Bryant 591B Air Conditioner

Hi,

I have quotes on three low efficiency central air conditioners from Lenox, Trane, and Bryant. On paper, the Bryant 591B looks like the best deal in price & efficiency and it uses puron which soothes my environmental conscience, but I wonder if anyone here has this unit and could comment on the reliability and also on the noise level. It would be outside my kitchen, so the noise won't bother me too much at night, but it would be about 15' from a neighbor's bedroom. Any other comments on the unit would be welcome also.

Thanks, Dean

Reply to
Dean
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I have always felt Lennox and Trane were superior products, which is why I sell them. I like stuff that helps me look good. I am in Myrtle Beach, SC and the salt air has a major effect on the life of AC & heat pumps. I have found Lennox & Trane outlast other brands here.

Lennox & Trane both make units with R-410a, which is the same thing as Puron.

The installer has a lot to do with the performance of any system. He should do a load calculation to determine the proper size of the system. That DOES NOT mean installing 1 ton for every 500 Sq Ft of floor space. He should measure sq ft of windows, walls, doors, ceilings and floors. He should check the type of windows and which way they face.

He should measure the air flow of the system with accurate instruments.

If he is just selling a box, look for another contractor.

Proper sizing has a lot to do with minimizing temperature swing, keeping humidity controlled and system efficiency. Proper air flow has a lot to do with efficiency, humidity control and comfort as well as life of the system.

An oversized 14 SEER system with improper air flow, duct leakage and improper refrigerant charge may only give you 8 SEER. Look up Advanced Energy on the web. They have done a study on this. Look for system effect.

Stretch

Reply to
stretch

They both do get good comments and reviews generally. I have had a Lenox gas furnace installed for 2 years and it had many start-up problems though. They replaced several limit switches and lately the inducer motor. I think it was installed ok and the dealer was very responsive and fixed everything under warranty at no cost. You can get a single bad unit in anything but still it made me wary.

Lenox actually quoted an Aire-Flo 10B at the low end and an elite series hsxa-030-rx10 which does have the r-410 and a higher seer but it is more expensive. Trane quoted Xr11 at the low end and XL141 at the high which is really expensive. I'm leaning toward the XR11 or the Bryant. The Bryant seemed to offer a little more on paper (scroll compressor, r-410, higher seer) at about $200 more, but if the quality isn't there then it's no bargain.

That's really true. People I talked with seemed satisfied with the three dealers generally. One worked harder at the estimate, I think, and came up with 2.5 T vs 3.0 for the other two. When I asked about that, he said eastern exposure and tall trees to the West would make some difference. I'm not sure if .5 diff is critical or not. Looking around the net, it seemed that slightly undersized may be better than over so it cycles a little longer to get humidity out and perhaps is better for the compressor. It uses the blower already in the furnace so that may not be matched either.

Thanks for the comments, Dean

Reply to
Dean

I'm the victim of a Lennox G27M install.

EVERY PART, from the blower motor to the gas valve, has been replaced at least once.

I've long since lost count of how many control boards have been replaced.

Don't buy Lennox, and don't buy from whoever makes Lennox. Don't drive near a Lennox factory, and if your friends have a lennox system, don't go to their house (Youll probably get legionaires disease there). If a Lennox advert comes up on TV, change the channel. In fact, sell the TV, as after showing a Lennox ad, it's probably going to break down soon. If someone tries to sell you a lennox system, throw them out of your house. If your neighbor has a lennox system, build a high partition wall betwen your house and theirs.

Don't look at any lennox equipment, it will impair your vision permanently. Don't say 'lennox', you will probably get throat cancer.

There used to be a sketch on SNL where someone would proclaim: "If it's not scottish - it's crap."

Let me assure you, when it comes to heating systems - If it is scottish, or if a company called lennox uses a scottish theme, (or was it Irish), IT MOST DEFINATELY IS CRAP.

Other than that though, Lennox is wonderful. It's especially good for draining bank accounts. Also, it will afford you the opportunity to see how well the company that selss the CRAP to you will stand behind their product.

You WILL get to know the techs from the install company on a first name basis, assuming that company isn't out of business. This is especially nice in the middle of winter when you come home to an 2500 sq ft walk in freezer - it's harder for them to be upset when you know them so well and you have both long since agreed that the equipment they sold you is CRAP.

Reply to
Matt

Matt, Nice of you to be so negative

Stretch

Reply to
stretch

Dean

Air Flo is owned by Lennox, but it is NOT Lennox. Lennox bought it a few years ago. I would not use it.

Trane also makes a 12 SEER.

Sounds like the one dealer that bid a 2.5 ton did a load calculation, did he actually measure the house as explained in my first post? If he did, I would go with him.

Stretch

Reply to
stretch

Bryant is made by Carrier. Which may be good with common parts used in both brands. I would like to hear if both brands are equally reliable. I assume the Bryant line is cheaper than the Carrier name.

I have quotes on three low efficiency central air conditioners from Lenox, Trane, and Bryant. On paper, the Bryant 591B looks like the best deal in price & efficiency and it uses puron which soothes my environmental conscience, but I wonder if anyone here has this unit and could comment on the reliability and also on the noise level. It would be outside my kitchen, so the noise won't bother me too much at night, but it would be about 15' from a neighbor's bedroom. Any other comments on the unit would be welcome also.

Thanks, Dean

Reply to
nonews

Good to hear a well expressed t hought now and again.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Avoid Lenox at all cost imho, if you loose a screw lenox distributor will gladly sell it to you for $1000. And after you paid for it, they will tell you to wait for 2 month for your order.

Lenox = most overpriced parts on this planet.

Bryant/Carrier is fine, properly installed it will do a very good job for a long long time.

Brian

Reply to
Brian

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