Sanyo 24KHS72 AC/HP DIY install project

[cholcombe]

I live right outside of Philadephia. We don't have air conditioning in the house. I think we used our window unit maybe 5 times this past summer so cooling isn't too much of an issue. I have an oil heater in the basement that I don't really like. The oil burning, the fumes, inefficiency, etc. I thought a heat pump might make a good retrofit because there's also no ductwork in the house since it was built in 1890.

I'll keep an eye out for that HSPF. Thanks for the tip!

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by cholcombe

Xringer: Is there anything stopping you in the winter from pointing a few mirrors at the heat pump to increase the performance? I'm really looking into buying a unit like the sanyo you have after I saw your cost numbers you posted

I was thinking about a tracking mirror a while back, but used my tracking
mount for solar panels.. (It used to be a satellite dish mount).

Now, I'm thinking maybe I should add a water to air exchanger
right in front of the air intake.
If I could pump 60-65 degree water into the coil, and if the Sanyo pulled
enough air through..?.. Might work a little better..

I could use PV power to run an open-loop, using 2 small wells.
I think it might be good for the summer too.. pre-cool the air going into the Sanyo..

I actually have a nice heat exchanger sitting in garage, doing nothing..

Looks just like this one.. A double layer job..


If the pump stopped, it would freeze up fast..
Maybe A water-to-refrigerant exchanger to buffer it.?.

Water's going to need to gravity-drain when the power goes off..

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by cholcombe

I have an oil heater in the basement that I don't really like. The oil burning, the fumes, inefficiency, etc. I thought a heat pump might make a good retrofit because there's also no ductwork in the house since it was built in 1890.

The HSPF really is the ticket in your situation, as you said.

I'd advise you to look over mini-splits for sale on ebay, and look at the current HSPF ratings for various units.

To my knowledge, the current best mini-split with the best HSPF is 12 and can be found on the Fujitsu Halcyon 9RL (9,000 BTU) and 12RL (12,000 BTU).

But the technology is moving fast, so do your homework.

There is a tendancy for units with a high SEER to also have a high HSPF, but I've looked over lots of charts, and it's not always that way.

Xringer has a Sanyo and he's happy with his, I have a Sanyo and I also like mine.

When I was shopping for a Mini-Split, I was very impressed with the higher HSPF if the Fujitsu, but the price was nearly double. Since then the Fujitsu price has come way down, and I'd go with the Fujitsu today.

Whatever you get, considering the heating setup you described, I'm quite sure you'll be thrilled.

Regards,

-AC_Hacker

[st2288]

I absolutely love my split (24k btu fujitsu and a 12k Shinco) . I still haven't use my oil burner yet except for the hot water.
I use my efergy to track the usage. It uses about 21 kwh (about 4-5 dollar a day, less than 2 gallon of oil) a day on a very cold day (low 30s during day and teen at night)
With my solar panel (7.99k + 1k), on a sunny day I get close to 21kwh...Very happy !!!

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by st2288

I absolutely love my split (24k btu fujitsu and a 12k Shinco) . I still haven't use my oil burner yet except for the hot water.
I use my efergy to track the usage. It uses about 21 kwh (about 4-5 dollar a day, less than 2 gallon of oil) a day on a very cold day (low 30s during day and teen at night)
With my solar panel (7.99k + 1k), on a sunny day I get close to 21kwh...Very happy !!!

Now that's the way to heat with electricity!!
Right now, my efergy is showing an average daily use of 13.8 kWh. ($2.91).

I had to use a little oil last night when it went down to 8deg F.
My wife is afraid the unheated rooms will pop a baseboard pipe if they get under 32F.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Xringer

I had to use a little oil last night when it went down to 8deg F.
My wife is afraid the unheated rooms will pop a baseboard pipe if they get under 32F.

I'm really surprised that you're not already running some antifreeze in your hydronic radiator loop... Are you sure you have no antifreeze already?

You stand to lose so much if you guys lost power in a really hard cold snap (that's when it really might happen).

-AC_Hacker

[st2288]

I just turn off the heat pump and use the oil burner at night...as long as it gets up to the 20s , I still can use the heat pump.. the heating oil is at 3.40 a gallon already on long island. It may go up to 4.00 if it gets real cold....

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by st2288

I just turn off the heat pump and use the oil burner at night...as long as it gets up to the 20s , I still can use the heat pump.. the heating oil is at 3.40 a gallon already on long island. It may go up to 4.00 if it gets real cold....

st2288,

I didn't catch it if you are using a mini-split or a whole-house heat pump.

But I'm using a 9,000 BTU Sanyo mini-split, and it has continued to work just fine down to 12 F. As I recall, the sales literature for mine said that this unit was good down to 17 F, but obviously it'll do better than that.

I have noticed that the COP drops when the outside temp goes way down, but it's still superior to resistance heat.

I've noticed that according to the sales lit, the new 9RL and 12RL Fujitsus are good down to 5 F.

-AC_Hacker

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by AC_Hacker

I'm really surprised that you're not already running some antifreeze in your hydronic radiator loop... Are you sure you have no antifreeze already?

You stand to lose so much if you guys lost power in a really hard cold snap (that's when it really might happen).

-AC_Hacker

It's plain old H2O..
Yeah, it's a real disaster when a forced-hot-water-baseboard house is without power for a day or two.
Unless it's really cold, then it can happen over night.

Once the loop starts spraying the living area rooms, the water-jacket intake
allows more water into the loop, and it turns your furniture into icebergs.
Of course it finds it's way into the basement and starts filling it up..

But, we have an HS Tarm multi-fuel boiler. We just need to toss some
wood into the solid fuel firebox and turn on the free-flow valves..

Or, just crank up some Aux power and run the old mini-split!

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Xringer

But, we have an HS Tarm multi-fuel boiler. We just need to toss some wood into the solid fuel firebox and turn on the free-flow valves..

Multifuel is good.

My X-wife & I took a trip to see her parents many christmasses ago.

A cold snap happened while we were 2000 miles away.

It was bad, real bad.

But I suppose you could get some candles with the religious pictures on them and burn them on the holidays. For sure, you'll be protected then.

-AC_Hacker