Inverter multi-split with a hydronic zone?

Stoker · 04-09-17, 03:40 AM

I recently completed my first install of a 2 zone Pioneer multi split in my suite. Painless install. No problems.

I was talking with a close friend this evening about it. He has a little different problem. He's got a 2000 sq/ft shop on a slab with hydronic heat. It is currently heated electrically. (Need I say ouch!).

We began to wonder if it would be plausible that one could take a zone from a similar split unit and plumb it into a brazed plate heat exchanger to heat water.

Without diving into the wiring schematics, I recall that the wiring to the indoor units used 4 wires, black and red are power, green is ground and blue is labeled as S presumably for signal. I suspect this signal is probably a variable voltage value based on how much heat the indoor unit would like to receive. The outdoor unit I expect takes the signal inputs from the indoor units and sets the inverter drive for the appropriate compressor output to cover all the zones.

So, my question is; if an appropriate signal is coming down the blue wire, and the refrigerant goes out hot and returns cold, would the unit know or care if the zone it was supplying was an OEM air handler or a brazed plate heat exchanger?

Second, has anybody tried this?

04-09-17, 03:40 AM	#1
Stoker Lurking Renovator Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Powell River BC Canada Posts: 15 Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Inverter multi-split with a hydronic zone? I recently completed my first install of a 2 zone Pioneer multi split in my suite. Painless install. No problems. I was talking with a close friend this evening about it. He has a little different problem. He's got a 2000 sq/ft shop on a slab with hydronic heat. It is currently heated electrically. (Need I say ouch!). We began to wonder if it would be plausible that one could take a zone from a similar split unit and plumb it into a brazed plate heat exchanger to heat water. Without diving into the wiring schematics, I recall that the wiring to the indoor units used 4 wires, black and red are power, green is ground and blue is labeled as S presumably for signal. I suspect this signal is probably a variable voltage value based on how much heat the indoor unit would like to receive. The outdoor unit I expect takes the signal inputs from the indoor units and sets the inverter drive for the appropriate compressor output to cover all the zones. So, my question is; if an appropriate signal is coming down the blue wire, and the refrigerant goes out hot and returns cold, would the unit know or care if the zone it was supplying was an OEM air handler or a brazed plate heat exchanger? Second, has anybody tried this?