Any tips on 230 VAC Air Conditioner Thru-The-Wall Installation?

[Don2222]

Hello
Got the stuff.
Since cold air falls, it is being installed up high in the wall. The higher voltage motor starts easier so it should last longer than a 120 unit. Also has a nice grill on the wall sleeve to protect the coils. It comes with shims to slant the unit so water runs outside.
I just cut a wall stud out and doing the 2x6 framing.

Any install tips I may have missed?
See pic of unit, sleeve, wire, breaker and outlet.
4th pic shows stud cut and upper & lower framing in. Had to relocate existing outlet boxes an notch framing to insert existing wires
Also added L brackets on the new 2x6 frame I installed for support strength.

 

[Don2222]

Hello
I got a little further along, but it is a tedious install and the instructions do not give all the needed information.
The optional sleeve that you install first does make the job easier and the back grill reall helps a lot to protect the sensitive coils on the back of the unit. However it does say to mount the sleeve into the wall securely but does not give any screws to mount the sleeve into the wall and there are no holes in the sleeve where the mounting should occur! Luckily I had some truss head wood screws that worked very well.
Home Depot
(broken link removed)
I also shimmed the top of the sleeve and screwed that to the top 2x6 stud that I installed. The sleeve instructions do not say how much the sleeve should extend out of the wall on the inside but I did figure out that it should be even with the Sheetrock so I had it come out 1/2" beyond the wall stud,
So all is done now except for the finish trim work and calling and insulating.
No support bracket on the outside is needed since the sleeve is bolted securely to the 2x6 so it is a very clean looking install. See 3rd pic!
After caulking maybe some white trim would be nice? Any suggestions?
I got the 230 outlet wired in and it works!
Using some Velcro strips I put the remote on the wall so it will not get lost.

 

[johneh]

Nice work the only thing I would add is a cripple
stud on the 2 outside studs under the a/c
Adds strength to the plate where the a/c sits

 

[Don2222]

Nice work the only thing I would add is a cripple
stud on the 2 outside studs under the a/c
Adds strength to the plate where the a/c sits

Good idea, Thanks for your comments.

Got some Azek 3/4 inch trim board
http://m.lowes.com/pd/AZEK-PVC-Board-Actual-0-75-in-x-1-5-in/50414688
and DAP white 40 year caulk right away this morning and sealed up the outside of the AC unit as tight as a drum before it rains!

For the final touch, I used 100 White Color Putty for the recessed nail holes made by Color Putty Co, Monroe WI
Color Putty Company, Inc. - Manufacturer of the highest quality colored oil-based and waterborne putties for woodwork, paneling, furniture

Amazon - 3.68 OZ $3.19
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003P4XK1E/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[Hogwildz]

A mini-split would have only needed a 3" hole.
Did you toe nail the framing into the side studs? Or just use those brackets.
2nd on the cripples under the lower opening corners, you're asking a lot of those small brackets.

 

[xman23]

Don, looks good. Not that I've done a sleeve install. Did you consider or read about the water flow? In my window unit there a bit of a downward tilt toward the outside that lets the water run out. Do you need that in yours?

 

[Don2222]

Don, looks good. Not that I've done a sleeve install. Did you consider or read about the water flow? In my window unit there a bit of a downward tilt toward the outside that lets the water run out. Do you need that in yours?

Hello xman
Yes there are sloped shims that come with the case that go into the bottom. When the unit slides in these shims give it a front to back slope. It did not say the sleeve needed a slope but you have a good idea there and it would help.

 

[Don2222]

A mini-split would have only needed a 3" hole.
Did you toe nail the framing into the side studs? Or just use those brackets.
2nd on the cripples under the lower opening corners, you're asking a lot of those small brackets.

The mini splits are pretty slick
Here is a nice install video

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The winters up here maybe harsh on the outside parts. Also with a walkway all around the shop outside there is not a good place for it,
I may double up and put another set of brackets on the bottom but they are very strong brackets.
I could also toe nail too. Good idea. Thanks

 

[fbelec]

if you did a mini split and you have a walkway you could get the wall mount bracket for the condenser outside and mount it above your head. i wired a few that way. great space saver.

 

[Don2222]

Hello
Well, it has been good hot weather to test out this new LG Thru-The-Wall AC unit and it was not right!
I have installed 2 pull out chassis units years ago but never a TTW unit so I followed the instructions to the letter! Then after almost a week, I noticed the foam shims to slope the unit inside the sleeve failed!
Now I Believe those shims may have been a bandaid fix so the company guys can Cover their A$$.
After downloading other manufacturers sleeve instructions and pulling this unit apart, I found the only correct way to slope the unit is to "slope the sleeve."

Pic 1 - Failed foam shim!#%#!!$&*%#
Pic 2 - Pull out the sleeve's shims at the top and remove all screws holding it in the wall!
Pic 3 - Pull off bottom outside trim board and cut caulking all around outer sleeve!
Pic 4 - Add new shims under bottom of sleeve and slope sleeve properly then put screws back in.
Pic 5 - Assure top of sleeve is 1/2" from wall stud for proper sheet rock installation.
Pic 6 - Add additional wood shims inside front of sleeve to keep front of AC unit from sagging down! Install side foam to keep outside warm air out of cool room!
Pic 7 - Reinstall bottom outside trim board and caulk sleeve to outside trim boards and putty up new nail holes on bottom trim board!
Pic 8 - All done again - reinstall interior plastic trim and see properly sloped unit!

 

[blades]

On some of these units they do not want a total drain out as they use the condensation picked up by the fan sprayed on/in to the condensing coil to help cool it rather than air alone. You do need some tilt so nothing runs forward out the front of course.

 

[Don2222]

On some of these units they do not want a total drain out as they use the condensation picked up by the fan sprayed on/in to the condensing coil to help cool it rather than air alone. You do need some tilt so nothing runs forward out the front of course.

Good point.
This unit dos have drain holes on the back but the inside is not made so all the water drains right out. Since the directions had shims the unit must have some tilt or slope and I was very conserned when they flattened.
So I looked in the back yesterday and there was some water down in the bottom but now that I do have some tilt it will drain when it needs to
See inside back below