On Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 10:44:34 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sat, 18 Jan 2020 06:58:11 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:
On Friday, January 17, 2020 at 11:44:06 PM UTC-5, Monte wrote:
replying to NoSpam99989, Monte wrote:
Most of the brands of HVAC equipment are equivalent on durability, efficiency,
and life span. Some brands the parts are outrageously priced one furnace has a
venter assembly that is around $1000, avoid air conditioners that use
microchannel type condenser coils currently have a high failure rate. My
current brand is Goodman. Probably the most important thing is proper design
and installation of the duct work. 40+ HVAC&R tech
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+1
All good advice. When I did my research about ten years ago, the reliability
reports looked about the same whether it was Goodman, Rheem or Carrier or Trane.
Also G and R I think tend to use common parts that more suppliers carry
and that probably cost less. I went with a Rheem and it's been fine except
for the stupid ECM motor on the condenser fan failing. It would have been
$300+ just for the motor. I put in a basic PSC motor that fit exactly,
cost me $90. That ECM is an example of how not to save energy. The amount
that fan uses is so small, it's not worth having a motor with fancy
electronics, especially in an outside environment. I have an ECM blower
motor too, that's been fine and I think I've saved enough on electric by
now that it's more than paid for itself.
Those savings go up in smoke as soon as that blower motor takes a
crap. The motor for my Trane was $800 but they said not to replace the
motor unless I also replaced the $800 board.
You are not saving $1600 in 10 years.
That's why I recommended staying with Goodman, Rheem, Rudd. Trane, Carrier,
are no more reliable, but more likely to use volume parts that you can
easily source. They are also more likely to hose you with their own thermostat,
some proprietary link, etc. Replacing the board too sounds like CYA and
more $$$ for the service company. I would have sent them packing. My whole
two stage gas furnace with variable speed ECM blower cost about $1600 when
I bought it, retail.
Here are some Rheem ECM motors, $340 to $550. Note they also have just the
electronics end for $135. I was skeptical of the ECM stuff years ago too.
But at these prices for something that is used a lot and that uses significant
energy, I think they make sense. Nine years here and very happy.