Mini split install -- no power?

[warewolff]

Electrician came over yesterday and wired up the mini split system to my inverter. I have not yet evacuated the lineset or released the refrigerant into the lines, but as of now the unit is not powering on at all. I figured this might have to do with a sensor on the refrigerant release and that I won't see any power until I flood the lines. Just want to make sure this is normal. Anyone else have the same experience?

[cadillackid]

you should see power and the display should light up.. im assuming he wired the mains to the outdoor unit then used the SO and wired it to the indoor unit?

when you place power on it, they usually make some type of sound.. a beep on the indoor unit, display flash etc.. even when powered off..

mine, when powered off do have a blank display.. ive not seen one yet that had a low pressure switch thast threw the main power.. they will throw codes normally if you tried to turn it on and run it wothout the freon lines connected..

have you got a shore power connection where you can bypass the inverter and make sure the unit's power supplies arent choking on the inverter waveform?
-Christopher

[warewolff]

Uh oh... that's what I was afraid of. Yes, the indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit with 3 communication wires + 1 ground. The outdoor unit is connected to my inverter through an outdoor conduit and with Romex, I think, to the inverter, where they're tied in. I'm getting nothing at all on the indoor unit with the remote. I suppose I could splice a 15 amp household extension cord end onto the outdoor unit and hook that up to my home, no? Best case scenario I should at least get an LED indication.

[cadillackid]

going from outdoor to indoor should be a cable with black white red and ground (sometimes ground is separate).. black and white are hot and neutral forthe indoor and red is an opto-isolated high-voltage communication line. (30 volts RMS is normal)..

also be 100% sure that the wires were connected the correct places on the unit..
verify the label on the unit is that its a 120 volt unit and not a 240.. (should be taghged on the outdoor)
and finally just to be sure ytou could measure with a meter to make sure you have good voltage at the unit from your pwoer inverter.

-Christopher

[warewolff]

Results are not good. I double checked the wiring and it all looks right. I have a 120v 15 amp cord spliced in to my 120v grounds/neutrals/hot that run into the inverter. I tapped into that line and the indoor unit powered right up. I have the same MM1512AE inverter that you do, I believe. It functions as an inverter/charger. Am I SOL in that the mini split is not going to run on this modified sine wave? I am leaving for a trip on Saturday and if I need to purchase and install a pure sine inverter before then it's going to be a royal PITA.

Furthermore, it looks like I can still snag the MM1012 inverter, 1kW pure Sine and like 1700 surge. The specs on this model say, as discussed earlier, 960w max cooling. Think I'd be safe with that buy? It's only $300 or so.

Lastly, I'll check that wiring again. I didn't think my inverter passed through grid power the way I have it wired. I thought it acted as a charger. I'll have to double check that.

[cadillackid]

I dont have that inverter. (im not using solar).. I have a purse sine wave inverter that I use off my house batteries its a gopower.. ive not run a minisplit on it before i do run my portable A/C which is like a minisplit (inverter-compressor)..

-Christopher

[warewolff]

Welp, renting a van for this upcoming trip instead. Bummer. I can't find a quality inverter rated at 2kW or so anywhere that can have it to my door by Saturday. Maiden voyage is going to have to wait ...

I have a bid on a lightly used 2kW Magnasine. Hoping I win that one and I'll rig this all up when I return.