I have a large Air Temp wall air conditioner (about 30 years old)
4 years ago
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Return air on new air conditioner/furnace
Comments (9)I found this note on page 11 of the installation manual under upflow units: NOTE: Where the maximum airflow is 1800 CFM or more, both sides or the bottom must be used for return air. This is saying the bottom return by itself will be enough. There was note under the upflow unit section, but I assume it also applies to a horizontal installation. You want the filter and grill cover to be at least the size of the opening to the furnace. Making the grille bigger is not going to help if return itself is smaller. I don't know how this is going to work with the filter size you quoted. I would think you would need two 14X24 filters. It would be nice if you get get a 4 inch filter instead of the 1 inch. Otherwise you will be changing the filter every month. The 6x6 stud obstruction should be removed and you want a tightly sealed return duct. The return duct should not have a right angle. It should be a curved elbow to make the 90 degree transition. Sharp angles create more air resistance. How big was the original house and AC, and much area are you adding? Most houses don't have the properly sized duct work to handle a 5 ton AC. Do you have confidence in this HVAC contractor?...See MoreHigh humidity w/new Trane XL16i air conditioner (heatpump)
Comments (16)Thanks Tigerdunes for the info. I am going to meet with my HVAC installer on Thursday to talk about how best to decrease the airflow while the compressor is on to allow sufficient water to be condensed from interior air -- with goal to keep my internal humidity below 60% (or more). Re your comments 1-4: 1. No crawlspace, house is 9 ft elevated on stilts. I do have a vapor barrier on bottom of R-38 batting in floor. 2. I never run fan in "ON" mode, however, it runs a whole lot on slow speed without compressor running in "Auto" and/or "Cool" mode -- which I think may increase the humidity like "ON" mode as noted by contributors in this forum thread. However I must solve the more major problem of not removing sufficient humidity when the compressor IS running on, first. Then address this if high humidity is still an issue. 3. I agree that attemping to re-program dipswitch settings, even with the manual, is foolhardy for a person not trained in HVAC and Trane eqpt. in particular. 4. Will attempt to get air handler air speed to be more correctly matched to dehumidification needs. Especially in light of your and ryanhughs comments: "First, that air handler will come factory set for an airflow suitable for 3.5 tons, so it should be adjusted for both the high and low stages of your 3 ton unit (4TWX6036 is a 3 ton). Second, is Comfort-R enabled?" Thanks again to all for your continuing assistance. I will post how this does (hopefully!) get resolved. KR...See MoreI need help in deciding on a replacement central air conditioner
Comments (21)mike_home, Thanks for the info. I will consider a heat pump. This year the state of new jersey now requires all ac installers to receive training and state licenses in ac installation. In my research it has been stated quite a few times, the ac will work only as well as it was installed. Lennox has premier installers and only a very few of the other brand installers are NATE trained. But the majority are still not ac trained licensed installers. The majority are plumbers and electricians. My concern is the duct work and the refrigerate not being done to specifications. Many hvac contractors offer only one year labor. Unfortunately a number of homeowners found themselves shelving out more money 2,3,4, years later, just for labor. The installer is as important as the ac with 10 year limited warranties. I can accept an annual maintenance contract, but want the ac to work as smoothly as the Luxaire had for 35 years....See MoreOld, large cold air return vents are consuming our AC too fast. HELP!
Comments (3)It sounds like your home had floor furnaces at one point. The large return air grilles sound like old openings for floor furnaces, used a long time ago. Where to start? First, your system should have filters somewhere in the return duct or inside the air handler or furnace. I would look really good to make sure you haven't missed something. I've seen filters placed in really weird places. Sometimes filters aren't found for years. By then they're pretty stopped up. As far as the return grilles being large, the larger the better! One thing that kills your system and your energy efficiency is duct work that's just too small. Modern systems are made to run with very little static pressure in the ducts, around 1/2 inch. That's not much, so I wouldn't worry about the large ducts. The filters are another story. You really need a filter in your return duct somewhere. If there's not one, i would install filtration. Usually the cheapy filters work best as they cause the smallest pressure drop in the duct. You mentioned the refrigerant leaking out. If you have a refrigerant leak it should be repaired. That stuff ain't cheap. Besides it's illegal for a technician to keep adding without repairing the leak. If someone is having to add refrigerant, you definitely have a leak, no question about it. If the service provider you called did not look at your duct work, did not tell you your system had a leak, and did not offer sound recommendations, please ditch them and find someone qualified. As far as your system coming on and off every ten minutes or so, that's called "short cycling" and isn't good for your system, your energy costs, or your comfort. It sounds almost like your system is either too large for your home or you have massive air infiltration. Either way, this needs to be addressed. Really, I would recommend you find a good service provider in your area that can be trusted to offer technically correct advice. I usually find it best to ask friends, co-workers, or other family who they use and trust. In the meantime, you may want to check out a couple of articles I've written dealing with heat loads and your comfort. Here's one HERE if you would like to read it. Let me know if there are specific things I can help with. I'll be happy to help if possible....See MoreRelated Professionals
Eastvale Solar Energy Systems · Mount Lebanon Home Automation & Home Media · Sierra Madre Electricians · Boulder Painters · Allen Painters · Hercules Painters · Pensacola Painters · Sedona Painters · Burlington Flooring Contractors · Clive Architects & Building Designers · Memphis Furniture & Accessories · Discovery Bay Furniture & Accessories · Nixa Furniture & Accessories · El Monte General Contractors · Haysville General Contractors- 4 years ago
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