұрын

Is there a front panel that opens? Im afraid to break it. When we use our unit it smells moldy.

@daveyboy8907 Жыл бұрын

Did that roof help alot?? I was thinking of doing the same to keep it in the shade in the summer as Mines on tbe south side full extreme sun.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

I think so...especially when a huge swath of heavy snow from the roof went crashing down on it a week ago! I was actually just trying to do everything I could think of to prolong the life of it and its own roof seemed like a good protection at the time.

@texasislovely 29 күн бұрын

how do you clean the blower wheel?

@PreechateYaahl 2 жыл бұрын

At 5:30 you spoke of the difficulty of getting the cover off but didn’t actually explain how to get the cover off. It’s helpful to include the hard/confusing part of the process.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

It ultimately just popped off. Easy once I realized it.

@tradman53 Жыл бұрын

I've seen another video, with a different brand, that required removing a screw(s) inside the lower vent. Does this apply to the mrcool DIY? Great video.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Mine just popped off...no screws. Other models might be different.

@DM-sg3cj Жыл бұрын

Well how do you get the cover off, that'd be handy info.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Our model just pops off. Your model may be different though.

@cranstjs 2 жыл бұрын

What about the Self Cleaning feature that you run from the remote? I do that every so often.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

It was beyond that 😆 It needed an overhaul cleaning...my own fault.

@thomashale8063 Ай бұрын

They make an indoor and an outdoor coil cleaner. The indoor usually has a citrus smell and doesnt need to be rinsed.

@LEK-we2hh 11 ай бұрын

Can you blow with air ?

@josephgraham1065 2 жыл бұрын

So you did not remove blower wheel and clean that too? good video

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

Not with the cleaner but brushed it out as best I could.

@vv6292 2 жыл бұрын

How long did have this, before you cleaned it? Skipped a lot of the video, if this was answered in there.

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

About a year and a half. It was way overdue...should be done a couple times a year.

@cranstjs Жыл бұрын

I'm struggling with my MrCool Advantage unit now 3 years old in a mancave where I have a door and that's it and the MrCool in a 300 sq foot insulated building. For two years, no issues. Then, this past Nov 2022, when it got cooler in TX, I noticed I was getting a dry cough and when I would leave the room after 10 or so minutes in there, 10 minutes later I notice breathing difficulty. I did similar to you with the foam as was suggested by an HVAC pro. For about a day it seemed ok after that. But a day later, and right back to the same problem. So I'm frustrated with this and it's hard to get an expert to figure it out. And mine looks brand new to the eyes. Even the outside unit doesn't have any of the build up yours has. Meanwhile I can't use the room until I get this resolved.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Your heat is much more intense than ours here in Maine. But still, that doesn't sound like a very long working life. I'll run this by Mitch and see if he has a better reply for you.

@cranstjs Жыл бұрын

@@mytinyretirement Days later, I've been on an HVAC forum with Pros, and talked with a man one on one who cleans Mini Splits for a living. And understands the weaknesses of these. One thing no one tells you when you buy one is the Self Clean doesn't cut it and get ready for mold buildup. These are recirculating type units vs home and window units that exchange fresh air. So if there is no vent in the room or exhaust, and you get mold, it's a recipe for getting sick. The way a pro does the cleaning on internal unit is to remove the cover, power it off, use a "Bib Kit", coil cleaner, anti mold spray, and gallons of water with a hose to rinse the cleaner and the wheel behind the evaporater, which, as he said, collects 4 times the amount of crud as the evaporator. And apparently this should be done more than once per year. I regret now buying a mini split vs a window unit type that say a Hotel has. Mostly I wanted the mini split because I have it in a music studio so I wanted it to be quiet and it was actually cheaper than the hotel style window unit. But I also found out MrCool is cheap for a reason and many external parts turned brittle within two years. As of the moment, my cleaning using self rinsing foam, and three cleanings, is making the breathing back to normal. For now. I also bought an air purifier to assist and I'm debating about adding a gable vent and a roof turbine on the 20 x 14 tuff shed turned mancave.

@johntollen9865 Жыл бұрын

How do you get the cabinet apart ?

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Our model just popped off, but if you scroll through the comments, there's a lot of discussion of others who have several screws to remove it...very helpful.

@saphirediamondspearlzsdpje3127 2 жыл бұрын

Morning morning..how r y'all doin??

@mytinyretirement 2 жыл бұрын

HI! Doing great...surgery is over, I'm free of crutches, and we're looking forward to a cozy winter! 😊

@davelouis7629 Жыл бұрын

Have you been able to figure out how to remove the drip pan and blower wheel for cleaning?

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

I didn't bother as it looked like a complete disassemble job, which wasn't necessary for my particular cleaning job this time.

@myusernameray Жыл бұрын

So and how do you take the cover off??? Really??

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

It just pops off. On our unit anyways.

@myusernameray Жыл бұрын

@@mytinyretirement Not on this unit. Finally found there are three screws, one covered by a plastic cap (middle lower side), then there are six clips top end that require top to be pried with upward pressure. Hard to find that info Thanks

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Good to know. Thanks for sharing.

@jenniferchartrand3711 Жыл бұрын

@@myusernamerayTHANKS! Was struggling with this for 20 minutes. 😆

@KipBurbank1 4 ай бұрын

Clean the roller fan and the air will really fly.

@newsview7844 10 күн бұрын

How is the roller accessed on a 4th Gen DIY MRCOOL?

@scottlanier5133 Жыл бұрын

What has happened to your blades? That's nasty

@gonnfishy2987 11 ай бұрын

I think you are referring to the shape? They’re saw blades. Shaped that way for better noise/efficiency

@mattfoley6082 Жыл бұрын

CAUTION: Do not spray anywhere near either fan motor shaft. Water = rust = noisy and/or seized bearings = fan doesn't spin. Whole other level of pain to deal with.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Good to know. Thank you!

@mattfoley6082 Жыл бұрын

@@mytinyretirement I've replaced bearings on my window a/c. Pain in the butt. Do you ever lube bearings? I think many people throw their a/c away when all it needs is bearing lube. The hard part is accessing the bearings to lube them; sometimes you can spray into them where shaft enters motor but sometimes you have to take the unit out of the window or wall, disassemble, take apart motor and replace bearings. I've done it. I hated every minute; took several hours of cursing.

@mytinyretirement Жыл бұрын

Not on the window a/c...the small ones are cheap enough that it's not worth me trying to get my fat German fingers in there. On the mini split? I'd hate to have to do that job.