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Minimum ambient temp to start gshp

seandarcy
seandarcy Member Posts: 21
I have a 5 year old water furnace gshp in a pa summer house. The house is closed and drained. I'd like to reopen it this month, but the manual says ambient temp has to be above 45 to run the gshp. Ambient temp is 25-30. But this makes no sense to me. Why does it matter the temp of the air blowing across the heat exchanger ? The refrigerant is cooled too much for the cycle to work ? At 25 degrees ?

Thanks for any help.

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    I am assuming you are connected to a closed loop system with antifreeze in it. Is this true or do you have a system connected to a pond or open well with pond or well water?
  • seandarcy
    seandarcy Member Posts: 21
    Open loop. Well water @ 250 ft. About 50 F. How would this make a difference ?
  • SuperJ
    SuperJ Member Posts: 609
    I've heard the same thing, something about low condenser temperatures causing refrigeration problems. The TX valve only has so much range in temperatures. Sorry I don't not the details.

    I think you could cheat and restrict the airflow to the coil (put a piece of cardboard in place of most of the RA filter) to artificially keep the coil temps/pressures up in low ambient conditions. (or leave the panel of the fan compartment slightly open to the room so the fan is only pulling a bit of air through the coil).
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    @seandarcy , if you are using the heat pump for heating in low ambient conditions as it heats the air in the home it will be cooling the well water. Without enough "load" on the unit due to the low temperature in the house you cold cause the well water to drop below freezing
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    It seems like it has to do with the compressor temperature, I would just let her rip.
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    Do you have back up electric heat strips? That or some other heat could warm the house up close to that 45 degree mark.
    Then start the HP.
    There should be a freeze stat protector on the heat pump which would shut it down before damaging the coil.

    Most heating systems are designed to maintain heat in a house that is already warm. They have all fall/winter to maintain and not start from scratch.
    DZoro
  • seandarcy
    seandarcy Member Posts: 21

    @seandarcy , if you are using the heat pump for heating in low ambient conditions as it heats the air in the home it will be cooling the well water. Without enough "load" on the unit due to the low temperature in the house you cold cause the well water to drop below freezing

    But I've got an open loop. Intake is an aquifer @ 250' , effluent to pond.
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Just run a small 5000btu heater in the room where the heat pump is for a bit, get a little warmth. Or if your extra good, point the heater at the compressor, warm that puppy up. Then let her rip.
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    The problem is that at that temperature, it will super condense and slug the compressor with liquid, no?

    I'd use the emergency electric heat to bring the space up to the minimum before starting the compressor. Unless warranty is not an issue...

    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
    DZoro
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    Unless I am reading this wrong 25-30 indoor temp and 50 deg condenser water = trouble
    JUGHNE
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    How is the water well winterized? Does is drain down when off?
    How do you winterize the heat exchanger coil for winter?