Originally Posted By: Aaron Rosenbaum This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This may sound like a dumb question… but how can you tell the difference between a heat pump setup and a air conditioning/furnace setup? I’m still young, so I can ask dumb questions like this
Originally Posted By: rray This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
The best way to tell is if it says “Heat Pump” on it. Another way to tell is if the thermostat has an emergency setting on it. Unfortunately, neither is 100% certain depending on how things are hooked up.
There are probably some better, more technical ways, so I'll be tracking this thread.
Originally Posted By: rking This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Sorry Russell I have no pictures, in fact I personally have never seen an actual heat pump. Up here it would be basically useless, our long winters are really cold and our short summers are really hot, so we go from heating season to cooling season quite quickly.
But I do have an answer for you.
The two stages work this way: The first stage turns on the heat pump. The second stage turns on the back-up heat if the temperature continues to fall below the point that the heat pump can be effective.
Originally Posted By: Mike Nelson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Does the outside temp have to be at a certain level for the heat pump’s
A/C cycle to operate? I inspected a heat pump whose A/C was not working. Outside temp 70-75 degrees. T-stat read 80 and was set at 70. I made a note on the report. Several days later the client called and said the A/C was working. I stopped by to check it out and sure enough A/C was on. Only difference was that the outside temp was 80-85 degrees. ??? Not too many heat pumps in upstate NY!
Originally Posted By: Aaron Rosenbaum This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Thanks for the info…
I guess I won't see much of those up here in Minnesota, but if I move south, I will see those. Thanks again for the help 
Also, what unit will the "Heat Pump" or "HP" be on? The outside unit or inside?
Also, will the inside unit have a gas manifold, etc in it and will it look just like a forced air furnace??
Originally Posted By: nlewis This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Aaron,
The HP will be on the exterior unit. Some older GE/ Trane units were marked Weathertron.
If the inside unit is an air handler only, there will be circuit breakers on the side of the cabinet for the strip heaters. These are usually at least 60 amps.
Some heat pump units are paired with gas warm air furnaces. Quite a few of this setup in NJ in condos. When the t-stat calls for heat, the circulator fan comes on instantly, even for the gas furnace. Sometimes the HP is disabled for heat and used for A/C only with this setup, at the request of the owner. I guess they don't like the constant running and the relatively low supply temp.
