Is there a reason the new scroll compressors dont use crank case heaters? Im just wondering if I should install one..

Thanks

Mike

 

They use energy. It is a conservation issue and SEER issue.

Crankcase heaters have been out of fashion for 10 to 15 years.

 

Crankcase heater are maybe found in larger units that may have to run year round to help keep the oil "Warm" on cooler months..


Like Lynn mention, they haven't been used for a few years... The newer Scroll compressors are able to handle some liquid if there are some loged up in the Oil..

 

I was just worried about the oil migrating to the coil. Is that a issue?

Thanks for the update Lynn..

I looked at the bigger condersers (5 ton) & they also didnt have heaters..

 

You are always are going to get some amount of oil in the coils. The oil in the coil is normal withy any type of Ref. system in the market.

The heater is used to "boil" out any luquid Ref. that is in the oil in the compressor itself.

 

Well, they're coming back into fashion. You still need to keep the refrigerant out of the oil even with scroll compressors.

 

The smaller the refrigerant charge the less benefit from a CC heater. Manufacturers try to minimize the refrigerant charge for this reason as well as reducing the cost of the refrigerant charge.

 

Or crankcase heater. Dont worry about oil in the coil its there all the time it just goes around with the freon. That would be like if the compressor was set high on a roof with the coil down below. We have to put traps in the suction line going back to the unit so it will take the oil back. Years back on the units it said turn the power on for 24 hr before starting the units so the crankcase heater could get any liquid freon out of the oil in the compressor. Its not to keep the oil warm. Its so that when it would start it would not slug out the compressor with any liquid freon. If you dont run the your AC when its cold outside you dont reallyneed one. ED

 

Other than commercial applicaqtions who would run the A/C when it's cool outside ?

 

When you have a big party and its cold out side they will turn on the AC I know I have . On a large comm. job and they needed cooling the power savers would just open up and no AC would turn on at all ED

 

I guess I grew up in a different way.
The Heat/Cool gets switched twice per year.
Once the Heat is run in the fall the A/C is off till next spring and vise versa.
Electric and gas combined never exceeds $100.00, In spring and fall will be about $50.00 combined.