DELLA Versa Series 12000 BTU Mini Split Air Conditioner Work with Alexa with 1 Ton Pre-Charged Heat Pump Ductless Inverter System, 19 SEER2, Cools Up to 550 Sq. Ft,16.4ft…

3 reviews for DELLA Versa Series 12000 BTU Mini Split Air Conditioner Work with Alexa with 1 Ton Pre-Charged Heat Pump Ductless Inverter System, 19 SEER2, Cools Up to 550 Sq. Ft,16.4ft…

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Olga Dutova – August 11, 2024

   I bought this mini-split unit because it is one of the few that I could install myself. Although it requires having a vacuum pump and a vacuum gauge set the investment in tools is minimal compared to the cost of having a unit like this professionally installed. Please note: the unit itself is very straightforward as far as connecting the inside and outside units together and charging the system HOWEVER there is a significant amount of additional work that needs to happen to actually get the unit fully installed on your house. This additional work may include running new electrical branch circuits through your house, opening up walls with all of the associated drywall, stucco or siding repair, possible concrete work, possible plumbing work, finishing work to cover the refrigeration pipes, etc. Just be certain that you know what you are getting into before starting this project. That said, I did install the unit myself, it turned out great and I am very happy with it but it was considerably more work than I had anticipated.

   The unit itself is fantastic! It cools my 12′ x12′ bedroom down in minutes and has enough additional cooling capacity to keep my entire house cool on a 100 degree day just by placing a small fan at the door of the bedroom that blows the cold air to the rest of the house. At night it keeps the bedroom cool while making hardly any noise. The noise that it does make is a quiet ssshhhhhhh sound that is about as loud as a whisper and it works perfectly as a white noise generator.

   The outside unit is also very quiet. When I first turned it on I didn’t even realize it was running. I chose to wall mount the outside unit on brackets as opposed to bolting it to a concrete slab but I imagine it would be even quieter if it was slab mounted. If you wall mount it you will need to purchase brackets separately. There are specially designed brackets specifically for mini-splits and they are relatively inexpensive.

   So far my only complaints about the unit itself is the lack of adequate protection for the refrigerant lines. The tape wrap that comes with the kit is woefully inadequate in my opinion and I ran out of the tape with several feet left to go. Even with the tape the lines appear unfinished and are poorly protected from the elements. To address the issue I bought a mini-split duct kit to cover the lines which resulted in a well protected, professional looking final installation (see picture). Consider this step an absolute necessity.

   I decided not to bother installing the wifi control app on my phone. Based on what I could see the only additional advantage of the app is being able to set schedule times which is a feature that I don’t use.

   Considering the immense value for this mini-split unit I would absolutely recommend it as long as you are an advanced level DIY’er. If you are not comfortable dealing with electrical installations and the National Electrical Code and if cutting a big hole through your wall scares you then I might suggest finding a different solution to your cooling situation.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Steve M – August 26, 2024

   I purchased DELLA 9000 BTU from Amazon. The unit was delivered on time, perfectly packaged and clear instruction how to install it. Installation took a little time but was not too complicated. I decided to run the system before buttoning the system for the final time.

   I run the system for about a day or so and it work great. My room is about 340 sq ft and it was cooled down very quickly. The system worked fast and quit. I finally got a good night sleep in comfortable and quit environment. During the weekend I disconnected the system, configured for the final time, reconnected the electrical cables and the pipes. Then I run the final test to vacuum the system. When running the final test I used a bad cable (purchased from a store) that had a bad connector. As the test run the coolant in the system leaked through the bad connector of the cable.

   I was very frustrated and called DELLA customer line for help. I did not hope that they can do something for me since the malfunction was entirely my fault. DELLA customer service representative was very curious and kind. I could not believe that she offered me to replace to outside unit for no additional cost. It’s extremely rare to get such an exceptional customer service.

   A great system that cools down and warms up your house, works through wifi and Alexa and run very quietly. I highly recommend DELLA to anyone who is looking for an excellent AC system and for great customer service. Thank you for everything.

   Performance, efficiency, size, cost.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Steve M – September 20, 2024

   I am an HVAC service, maintenance, installation technician and decided to purchase 2 of these units for my own home for a few reasons. The price for 20 SEER heat pumps is excellent. The reviews were good. I could get them delivered directly to my home. The units are up and running and I thought it would be good to share some insight from someone with 15+ years experience in HVAC repair.

   1. Delivery – excellent! All 4 units showed up together 3 days early and arrived in very good shape via Fed Ex.

   2. Installation – They do require professional installation. Fairly easy, mostly straightforward. The instructions are clear enough, unless this is something you have never done before. I did have a bit of trouble finding the correct clearances from walls and ceiling because it is different on the template than in the instructions, but eventually got it worked out. The indoor units were holding pressure when i took the caps off, presumably nitrogen. This confirms that they made it all the way from China with no leaks. The outdoor units have the refrigerant already in them. The two get installed, then connected with the pre-flared pipes (the flares looked good), then you need to pressure test and soap bubble the fittings, pull a deep vacuum on the lines before releasing the refrigerant. I saw where someone installed a sight glass and filter/drier. Neither are necessary for ductless but, as long as they are bolt-in, not brazed in, then its probably not hurting anything. Be sure to wrap ALL of the refrigerant piping and connections with the foam that is included. ANY exposed piping will sweat and drip water inside your walls, attic, etc.
   As for the drainage, the drain tube that comes with the unit is only about 7 feet long and the line sets and wiring are over 14 feet. This means you will need to extend the drain line if you are doing a second floor application. I just put the drain tube into a 3/4 inch pvc pipe and exited the house that way. It was not really an obstacle.
   The electrical circuit you will need should be determined by your electrician. I tried to find info on my particular units before they arrived but could only find general amp and wattage ratings. The only way to really know what size wire, breakers, fuses, disconnect, etc. you will need is to read it off the data plate on the heat pump when you get it to your house and out of the box. (at least, that’s my suggestion) The data plate will give you the volts, max and min circuit ampacities, fuses, etc.
   Mounting the indoor units – It is recommended to NOT mount them perfectly level. They should be tilted very slightly to whichever side your drain tube comes out (which is configurable). This is so water does not sit in the condensate pan and get gunked up with mildew and slime. That being said, I noticed that the cardboard templates that come with the indoor units are essential for marking your holes but they are not necessarily printed squarely on the cardboard! Use the PRINTED part, not the edges of the cardboard to square things up and you’ll have no problem.
   3. Operation – WOW! I cannot believe how quiet these are and how well they perform. I have worked on most brands and these are one of the quietest I have heard. They are on par with the other major brands that are a lot more expensive. After the installation, our 2 big bedrooms and bathroom upstairs cooled down really fast and stayed comfortable while the units were only pulling 1.9 ampsx120 volts = 228 watts!?! wow! I have not connected mine to wifi so cannot speak to the use of the app, etc., but all of that is available and included (other brands would require you to purchase additional accessories).
   4. Longevity – Only time will tell. Personally, i can do repairs if needed. I also purchased 2 complete identical units so that, if I ever need to replace one, I will be able to strip it for parts for the other one and it will still make good economic sense to me.
   5. Tech support – I don’t know about, but the seller did e-mail me to let me know their team is standing by if there is anything I need!

   Overall I am very happy with the decision to purchase these 2 units. My best advice would be to make sure the units you purchase are INVERTER, variable speed units. I think some of them are single speed but it is not exactly clear in the descriptions.
   Hopefully some of this helps you with your purchasing decision.