Multi-head split systems
Multi-Head Split System Air Conditioning for the Macedon Ranges
Heat and cool two, three, four or more rooms from a single outdoor unit, designed for the house and installed by our own team, with honest advice on when a ducted system is the better answer.
Prefer to talk? 1300 369 400
- One outdoor unit connected to multiple indoor units
- Mitsubishi Electric multi-split experience and factory-trained Rinnai dealers
- Designed for how the rooms are used, not for the maximum number of heads
- 9 year labour and workmanship warranty on installations
What a multi-head system is, and who it suits
A multi-head split system, also called a multi-split, connects one outdoor unit to two or more indoor units in different rooms. Each room gets its own indoor unit and control; the house gets one outdoor unit instead of a row of them along the side wall.
Across the Macedon Ranges it suits homes and situations that a ducted system does not:
- Period homes in Kyneton, Woodend and Macedon with no roof space for ductwork, or with roof spaces that should not be disturbed.
- Extensions, converted garages and studios that the existing ducted system never reached.
- Homes where the household wants two or three rooms conditioned, not the whole house.
- Sites with limited outdoor unit positions, where a single outdoor unit is the only tidy option.
- Homes replacing several old individual splits at once.
We design and install multi-head systems across the Ranges with our own team, and we install ducted reverse cycle and single split systems as well, so the recommendation follows the house rather than the product.
Designing a multi-head system properly
The mistake with multi-head systems is treating them as a set of splits that happen to share a compressor. They are one system, and they have to be designed as one:
- Diversity and capacity. The outdoor unit is sized for the rooms that will genuinely run together, not for the sum of every head. Get this wrong and the system either cannot keep up on the days that matter or is oversized and cycles.
- Indoor unit selection. Wall-mounted, bulkhead or floor console units chosen for each room, sized for that room’s heat load.
- Pipe runs. Refrigerant pipework to each head sized and routed within the manufacturer’s limits, insulated, pressure tested and evacuated properly. Long or badly routed runs cost capacity.
- Condensate. Every indoor unit drains somewhere. Planning that before the day avoids pumps and drips.
- Outdoor unit position. Airflow, clearances, noise and service access, with a single unit that now matters more because everything depends on it.
- Controls. Individual room control, with the option of a central controller or app control where the brand supports it.
The honest downsides
Every indoor unit depends on the one outdoor unit, so an outdoor unit failure takes every room offline until it is repaired. Capacity is shared, so a system running every head on a 40 degree day is working at the limit if it was sized optimistically. Pipe runs are longer than a single split. In a larger home a ducted system usually gives more even, quieter whole-home comfort. Our multi-head versus ducted comparison sets this out properly so you can decide with the trade-offs in front of you.
Brands
We have substantial hands-on experience installing Mitsubishi Electric multi-split systems, and we are factory-trained dealers for Rinnai, whose multi-split range includes systems that serve up to six rooms. We service and repair multi-head systems of all major brands.
Replacing old equipment under the VEU program
Replacing old reverse cycle units or electric resistance heaters with an approved multi-split system can be eligible under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. We check eligibility and quote approved equipment.
How it works
One outdoor unit, several rooms
A multi-head system connects two or more indoor units to one outdoor unit. Each room has its own indoor unit and its own control, so a bedroom and a living room can be at different temperatures or one can be off, and the outside of the house keeps to a single outdoor unit rather than a row of them.
In the rooms
Wall-mounted units where ducted is not practical
Flat roofs, no roof space, heritage ceilings, a two-storey home where only the upstairs rooms need cooling: these are where a multi-head earns its place. The indoor units are the same quiet wall-mounted heads used on single splits; the design work is in sizing the outdoor unit for the rooms it serves.
Why our installations perform
The MRGA Standard
What a properly designed and installed system includes, and what our quote is built around.
Sized for your home, not a rule of thumb
We size heating and cooling from the home: floor area, ceiling heights, insulation, glazing, orientation and how the rooms are used. An oversized unit short-cycles and an undersized one runs flat out on the coldest and hottest days, which is exactly when you need it.
Outdoor unit positioned properly
Clearances for airflow and service access, a level base or bracket, noise considered for you and the neighbours, and a position that keeps pipe runs sensible. It is the difference between a unit that lasts and one that struggles every summer.
Refrigerant work done by licensed technicians
Pipework is brazed, pressure-tested and evacuated before charging, and the charge is set to the manufacturer's specification. Our technicians hold the ARCtick refrigerant handling licence the law requires.
Electrical supply done by licensed electricians
Reverse cycle systems need the right circuit, cable size and isolator at the outdoor unit, installed to AS/NZS 3000 by a licensed electrician with a certificate of electrical safety. We tell you up front if the switchboard needs work, rather than discovering it on installation day.
Factory-trained dealers
Trained by the manufacturers, buying direct
We are factory-trained dealers for ActronAir, Brivis and Rinnai and purchase equipment directly from these manufacturers.
We also install, service and repair all major heating and cooling brands, including Mitsubishi Electric.
Accountability
9Year Labour & Workmanship Warranty
It applies to the installation work our own team does. Equipment is covered by the manufacturer's warranty, repairs and servicing carry their own workmanship warranty, and pre-existing or reused components are not covered by the nine years.
Questions we get asked
What is a multi-head split system?
One outdoor unit connected to two or more indoor units in different rooms. Each room has its own indoor unit and its own control, and the outdoor unit serves all of them. It gives room-by-room control without a separate outdoor unit for every room.
How many rooms can a multi-head system run?
It depends on the manufacturer and the outdoor unit. Two, three and four head systems are common, and some ranges go further; Rinnai's multi-split range, for example, includes systems that serve up to six rooms. The number of heads is limited by the outdoor unit's capacity and by how many rooms will run at once.
Can all the rooms run at the same time?
Yes, within the outdoor unit's capacity. We design the system so that the rooms that will run together on a hot afternoon or a cold morning are covered, rather than adding up the maximum of every indoor unit.
What are the downsides of a multi-head system?
All the indoor units depend on one outdoor unit, so if it fails every room is off. Pipe runs are longer and more complex than a single split. In a large home, a ducted system usually gives more even whole-home comfort. We set the trade-offs out on the comparison page.
Which brands do you install?
We have substantial hands-on experience installing Mitsubishi Electric multi-split systems and are factory-trained dealers for Rinnai, whose range includes multi-split systems. We recommend one system rather than a list.
Where we work
Multi-Head Split Systems across the Macedon Ranges
Based in Sunbury, servicing the Macedon Ranges and surrounding areas.
Get in touch
Request a written quote
Prefer to talk? Call 1300 369 400, monday to friday 8:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am to 1:00pm.