$600 SEER 15 or $1,000 SEER 23 - Page 3

pinballlooking · 08-14-16, 08:59 AM

L14-30 plug for a generator hookup.

oil pan 4 · 08-18-16, 02:37 PM

The L14-30 can be for a generator but I have an L14-30 extension cord for my generator that has an L14-30, 10-50 and 5-20 receptacles on it (each 5-20 is wired to its own line) to use the generator to power pretty much anything. Now I will be able to use that everything adaptor with utility power.

FedEx freight called today and say that they will deliver it tomorrow.

oil pan 4 · 08-18-16, 09:45 PM

I dug the hole for the concrete pad, made a form, made steel reinforcements out of rebar and scrap metal bed frame, pounded two 18 inch bed frames into the ground and welded the steel rebar to the stakes.
All I need to do when the unit comes in is open it up figure out where the holes for the feet are so I can weld up 4 stainless steel bolts to metal straps then weld the straps to the steel base.

This might be over kill.

oil pan 4 · 08-19-16, 09:29 PM

It finely came in. This thing is huge. It says 9,000BTU on the box but the out door unit weighs some where between 70 and 100lb. The place where the shipping weight was printed was torn off.
It weighs so much you really don't want it hanging off the side of your house.
The heat exchanger surface area is likely at least 4 times what you see with a 5,000BTU window unit.

The concrete base took about 180 pounds of concrete (dry weight) to fill the form.
I had to modify the form a little bit, two 80 pound bags would have worked but I widened it about 2 inches when the thing finely showed up and I saw how big it is.

Here is my little DC welder convert still chugging along. Used this to weld most everything together.

I used the packaging to find the bolt positions. I used 5/16 inch stainless eye bolts because that's what I had on hand.

The new concrete pad with 5/16 threads sticking out.

Cant wait to replace the old junk.

oil pan 4 · 08-19-16, 11:55 PM

The ebay add and the manufacturer technical data are saying 2 different things. The manual is saying the max amp draw is 9 amps and to fuse for no larger than 15 amps.
The ebay add said the max amp draw was under 6 amps and that's why I ordered some 10 amp 2 pole square D QO breakers.
I was going to put it on a 10 amp breaker Guess I still can.
I'm thinking the only time it will draw any where near 9 amps is below freezing when the electric heater kicks on.
Looks like the electric heater kicks on around freezing and the heat pump gives up trying to pump heat at +5'F.
I don't think the 10 amp breaker will over heat at 9 amps, being the only one in the box and I believe it will only see max power draw below freezing.

To get power from the outside square D QO junction box I think I will run 14/3 SJ cord.

stevehull · 08-20-16, 06:38 AM

Oil Pan,

I would advise using 12/3 wire. The 14/3 has too much resistance drop at high current. Besides, the cost of 12 G wire is just a tiny bit more than 14 G. Yes, I know that 14 G will "meet code", but code is a minimum standard.

Used to employ 14 G where permitting and code allowed it. An electrician had a serious talk with me years ago and showed me the changes in current that were caused by just a few tight bends in 14 G wire (like in the box where it is hooked up). After that, I have never used 14 G.

Steve

jeff5may · 08-20-16, 11:30 AM

Whenever I run my own wires, I always try to oversize them just in case. You never know what crazy changes will happen in the future. Plus I'm not paying an electrician.

The 10 amp breaker sounds a little too close for my comfort. The rule i use is oversize the breaker 20 percent or so to avoid nuisance trips during brown outs, spikes, peaks, etc. You can push your luck and may get away with no problems, but you will never find out until the dead of a cold winter night. From experience, I don't trust new equipment until I see it work reliably for quite a while.

oil pan 4 · 08-20-16, 11:58 AM

I read the manual some more. 9 amps is just the name plate rating. Looks like it normally uses around 6 amps at 240v like I originally thought. They put 9 amps on the name plate but that is only for 208V systems, as in 2 legs of 120v 3 phase. Other wise that would be one heck of a brown out.
I found a partial roll of 12/3 SJ so that is what I will be using.

Oh and I'm wiring 10/3 triplex (yes 2 hots, neutral and ground, 4 wires total) to run from the main breaker box the outside A/C box so I can plug in a welder or plasma cutter to that circuit.

jeff5may · 08-20-16, 12:10 PM

^SEE WHAT I MEAN?^

Oil pan is already planning on running auxiliary equipment through the dedicated A/C unit branch.

What if?

philb · 08-21-16, 12:26 AM

Oil pan 4, I really like your welder. The switches make much more sense than paying 10 times more to have OEM replacement stuff.

It's worth pointing out that MOV's come in an array of voltages. I use them in my breaker box and in my Dodge truck to keep from buying another control module for $800. MOV's will take a number of spikes and lightning strikes but can wear out and need to be replaced. I try to put them in an easy to change location.

08-14-16, 08:59 AM	#21
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	L14-30 plug for a generator hookup. __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-18-16, 09:45 PM	#23
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I dug the hole for the concrete pad, made a form, made steel reinforcements out of rebar and scrap metal bed frame, pounded two 18 inch bed frames into the ground and welded the steel rebar to the stakes. All I need to do when the unit comes in is open it up figure out where the holes for the feet are so I can weld up 4 stainless steel bolts to metal straps then weld the straps to the steel base. This might be over kill. Attached Thumbnails

08-19-16, 09:29 PM	#24
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	It finely came in. This thing is huge. It says 9,000BTU on the box but the out door unit weighs some where between 70 and 100lb. The place where the shipping weight was printed was torn off. It weighs so much you really don't want it hanging off the side of your house. The heat exchanger surface area is likely at least 4 times what you see with a 5,000BTU window unit. The concrete base took about 180 pounds of concrete (dry weight) to fill the form. I had to modify the form a little bit, two 80 pound bags would have worked but I widened it about 2 inches when the thing finely showed up and I saw how big it is. Here is my little DC welder convert still chugging along. Used this to weld most everything together. I used the packaging to find the bolt positions. I used 5/16 inch stainless eye bolts because that's what I had on hand. The new concrete pad with 5/16 threads sticking out. Cant wait to replace the old junk. Attached Thumbnails

08-20-16, 06:38 AM	#26
stevehull Steve Hull Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: hilly, tree covered Arcadia, OK USA Posts: 826 Thanks: 241 Thanked 165 Times in 123 Posts	Oil Pan, I would advise using 12/3 wire. The 14/3 has too much resistance drop at high current. Besides, the cost of 12 G wire is just a tiny bit more than 14 G. Yes, I know that 14 G will "meet code", but code is a minimum standard. Used to employ 14 G where permitting and code allowed it. An electrician had a serious talk with me years ago and showed me the changes in current that were caused by just a few tight bends in 14 G wire (like in the box where it is hooked up). After that, I have never used 14 G. Steve __________________ consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990

08-18-16, 02:37 PM	#22
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	The L14-30 can be for a generator but I have an L14-30 extension cord for my generator that has an L14-30, 10-50 and 5-20 receptacles on it (each 5-20 is wired to its own line) to use the generator to power pretty much anything. Now I will be able to use that everything adaptor with utility power. FedEx freight called today and say that they will deliver it tomorrow.

08-19-16, 11:55 PM	#25
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	The ebay add and the manufacturer technical data are saying 2 different things. The manual is saying the max amp draw is 9 amps and to fuse for no larger than 15 amps. The ebay add said the max amp draw was under 6 amps and that's why I ordered some 10 amp 2 pole square D QO breakers. I was going to put it on a 10 amp breaker Guess I still can. I'm thinking the only time it will draw any where near 9 amps is below freezing when the electric heater kicks on. Looks like the electric heater kicks on around freezing and the heat pump gives up trying to pump heat at +5'F. I don't think the 10 amp breaker will over heat at 9 amps, being the only one in the box and I believe it will only see max power draw below freezing. To get power from the outside square D QO junction box I think I will run 14/3 SJ cord.

08-20-16, 11:30 AM	#27
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Whenever I run my own wires, I always try to oversize them just in case. You never know what crazy changes will happen in the future. Plus I'm not paying an electrician. The 10 amp breaker sounds a little too close for my comfort. The rule i use is oversize the breaker 20 percent or so to avoid nuisance trips during brown outs, spikes, peaks, etc. You can push your luck and may get away with no problems, but you will never find out until the dead of a cold winter night. From experience, I don't trust new equipment until I see it work reliably for quite a while.

08-20-16, 11:58 AM	#28
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I read the manual some more. 9 amps is just the name plate rating. Looks like it normally uses around 6 amps at 240v like I originally thought. They put 9 amps on the name plate but that is only for 208V systems, as in 2 legs of 120v 3 phase. Other wise that would be one heck of a brown out. I found a partial roll of 12/3 SJ so that is what I will be using. Oh and I'm wiring 10/3 triplex (yes 2 hots, neutral and ground, 4 wires total) to run from the main breaker box the outside A/C box so I can plug in a welder or plasma cutter to that circuit.

08-20-16, 12:10 PM	#29
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	^SEE WHAT I MEAN?^ Oil pan is already planning on running auxiliary equipment through the dedicated A/C unit branch. What if?

08-21-16, 12:26 AM	#30
philb Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 155 Thanks: 58 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Oil pan 4, I really like your welder. The switches make much more sense than paying 10 times more to have OEM replacement stuff. It's worth pointing out that MOV's come in an array of voltages. I use them in my breaker box and in my Dodge truck to keep from buying another control module for $800. MOV's will take a number of spikes and lightning strikes but can wear out and need to be replaced. I try to put them in an easy to change location.