Hi,

I have quotes on three low efficiency central air conditioners from
Lenox, Trane, and Bryant. On paper, the Bryant 591B looks like the best
deal in price & efficiency and it uses puron which soothes my
environmental conscience, but I wonder if anyone here has this unit and
could comment on the reliability and also on the noise level. It would
be outside my kitchen, so the noise won't bother me too much at night,
but it would be about 15' from a neighbor's bedroom. Any other comments
on the unit would be welcome also.

Thanks,
Dean

I have always felt Lennox and Trane were superior products, which is
why I sell them. I like stuff that helps me look good. I am in Myrtle
Beach, SC and the salt air has a major effect on the life of AC & heat
pumps. I have found Lennox & Trane outlast other brands here.

Lennox & Trane both make units with R-410a, which is the same thing as
Puron.

The installer has a lot to do with the performance of any system. He
should do a load calculation to determine the proper size of the
system. That DOES NOT mean installing 1 ton for every 500 Sq Ft of
floor space. He should measure sq ft of windows, walls, doors,
ceilings and floors. He should check the type of windows and which way
they face.

He should measure the air flow of the system with accurate instruments.

If he is just selling a box, look for another contractor.

Proper sizing has a lot to do with minimizing temperature swing,
keeping humidity controlled and system efficiency. Proper air flow has
a lot to do with efficiency, humidity control and comfort as well as
life of the system.

An oversized 14 SEER system with improper air flow, duct leakage and
improper refrigerant charge may only give you 8 SEER. Look up Advanced
Energy on the web. They have done a study on this. Look for system
effect.

Stretch

stretch wrote:
I have always felt Lennox and Trane were superior products, which is
why I sell them.

They both do get good comments and reviews generally. I have had a
Lenox gas furnace installed for 2 years and it had many start-up
problems though. They replaced several limit switches and lately the
inducer motor. I think it was installed ok and the dealer was very
responsive and fixed everything under warranty at no cost. You can get
a single bad unit in anything but still it made me wary.


Lennox & Trane both make units with R-410a, which is the same thing as
Puron.


Lenox actually quoted an Aire-Flo 10B at the low end and an elite series
hsxa-030-rx10 which does have the r-410 and a higher seer but it is more
expensive. Trane quoted Xr11 at the low end and XL141 at the high which
is really expensive. I'm leaning toward the XR11 or the Bryant. The
Bryant seemed to offer a little more on paper (scroll compressor, r-410,
higher seer) at about $200 more, but if the quality isn't there then
it's no bargain.


The installer has a lot to do with the performance of any system. He
should do a load calculation to determine the proper size of the
system.


That's really true. People I talked with seemed satisfied with the three
dealers generally. One worked harder at the estimate, I think, and came
up with 2.5 T vs 3.0 for the other two. When I asked about that, he
said eastern exposure and tall trees to the West would make some
difference. I'm not sure if .5 diff is critical or not. Looking
around the net, it seemed that slightly undersized may be better than
over so it cycles a little longer to get humidity out and perhaps is
better for the compressor. It uses the blower already in the furnace so
that may not be matched either.


Thanks for the comments,
Dean

I'm the victim of a Lennox G27M install.

EVERY PART, from the blower motor to the gas valve, has been replaced
at least once.

I've long since lost count of how many control boards have been
replaced.

Don't buy Lennox, and don't buy from whoever makes Lennox. Don't drive
near a Lennox factory, and if your friends have a lennox system, don't
go to their house (Youll probably get legionaires disease there). If a
Lennox advert comes up on TV, change the channel. In fact, sell the TV,
as after showing a Lennox ad, it's probably going to break down soon.
If someone tries to sell you a lennox system, throw them out of your
house. If your neighbor has a lennox system, build a high partition
wall betwen your house and theirs.

Don't look at any lennox equipment, it will impair your vision
permanently. Don't say 'lennox', you will probably get throat cancer.

There used to be a sketch on SNL where someone would proclaim: "If it's
not scottish - it's crap."

Let me assure you, when it comes to heating systems - If it is
scottish, or if a company called lennox uses a scottish theme, (or was
it Irish), IT MOST DEFINATELY IS CRAP.

Other than that though, Lennox is wonderful. It's especially good for
draining bank accounts. Also, it will afford you the opportunity to see
how well the company that selss the CRAP to you will stand behind their
product.

You WILL get to know the techs from the install company on a first name
basis, assuming that company isn't out of business. This is especially
nice in the middle of winter when you come home to an 2500 sq ft walk
in freezer - it's harder for them to be upset when you know them so
well and you have both long since agreed that the equipment they sold
you is CRAP.

Matt, Nice of you to be so negative

Stretch

Dean

Air Flo is owned by Lennox, but it is NOT Lennox. Lennox bought it a
few years ago. I would not use it.


Trane also makes a 12 SEER.

Sounds like the one dealer that bid a 2.5 ton did a load calculation,
did he actually measure the house as explained in my first post? If he
did, I would go with him.

Stretch

Bryant is made by Carrier. Which may be good with common parts used in both
brands. I would like to hear if both brands are equally reliable. I assume
the Bryant line is cheaper than the Carrier name.

"Dean" wrote in message
news1Wje.12629$6d.6914@trnddc04...
Hi,

I have quotes on three low efficiency central air conditioners from
Lenox, Trane, and Bryant. On paper, the Bryant 591B looks like the best
deal in price & efficiency and it uses puron which soothes my
environmental conscience, but I wonder if anyone here has this unit and
could comment on the reliability and also on the noise level. It would
be outside my kitchen, so the noise won't bother me too much at night,
but it would be about 15' from a neighbor's bedroom. Any other comments
on the unit would be welcome also.

Thanks,
Dean

Good to hear a well expressed t hought now and again.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"stretch" wrote in message
oups.com...
Matt, Nice of you to be so negative

Stretch

Avoid Lenox at all cost imho, if you loose a screw lenox distributor
will gladly sell it to you for $1000. And after you paid for it, they
will
tell you to wait for 2 month for your order.

Lenox = most overpriced parts on this planet.

Bryant/Carrier is fine, properly installed it will do a very good job
for a long long time.

Brian