Our 14 year old Ruud with an SEER of 12 has rusted out and is leakng freon. We contacted the a/c company which installed the unit when the house was built and they are recommending replacing the old unit with a Rheem 3.5 ton SEER 13 RAND042JAZ. My concerns are:
1- SEER is kinda low. Wouldn't a 14 or higher SEER be better?
2-I don't know if this is a scroll or reciprocating compressor. I've read on-line that scroll is better. Is this correct?
3-I don't know of the motor is one or two speed. Two would be more efficient, right?
4-I am of the opinion that this unit would use Freon. Wouldn't a Puron-using unit be better in the long run? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. BoJo
Depends..where are you located? If the installing company does not know how to size duct and units correctly with the higher seer units, you can ..thats CAN have a moisture problem.
Scroll.
You mean, you dont know if you want a R22 or a R410a unit... R22 is gonna be around for a while....look at the price difference if they can get you a R22 unit, and see what you think.. Most makes 13SEER or higher are now R410 and its fine, provided that the installers replace the line sets..
They go alot higher than 14 seer, up to 19? and so do costs but efficiency increase is not linear, it declines with each seer up. Tranes site has a seer sheet showing seer increase and $ saved. You have to run your numbers and get other bidders to help you better. A load calculation in writing is also a good idea incase you are oversized, higher seer units ive heard don`t pull out as much humidity so sizing is important. 13 seer might soon the new minimum you can buy.
Hi, CBHVAC, We live in south Florida, where high humidity is a daily occurrence. The old unit is Ruud Achiever 12, 3.5 ton, which is leaking refrigerant, aka R22. The quote for the new 3.5 ton 13 SEER Rheem says, "connected to existing refrigerant and electrical lines". So, I assume the new one will use R22, too. Isn't R22 being phased out and gone after 2010? What'll happen in
Hi, m Ransley, I checked out the Trane web site, but didn't find the page you referred to (a seer sheet showing seer increase and $ saved), but I found some phone numbers for local dealers, so on Monday I'll call and ask for a bid. Thx, BoJo
Never assume...ASK. If they are using R410a (Puron) and reusing your old lines, they are screwing you.
The phase out started this year.
Wont happen..how much R12 you want? It was gone years ago, yet I can still go order a pallet of it if I want.
2025 is the magic year, and THEN you might have to worry...but its doubtful..and even then...given that the life expectancy of your unit is
12-15 years, depending on your area, you still have time to use the proven cheaper refrigerant. Dont get me wrong...I am certified in R410a, and given the right install, its fine. The units look alike, but they are totally different animals. You get some putz that has no clue about the stuff, and the most expensive Puron unit will suck.
Big suggestion here, and you will see me talk about it alot over the next few months...if you DO go with a 13+ unit, INSIST that the installing contractor do a manual D and PROVE to you that the existing duct will work
100% with it...Sometimes it will, more often it wont. Higher SEER units require more airflow. Some of the 14SEER units 2.5 tons and up take a 5 ton capacity air handler...thats ALOT more air to cram down the ducts that were originally sized for a lower SEER unit with less air flow. Expect it to run longer...thats ok...longer run times wont equate to higher bills if its sized right. You are in a high humidity area, and higher SEER units have to be installed right to control that...and that will result normally, not always, but normally in a system that when its put in right, (system, meaning, both units, and duct...the duct system is part of the entire system ) they will tend to run longer, and believe it or not, with the fewer stops and start, it will last a bit longer too. Another hint...unless you trust the installer 150%, get another couple of quotes. You might have to pay for them, since a couple of hours of time will be used running the numbers to make sure you are getttng what you pay for, but in the long run, its the cheapest way to go.
Apparently one should be real careful with the Trane site. I just nosed around there and found the following:
I used the "customizer" and it spit out data for three packaged heat pump units: XE1200, XL1200 and XL1400. (I would think it would try giving me a XL1600 option too, but I digress)
The HSPF for these are given as: 12.8, 13.75 and 15.6 respectively. The SEER are: 12, 12.5 and 14.4. Yet when I look up the data for these, for example:
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I see something like "14.00 SEER Range with up to 7.95 HSPF" for the XL1400.
Then when I used the "comparison" feature, the XL1400 SEER is given as "up to 13.75."
So the SEER seems to between 0 and 14.4 and the HSPF is between 7.95 and 15.6.
1- SEER is kinda low. Wouldn't a 14 or higher SEER be better? CY: Higher efficiency costs more up front. But can cost less in the long run. Did you ask if they had more efficient models to choose?
2-I don't know if this is a scroll or reciprocating compressor. I've read on-line that scroll is better. Is this correct? CY: Scrolls tend to be quieter, and more energy efficient. The other thing you can do for more efficiency is to use a TXV instead of an orifice (or "piston") for the evaporator. Ask your HVAC company about that.
3-I don't know of the motor is one or two speed. Two would be more efficient, right? CY: As I understand, the two speed allows the outdoor fan to run slower when there is less demand for air flow.
4-I am of the opinion that this unit would use Freon. Wouldn't a Puron-using unit be better in the long run? CY: Puron is fairly new technology. It also has problems with absorbing moisture from the air. If it were my house, I would choose the proven R-22. It will be available for a couple years after the phase out, as many guys will stock up.
Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. CY: Ask if the company's techs have haircuts, and if they wear earrings (for men this is a concern). Avoid companies whose techs have long hair (for men) or earrings. Also avoid companies where they use a lot of crude language, or where they try to pressure you into making a rapid decision. Might also want to ask if the techs they use are legal citizens of the country of residence, and if all the techs have EPA cards. Also ask if the techs have green cards -- avoid companies who use techs with green cards.
When they did away with R-12 in 1993, there was a supply around for a couple years. People stocked up, and then there was reclaimed gas. And then the substitutes came out.
Not a serious issue.
If you get a Puron unit, it will probably require new lines and evaporator. Don't know for certain, I've never worked with puron. But I do know that puron has different pressures. Probably also different flow rates and such.
Hi, CBHVAC, You said, "...if you DO go with a 13+ unit, INSIST that the installing contractor do a manual D and PROVE to you that the existing duct will work
100% with it...Sometimes it will, more often it wont" I don't know what you mean when you say manual D. Could you elaborate, please? BoJo
Hummm....not according to what I have from Trane here... The XL19i IS indeed available in 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 ton... But ONLY ONE is rated at 19.5SEER. ONE the 2.5 ton model. Its more American Standard marketing that the public eats up..they fail, as you did, to see the UP TO comments.
Its like Carrier and their 96.7% furnace, only one is 96.7% efficient, the smallest unit a 38000 btu unit, which few need such a small size, they acheive it by adding 20 lb or so of metal than the next higher output size.
Ok so 19.5 is the highest in that line but the real point was Wes thought 14 seer was Tranes most efficient line up when in fact there are several better than 14 seer
Just spoke to a Trane contractor. He recommended replacing the entire unit, inside and out, because both parts are 14 years old and because we could increase the SEER to 15 if the parts were properly matched. He also noted that our current air handler lacks a plenum for mixing the cool air prior to sending it out into the duct! He recommended the R22 system because 410 is still "beta" (not all the bugs have been worked out yet). Any thoughts? BoJo
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