Will A 3 Ton Air Handler Work With A 2 1/2 Ton Heat Pump?

[Ron]

A yr ago (Jan 04) i had my outside unit (heatpump) replaced. It should have been a 3 ton unit (1500 sq ft house) but they replaced it with a 2

1/2 ton unit. I didn't notice this at the time because i live in Fla and only used the heat a couple of times and it worked fine because it doesn't get that cold here. lol

Anyway I probably only used the AC a couple of times between Jan

04-April 04 and just for only an hour or so on "warm" days, so, I didn't realize there was a problem until April-May 04 when it started getting hotter.

After looking at the unit and paperwork thats when I realized that it was replaced with a 2 1/2 ton unit.

The old one was a 2 1/2 ton unit as is/was the air handeler. Came with the house in 84.

The house was originally 1300 sq ft but had a 200sq ft room added on. I keep this room blocked off when I bought the house until I was going to be able to replace the heat pump AND air handler with the proper size.

This was brought to the techs attention at the time he come out to give me an est.. He wrote on the paper work "unit sized by sq ft-1500" So they screwed up and now I fighting them to correct the problem.

Now here is my question(s). I still have the 2 1/2 ton H/P I now have the finances to buy a new air handler and I'm going with a 3 ton.

Question 1: will this work and if so will it make a difference as far as better cooling. I especially need a bigger blower!!!

Second question is, it ok to mismatch brands? The H/P is a Tappen and I'm buying a Trane airhandler. ( can't pass up the deal, a 3 ton handler installed for $1,000.00!!)

The H/P IS going to be replaced with a 3 ton, I just don't know when. This company is getting one more chance to make good and then I'm seeing a lawyer.

Sorry for the short story : )

[Travis Jordan]

"Sizing by square feet" isn't an industry accepted means of determining the size of an HVAC unit. The contractor should have performed an ACCA Manual J load calculation

A court may find that they did not adequately perform their job.

Probably won't make any difference as far as cooling. The size of the blower (and the resulting air flow) won't change the BTU output of the system.

You won't find an ARI rating for a mismatched system. Does Tappan say that they will honor the warranty on their condenser if you go this route?

First thing to do is a Manual J so that you know how big a unit (and how much air flow) you need to handle the heat load of your home. Once you've got this done you and your contractor can decide what size units to install. I think you've got the cart ahead of the horse.

[Bubba]

Thats as bad as guessing. Eyeballing a home for heating/cooling sizing is NOT the way to get a correct system installed

Again, guessing is not how to size your equipment

If you want a properly operating system you NEVER want to mismatch a heat pump system...........PERIOD! It is a hack way to do it. It can be done but all bets are off on how it will work and a manufacturer can deny any warranty due to it being mismatched.

Why would you want to match a "trailer" heat pump with a decent air handler? $1000 !?, Just remember, you usually get exactly what you pay for.

You'll have no case with a mismatched, hacked in system.

Im sorry you are going to have a messed up system Bubba

[Hello Friend]

'Now here is my question(s). I still have the 2 1/2 ton H/P I now have the finances to buy a new air handler and I'm going with a 3 ton. Question 1: will this work and if so will it make a difference as far as better cooling. I especially need a bigger blower!!! '

You need to have a proper Cooling Load Estimate performed on your home BEFORE you sign up for anything. You may require something even larger than a 3 ton capacity. Nows your chance to properly size the system for your house. If y ou have specific areas in y our house that arnt getting much airflow, then, address that situation also with whoever comes out to size the system for you.

'Second question is, it ok to mismatch brands? The H/P is a Tappen and I'm buying a Trane airhandler. ( can't pass up the deal, a 3 ton handler installed for $1,000.00!!)'

You can mismatch Brands, but, I wouldnt advise it. 'The H/P IS going to be replaced with a 3 ton, I just don't know when. This company is getting one more chance to make good and then I'm seeing a lawyer. Sorry for the short story : )'

The proper way is to do a Cooling Load Estimate on your home. The difference between a 2.5 ton and a 3 ton is : 6000 btus . That isnt a whole lot in a hot climate like Florida. If you end up going to court, get a couple of Load Estimates in writing to help your legal case.

[PJx]

I'll be happy to take your case. Just hand over a $2500 retainer and I'll get right on it.

PJ

[Bubba]

I dont know if it will work. You have to match it up to a system that is matched to handle it. You cant just guess if it will work. You need the equipment specs and data to determine that. Define better cooling? Do you want better latent cooling or better sensible cooling? What feels good to you? Bigger blower??? Would you like a 5 ton blower on that unit? A 3 ton air handler will have the capability to move 3 ton of air........no more. Moving 5 tons of air across a 2.5 ton unit wont work so well but you WILL have a lot of noise and horrible cooling performance

You can if you are a hack. Total waste of money.

With what he is doing, that wont do shit for him. He is hacking in a mismatched air handler for $1000. He is getting it cheap, cheap, cheap and he will get exactly what he paid for it. The defendants lawyer will eat him alive with what he is doing. Bubba

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

1) Having a 3 ton air handler and a 2.5 ton condenser does not hurt a thing unless you don't install the right piston in the air handler freon flow line or expanion valve to match the 2.5 ton condensder.

2) if you have a 2.5 ton outside and a 3 ton inside will only put out a hair more than 2.5 tons of cooling. If you have a addition to take care of and need more tonage on cooling and heating. You will still have just about 2.5 ton on heat and cooling no matter what.

3) Here is you a hint . If the hvac installer company did not pick up the ball the first time you called them. They will do nothing till you send them a letter by a lawyer. 3/4 will do something at that times and the 1/4 will wait till court time to settle up after you have paid the lawyer and see your really coming after them.

4) If the installer of the trane equipment is really a trane dealer. He should run a heat load on your house for you to know exactly what size it suppose to be used. Hit him up.

TURTLE