Convert aircon to central AC, possible?

[joshuatdixon]

I currently have an open floor plan office and am considering adding central AC, as opposed to the current multi aircon units throughout. Currently, we have several aircons throughout the space all on located on outside walls, so our thought was to see if there is a way to convert the units to central AC since they are already present, essentially running AC ducting through the office. Has anyone done this before here in Asia? Are there conversion kits I can use? I have googled this quite a bit and am coming up empty handed.

 

Thanks for the help!

[sometimewoodworker]

24 minutes ago, joshuatdixon said:

 

I currently have an open floor plan office and am considering adding central AC

 

There is no problem running central AC it just means spending

฿฿,฿฿฿,฿฿฿ or maybe only ฿,฿฿฿,฿฿฿ 

 

27 minutes ago, joshuatdixon said:

our thought was to see if there is a way to convert the units to central AC

There is not.

27 minutes ago, joshuatdixon said:

Are there conversion kits I can use?

No conversation kits. 

 

You need to buy everything new. The professional AC catalogues have the units.

[tjo o tjim]

Much better going after a split cassette units than central if you want to spend some money. Ideally, make sure that the controls are networked so that common control logic can be used. 

[rwill]

An A/C for a single room would not have enough BTU's for a whole house.

[atyclb]

https://images.app.goo.gl/pu6oPE6YKzizQXDVA

[cliffhornsby]

No you need to install from new as the units you already have are not compatible with the new ones, why do you want to change anyway

[PommieOz]

I wanted to install central a/c when carrying out a complete refurb of the house as I have this system in my Au home. I approached at least 10 installers who thought I'd just landed from Mars! I'd suggest you stick with split systems, the latest Daiken models are efficient.

[Anotify]

Central AC requires a compressor unit outside and an air handler inside. The size of both are  in btu's must be compatible with the space to be cooled off. I have never seen any convertion from a small unit to central.. Split systems are mostly for single room operation. And would probably be totally inefficient,  if you could ever get it going... 

[tjo o tjim]

It can be done; there is nothing “wrong” with central AC.  The downsides are that you need ductwork and you don’t get room-by-room control.  The upshot is that you can easily incorporate outside air (and a filter).  

 

On the whole, the only reason I would do it would be if you were incorporating something else to the system like ground source heat rejection or thermal storage, which would likely only be viable in the north.

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

It can be done; there is nothing “wrong” with central AC.  The downsides are that you need ductwork and you don’t get room-by-room control.  The upshot is that you can easily incorporate outside air (and a filter).  

Certainly there is nothing wrong with domestic central AC. (In countries where it's common)

 

In Thailand however the choice of units is limited, the installation expertise is extremely limited,  the choice of zoning controls is nonexistent or limited. There are few people who will be able to design the system, you may need a 3 phase supply, to name a few difficulties.

 

So given all of that you can try to get something that nobody else has, for good reasons, or go with the flow and make life easy.

 

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by sometimewoodworker

[Dazinoz]

22 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

Much better going after a split cassette units than central if you want to spend some money. Ideally, make sure that the controls are networked so that common control logic can be used. 

Logic doesn't work in Thailand.

[RideJocky]

I think we’ll see a lot of growth in the multi-splits units. Ideal for larger single family residential applications.

That’s what I would be looking at.


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