Diamond Dealer or retail stockist?
Mitsubishi Electric's FAQ says its systems are sold through specialist dealers, which it calls Diamond Dealers, and through retail stockists. It says all Diamond Dealers are licensed to install air conditioners, and that in Australia only a licensed contractor with a Refrigerant Handling Licence can install one.
Its Find A Stockist tool filters by dealer type, "Retailer" or "Specialist". Buy from a retailer and you'll still need a licensed installer, so find out who that will be before you pay.
Mitsubishi Electric Australia is also a separate company from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with its own range, warranty and service arrangements.
How the warranty clock works
Buy from an Authorised Retailer in Australia
The warranty card only covers a product bought by its original owner from an Authorised Retailer in Australia, and operated here.
Install it within a reasonable time
The card says that would "generally be within 12 months" of purchase, with the unit stored clean and dry until then.
Cover runs from installation day
You get 60 months, or 5 years, from the date of installation. The warranty table lists 5 years parts and labour on all M Series, S Series, P Series (Mr Slim) and City Multi models.
Report a fault within 30 days
Contact the Authorised Retailer or an Accredited Repairer within 30 days of becoming aware of a defect. Jot down the date you first noticed it.
What Mitsubishi Electric says voids or limits cover
- The unit wasn't installed by a licensed installer, or was installed incorrectly.
- It's fitted in a moveable dwelling such as a caravan or boat.
- It's been re-installed somewhere other than the original location.
- Salt, hail, weathering or other corrosive residue has damaged the paintwork, metalwork or trims.
- It sits in a server or communication room, which the warranty table treats as commercial, with 1 year parts and labour.
Which Mitsubishi Electric system suits which room?
The residential range covers wall mounted, floor console, ducted, multi head split, ceiling cassette and bulkhead units. Its buying guide says floor consoles suit rooms short on wall or overhead space and work well in heating mode, while bulkhead units are made to blend into bulkheads or drop ceilings.
On a multi-split, Mitsubishi Electric says each indoor unit can hold its own temperature, but every unit on one outdoor unit has to share a mode, heating or cooling.
In a cold town, check the heating range of the exact model. As one example, the operating instructions for the MSZ-AS90VGD list a heating operating range down to an outdoor temperature of minus 15 degrees.
Questions to ask before you say yes
- Are you a Diamond Dealer? If not, who's doing the install, and what licences do they hold?
- Have you done a heat load calculation on the room? Mitsubishi Electric calls one essential.
- Is a dedicated power circuit included? Mitsubishi Electric says the unit needs its own supply.
- What install date will go on the paperwork?
- What's your Refrigerant Trading Authorisation number?
What you can do, and what's for a technician
You can
- Clean the filter every 2 weeks, as the operating instructions say. Turn off the breaker first, keep the water under 50 degrees and dry the filter in the shade.
- Download the user manual for your model from the Guide & Manuals page.
Leave to a licensed installer
- A professional service once a year, which Mitsubishi Electric recommends.
- Cleaning inside the indoor unit. Mitsubishi Electric says owners should never try to wash it.
- Any warranty repair, through the retailer or an Accredited Repairer.
What we'd do
Our take
We'd buy from a Diamond Dealer, or make sure a retail purchase comes with a named, licensed installer before any money changes hands. We'd book the install within weeks of buying, keep the dated invoice with the warranty card, and log any fault the day we noticed it. In a cold climate, we'd want a heating specialist to confirm the model's output on the coldest mornings, not just its cooling rating.