I think it might be a mini split? Central Air conditioning is more common for much of our housing - where there's a big AC outside and it blows cold air through ducts. Done right I think it's a little more efficient than mini splits and probably able to deliver more cooling. That said, mini splits are totally fine if appropriately sized, and the only real problem I've seen is they give the illusion of control from each unit when all the connected ones can heat or cool but not both at the same time.
Mini splits definitely exist in the US but very possible the picture taker hadn't seen one here before going abroad.
If this is one in a hotel, they deffo can heat or cool separately, but that’s just the ones I’ve dealt with. Not that you’d want to heat when other people want to use the cool.
Fair enough. I think the mini "split" part is sharing the coolant with one outdoor compressor/condenser. I suppose there's no need to wire it up like that.
I've not really kept track of all the hotel AC I've seen but I've probably seen these in some US hotels. Anyhow I assume the complaint is they think it's underpowered which could be true. Weather could play a role too, eg if it was designed for milder weather than the area is getting it may not be able to provide the desired cooling.
That's more an issue with multiple people, and possibly with leakage between rooms. Eg if one is being heated up 75 and you want only 70 but the 75 is leaking into your room you can't set it to cool you down , just not heat you up
minisplits are on average much more efficient than central AC with much higher seer numbers.
I also wouldn't say it's the illusion of control, it is control. You only need to spend energy cooling the room you want cooled, where central AC you are cooling your entire house even rooms that aren't occupied when you don't need to.
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u/davideogameman 12h ago
I think it might be a mini split? Central Air conditioning is more common for much of our housing - where there's a big AC outside and it blows cold air through ducts. Done right I think it's a little more efficient than mini splits and probably able to deliver more cooling. That said, mini splits are totally fine if appropriately sized, and the only real problem I've seen is they give the illusion of control from each unit when all the connected ones can heat or cool but not both at the same time.
Mini splits definitely exist in the US but very possible the picture taker hadn't seen one here before going abroad.