HVAC unit in a condo building

Anyone familiar with these types of systems… HVAC unit in a condo building




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I was told that the outside temperature is irrelevant because all the components are contained inside the unit; Supposedly there is no outside condenser.
Can anyone verify that for me??.. so that I might be able to to run the system for my client prior to close(with outside temps <65)
I did not open all of the panels at time of inspection as i was already going to write it up as too cold to operate, needs further eval. Thanks!!! :call_me_hand:

What did the model number search bring to light?

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A lot of research to identify… :wink:

I think it is the a MGE series. Magic Pak perhaps. Here is a an illustration for this type of system. I may be wrong, I do not have much time.

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The condenser unit discharges through the adjacent exterior wall of the building through a louvered opening. It uses outdoor air to cool the condenser so low ambient issues still apply. It’s just that the unit is indoors which slows refrigerant migration to the cold side of the unit.

Just turn the thing on and see if it responds.

It has a scroll compressor and you can’t hurt anything…
Don’t run it for hours to see how it cools the building. Just run it to see if it responds. Unless it has a low ambient control for your weather zone, it is going to starve the evaporator and it will incorrectly indicate it’s now working right, but it is.

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So simply put, it is a all in one indoor unit? And what would you refer to it as in your report?

What it is. They come electric, gas and Heat Pump. It would be a package unit.

I guess my question is, if there is no separate condensing uint located outside the dwelling and it is not really a mini-split, how is a single indoor unit that functions as both heating and cooling described in a report. Mainly because I have never seen this type of system before.

I modified my template, combined heating/cooling equipment. Occasionally I’ll come across a package unit on the exterior of the home and that’s how I handled it.

Heating and cooling was provided by a natural gas fired package unit located left side exterior…

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Thanks Brian. Package Unit is now how I would describe it, but I have never come across a totally combined internal unit. Learn something every day… :wink:

I haven’t seen this type either, not sure how the heat transferred from the coolant is exhausted…

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@mmess1 I think David has it.

Gas-fired furnace, Dave

Furnace, condenser, evaporator, air handler combined equals “package unit”

See them everyday on commercial rooftops. But in this case, indoor.

The condenser unit discharges through the adjacent exterior wall of the building through a louvered opening. It uses outdoor air to cool the condenser so low ambient issues still apply. It’s just that the unit is indoors which slows refrigerant migration to the cold side of the unit. Just turn th…

Well that makes sense, Dave if has the exterior louvres to move the heat outdoors…I’ll have to take a closer look at the exterior, and if I do go go back, i’m gonna have to take my time and open up the whole unit so that I can see whch way the river flows. Learn something new everyday…thanks for everyone’s help!!

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My Man…thanks Brian!

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Thank you for sharing your expertise, David!!!

So for the question I posed? It would be referred as a “interior only package unit used for residential purposes…” ?

Well, it’s a package unit regardless of it’s location.

Per our SOP we have to describe its fuel source. Natural gas, propane, electric etc.

For me, I describe its location to help the client better understand what’s there.

The electric heat-pump package unit was located in the mechanical closet.

With split systems, I describe this way:

The exterior condensing unit…

The attic natural gas fired furnace/air handler…

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I am very aware of that thanks! Just clarifying that a single internal unit, supplying both heat and cooling from a single system without an external compressing unit is referred as…which was answered. :+1: