quietest heat pump?

[Dunfudgin]

I am looking for the quietest high efficiency air source heat pump available.
looking for a handler too.
I have 2 AC only splits to replace 3 ton each.
Thinking of keeping the oil heat for second stage so I don't have to upgrade the electric. im in massachusetts so its a mostly heating application. looking at a $6k oil bill for next winter..... if prices don't go up.


thanks!

D

[beenthere]

Generally all the high efficiency heat pumps have low decibel ratings.
York has units rated at 69db. So do others.
Find a good contractor first, he should be able to give you sound ratings of the brands he uses.

[mchild]

Mitsubishi City Multi 50db
Sanyo Eco-i Mini 52db
Daikin VRV-S 58db
Indoor units in the 35db range depending on size and fan speed.

Very quiet and some of the highest efficiency air to air heat pumps available.

[beenthere]

mchild.
Do they make VS blowers for those units that will connect to his existing ductwork.
Enquiring minds want to know. :)

[tigerdunes]

Dunfudgin

Finding a good balance between noise and high efficiency can be a task.
Keep in mind noise is measureable but can be very subjective from person to person. Here are three high end sgl stg models.

Lennox XP15
63 db
http://www.lennox.com/products/overview.asp?model=XP15

Carrier Performance 15 25HPA5
As low as 68 db
http://www.residential.carrier.com/products/acheatpumps/heatpumps/performance.shtml#m25HPA5

Trane XL15i
74 db
http://www.trane.com/Residential/Products/HeatPumps/XL15i.aspx

IMO
:)

[mchild]

mchild.
Do they make VS blowers for those units that will connect to his existing ductwork.
Enquiring minds want to know. :)

bt,

Not sure exactly which units you are referring. But, all the ducted units use an A/C blower not D/C blower. They are multi speed fans in which the speed is set by the control board in the unit and determined by load.

[Dunfudgin]

Thanks mchild!

that city multi hyperheat looks the nutz.
unfortunately no 3 phase here.
that leaves the sanyo eco i as my only choice out of your recommendations.
cold weather performance on that unit lags the others unfortunately.

so in general how do these systems cost wise to geothermal installations?

[mchild]

Thanks mchild!

that city multi hyperheat looks the nutz.
unfortunately no 3 phase here.
that leaves the sanyo eco i as my only choice out of your recommendations.
cold weather performance on that unit lags the others unfortunately.

so in general how do these systems cost wise to geothermal installations?


Mitsu has the Hyperheat in a 3 ton unit single phase (limited indoor unit selection):

http://www.mehvac.com/Products/itemDetail.asp?ProductSubCategoryID=149&ProductCategoryID=24&ProductID=1713

Not sure what you are looking at that concerns you about the Sanyo cold weather performance.

There are lots of ways to do geo installs - some more costly than others. Your situation would have to be looked at by a contractor to determine all the issues.

[docholiday]

There is not a good standard used by mfg's to compare noise levels. At best you get a sound pressure but the distance and weighting is not nessessarily the same. The quality of the sound itself is not measureable and is subjective. For the most part, they can print anything they want because there is no one to contend it.

[Doral]

This is a very important topic for some.

I wish you the very best luck in your quest for "quiet". That is why I initially sought out this forum. Our HPs are located outside our bedroom wall (2). To move them from that site would have been MAJOR...as we have a corner lot. Would have required a 50ft copper run to second story.

Anyway, after much traveling around listening to condensors....we ended up with the Carrier Performance units outside and FVB inside. The units are very quiet outside. The noise that I hear is a "hum" ...which is actually a bit more noticable in the second story bedroom.

Before we could not enjoyably use our large deck because of all the incredible noise from the previous condensors. Now you barely notice them. As I said...what I do notice is a bit of a hum. Hardly worth mentioning compared to what we had. But.........I would like that to go away also.

We considered getting one Infinity zoned system with a w stage condenser as we were told that would be even quieter when running on "low". However, we decided to stay with the two units as we were going to get into a lot of physical changes. We are very satisfied with the improvement vs. cost.

I actually went for long walks, toured model homes, etc. trying to find QUIET.

I wish you the best of luck. I have a hunch that "install" also counts in your quest for "quiet".

[fsq4cw]

You ‘Quest’ for quiet & high efficiency ends with a geothermal installation. That’s the ultimate in performance, energy savings (look at your oil bill, $6k – are you not in shock!!), life cycle costs, and resale value of your home and user satisfaction - end of story!

IMO

SR

[Dunfudgin]

I started by looking at geo. But with a 10+ year payback why would I do it?
it'll be worn out by the time i break even. It's nice and all but not that nice.
Until there are a few more installers out this way prices will be stuck in the stratosphere for geo.


I could buy 2 new base f-150's at list for what i was quoted for a 6 ton geo system.
And the well was extra.....


D

[fsq4cw]

I started by looking at geo. But with a 10+ year payback why would I do it?
it'll be worn out by the time i break even. It's nice and all but not that nice.
Until there are a few more installers out this way prices will be stuck in the stratosphere for geo.


I could buy 2 new base f-150's at list for what i was quoted for a 6 ton geo system.
And the well was extra.....


D



Not true, geothermal will have a life expectancy of 20~25 years for the HP and the ground loops will outlive your youngest grandchild – born or yet unborn!

Geothermal will save you thousands year after year. Where’s the payback on your 2 f-150’s?

SR

[bell3156]

trane dealer here, the quietest unit I have ever seen is the lennox 2stage unit, variable speed units are louder than standerd airhandlers on high speed, you should be able to increase your return and filter size to quiet the unit down..

[beenthere]

variable speed units are louder than standerd airhandlers on high speed,

Only on undersized duct systems.

[Old Lennox]

Before you commit to a unit I would listen to one. I purchased top of the line heatpump from a manufacturer and noise is more annoying than the 23 year old unit that it replaced. Decibel ratings were the same as everybody elses. I am told that there is an updated condenser motor but I am still waiting.
Good Luck

[bell3156]

Only on undersized duct systems.

if you are replacing an airhandler with a standerd blower and replace it with a variable speed airhandler, the air handler on high speed will be louder beacause it will be moving more air than the previous unit, the duct work may have been sized correctly or not. the variable speed will ramp up to provide the cfm, in almost all cases this will be more cfm than the standerd unit.... you can adjust the settings on th variable speed to the lowest setting or increase return size, in some cases just changing the style of grill is enough, it depends where the air handler is. Regardless increasing return size and filter area will slow down the blower noise.

[beenthere]

If the previous standard blower was delievering 1200 CFM, then the VS when it is set for 1200 CFM won't be any louder.
If the static was too high for the standard blower to deliever 1200 CFM, then yes, the VS will be louder because it is delievering 1200 CFM. Or making an attempt to deliever it.

Next one you put in. Before you pull the old unit. Check your static. You can tell if your going to have noise before you put it in, and advise the customer of the needed corrections before hand.

[junkhound]

Just to stir the DIY pot...<G>

You could buy 4 used backhoes and a mile of poly pipe for the price of 2 new base f-150's !

Few on this board would begrudge you digging your own ditches.