"geoman" wrote in message
...

"Astro" wrote in message
newspsk0md4xjv1dc2q@athlon2600...
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 09:37:46 -0500, geoman wrote:



Now, Trane and American Standard equipment are about the best Heat Pumps
money can buy, but the companies LIE about their names. I have seen, and
Ohio Edison has pointed out that just because a unit says 11 seer on it that
it isn't! Our main inspector wanted me to get him some equipment at his
home and he choose another brand because of the ARI ratings of Trane, they
lie on their equipment labels, at least five years ago they did. The ARI
numbers were TERRIBLE on 12 seers. To get the 12 seer rating you had to put
the kitchen sink into it! But the reliability of the units were and are the
very best.

Rich, can you expand on this a bit? I'm a bit confused. you say that Trane
and AS are great, but companies lie about their names. What do you mean by
this?

Now, what ticks me off is the cost of the higher COP and SEER units,
American standard especially. Talk about over priced! They increase the
coil size by 5 -10% which improves BTU capacity, They then use a smaller
compressor that produces more BTU's since the coil is bigger, and then they
charge upwards to a$1000 more for them! Heck, I can get Geothermal units
for the same price as Tranes 12 seer unit!

Just my opinion. but the major reason is coils size which allows a smaller
compressor AND a lower amperage fan motor since their is more free air over
the coil.

Rich


This too is pretty amazing. If it's as simple as that for the normal high
SEER units? I'm assuming that the super high SEER units, like the Carrier 18
SEER system with R410A pull out the stops to get a SEER that high and
actually cost more to manufacture. Or is it all just marketing...

To be honest, I can't answer that with 100% certainty, but I do have an
opinion which I can share. Others may have facts, and I'm sure the factory and
reps have their standard sales crap as well.

I have sold American Standard units that were 16 Seer and to be honest, the
only thing I could see on this five ton HP was a coils size that needed a flat
bed truck to deliver, a smaller compressor and the air handler having a TXV
being required. (Of course that's true with all their five ton systems). The
unit has a two speed fan on the condenser and the air handler may be variable.
Besides that I can't say there is anything spectacular that I haven't seen in
20 years dealing with this brand and Trane. I personally believe most of it
is Marketing and cost of storage and shipping due to being such large units.
Oh, the condenser size costs a little more too, but not a $1000 more.

Rich

This is Turtle.

Hey Rich let me give you one to laugh about here with a ArcoAire 14 SEER
straight cooling system. Take a Arcoaire 5 ton 14 SEER straight cooling
condenser. Arcoaire does not make a air handler or coil and gas furnace combo
that will let it put out 14 SEER. This was as of 10 months ago but may have
changed something since then but I dought it. The best they can match up with it
is to get a 13.4 SEER but has a sticker on the condenser that states 14 SEER.
The Magic here is what did they use to test this thing with when they run the
Testing program to get a 14 SEER rating with it. Maybe Carrier loaned them a Air
Handler to test with.

Also here is a off the wall one here. Goodman R-22 type has a 14 seer condenser
that with the right combo you can get 15.4 SEER out of it but can't get it out
of a 5 ton but must be 4 tons or less.

I think these manufactor made a joke out of this seer testing system.

TURTLE