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About this tool
Estimate the extra copper, drain, cable, core drilling and refrigerant top-up cost when a split AC outdoor unit sits far from the indoor unit.
This estimator itemises what a split AC installation costs once the outdoor unit sits away from the indoor unit: extra copper pair, drain pipe and interconnecting cable beyond the free length, core-drilled wall holes, the outdoor stand, and the refrigerant top-up a long line needs. Brands typically bundle about 3 m of copper into a standard installation and charge per metre after that, while installation manuals specify a chargeless pipe length and a top-up rate in grams per additional metre. Every rate is editable so you can put your installer's actual quote against the quantities.
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Copper, drain, cable, core holes, stand, gas top-up and labour shown separately.
Applies the manual's chargeless length and grams-per-metre rule most quotes leave unexplained.
Flags runs past the usual 15 m limit, height differences past 5 m, and where oil traps are needed.
Most brands include about 3 metres (10 feet) of copper pair, drain pipe and interconnecting cable in a standard installation. Anything beyond that is billed per running metre, and the rate depends on the pipe size — a 1/4 inch plus 3/8 inch pair for a 1.5 ton unit costs less per metre than the 3/8 plus 5/8 pair a 3 ton unit needs.
Yes, past the chargeless length printed in the installation manual — commonly around 7.5 m for a residential split. The manual states a top-up rate in grams per additional metre, often near 20 g/m for R32 or R410A units, so a 12 m run needs roughly 90 g of extra refrigerant.
Residential 1 to 2 ton splits are usually rated for a maximum pipe run around 15 m and a maximum height difference around 5 m, but the exact figures are model-specific and printed in the manual. Beyond the limit the unit loses cooling capacity, the compressor works harder, and warranty claims can be refused.
Compressor oil circulates with the refrigerant and has to be carried back up the suction line. On a vertical rise, gas velocity alone may not lift it, so a U-shaped trap is fitted roughly every 5 metres of rise to collect and slug the oil upward. Without them the compressor slowly loses lubrication.
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