Aussie Does a Critical Evaluation of a Dead Fujitsu Halcyon

[AC_Hacker]

The video says it all...

Fujitsu Inverter Condenser In-Depth Autopsy (New Style Unit) - YouTube

-AC_Hacker

[S-F]

He didn't seem to have too high of an opinion of it's construction. He kept calling it things like "bitch" and referring to the components as "nasty" or "Chinese trash". It's pretty funny considering how highly those units are thought of.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by S-F

He didn't seem to have too high of an opinion of it's construction. He kept calling it things like "bitch" and referring to the components as "nasty" or "Chinese trash". It's pretty funny considering how highly those units are thought of.

I thought this offered a really great perspective. I think we all go blind when we fall in love with a particular technology, or brand, or way of doing things, or ideology.

I really think that sometimes innovation can spring from contempt as well as positive motivations.

* * *

Sometimes, if I'm about to spend a goodly chunk of cash on something, I will contact repairmen who work on products of that type and ask their opinion regarding quality of the kind of thing I'm about to purchase. It certainly offers an interesting perspective, because they are dealing with a product at it's mid-life or end of life phase. They are looking from a different perspective, and see things from a component quality and serviceability point of view. They also have an idea if something is just a piece of junk. I have found that repairmen are never bothered by my calling them and questioning them. In fact they are usually flattered that someone would find their opinion worth seeking out. And I usually get valuable information I was not expecting.

* * *

And coincidentally, I found someone locally, who is selling a 5 year old Fujitsu Halcyon AC unit. I am very interested to see if an inverter unit can be successfully re-purposed to be a ASHP front end to a hot water heating system. This video has already given me some insight into construction details and build quality, and has put me in a much better position to be a very serious bargainer, or to walk away if the price isn't right.

-AC

[S-F]

Here he takes apart the indoor unit.... And has some more nasty stuff to say about this technology in general. Although he does say that it beats the quality of conventional split units form the 70's and 80's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glsCM...ure=plpp_video

EDIT:

Part 2 of that one is pretty funny. The thing is covered in mold and is constantly talking about is. Saying that you can't really clean them. Just run them until they die and then replace them. He said that if you do try to clean one do it outside with the wind blowing away from you or else you'll "get some God awful disease".

I find this all to be pretty refreshing. These minisplits are eating up the green building world. All I hear about them is praise and talk of how they are revolutionizing HVAC. It seems like for the most part people are right about that, but the quality might not be where we would like it to be.

[MN Renovator]

He has another video of a different Fujitsu and his opinion about the mini-splits are that they aren't sealed up well enough for the salty ocean-side air that his area is exposed to. He did imply that elsewhere they wouldn't be too bad of a unit.

Keep in mind most of the stuff he gets is from scrapyards and so it will always be broke. I've been around similar situations and unless you can think critically about it, you would assume that you couldn't get 5 years out of anything. In reality that isn't the case though.

Keep in mind that their latest units have 7 year compressor, 5 year parts warranties. The products they are phasing out used to have a 6 year compressor, 2 year parts warranty. Seems they are providing better support and possibly a better product now than they used to be previously.

Of course with any HVAC product, online purchases and self-install will void the warranty.

[S-F]

Originally Posted by AC_Hacker

And coincidentally, I found someone locally, who is selling a 5 year old Fujitsu Halcyon AC unit. I am very interested to see if an inverter unit can be successfully re-purposed to be a ASHP front end to a hot water heating system. This video has already given me some insight into construction details and build quality, and has put me in a much better position to be a very serious bargainer, or to walk away if the price isn't right.

-AC

Not sure if I've said this here before or not but the HVAC guy I like to deal with has done the opposite many times. He's recently been combining mini splits with geothermal.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by S-F

Not sure if I've said this here before or not but the HVAC guy I like to deal with has done the opposite many times. He's recently been combining mini splits with geothermal.

I'd really like to talk with this guy.

Can you use EcoRenovator email to put me in contact with him?

-AC

[S-F]

His name is Paul Voyland. He works for Sandri Oil in Greenfield MA.

New England Energy Solutions | Sunoco Fuel Oil & Gasoline Distribution | Renewable Energy Provider

He's super busy because every green builder in the area uses him and he takes a ton of time figuring everything out but you can get him from time to time.

[MN Renovator]

Originally Posted by S-F

Not sure if I've said this here before or not but the HVAC guy I like to deal with has done the opposite many times. He's recently been combining mini splits with geothermal.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this on this forum or not but WaterFurnace is supposedly going to be releasing an inverter based GSHP setup soon that is supposed boost its already very high COP.

Of course we know a DIY solution can be done for a much lower price but it's good to know what is being developed as far as complete systems developed by the major manufacturers.

[S-F]

Originally Posted by MN Renovator

I'm not sure if I mentioned this on this forum or not but WaterFurnace is supposedly going to be releasing an inverter based GSHP setup soon that is supposed boost its already very high COP.

It's about time! They have to get off their high horses and ditch the scroll compressors if they think they can compete with mini splits. Not many people are going to get a 60K geothermal system when they can get almost the same performance from an 8K ASHP.