Dedicated circuit and isolator
Anything above about 2.5 kW gets its own RCBO at the board and a weatherproof isolator at the outdoor unit. Not the bedroom power circuit. The manufacturer's warranty usually requires it.
Air conditioning · Brisbane east
Air conditioning installation, Brisbane.
Cool, dry, quiet, done properly.
Split systems sized to the room you actually cool. Dedicated circuit, isolator, vacuum and pressure test, drain with fall, and a certificate at the end. Reverse cycle, so it heats in July too.
4 h
Typical back-to-back install, in and out
12-month
Workmanship guarantee
$20M
Public liability insured
5.0
5-star Google reviews
The question everyone asks
What size do I actually need?
Slide the room size, pick the ceiling and how much sun it cops. This gets you to the right shelf. We confirm it on site, because a west-facing wall of glass in Wynnum is not the same as a shaded bedroom in Carina.
20m²
About 5 m by 4 m, a large bedroom or small lounge.
One or two windows, some afternoon sun.
Recommended size
3.5 kW
Working load about 2.8 kW for 20 m² at 2.4 m ceilings.
Bigger is not better. An oversized inverter hits temperature fast, then cycles on and off and never runs long enough to pull the humidity out. The right size runs low and steady, which is quieter and cheaper.
Brisbane is a humidity problem
Cool mode, dry mode, or fan
Half of feeling hot in Brisbane is the moisture in the air. Pick a mode to see what the unit is actually doing, and what it costs to run.
Runs to pull water out of the air
Low fan, coil just cold enough to condense. Temperature drops a degree or two and humidity drops a lot. This is the mode locals swear by on 30 degree, 80 per cent days.
Straight talk
Works best with the room closed up. In a leaky Queenslander with the louvres open you are trying to dehumidify the suburb.
Indicative figures for a 5 kW unit on a humid Brisbane afternoon
Dry mode on humid days
Cheaper to run and more comfortable than cool mode when it is 30 and sticky.
Shut the room up
Close the door, drop the blinds on west glass. The unit only has to fight what gets in.
Mesh on the drain
Geckos and snails climb the drain line and block it, then the indoor unit drips. We fit a mesh end and give the drain proper fall.
Split, multi-head or ducted
Air conditioning installation in Brisbane: three ways to cool a house
Most homes are best with one or two splits. We tell you when they are not.
- Most homes
Single split systems
- Suits
- Bedrooms, living areas, one room at a time
- Control
- Each room its own temperature and remote
- Electrical
- Dedicated circuit above 2.5 kW, isolator at the outdoor unit
- Noise
- Quietest indoor units on the market
- If it fails
- One room is out, the rest keep going
Two or three well-placed splits beat one big ducted unit for running cost in a house where not every room is used at once.
Multi-head split
- Suits
- Units, townhouses, homes short on outdoor wall space
- Control
- Each head its own remote, one outdoor unit
- Electrical
- One larger dedicated circuit
- Noise
- As quiet as a single split inside
- If it fails
- Outdoor unit down means every head is down
Good when you cannot fit a second outdoor unit. Every head shares one compressor, so sizing has to be done properly.
Ducted
- Suits
- New builds and big renovations with roof space
- Control
- Zoned, one controller, nothing on the walls
- Electrical
- Three-phase often needed above about 14 kW, and a board with room
- Noise
- Silent inside, a larger unit outside
- If it fails
- Whole house waits for the part
Ask about zones. One zone for the whole house is the most common regret we hear.
What a proper install includes
The bits the cheap quotes leave out
Vacuum, pressure test, then gas
Lines are pulled to vacuum and held, pressure tested, then the refrigerant is released. Skip this and the unit loses efficiency in a year and the compressor in five.
Drain with fall, brackets, tidy ducting
The condensate drain runs downhill with a mesh end, the outdoor unit sits on brackets or a pad with clearance, and the pipes go in white ducting, clipped and capped.
How an install runs
Photo to cool air, usually one visit
Step 01
Room photo and size
A photo of the room and the outside wall, rough dimensions, and what the room is used for. We size it and pick two or three units at different price points.
Step 02
Fixed written price
Unit, brackets, pipe run, circuit, isolator, removal of the old one if there is one. One number, before anything is booked.
Step 03
Install day
Back-to-back installs take about four hours. Long pipe runs, second-storey walls or a board that needs a new way take longer, and we tell you that up front.
Step 04
Vacuum, test, commission
Lines evacuated and pressure tested, gas released, every mode run, drain checked with water, isolator labelled.
Step 05
Handover and certificate
Remote and app set up, filters explained, the electrical certificate of test and the warranty registration done.
Recent installs
Real jobs, Brisbane east
Straight answer on cost
What moves the price of a split system
- Split system
- From$1,200
- Ducted system
- From$12,000
For a split system, supplied and installed, GST included. Fixed written price before any work starts. Ducted systems from $12,000.
Split systems start from $1,200 and ducted systems from $12,000, supplied and installed with GST included. Unit size, the pipe run and the circuit move it from there. One fixed written price after the photos.
- Unit size and brand, from a 2.5 kW bedroom unit to an 8 kW living area unit
- Back-to-back on one wall, or a long pipe run through the roof or down a second storey
- Whether the board has a spare way for the dedicated circuit, or needs work first
- Brackets or a pad for the outdoor unit, and removal of the old one
Licensed for the gas and the wiring
Both halves of an aircon install need a licence in Queensland: the refrigerant and the electrical. We hold both, so one team does the whole job, issues the certificate of test, and stands behind it with a 12-month workmanship guarantee.
EC Licence 1502980 · $20M public liability
Google reviews
Five stars from Brisbane locals
I would highly recommend ABS Electrical. Callum is very professional and knowledgeable and provided a excellent and prompt service at a competitive price installing solar system and electrical works.
Gregory Brazier
Google · Sept 2026
Punctual efficient and reasonably priced.
Therese Bretz
Google · Aug 2026
Cal installed a power point for a sauna. Was friendly, punctual and efficient. Will engage him for any future electrical work.
Zoe
Google · July 2026
Cal came out for an emergency loss of power and was prompt, fair pricing, found and solved the problem quickly. He also offered back up assistance if anything changed or lost power again he would be straight back. I would definitely recommend for all your electrical needs. Five star service all the way.
Maria Mazzeo
Google · June 2026
Very accommodating and friendly service.
Sandun
Google · Mar 2026
Cal did a great job putting up some new lights in my shop. Very professional, easy to work with, would definitely recommend.
Caleb Oliver
Google · Mar 2026
I can fully recommend Callum of ABS Electrical for his prompt and trustworthy service he provided today (Sunday). He went about his business in a totally professional manner. I would not hesitate to call him again if I had any electrical issues in the future.
David
Google · Dec 2025
Fast and high quality service at a good price. Highly recommend!
Sam Gooden
Google · Dec 2025
Cal did an excellent job upgrading the old switchboard in my house!
Ivan
Google · Oct 2025
Highly recommended!!! Cal did a fantastic job installing an air conditioner in my unit. Great work and professional service. I'll definitely be using their service again!
Masayo Kojima
Google · June 2025
Excellent service! Cal was punctual, knowledgeable, and got the job done quickly. Very professional and affordable. Highly recommend!
Emily Grace
Google · Mar 2025
A fantastic service! I could not be happier. Cal is friendly, efficient and a great electrician. Highly recommended!
Tracy Dudakov
Google · Mar 2025
I couldn't recommend ABS enough. The person they sent around was outstanding. High quality of work done fast and at very impressive prices. I will definitely be coming back to ABS for any future work required!
Jack McPherson
Google · Mar 2025
Very genuine workers, great service and they saved me money compared to the other quotes I received.
Sam Rowan
Google · Mar 2025
I highly recommend ABS! Cal did a fantastic job installing new ceiling fans, air conditioning, and power points. Work was completed efficiently, and he took the time to explain everything clearly. Cal offered great service, fair pricing, and a friendly attitude. I'll definitely be using ABS again!
Shiho Kagami
Google · Mar 2025
Very helpful. Sorted my electrical issue out quickly. Professional, polite and pleasant. Very happy with ABS' services. Highly recommend.
Amelia Robinson
Google · Mar 2025
Amazing experience with ABS! I had lights, fans and aircons installed. Very professional and knowledgeable. I highly recommend.
Kira
Google · Feb 2025
I've used ABS multiple times for plumbing, electrical, and general repairs. Every job was completed quickly, hassle-free, and at a better price than other quotes. The work has always been reliable with no issues afterward. Highly recommend and will continue using their services.
Nick
Google · Feb 2025
Highly recommend! I went through ABS as I needed a new AC unit installed. The guys at ABS looked after me and got it done quickly and professionally. Couldn't have asked for better service.
Liam Gould
Google · Feb 2025
Great work done by great people. Got a few fans installed, all done very professionally.
Gabe Armstrong
Google · Feb 2025
Common questions
Aircon questions, answered straight
Send a photo of the room and the outside wall and tell us what it is used for. We will tell you the size and a price before anyone comes out.
Split systems start from $1,200 and ducted systems from $12,000, supplied and installed with GST included. A small bedroom unit is the cheap end and a large living-area unit with a long pipe run and a new circuit is the top end. What moves it is the unit size and brand, back-to-back or a long run, whether the board has a spare way, and brackets or removal of the old unit. Send two photos and the room size and you get one fixed written price.
As a starting point: a bedroom up to about 16 square metres takes a 2.5 kW unit, a large bedroom or small lounge 3.5 kW, a living area 5 to 6 kW, and an open-plan living and kitchen 7 to 8 kW. West-facing glass, a hot roof above, and high Queenslander ceilings all push it up a size. Use the sizer on this page, then we confirm on site.
No. An oversized inverter cools the room fast, then cycles on and off and never runs long enough to pull the humidity out, so the room feels cold and clammy. The right size runs low and steady, which is quieter and cheaper. Going one size up is fine for a west-facing room; going two sizes up is a mistake.
Above about 2.5 kW, yes. It gets its own RCBO at the switchboard and a weatherproof isolator at the outdoor unit. Most manufacturers require a dedicated circuit for the warranty. A small 2.5 kW unit can legally run off a lightly loaded power circuit, but we still recommend its own.
Yes. In Queensland both parts need a licence: the refrigerant handling under the ARC scheme and the electrical connection under an electrical contractor licence. We hold both, so one team mounts the units, runs the pipes, pulls the vacuum, connects the power and issues the certificate of test.Source: Australian Refrigeration Council licence check
Dry mode runs the coil just cold enough to condense moisture and the fan low, so humidity drops a lot and temperature a little. On a 30 degree, 80 per cent Brisbane day it is often more comfortable and cheaper than cool mode. It works best with the room closed up.
Almost always a blocked or badly run condensate drain. Geckos, snails and dirt get into the drain line, or the line was run without enough fall. We give the drain proper fall and fit a mesh end. If an existing unit is dripping, a service usually fixes it.
Yes. Tell us the model before you buy it and we will check the circuit and bracket requirements. Keep in mind that if a customer-supplied unit is faulty out of the box, the return is between you and the retailer, and a second visit is charged.
Daikin, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu and Panasonic mostly. For a bedroom, quiet operation matters more than brand. For a living area, we look at the dry-mode performance and the efficiency rating. We quote two or three options at different price points.
A back-to-back install, indoor unit on an outside wall with the outdoor unit directly behind it, is about four hours. A long pipe run through the roof, a second-storey wall, or a board that needs a new way adds time, and we tell you that in the quote.
PeakSmart is an Energex program where a signal receiver on the outdoor unit lets Energex cap the unit's power during a network peak, a few hours on the hottest days. It is voluntary and Energex pays a rebate to join. We will fit the receiver if you want the rebate and skip it if you do not.
Yes. Every unit we fit is reverse cycle, and a heat pump is the cheapest way to heat a Brisbane room. A 5 kW unit in heating mode uses a fraction of the power of a fan heater for the same warmth.
Get a fixed price
Two photos and the room size
The room, the outside wall where the outdoor unit would go, and rough dimensions. We come back with the right size, two or three unit options, and a fixed price.
- Fixed written quote before any work starts
- Dedicated circuit and isolator included where required
- Certificate of test and 12-month guarantee
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Expert licensed electricians. No hidden fees.
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Summer is not far off
Send the two photos now and beat the December rush. Fixed price, one visit, cool air.