unit sizes

Josh M.

York or Coleman (same company) make some good units. Quiet as can be too...

JBW_2

Heat Pump/Condenser sizes

Hello,

Whenever I have the opportunity (based on customers budget) I install Lennox equipment. They make great product and have great tech support. I just have one concern with the 410A heat pumps and condensers. Anything over 13 seer is HUGE!!! Except for the XP19, but that unit is extremely expensive.
Whose making smaller outdoor units of the same caliber?

Thanks,

Josh W

ddlong1286@yahoo.com

Condensor sizes

The answer is....no one. My Carrier 2 stage heat pump, 3 ton size is huge, would be bigger but the coil is doubled up. Will probably need to be taken apart in the future.

Maybe York with the micro-channel. Went to an update class for Carrier air cooled chillers and it has the micro-channel coil. Substantial weight and size differences! The only problem, won't work near the sea!

Don in Mo

don_185

Goodman

Goodman has still maintain a low profile.

The biggest concern I have with them is on the service and maintence side.Nothing like having to removed the coil so you can get to the metering device,comp,drier and, reversing valve.

The only good thing is you no longer have to split the coils to clean them.

We build a tripod over the condenser along with a pulley and rope then we lower the helper down on a rope tie to his ankles,that way he can removed the leaves and clean out the
drain holes.LOL.

Jeff Lawrence_25

I've taken to

Having the equipment delivered by the supplier. The condensers are way too big to fit in my van and the trailer is such a pain in the you-know-what to have to deal with.

The other benefit to delivery is we have an additional person to help carry the outside unit around the house. The downside is timing. The last one was supposed to be delivered by 9:30 AM and it showed up nearly 90 minutes late.

Cleaning them is easy. I stick a piece of PVC pipe in the tube of the vacuum cleaner and that helps get the garbage out.

GW

heat pumps and mini duct

Hello Professor,
when it comes to the refrigeration cycle, how easy or difficult is it to set up mini duct systems running with a heat pump in heating mode? I may switch my own system over to HP just to try it out, but thought I'd try to learn as much as possible first. Thanks, Gary

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Jack

Just curious...

What are the customers reactions to these units?

don_185

The customer

The customer reaction...Wow! thats big,it almost as big as my car.Do you have to put it there,I truly work hard on
my flower garden.

No, not there either,I surely do not want to look out my nice big windows and see the top of a ac unit.

Ummm,how about you put it where the shed is? I'll just build a fence around it.Wow, that big.it did not look that big in the picture.

Thats nothing,you should hear the conversation with the condo assocation,owner and, the hvac contractor when it comes to replacement.

Eugene Silberstein 3

Ductless Split Heat Pumps

MAKE CERTAIN YOU READ THE MANUFACTURER'S LITERATURE BEFORE INSTALLING/SELLING A DUCTLESS SPLIT HEAT PUMP!

Please consider this a fair warning. If you refer to the manufacturer's literature, many of the ductless split heat pump systems are NOT intended to act as the primary heat source as they are very inefficient.

I was very disillusioned when I heard this from the horse's mouth at a recent seminar on the Island of Long that was held by the technical team from one of the equipment manufacturers.

Forgetting about the efficeincy issues of the system itself, there are no electric strip heaters in the air handlers, given that you cannot mount an electric strip heater in a plastic casing. I think it has something to do with plastic melting or burning when exposed to a 400 degree strip heater. (sarcasm at its best).

In the literature it states in plain English that the heat pump is to be used as a backup for a fossil-fuel or other primary heat source.

My take on the situation is simple. If an oil or gas-fired system cannot take care of the heating requirments of a space, what impact do you think a heat pump will have?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Jack

Certainly...

read all the specs on a unit. I represent Fujitsu so I'll speak of their "Heat Pump Disclaimer". It is featured prominently in each brochure and on the web site.

What it says is "In some climates a heat pump will handle all of your heating needs. However, this system usually requires some other addititonal source of heat to satisfy heating requiremants in colder environments. Almost all of Fujitsu's heat pumps use inverter technology and as such offer a wider operating range and more heat capacity than a standard heat pump but will not provide adequate heating if improperly sized or operated outside of its operating range. Specifications vary by model; please consult your contractor before choosing a heat pump as your only source of heat."

My recommendation on these systems is that in many cases there is a perfectly good, but older furnace or boiler in the basement that has several years left on the system. It actually does a pretty good job...when it is cold out and has a load against it. Where you get killed on these systems is in the shoulder seasons. Sept, Oct, Nov, late March, April & May. Firing 1 gal to deliver a small amount of heat is not the right way to go. Rather than replace the central system, add the mini-split. Get the comfort of the cooling and dehu and run the heat side when it makes sense. Use all available resources for seasonal efficiency. That makes sense in any environment...well, to me anyway.

It is great technology...oh, and the 3 ton condensing unit is 33x36x13. You can get several of them in your regular van and one man can handle them. But, please, read the specs, all of them.

Chris_100

Ductless

I have used a variable speed multi-zone heat pump in my office in Vermont for 4 years for AC and heating during the shoulder seasons. I operate it when outdoor temperatures are above 20 - 25´. In my area it can get as cold as minus 25´ but 68% of the total annual btu's required for heating in my area occur when the temperature is 20´ degrees or warmer (this is manual J bin weather data). I use my oil boiler when it is below 20´.

This has resulted in a 65% reduction in my oil consumption (gallons) and almost 50% reduction in total heating costs.

The heat pump certainly can't handle the load up here when it is very cold, but when combined with a fossil fuel system it has provided great comfort and economy.

Eugene Silberstein 3

Thanks Jack

As always, Jack, thanks for your input. By the way, I look forward to speaking with you regarding the floor space I set aside in the new HVAC building for two ductless split systems. Hint hint.

Jack

Cool, Gene

I just sent an e to Fujitsu today recommending they have the local guy contact you. If you get a chance sometime please give me a call. I'll be at NAOHSM again tomorrow. 617 834-8751 M.

Mitch_4

Electric heat is available if

you are willing to pay a bit for it. ONLY american built ductless, and electric heat available, but it is designed for commercial industrial, so cost is up.

http://www.ecrinternational.com/secure/upload/document/1118.pdf