Review on Senville AURA: Energy Star Mini Split Heat Pump W/ 9000 BTU & Alexa Compatibility by Jason Pinkney

This SENA-18HF unit was relatively easy to install and there are several excellent Youtube videos about the installation. The key step is to properly perform vacuum and pressure tests to ensure the connections do not leak. I have been using it for home heating. This unit has been performing very well but I have a couple of comments.The unit frequently goes into defrosting cycle (DF). This Senville unit is the second mini split that I installed at home this fall; the other is the Air-Con 18000 BTU unit. Both use compressors made by GMCC; the Senville unit has a bigger (and more capable) compressor that the Air-Con one. The Air-Con unit rarely goes into DF mode while the Senville one does it every 35-45 minutes when the outside temperature is below 25F although both units have similar loads and the same temperature setting. In the majority of the cases, the Senville unit goes into DF mode without any ice built up on the outside coil. I contacted Senville and was told that in the heat mode it is normal for the unit to go into DF model every 30-60 minutes. I am not sure such frequent DF cycle in the absence of ice built up is necessary; it certainly reduces the efficiency of the unit.There are several minor flaws that make the installation more difficult. It seems unnecessarily complicated to get to the wire box of the inside unit. The electric terminals at one end of the provided cable are of wrong types. The wiring diagrams are too small to read. Finally, the quality of plastics on the inside unit is questionable as it often makes cracking sounds when heating.