Mitsubishi Electric’s UK has launched R32 versions of its Mr Slim Power Inverter split air conditioning units at the same price as current R410A models.
The new models were the highlight of yesterday’s Mitsubishi Electric Meet2017 event at the Lee Valley VeloPark in East London, one of the venues for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The new unit expand on Mitsubuishi’s UK model options using the new lower GWP refrigerant following the launch of M Series splits earlier this year.
It was a big day for R32. While Mitsubishi Electric was launching its Mr Slim units, its main European air conditioning rival, Daikin, was simultaneously launching new R32 SkyAir air conditioners across the Channel in Belgium. Daikin is expected to launch these units in the UK at its D1 Partner conference next week.
The new Mitsubishi Mr Slim range includes ten outdoor units offering single-phase and 3-phase options, with a capacity range from 3.5 to 14kW. There are also 25 individual indoor units available, including ceiling cassettes, ceiling concealed ducted, wall-mounted and ceiling suspended models. Mr Slim Power Inverters are also available in twin and triple multi-split configurations.
Said to offer better performance at the same price, the new R32 units also offer longer pipe runs with 100m available on the 10kW, 12.5kW and 14kW models – 25m longer than the equivalent R410A versions and the longest currently available on the market. The lift is also extended to 30m.
Mr Slim R32 Power Inverter models are available in twin and triple split configurations and offer full heating capacity down to -3ºC. The range also includes Mitsubishi Electric’s unique Replace technology which can utilise existing pipework, making it ideal for office and retail refurbishments.
Same price
“We have kept the price exactly the same as our current R410A Mr Slim Power Inverter line up as we see this eliminating a big hurdle in the adoption of this new refrigerant,” explained Mitsubishi Electric UK product marketing manager Carl Dickinson.
Dickinson said that R32’s reduced GWP compared to R410A will be an important reason why the market will move quickly to the new refrigerant: “Not only will this help businesses demonstrate what they are doing to help the environment, the use of R32 also allows the Mr Slim units to offer increased efficiency compared to equivalent R410A models.”
The Mr Slim R32 Power Inverter models bring together the latest technology, whilst maintaining the familiarity of the current Mr Slim Power Inverter range as Dickinson explains: “The size, look, feel and controls for the new R32 models remain the same as existing R410A Power Inverter models so that changing over to R32 will be as easy as possible for building owners.”
“We have recognised that familiarity is important for global brands, such as high street retailers that need to ensure consistency of design, whatever size of building they operate,” he added. “This should make it easier for companies that want to embrace R32 to show how they are helping combat global warming.”
“R32 units have already been available in Japan for over two years now and we have taken that knowledge and experience and refined it to develop this advanced line up, which improves efficiency, increases pipe runs and adds other benefits too,” explains Dickinson.
The new R32 Mr Slim line-up will be available from July 2017.
Yesterday’s Meet2017 event at the Lee Valley VeloPark was the first of its kind that Mitsubishi had mounted in the UK. Mixing informative seminars with product presentations, it attracted over 600 customers to the day-long event.
