Costway Airtural Series 18000 BTU Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater

GeorgeH6454

Apr 22, 2026 07:34 PM

146 Posts

Joined Oct 2017

GeorgeH6454Apr 22, 2026 07:34 PM

146 Posts

Quote from Igorkocev

:

Is is that difficult to dyi this split unit? Or any for that matter .... What is the cheapest option?

Even for a skilled DIY'er this is a really challenging project. It can involve carpentry (cutting a hole through the side of your house), significant electrical (running a new breaker & routing wires / conduit through walls or crawlspaces to the location), full-on HVAC (multiple nitrogen purge / pressure test and vacuum pulls with a micron gauge). There's many tools you probably don't already have (crowfoot wrenches or HVAC torque wrenches, nitrogen regulator, micron gauge, vacuum rated HVAC core removers). There's the cheap & dirty way to do it, or the right way to do it. I've seen the former lead to complete failure after a few years. If you do the nitrogen pressure test, and repeatedly do a nitrogen purge and vacuum under a micron gauge with HVAC core removers you'll have a solid system. If you can find an HVAC test who will do that part for $500 it's a good deal. The Youtube videos make it look like it's incredibly easy and will take 30 minutes. Very misleading. I'm glad I installed one but it's the toughest DIY I've ever done.

2

RelaxedPear227

Apr 22, 2026 10:00 PM

36 Posts

Joined May 2024

RelaxedPear227Apr 22, 2026 10:00 PM

36 Posts

Quote from joebells

:

They aren't hard to install, I think DIY.

But you do need to do electrical work. Generally a new line from the Fuse box with a new breaker, and you usually need a shut off box near the outside unit. Both pretty easy to do if you have any DIY skills.
The other thing you'll need to do is use a vacuum pump to clear out the lines before you start it, easy to do, but you need the pump. Lots of youtube videos to watch and decide if you feel comfortable doing it.

I'll add to this. I've done 5 or 6 of these now. Get yourself some refrigerant soap off amazon. After you vacuum the lineset and release the refrigerant (have your wrenches ready) go around to each fitting and quickly hit them with the soap and you'll know right away if you have any leaks. Do the outside fittings and the inside. I actually found a small leak once and was able to back the nut off a little and re torque it stopping the leak. In an emergency you could probably (by putting it in AC mode) get the refrigerant back into the condenser (outside) and closing the 2 valves with an allen wrench (in a certain order--check youtube for a video on how to do it). I've actually moved a minisplit using this method and hardly lost any refrigerant using this method.

1

ValB

Apr 22, 2026 11:06 PM

634 Posts

Joined Nov 2012

ValBApr 22, 2026 11:06 PM

634 Posts

Quote from JD713

:

Last year, my old central AC is not blowing cold air anymore. I don't think their still have refrigerant for old AC. So I purchased the Yitahome mini split AC 18k BTU total $469: https://ibb.co/HT2XnG6r

It works fantastic. After that, I bought 2 more 9k BTU for bedrooms. So total 3 mini split cost under $1200. It must cheaper than getting new central AC, and SAVE A LOT ENERGY. Just 10 months, my house save almost $500 compare to last year use central AC. And my house never get cool and warm like this before. If you know how to install mini split, you will love it. It very quiet and efficiency compare to central and window AC.

How much was the installation ?

JD713

Apr 23, 2026 12:11 AM

322 Posts

Joined Jun 2023

JD713Apr 23, 2026 12:11 AM

322 Posts

Quote from ValB

:

How much was the installation ?

I installed myself all three units. If you have a little handyman skill, I think most of you could do it by yourself as well. It is not that difficult.

joebells

Apr 23, 2026 12:21 PM

771 Posts

Joined Feb 2019

joebellsApr 23, 2026 12:21 PM

771 Posts

Quote from E_M__

:

If you get a 115v you can literally just plug it into an outdoor in-use box. The plug will get by as a disconnect, and w/ my inverter ones I only pull 1kw if I'm running the heater; the AC inverter varies between 400-600watts from what I've seen, so the breaker is already there and we don't need a dedicated electrical run.

Yeah but you get twice the amperage with 120v. So I prefer going with a new line and 240v.

slickstocks

Apr 23, 2026 02:03 PM

43 Posts

Joined Feb 2023

slickstocksApr 23, 2026 02:03 PM

43 Posts

Operating Ambient Temperature
14℉-122℉

Useless for colder climates.

jazyje

Apr 23, 2026 02:29 PM

2,322 Posts

Joined Jul 2014

jazyjeApr 23, 2026 02:29 PM

2,322 Posts

Quote from GeorgeH6454

:

Even for a skilled DIY'er this is a really challenging project. It can involve carpentry (cutting a hole through the side of your house), significant electrical (running a new breaker & routing wires / conduit through walls or crawlspaces to the location), full-on HVAC (multiple nitrogen purge / pressure test and vacuum pulls with a micron gauge). There's many tools you probably don't already have (crowfoot wrenches or HVAC torque wrenches, nitrogen regulator, micron gauge, vacuum rated HVAC core removers). There's the cheap & dirty way to do it, or the right way to do it. I've seen the former lead to complete failure after a few years. If you do the nitrogen pressure test, and repeatedly do a nitrogen purge and vacuum under a micron gauge with HVAC core removers you'll have a solid system. If you can find an HVAC test who will do that part for $500 it's a good deal. The Youtube videos make it look like it's incredibly easy and will take 30 minutes. Very misleading. I'm glad I installed one but it's the toughest DIY I've ever done.

What about if there iis an existing albeit broken old split unit installed? Would installing this unit be easier then?

WillW9934

Apr 23, 2026 04:26 PM

36 Posts

Joined Jul 2013

WillW9934Apr 23, 2026 04:26 PM

36 Posts

Looks like it only heats and cools. I was wanting one that empies the diswasher, I guess I will wait.
Honestly its a great system

joebells

Apr 23, 2026 07:29 PM

771 Posts

Joined Feb 2019

joebellsApr 23, 2026 07:29 PM

771 Posts

Quote from jazyje

:

What about if there iis an existing albeit broken old split unit installed? Would installing this unit be easier then?

Probably, but it would depend if it is a 120 v or 220 v system and/or if they actually ran a line from the fuse box for it. If they did and it's 220 already, then yeah it should be pretty easy to switch. If it's 120v but they ran 12/2 wire from the fuse box then still pretty easy, just swap out the breaker so you have 220.

JD713

Apr 23, 2026 09:29 PM

322 Posts

Joined Jun 2023

JD713Apr 23, 2026 09:29 PM

322 Posts

Quote from jazyje

:

What about if there iis an existing albeit broken old split unit installed? Would installing this unit be easier then?

YES, it's a lot easier. Because you could use the existing electrical line and wall hole of the old unit. That is 2 big help. If you want to use that existence electrical line, you need to check that electrical line is 240V or 120V. The easy way is checking the old mini split model, and it will tell you what voltage of that system. If the old line is using 120V, then get a new mini split 120V. If it's 240V, then get new 240V mini split. So you don't have to rewire new electrical line.

Make sure you check that electrical line BREAKER too. If it using 15A or 20A BREAKER, you should get mini split 9k or 12k BTU unit. If you getting big 18K or 24K BTU unit, the breaker must be 25A and UP. That is what manufacturing recommence.

Use existence wall hole for routing the line set, communication cable, and drain hose to outside and connect with the outdoor unit.

Last edited by JD713 April 23, 2026 at 02:36 PM.

1

jomammason

Apr 24, 2026 11:30 PM

54 Posts

Joined Dec 2017

jomammasonApr 24, 2026 11:30 PM

54 Posts

Quote from Brundizzle

:

No hdmi, either

I do get the humor, but does this mean I can't sit inside my house and cool down the detached game room prior to going out there?

EfficientSuit4233

Apr 26, 2026 02:24 AM

57 Posts

Joined Nov 2022

EfficientSuit4233Apr 26, 2026 02:24 AM

57 Posts

Quote from vineaux

:

You may need to add R-32 to the system, deal killer for me! Nah!

I installed one,you don't have to add anything. But you do need a tool to vacuum the air out of the lines. The tool is around $100

jshillin

May 01, 2026 03:25 PM

202 Posts

Joined Mar 2010

jshillinMay 01, 2026 03:25 PM

202 Posts

Hey, does anyone have this actual 1800 BTU Airtural Series installed in PA? We don't get that cold, but I'd like to know how it heats. My garage is completely insulated and I'd like something to just take the edge off instead of a space heater and A/C in the summer is an added benefit.

Costway Airtural Series 18000 BTU Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater

$609

$1,598

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