Replacing 20-yr old Heat Pump

[TT]

It's still working after 20 years, but I just bought the house last year and want to replace entire 2 zone system before it dies. Three reputable local outfits have presented quotes (in 10-15K range) for a 3 ton and a 1.5 ton. Of the three only one explicitly mentioned replacing the 20-year old R22 line sets with new, the other two said nothing about this. Since the upstairs unit's plumbing runs inside walls the one man proposed an R22 unit there, but the others want to use the new 410 refrigerant in the old lines (I assume, since they proposed new newer refrigerant and din't say anything about running the lines up the side of the house hiding in downspout camo). Does this sound correct? I understand there's a significant pressure differnece in the two line sets. Units proposed are Trane and American Standard, replacing a Ruud system. Thanks in advance for any good thoughts.

[damn-spam]

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks, friend. I shoulda read your message first. 717. How silly of me.

[Stormin Mormon]

I can't remember the R number for ammonia. 800 something. But, R-22 is hydro chloro difluoro methane.

Of course, everyone remembers R12, which is dichlorodifluoromethane.

[Stormin Mormon]

Methane has four bonds to the carbon atom.

In the case of R22:

1) hydrogen 2) chlorine 3) Fluorine 4) Flourine

I think it's common usage not to mention the hydrogen, as they are assumed to be part of the methane. In any case, there is a hydrogen, and I'm likely mistaken to have mentioned it.

[baldrick]

Trane and Amer Standard are one and the same company. Top of the line equipment. Price sounds awfully high but you don't mention efficiency of the units so kind of hard to tell. If efficiency is in the 16 seer range price should be about right. If any thing lower than that in efficeincy price is toooo high.

[HvacTech2]

Hi [e-mail], hope you are having a nice day

On 13-May-05 At About 06:30:28, [e-mail] wrote to All Subject: Re: Replacing 20-yr old Heat Pump

N> From: " [e-mail]"

N> R22 is amonia, don't think it is outlawed as is R12???

R717 is ammonia, not R22.

-=> HvacTech2

[HvacTech2]

Hi Stormin, hope you are having a nice day

On 14-May-05 At About 01:03:02, Stormin Mormon wrote to All Subject: Re: Replacing 20-yr old Heat Pump

SM> From: "Stormin Mormon"

SM> I can't remember the R number for ammonia. 800 something. But, R-22 SM> is hydro chloro difluoro methane.

R22 is chlorodifluoromethane. if it had water it would cause acid

-=> HvacTech2

[Bob Pietrangelo]

DO NOT LET THEM USE R410A IN OLD COPPER LINES

Wether they are putting in 22 or 410 I would change the lines. You can abandon the lines in the wall and have the new lines installed external of the building, and then covered in a downspout.

[stretch]

NoSpam,

R-22 IS NOT amonia. R-12 is NOT outlawed, just not allowed to make any new R-12 in the USA. You can still buy R-12, about $25 to $30 per pound, including tax. If you buy reclaimed refrigerant, R-12 is cheaper. R-22 is still being made and equipment using it is still being made. R-410a is at least 3 times more expensive at wholesale level than R-22, but is slowly coming down in price.

Stretch