Which Aircon?

Hi guys,

So we are getting quotes on ducted aircon for the home.
The company has come back with 3 propositions:

1. Daikin : $7500
2. Mitsubishi: $7700
3. Samsung: $6500

All are the same heating and cooling power and generally the same features: 2 zones, 4-6 outlets etc. Cannot really tell them apart from the info we have on the website.

Any recommendations between the brands?
We want to go with a quality product, but all the 3 brands seem good. Not sure if it is worth paying an extra $1K for the Japanese brands over Samsung.

Any thoughts would be very appreciated!

 

Cooling capacity? are they all rated the same?
Single or 3 phase motors?
Warranty?
Ease of serviceablity?

 

Thanks Scott.
They are all rated the same in terms of power for cooling/heating at 12.5kW.
From the Daikin doc online it's single phase but I don't think we have triple phase at home anyway. How does this make a difference though?
They all come with 5 year warranty.
And I have no idea about the serviceability but I would assume they would all have parts available and services would not be too often from my previous experiences with air conditioning units.

Regarding mounting, the company is suggesting the unit be mounted on the wall as is often seen.
My understanding is that this not an energy efficient mounting solution despite being widespread. As the air needs to go through the unit, when it is close to a wall, this affects the actual airflow and in turn impacts the cooling and heating ability.
I asked whether the unit can be mounted on the roof, but was told this is not as safe? If a bracket was designed to go on top of the wall underneath the tiles and emerge from the roof with a platform on which to sit the unit, it would not only be secure but allow for maximal efficiency while not putting lateral torque on the external wall.

I would appreciate any thoughts on this?

 

We just put in a split system. The aircon installer is a family friend and said the extra cash for Fujitsu is worth it.
Better parts, noticibly quieter and some others things I can't remember.

 

Mitsu and Daikin are well known brands in A/C. Both have good access to parts and more repairers that know the brands, should something go wrong.

Samsung have only just entered the large a/c/ market in the last 4-5 years from what I understand and they're still priced to gain market-share. I'm not sure what their after-care is like.

12.5kW is a big unit. I wouldn't want it sitting on my roof in full sun (or wind).. the condenser units are usually installed with an air-gap of 100-150mm from the wall to ensure that air-flow is adequate. Keeping them shaded is a good idea.

PS - I chose Panasonic after being given the options of daikin, Samsung, and hitachi. Mostly for parts and service reliability and was cheaper than Daikin.

 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has a great name in AC
Daikin has built a good name based on service (but have fallen off on quality, hence the "service" component being important)
Samsung, sure, in a split system (time will tell for ducted).

(Have the same predicament, did a LOT of reading/comparing, based on Whirlpool forum I will be buying Mitsubishi in late winter, hopefully cheaper and only really need it for the AC)
Mounting on a roof can cause any slight vibration to carry/echo through the house.

 

While I don't have experience in all you are comparing - I am a big yes to Mitsubishi Electric.

Both in the home and an IP last 8 years. Had to only once press the reset button at home and no issue in IP (despite filter not being cleaned in IP...how that thing didnt give up I don't know).

The main reason I am a big thumbs up is I find them such a quiet unit... sometimes have to check the green light is on!