Weather King

[Jopopsy]

Hey Guys,
Can anybody tell me about Weather King furnaces and AC Units? I'm seriously considering putting a offer on a new construction home that is using Weather King as its HVAC of choice. The furnace is a 93.5% efficient model (propane), the AC isn't installed yet but I'm told its 13 SEER.

I've never heard of Weather King before, but I hear its part of Rheem (which at least I HAVE heard of before).

Is this a no name piece of junk or is this good stuff?

Thanks !!!

[BaldLoonie]

WeatherKing is the builder model of Rheem & Ruud, also sold as Rheem & Ruud. See their sites. The models starting with the efficiency are Kings. Great value for the money. Only WeatherKing product to avoid in our experience is heat pumps. The furnaces are fine, the A/C units are fine. The 90s are similar to the RGRA with a few less features. You can ask of the builder will let you upgrade to genuine Rheem or Ruud.

[docholiday]

The WK is genuine Rheem or Ruud stuff, but it is "de-featured" slightly. Not by much on that model though. If it has not been installed yet, see what they would take to upgrade to a Mod 90 Rheem or Ruud.

Bald has avoided the WK HP long enough although they are a cube unit and the "de-featured" as well. Go with the Rheem and get the pressure switches and scroll to be sure.

Either way, it's the installtion that counts most.

[targetman]

I have a Weather King heat pump at my house and installed them in others. I have had no problems as of yet. I would like to know why the Bald one keeps knocking them.

[BaldLoonie]

We have very few cube pumps out there that haven't had a major failure. In the last month our supplier has replaced 2 with 13PJAs at no cost. One already was on its 2nd compressor then the reversing valve pilot tubing sprung a leak and with no low pressure protection, the comp ran til it died. The oil was as bright as St. Patrick's Day beer. The other one first lost a TXV from components rubbing together. Then it lost the compressor last spring because of damage from running empty so we replaced it, then that compressor starting making a vibration that was felt all over the house. I'd guess there are very few out there we haven't touched for some reason, mostly tubing rubbing together even though installers watch for it when it went in. We've had several before last month replaced free. At least in the 13PJA the design looks like they thought of that problem and the piping and TXV distributors are short and beefier. Plus I don't like recips in heat pumps, I want a Copeland scroll. And as Doc says, the JAZ Rheem & Ruuds have compressor protection so even if there is a problem, the compressor will be shut off and locked out.

A buddy of mine was tech rep at the Rheem supplier for a couple of years. Only product that he had nightmares with was the PJAs, even though Ft. Smith wouldn't admit it. I bet "KM" would and he's been taking good care of us!

[snookered]

Correct me if I'm wrong.
Aren't the heat exchanger warranties different between Rheem/Weatherking/Ruud on similar models?

[docholiday]

I'd bet the reversing valve was on a 10pj or 12pj, not a 13pj. Granted servicability is tougher as a result of the cube design. Rubbing tubes is an issue with any system with cap tubes, but, and I say this with caution because of fragile egos (mine included), tubes may or may not have been touching when it left the plant, They may have settiled there in shipping, but the installer is the final inspector on the job. It takes allof 1 minute to look at this kind of stuff and maybe 2 to correct if needed. KM is good people and a good friend and a good tech who likes the rectangles more, as do I, but the value line is just that, bells and whistles are merely left off.

Frankly, IMHO, installing a HP without adding a HPS and a LOC switch is a mistake. Thats just me, it's like running refrigerant lines in the wall and I just dont subscribe to setting yourself up for failure.

[docholiday]

The waranty for the furnace say a 90RS is 20 years. The similar Rheem unit is a RGRJ that also carries a 20 year HX warranty. The RGRA, has a lifetime. So if your comparing apples to apples, no there is no difference. But there are other differences when you start comparing apples to oranges.

BTW, lifetime warranties on HX are all reduced to 20 years if you sell the house. Lifetime is to the original purchaser. I'm pretty sure this is a caviot on just about all furnaces in the market.

[nites chaos]

[QUOTE=BaldLoonie;1803275]Plus I don't like recips in heat pumps, I want a Copeland scroll.

QUOTE]

Loonie,
Just so ya know the 13PJ series now does have a scroll compressor, though its not a Copeland, its a Bristol/Danfoss. Just thought ya might want to know.
Oh and in the NEAR FUTURE, they'll be known as the Rheem VALUE SERIES :D, heck their (Rheem) is even changing the color to resemble the Rheem Green Color.
We got a first few of the new color scheme in just the other day....

Martin

[BaldLoonie]

Usually the Danfoss scroll kicks in at 3.5 ton on the Kings. The 2 we replaced with 13PJAs were 2 and 2.5 ton, they had a big Benchmark recip.

[docholiday]

so when they come with copeland scrolls you'll be more confident?

[BaldLoonie]

Still nervous about the cubes though I admit the 13PJAs were so much different from the 10s & 12s with beefier tubes and real short so they can't rub.

The Copeland scroll has a 20+ year record, the Benchmark recip & Danfoss scrolls are rather new.

[docholiday]

Ok.... lemme ask you again. If they start building them with copeland scrolls... then what? :)

[BaldLoonie]

I think at this point we'll stay with rectangular units. At the time we put in most of the cubes, we had no decent source of anything else. It was back when we were rotating Rheem distributors. Now we have a good supplier we can get all of the deluxe models that the techs love.

[Silver06]

Kinda of a odd question here, but did the old addisson/heat controller products have anything to do with Rheem/Ruud rectangular units? Just curious.

[BaldLoonie]

No relation. Once Rheem bought the King name, they were the same as Rheem until they split WK to be only a value line.

[tinner73]

i have a one year old 2.5 ton WK in a townhouse i rent out.....zero complaints..so far so good.;)

[Jopopsy]

I got the builder to replace with Genuine Ruud equipment. I don't know what model, but its a 1 zone 92% efficient furnace (propane) and a 13 SEER compressor and coil.

Is Ruud good stuff?

[rheem n u]

we installed 63 weather king heatpumps last year. we had one fan motor go out,1 suction line vavle strip out and 2 reversing valve coils. not bad for builders grade if you ask me.

[rheem n u]

by the way i just put one in today and i know it had the round rheem logo on it and a differnt color i think the might have took the weatherking name off i will have to look tommorow and see.

[BaldLoonie]

Are your units 13PJA or the old 10 & 12 SEER?

[Jopopsy]

Are your units 13PJA or the old 10 & 12 SEER?

He's going to replace with:

Ruud UGRA Achiever 90 Plus Premium
Ruud UAND 13 Seer AC