16 SEER Heat Pump with Two-stage Compressor

Let me know what you find. I did the same thing this year, but was mostly looking to replace a 5 yr old 13 SEER heat pump and swap my oil furnace to propane. I put it on hold because neither NEEDS replaced, and in order for me to do the 16 SEER I HAVE to replace the furnace. Up here, you have to have some sort of back-up for heat due to the temperatures. I think you should compare the 15 SEER standard unit in there as well. It's usually a $500-750 price difference.

I've heard there isn't necessarily much savings with the 2 stage at that efficiency, but what I'm thinking is that it'll run longer and thus remove more of the humidity from the air. Considering I've done the upgraded insulation, windows, doors, etc, that's my biggest obstacle at this point. Last summer, I kept the A/C at 76 (the lowest setting I've ever used) and still emptied my de-humidifier twice a day.

 

Trane XL15i - Mine is a 3 ton, so maybe you feel into a tonage that they don't offer for a 15 SEER? Seems odd, but I guess it's possible. I was quoted an extra $2000 for the heat pump & furnace combo going from 15 to 16 SEER. Just the 15 SEER heat pump was around $5500 according to the one HVAC place. I'm sure I could get it $1000 cheaper if I find a smaller place to do it.

 

Yes, mine is a split unit! I would go 16 SEER in your case, then. It should be roughly 20% more efficient than a 14 SEER unit, and probably closer to 30% or more than your current unit due to its age.

I'll be curious to see how you like the 2 stage unit and if you noticed any comfort improvements with it.

If they offer the 5 years 0% again next year, I may jump in and do my entire setup next year with the 16 SEER heat pump with propane back-up.

 

Just in case you haven't seen this: I stumbled across some air-source AC units advertised as 24 SEER. Looks like they advertise the heat pump as at 22 SEER. Obviously, what you get will depend on typical ambient temps for you. Here's the Westinghouse site:

Westinghouse 22 SEER iQ Drive Heat Pump | Heating and Air | HVAC

If true, then that's around 25% less electricity use compared to SEER 16. I imagine they charge and arm and a leg for it, but I have yet to see a price quoted anywhere.

The interesting thing from my perspective is that 22 SEER starts to give ground-source heat pumps a run for the money. Or at least put a floor on what constitutes acceptable performance. For whatever reason, ground-source heat pumps quote COP (coefficient of performance) instead of SEER, and might run between 2.5 and 5 COP, factoring in all the pumps and such. The Westinghouse air source is listed at 10 HSPF, which appears to translate to 2.93 COP (per Wikipedia, [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSPF[/ame])

In other words, you can now buy an air-source system with, for all intents and purposes, COP of 3. Ground-source will always have the advantage on very cold days, but if the criterion is average performance, then these new air-source units perform better than the worst of the ground-source units.

 

I would love that 22 SEER unit, but given that a 16 SEER is roughly $5k, I bet the 22 is closer to $10k if anyone can get it.

At which point do you take that extra $5k and put it towards renewable energy, or other energy efficiency items?

I'm hoping to see my energy costs using the HP & Furnace next winter go down once I get the new pellet stove installed soon. I've hit that wall in terms of working on the downstairs where it's going, so I need a jump start again this weekend.

 

Three years ago I put in a Fujitsu single zone ductless minisplit, with 10 HSPF, 20 SEER. The next smaller unit had 21 SEER, and a Mitsubishi in that smaller size was 22 SEER. Recently, I saw a 22 on a Fujitsu and 24 on a Mitsubishi.

The central units seem to uniformly have lower efficiency ratings than the minisplits, and this is reflected in their corresponding EnergyStar requirements. But even so, I still have difficulty seeing 16 SEER described as 'high efficiency'.

I started looking at ground source units years earlier, but the ground loop was too expensive. The available yard was too small for a horizontal loop, forcing an even more expensive vertical (well) loop. So when these inverter-driven ductless units arrived with very good incentives, I pounced on one. Combined with a number of other measures, the house's annual energy consumption fell from an average 10,600 kWh to 7700 for the most recent 12 months.

 

to OP? what is the HSPF ratings on those?

also have you looked at local/federal rebates? there is a federal tax rebate if HSPF is >8

 

I have had an American Standard split unit, A/C and furnace with 20 SEER and multiple compressors since 2009. Very nice, very quiet. (3 speed fan all but eliminates boom in the ducts)

My computer room on the south side, has my folding@home farm and the washer/dryer, so gets warmer than the rest of the house. I use a LG mini split for that room on occasion. It is 20 SEER as well, saves more arguing with the wife about the thermostat, rather than money.

This year I re-shingled the house with 'cool' shingles and hybrid-solar attic fans, we will see if that saves more.

 

Thanks, Dwight. I'll think about it, but I've also got $700 worth of heating oil in my tank as well - I forgot to cancel auto delivery and they delivered . In order for me to find it worth while to do the heat pump, I also HAVE to do the furnace. That requires getting propane tanks and installation as well. I really hate to throw out all that oil, too, and the 16 SEER is the lowest I'm willing to go or I'm just tossing out money at this point.

I might give a call back to the company that quoted it and see if we can work out a slightly better price. Afterall, they've done the heat pump originally, and been under the maintenance contract for the last 2 years, and also did the humidifier install and UV/O2 light. They originally did the electro-static filter, but I tossed that and just went with a MERV 11 filter instead.

 

Why is no one talking about hot water recovery heat pump systems. Systems that essentially give "free" hot water, while allowing the heat pump/A/C run more efficiently?

High Seer numbers, above 18 and I don't know if that includes a calc for the "free" hot water.

Icarus

 

It did not sound like it worked with my tankless water heater.

 

Isn't this 'free' only in cooling season? Living in a heating-dominated climate -- the cooling feature my minisplit has been used only about seven days in three years -- the cost of the additional hardware won't ever pay off in my situation.

But I am looking for a separate heat pump water heater. More test data is needed to show which units will be worthwhile in my conditions, and the plumbing changes to place it in the garage must be settled. The reports so far show that one very common model, which usually remains not specifically named, is only barely more efficient than a standard resistance heater. And in my garage, a unit with a 45F ambient cutout will be in pure resistance mode for about half the year. A cutout no higher than 40F is essential here.