Thermalzone Brand Equiptment - Anybody hear of/used it?

[54regcab]

Does anybody have experience with Thermalzone brand equipment? Looks like re-badged Rheem/Ruud.
http://www.thermalzone.com

[LibertyTree]

I just went of a service call a month or so ago for a Thermalzone. My consensus was that it was a horrid pile of crap. Some company installed this Thermalzone heat pump with a Rheem indoor unit. The unit was installed 3 years ago. Customer said the heat pump never really worked right in cooling, said the air just felt like fan air. He called the installer and their phone was disconnected so since it was heating he never called anyone else. Had a pretty hot stretch so he called me to check out the cooling. Unit was wired so that the heat strips always came on in heat mode... One of the cap tubes on the heat pump blew out within 6 months of installation (because cooling didn't work the first summer) and the unit went on pumping because it was such a pile of crap it didnt have a low pressure switch. The compressor ran for a couple of years producing a nasty green slime that ruined the entire system. Thermalzone can kiss my a$$. Also, they use the old school Rheem cabinet. I think Rheem sells them the cabinet and they put the guts in it.

[beenthere]

I just went of a service call a month or so ago for a Thermalzone. My consensus was that it was a horrid pile of crap. Some company installed this Thermalzone heat pump with a Rheem indoor unit. The unit was installed 3 years ago. Customer said the heat pump never really worked right in cooling, said the air just felt like fan air. He called the installer and their phone was disconnected so since it was heating he never called anyone else. Had a pretty hot stretch so he called me to check out the cooling. Unit was wired so that the heat strips always came on in heat mode... One of the cap tubes on the heat pump blew out within 6 months of installation (because cooling didn't work the first summer) and the unit went on pumping because it was such a pile of crap it didnt have a low pressure switch. The compressor ran for a couple of years producing a nasty green slime that ruined the entire system. Thermalzone can kiss my a$$. Also, they use the old school Rheem cabinet. I think Rheem sells them the cabinet and they put the guts in it.

So customer neglect killed it.

[54regcab]

Other than the lack of low pressure switch (My 1999 12SEER Carrier doesn't have one either) the only thing wrong with the unit was the cap tube blowing out? Sounds like most of the problems related to your service call was from a hack job installation.

[BaldLoonie]

Rheem makes a lot of it. Don't think they use Rheem's lousy N coils though, a plus!

In the past it was Nordyne & Goodman. But all of those problems sound like what we experienced with Rheem cube heat pumps.

[54regcab]

My 1999 Carrier has developed a leak, and I'm considering the Thermalzone to replace it. The specs look a LOT like the specs on the Rheem equipment. Thermalzone offers the N coils and conventional A coils. The TZUP2417 A-coil has an impressive .09 wet static pressure, one of the lowest I've seen. The TZAL4242B is the 2ton 14 SEER condenser, same 32x32x27 as the Rheem according to the supply house (United Refrigeration) website. On thermalzones website it shows the unit being 28x28x24 which I found odd. I would think the additional coil face area on the larger unit would offer more real world SEER especially once the unit is in service for a few years. Which site to do think is correct? May just have to make a trip to the supply house with a measuring tape.

Sizing wise the house is a 1999 1587sqft home in Oklahoma. 800sqft per ton is aggressive sizing, but my current 3 ton cycles a lot, and kept it 75 in our last 110 heatwave which indicates to me it's considerably oversized. I'm going the "correct size" way which would scare most contractors, putting my A/C where my mouth is, so to speak...

[rundawg]

I've only come across one Thermal Zone unit (a TZPA3242A) that was installed by another contractor who vanished after the install. The unit was 9 months old, and the condenser fan motor had completely frozen up (could not turn the shaft by hand).

I'm sure this could happen on any unit, and I am not slamming Thermal Zone units because of this.

I just wanted to point out that the motor was replaced under warranty by United Refrigeration without question.

[54regcab]

Good to know that URI backs their "house brand" (I've not seen it sold by anybody else) w/o giving you a hassle. Even though you weren't the installing contractor URI still took care of it :) Other than the frozen motor what is your opinion of the construction quality compared to other brands with similar price points?

[rundawg]

The straight AC is a basic unit. No bells and whistles, and of average construction.

If installed properly, it should last as long as any other of the same quality.

I know this is a generic response, but really nothing stood out as good or bad with the one unit I worked on.

If I had seen more of these, I might be able to give you a better feel for their quality.

[AC5096]

Years ago Thermal Zone was Pameco's house brand. Most of it was rebranded Nordyne. I replaced a TZ gaspack recently that was installed by Sears in 1999.

[BaldLoonie]

The outdoor units are the bare bones Rheem Value line made to our south. Some can be a bit noisy, no pressure protection. 54, you better look at the static again. The RCFL-HM2417 at 800 CFM is .23 wet. Not bad if you compare it to a 3617 or 4821 at .36 but long way from .09. That figure was likely from a Rheem Multiflex coil. Those had super low drops.

[54regcab]

The TZUP2417 is a completely different coil than the RCFL-HM2417. I've not seen a Rheem coil similar to the TZUP2417, although the specs could be wrong on Thermalzones website. http://www.thermalzone.com/specs/TZUP_TZMP-Spec_Sheet.pdf

I am interested in hearing the dimensions of the TZAL4242B, the numbers conflict:
http://www.thermalzone.com/specs/TZAL-4%20-%2014%20SEER%20-%20Specs.pdf
http://www.uri.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/PrcTransaction/en_US/-/USD/ViewOfferDetail-Start?ProductUUID=96wKFgIKr5MAAAEoxHQP4Ctm&CatalogCategoryID=mosKFgIKpuAAAAE5kI0LEDAG

[LibertyTree]

Well, customer could have called earlier for sure but the cap tube still blew very quickly. It was still heating so he figured it was working. I don't think the lousy installers educated him on how the system works or that there was such a thing as backup heat. A unit without a low pressure cut out is a pile of crap to me... That is a must.

[beenthere]

Well, customer could have called earlier for sure but the cap tube still blew very quickly. It was still heating so he figured it was working. I don't think the lousy installers educated him on how the system works or that there was such a thing as backup heat. A unit without a low pressure cut out is a pile of crap to me... That is a must.

lot of builder grade units don't have a LPS. So its not really any worse then other brands.

[BaldLoonie]

The TZUP2417 is a completely different coil than the RCFL-HM2417.

Definitely is. Don, can you elaborate on who makes those A coils?

[Tanner P]

I installed a Thermalzone mini split once, and went to fire it up. Nothing. So called tech support, walked through some stuff with them. Then they ended up warrantying the airhandler, So I got the new one. Same ****, Bad unit. Customer said hell with thermal zone and got his money back and I ended up going with a Mitsubishi.

[AllStateTech]

Ive installed a few thermal zone condensing units and havent had much trouble with them, I mean they come straight from china like almost everything else we buy. Im seeing them sold more as dry nitrogen units for use with r-22. Their alright and as far as im concerned havent noticed any major issue, but then again they were installed this summer:whistle: at least theres a 5yr on parts

[LibertyTree]

lot of builder grade units don't have a LPS. So its not really any worse then other brands.
Such a retarded thing to not have LPS, no matter what grade. I think Goodman and Coleman/York have them on every model, correct me if I'm wrong

[BaldLoonie]

Hate to tell you Tree, but you are. The Goodman GSX13 has no pressure switches. York units have high pressure switches to their credit, but only the Affinity has a low pressure switch. That seems to be the case pretty much through the industry unless you are looking at a premium model. Seems to me it would reduce warranty claims on compressors with 410 especially.

[54regcab]

Hate to tell you Tree, but you are. The Goodman GSX13 has no pressure switches. York units have high pressure switches to their credit, but only the Affinity has a low pressure switch. That seems to be the case pretty much through the industry unless you are looking at a premium model. Seems to me it would reduce warranty claims on compressors with 410 especially.

Agreed, a few $$$ in pressure switches on each unit could save them a warranty compressor replacement...

[toocoolforschool]

thermal zone -- thumbz (sic) down for me.

[beenthere]

Agreed, a few $$$ in pressure switches on each unit could save them a warranty compressor replacement...

Considering that 60% of the compressors returned for warranty aren't even bad, I doubt it would make a dent.

[hvacprodmgr]

Definitely is. Don, can you elaborate on who makes those A coils?

Sorry, have not been on the site in a while ...The TZUP coils were privately made for us by Eubank ... however they have stopped making them ... that size we probably still have a few left, and it was a "A" coil and not an "N" coil ... and his figures are correct ... they were a great coil while we had them ...

[jdblack]

CC Dickson has been selling the thermal zone dry charge units.

Also the airease 4shp heat pumps have love pressure switches.

Sent from my ERIS using Tapatalk 2

[dna]

Installed a thermalzone dry shipped r22 hp last summer mated to a Heil a/h that was 3 yrs. old. No problems during install-fired up nicely-customers seem to be comfortable. I thought it was a nice unit.