Multi-Split Aircond Installation — 1 Outdoor 3 Indoor Units for New Condo in Ara Damansara

The Customer's Situation

Encik Hafiz and Puan Syahirah had just received the keys to their new 3-bedroom condo in Sfera Residences, Ara Damansara. The unit came with no aircond — just the piping points pre-installed by the developer. They needed aircond for the master bedroom, second bedroom, and living room.

The challenge: the condo's outdoor unit ledge could only accommodate two condenser units, but they needed cooling for three rooms. The solution was a multi-split system — one outdoor unit powering three indoor units.

Why Multi-Split?

A multi-split system uses one large outdoor condenser connected to multiple indoor units. It's ideal when outdoor unit space is limited — common in Malaysian condos where the ledge is designed for 2 units but you need 3 or more rooms cooled.

The Daikin MKS multi-split system we recommended connects up to 3 indoor units to a single 3.0HP outdoor unit. Each indoor unit operates independently — you can run just the bedroom at night without cooling the living room.

As discussed in our installation cost guide, multi-split is more expensive per unit than individual splits, but saves money on outdoor unit space and sometimes on total piping length.

Installation Challenges

The developer's piping conduit was designed for individual split units — one pipe run per room. For the multi-split system, we needed to route all three pipe sets from the single outdoor unit location. This required creative routing through the utility area and some additional pipe length.

The Y-branch joint — a critical component in multi-split systems that splits the refrigerant flow from one outdoor unit to multiple indoor units — had to be positioned within specific distance limits from the indoor units per Daikin's specifications. Our team carefully calculated the layout to ensure optimal performance.

Results

• Space: Only 1 outdoor unit on the ledge — leaving space for future additions or a washer/dryer
• Cooling: All 3 rooms reach set temperature within 15 minutes
• Independence: Each room can be controlled independently — different temperatures, different schedules
• Noise: Single outdoor unit means less noise than 3 separate condensers
• TNB bill: RM280/month for all 3 units running average 6 hours/day

Cost Breakdown

• Daikin multi-split system (1 outdoor + 3 indoor): RM5,800
• Installation (piping, brackets, electrical, gas): RM1,200
• Additional piping (beyond standard): RM200
• Total: RM7,200

For comparison, 3 individual Daikin splits (1.0HP + 1.0HP + 2.0HP) would have cost about RM6,000-6,500 — but would have required 3 outdoor units, which wouldn't fit on the ledge.

All indoor units in this multi-split system are inverter-driven. Our guide on inverter vs non-inverter technology explains why inverter is especially beneficial in multi-split setups where partial-load operation is common.

Customer Feedback

"We thought we'd have to sacrifice one room because we could only fit 2 outdoor units. Total Aircond suggested the multi-split option and it solved everything perfectly. One outdoor unit, three rooms cooled independently. The installation team was very neat — you can barely see the piping."

— Encik Hafiz & Puan Syahirah, Sfera Residences, Ara Damansara