Hello all,

I am considering installing a heat pump but I am not sure how much electricty one requires? Presently I have a 2.5 ton Central air unit. I have 100Amp service to the home and a 30 amp breaker on my central air unit. Would this be sufficient for a heat pump? I suppose a 2.5 Ton heatpump should do the trick. I have a 2500Sq. ft. home.

Thanks for any help !

 

Any home today has a 200amp panel or better.
What do you have for back up heat???? If like gas or oil you can get by with what you have. But if you go for a 2.5ton unit and electric strip heaters then for sure you need a new electric panel.
You dont say where you are??? But a 2.5 ton for a 2500sq ft home I dont think it will do the job.

ED

 

Ed, Yes, I was afraid that a 100 amp service would not be enough. I live in Northeast ohio and I actually have a few sources of heat...Oil furnace,,,Wood stove add-on unit,,,a propane fireplace (used only in very cold weather, works super BTW !) and 4-110v plug in oil filled radiator type heaters (scattered throughout home) that can work REALLY good with temps above 40 degrees.
Of course the price of oil is high now, as well as propane. My 2.5 tone Central air was installed BEFORE addding a 1,000sq.ft. addition onto my home but believe it or not it really works quite good in cooling. It can keep my home at 70 degreess in 80-90 degree weather albeit runs alot. But even then it adds only about $30-45on electric bill in the hottest months July-August. Worth EVERY penny !

Plus, I need a new wood add on as I believe it has a crack in the firebox. It was cheap to begin with, I bought it used and paid $100 for it but it has served well now for several years.


Anyway....I have considered a heat pump for the above reasons. Is there anything I can do at all with a 100 amp service? I would only consider the heat pump as "primary" between (Sept to mid December) and (mid Febuary to spring).


I have also considered a anthrocite add on stove. ALOT of Amish use them around here and they work REALLY REALLY good, so I guess I am just looking for options. I am 50 years old and want things just a little bit easier now. It's not that I cannot cut wood,,,but why if I don't need to?

Thanks,,,

 

Man you have it all there. Go to htttp://warmair.net you can compare fuel cost there.
You said OIL you know they have gun oil burners that use the old car oil ?????. Check them out on line

Now the heat pump. You can put a new 2.5ton heat pump in there. On the 30 amp you have now . just like the AC . But with no back up electric heat on it. So you could run it till it get down to it has to defrost From then go over to other form of heat.

Ed my .02 cents

 

Thanks Ed,

I was not aware that there were oil guns that burn used motor oil in the house furnace. I Knew they had them for garage type furnaces but this is new news to me. I will check, because, if THAT is the case I have acess to crude oil from gas and oil wells. I work in that industry, but again I am not sure if such a burner could burn crude oil ? Interesting.


I am also considering a multi-fuel furnace as well. But the heat pump looks very convienent. With a heat pump I could probably cut my rick usage down to perhaps 10 rick a year as opposed to 20 or so. Less work !

But let me tell you....those oil filled 110 v electric heaters that cost only about $35.00 at Walmart really work good especially in "damp" cold weather. In my case putting all 4 of them on a low watt setting like 600W really can do the trick in alot of cases. And there not to bad on electric bill..at about $100.00 extra per month with low and sometimes high settings. They are kind of decieving though in that they seem like their not heating but really are. It's funny.


Ed, thanks for the info.

 

Ed,

I am considering getting a 3-4 ton heat pump (upping the size) but I have another question. Do I have to replace the exchanger ALREADY installed in my oil furnace or do I just need a outdoor unit? I think I might just need the outdoor heatpump and nothing more. Is that correct?

Also, if I read you correctly the oil furnace will take the place of the heat strips when the heat pump goes into defrost mode. If done right this should happen automatically?

Also would my 30amp 220v hookup handle a 3-4 ton unit?


Thanks again.

 

That breaker you have for the 2.5 AC will run just a 2.5 heat pump with no back up electric heat, You dont have the panel for a 3 or 4 ton heatpump.

And no you cant use the A coil you have with a heat pump. The coil should have aTXV valve in it with a built in check valve with a bypass. Dont forget in a heatpump the freon has to go the other way in the lines.

ED

 

Ed,

Again thank you very much. You just saved me a bunch of trouble.

So then, I should consider getting a full system , heat pump and A coil.Any recommendation on what make (model) is good (middle of the road)? That includes installation instructions? I am pretty handy but good instructions can help.
I think this type of setup should serve well in the months I mentioned. ( I hope)


Thanks again...

 

You have to be EPA to work with freon or have some one that will vac the system down and put the freon in for you.

ED