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Bosch heat pump

How many y’all are doing Bosch BOVA heat pumps? Here’s today’s job, on existing oil furnace

I dig the EWC BM3000plus zone control, very versatile.
Gary Wilson
Wilson Services, Inc
Northampton, MA
gary@wilsonph.com
SuperTechMad Dog_2

Comments

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    We've probably done over 150 of them between a couple of us who help each other. Very few issues: a couple of boards and the issue of the filter/drier not having a stop which caused the tube to be inserted too far.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Wow your two steps ahead of me, I’ve done 12 or 15 or so. Yeah we had a buried liquid line on a dryer too!
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    GW said:

    Wow your two steps ahead of me, I’ve done 12 or 15 or so. Yeah we had a buried liquid line on a dryer too!

    There's a TSB on it from a couple of yeas back. It was supposed to be limited to certain serial numbers from back then, but I've had a couple of more recent ones come through like that.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    @GW, does the furnace have an ECM blower motor or did you install a barometric bypass relief? Or both?
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Just a dumb motor, relying heavily on the DATS, EWC Control. No Bypass. The zoning system was already there, the furnace was already there. There’s no way the Bosch heat pump is going to get harmed by this, it’s too smart.
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
    HVACNUT
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,139
    I've done a handful of these units without any issues so far. All have furnaces or hydro air systems that were previously straight cooling. Customers have been pleased with them
    GW
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    All that Bosch requires is that the ID coil be full size tubing, matched tonnage, and have a TXV.

    Of course, there's no AHRI certification and therefore no guaranty of what the SEER or HSPF will be.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • lhendrick1
    lhendrick1 Member Posts: 2
    To GW. That is a very clean install you did on the oil furnace. I have question if you don't mind.

    I see that you mounted the indoor coil unit on a riser/plenum that looks to be about 4-6 inches tall based on your photo. It also looks like you are using the coil drain pan that comes with the coil. I am planning to have a similar configuration installed, and have seen some literature on not using the stock drain pan above an oil furnace because of high temperatures. Can you comment on whether the spacing you have will prevent any potential heat damage. I have a Century Patriot 80 Plus Tallboy oil furnace. Thanks.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    Looks beautiful Gary! How low of an outdoor temperature will it still operate at?
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    We have a couple jobs where we need to go back and put a metal pan in. This is one of them. True, if the furnace control fails to operate properly, it could be trouble. These modern oil furnaces aren’t quite as hot as the old days.

    Paul it’s set up for dual fuel, I’m not really promoting these to run in the middle of the winter. I’m guessing it would work well down to mid-low teens, for this home 
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    Thanks. My mom’s is a carrier that is set to switch to oil at 31F. But we have a lot of winter days over 31 in southern NY lately. I have to see if it is rated to work lower. 
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Just comes down to cost per BTU. Heat pumps cost more to operate as the outdoor temp drops. So many people confuse “capacity” and “running costs” at cold temps. Two different topics. As is MPG and horsepower 
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
    Mad Dog_2
  • lhendrick1
    lhendrick1 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the info GW!
  • Tim Potter
    Tim Potter Member Posts: 273
    To all of you who have installed many of these:
    What surge protector do you use, I've 'now' read that they are essential. Daughter has 2 units (upstairs/downstairs) just installed, had to have the installer out already because of a surge to reset both.
    1 per disconnect or 1 in main breaker box?
    size and model # if you can provide

    Thank You,

    Tim
    Winter Park, CO & Arvada, CO
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    They do seem more fragile- we’ve installed hundreds on minis (same basic inverter technology) with extremely few incidents (power related issues). Just this summer we had two BOVA units take a nap when the power came back on- two separate circuits (two hp units). I have a polite clause in my paperwork stating power related issues aren’t included in our warranty. I asked the homeowners here to look into a whole house surge protector. 

    So yes, it’s real, gotta protect these units. Now I am stating this more clearly than I did in the past. 

    We’ve got a bunch on Inverter Carrier HPs out there, never had one glitch 
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    ICM493 Surge Single phase Monitor
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,139
    Intermatic compressor defender
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,574
    Switching power supplies are pretty notorious for failing in such a way that they will continue to function for as long as they are powered but will fail the next time power is removed and restored. That isn't the result of an issue with the power but with poor quality/misapplied components in the power supply. I wouldn't always attribute not coming back on after a power interruption to the power interruption.

    Currents induced in the low voltage wiring either from near lightning strikes or from the rapid changes in current in nearby power wiring during a power interruption or restoration can also damage controls.
  • woobagooba
    woobagooba Member Posts: 186
    I am about to have a Bosch BOVA installed along with a new electrical panel. There will certainly be a surge protector on the panel. Any point in also installing a surge protector at the ODU power connect? Thanks
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,164
    Yes. In general, whole house surge protectors are fine -- but they don't have the speed to protect sensitive electronics. Used to be the only thing you had to protect was your high fidelity gear -- but nowadays pretty much anything is sensitive.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Mad Dog_2going_commando
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    ICM 493 is my go to for protecting condensing units. 
    5 surge protections as well as high and low voltage protection. 
  • CaptainJack
    CaptainJack Member Posts: 1
    Last Fri was install day for our BOVB60HDN1-m18m and when the guys showed up they handed me a box with a ICM 493 in it and said it needed to be installed before hook-up. As a retired electrician, I am the electrical contractor for our house and for this contract. Once I pulled up the info on the unit, I'm glad it was included in the install, it just would have been nice to have it dropped off a few days before the install.
    Based on everything I've read about these new heat pumps and their electronics, seems like a must-have add on. This coming from a guy who already has a Delta LA arrestor and a CA surge capacitor already installed for the whole house.
    Jack