tigerdunes - I have learned a lot from reading your postings on this forum and I appreciate your inputs. Your minimum specs list has already been very useful (though a lot of sales people really struggle to find answers about some of the items on that list), and IâÂÂm leaning now toward the XL15i instead of the $660 more expensive XL16i. I still havenâÂÂt completely ruled out Carrier and Rheem, but a neighbor has had a 4-ton Trane XL14i for over three years and I like the way it does not seem to have collected very many of the evergreen needles that are everywhere around here. I am curious though just why the XL16i has so much trouble with dehumidification, and whether that is important to our well-shaded house just outside of Seattle. We havenâÂÂt bothered to run our heat pump in cooling mode for at least the last decade, so I remain mostly concerned with heating performance and expect to use very little cooling. Also, is the XL16i any less reliable that the XL15i, or is it just (as I understand from other forum postings) that it is more complex to hook up and hence more prone to improper installation? I am also puzzled when I compare ARI heating performance of the XL15i and XL16i. At 47 degrees their ARI heat capacity and COP are identical, and at 17 degrees the 15i has only 1% more heat capacity. The 16i has the better 17 degree COP, 2.86 versus 2.82, but it falls down on HSPF to 8.50 versus 9.00 for the 15i. This seems to imply that the 16i spends more time in defrost mode, but I do not understand why. Returning of your spec list, I assume âÂÂstaged backup heat stripsâ refers to the capability to selectively turn on part instead of all of the backup heat? Our old heat pump has this feature, but I have yet to find a sales person who can tell be whether modern systems can do this. One issue is not really relevant until our new heat pump is being installed, but opinions about it are so amusingly diverse I cannot resist asking. Our power utility offers an extra rebate if we install a lockout control. What should it control? We have a lockout set at 32 degrees on our old heat pump and I understood it prevents the backup heat from coming unless the outdoor temperatures is below 32 degrees. The âÂÂenergy expertâ I talked to at our power company agreed, but said the lockout should also turn off the heat pump compressor at 32 degrees to âÂÂprevent a spike in our electric bill.â I recognize efficiency is down at that temperature, but unless there is a lot of icing up it still seems to make sense to run the compressor. Sale personnel were about evenly split whether the lockout should turn off the compressor. Is there any clear answer on this?

April, You keep starting new threads so it is difficult to review what advice you have received. Contractor #1 Option 2 is the nicest combination in my opinion. It is a Infinity 2 stage furnace (58UVB)and 2 stage condenser (24APA7). You could consider upgrading the furnace to the 58MVC for about $400 in order to get the middle stage. I still think the 58UVB qualifies for a Carrier rebate. Please check this. I have not heard of a Carrier armour coil. I know the tin plated coil is an improvement of Carrier's old leaky coils. This is the coil I have. The contractor needs to size the equipment by doing a heat loss and gain calculation. This is known in the industry as a Manual J calculation. Have each contractor explain how he calculated the size. I assume the summers in Michigan are not too hot, so the 3 ton unit may be the correct size.

A 16X16 filter (I assume it is one inch thick) is too small for that furnace. You should have at least a 16X20 or larger. Don't use a Filtrete filer or something that is higher than MERV 8. A small restrictive filter is going to further reduce the air flow. The flexible duct likely has leaks you have founds and is probably terribly kinked. It may need to be reworked. Ideally the main duct should be metal and larger and the flexible ducts should come be attached and as straight as possible. Someone needs to outlaw installing a furnace in an attic for a first floor zone. The amount of losses from the cold air in the attic, flexible ducts, and the long run to the first floor kill the efficiency.

"slk230red, thank you for your input. I also want to stay with the single speed. If all goes well with this install I will replace the unit on the other side of the house once it stops putting out cold air. galen68, I will post an update once I have chosen the AH and HP." "Had the 2 Ton XR14 AC and 2 Ton TEM4 AH installed with a 5k heat strip. This is exactly what we had with the old unit. Heating is not an issue in Phoenix. Mild winters, heat hardly used. Even on coldest mornings it is on for an hour at most and I turn off completely at night. I read turning off at night would be a big issue with a HP as they say to leave it on and forget it. Why leave the heat on if I am not comfortable? My avg elec bill in winter for 2500sf home w/pool filter on 8hrs every day averages around $120. Not worth the extra $10-30 I could save with a HP, being comfortable is worth the extra $. I am extremely happy with whisper quiet TEM4. Maybe from an hvac point of view it may not make sense but I am happy with my decision." Hi roxan, glad things worked out and that you're enjoying your new XR14/TEM4 system. Be sure to check that your new units are registered on the Trane warranty website to receive the 10 yr. parts warranty. My dealer likes to wait a week or two to make sure everything is working properly, I just checked and everything is registered. He offered to remove and replace anything if I wasn't fully satisfied. Also, there was no money down and he didn't even want full payment until I was completely satisfied. On another note, here is some information I received from someone I know in another state who advised me to get the TEM4 AH: "I recommend the TEM4- non variable or TEM6/7 variable AH. The TAM7 is a plastic cabinet with all new components. To make a long story short, get the TEM4 or TEM6, it's tried and true. The TAM7 is a basket case plagued with problems. Has three different color led lights flashing fault codes known around here as the Christmas tree effect. Unreliable sensors etc. not all 7's go boom but enough that some Trane dealers won't install them anymore. Including me."