In many remote areas here (10°F-14[FONT=Verdana]°F winter design temp) [/FONT]some people like heat pumps with a propane furnace for the auxiliary heat (yes Russel, auxiliary heat is needed … lol). The initial cost for geothermal (ground source) heat pumps is too great, and elec auxiliary heat is not a good option with one of the highest elec rates in the US. If they run out of propane the heat pump will at least provide some heat (and will keep pipes from freezing … a big problem sometimes). Propane does have some issues, but buried tanks helps avoid some of the risks.
We, one the other hand have cheap electricity.
We too use gas/heat pumps. They are called Duel-Fuels. There is an outdoor thermostat that changes it to total gas usage when the temp falls below the set-point.
David
What does cheep electricity look like I have never seen any.
It cost me over $100.00 a month just on my barn which has lights, fans and one 30 gallon electric hot water heater used strictly for bathing horses. My home and barn have separate meters for tracking cost of operation for tax purposes.
I have been toying with the idea and been looking at wood burning furnaces that have heat exchangers and blower motors as a source of heat on my horse barn. Need a barn temp of at least 60 degrees to prevent mother nature from growing hair on the show string and that would allow me to not have to use blankets in the winter months. Those furnaces run $1800.00 + duct work and I install pretty cheep.
Two things:
1 - Quit re-heating the hot water.
2 - Take a bath with the horses. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Interesting. Darn margaritas :margarit: .
Could someone just explain best Heat Pump test procedure?
- Turn on the unit at the thermostat (in whatever season mode is present heat or cooling). Does it come on?
- Is there cooling or heating present?
- Turn on the EM or Aux heat at the Cool-Heat_Aux/EM heat switch. Is there heat on? This test can be done in any season.
Other things to note (without test equipment). If the unit is a split unit (exposed refrigerant lines) feel the large line (indoor or outdoor unit, it doesnt matter). In the winter it should be hot, in the summer very cool.
When testing heat in the heat pump mode, you do not want the aux/em heat on during testing. For old T-stats, remove the cover and observe the mercury bulbs, the mercury should be on opposite sides of the bulbs if only the heat pump is on. Another option is to shut off the auxiliary heat breaker (if there is one present).
You can run the a/c in the winter, but do not run the heat pump heat in the summer.
Taking a TD split between the return/supply will tell you if it is running in heat or cooling. Nothing more.
Sure.
Here’s my take.
If it’s hot outside, turn the cooling on first. Run it until everyone complains about how cold it is inside.
Then turn the heat on, regardless of how hot it is outside. All you need is a good differential between exterior and interior temperatures, so now that you have it nice and cold inside, and it’s nice and hot outside, you can run the heating. Run it until everyone complains about how hot it is inside and asks you if you’re trying to make it hotter inside than it is outside.
Now that everyone has focused on how cold the cooling was, and how hot the heating was, you’ll never get a complaint about the heating or cooling not working because they confirmed to you, and to themselves, that they were, indeed, working.
After heating them up, then turn the cooling back on to cool them down.
Never let everyone leave with the heating being the last thing on their mind or they’ll be all hot and mad at you. Cool them down and then end the inspection, even if it takes a few extra minutes:
Me: “Okay, that’s it. Any questions?”
Them: “No.”
Me: “Okay. Well, I’ve got to run the cooling system for another five minutes to make sure everything is okay, so if you think of anything during these next few minutes, ask away.”
Them: “Okay. Thanks.”
Has never failed to work in five years and thousands of inspections.