Natural Gas Ac units

[DanW13]

Not knowing if there was such a unit availible and having done alittle research which didn't really turn up much about them other than comerical buildings and Super markets have been using them for along time, are there any NG AC units made today for the home market ? If they are availible who might make these units for home owners ?

[absrbrtek]

http://www.robur.com/home_eng.jsp

[sammy37]

There was a thread about this subject a while back. I think someone said york had experimented with them several years back. I would think with the ever increasing price of natural gas, and the efficiencies available on new units today, that they wouldnt be very practical.

[DanW13]

Well from the few things I could find and read about that quoted that NG would still be cheaper than electrical rates even when the rate for both increase, and NG for the most part is and has always been cheaper than any other source of fossil fuel. They claim it is kind of pricey on the front side to purchase one of these units but in the long run they pay for themselves in a very short time and require alot less repairs or maintience. But as I mentioned yesterday I didn't find to much information on these units as I would find for regular HP AC units.

[beenthere]

The york units your thinking about are probably the Triathalons. They used a gas motor to turn teh compressor.
I think the OP is talking about gas fired absorbsion.
They have more maintainence you you might think. Atleast the old ones did. Fortunately they were never very popular here for resi. They are a lot more efficient then electric A/C's.
But, if you get one, You may be very very limited in who you can call to work on them.
They are actually a mini chiller. The amonia doesn't enter the house.
Call your local gas company, and see if they install and service them.

[rotaryfrk]

About 10 years ago we installed (3) Goettl NG driven split systems.

They are CRAP!

I don't know of any reputable HVAC shops out there that do both HVAC and

engine repairs. So that means you have two seperate companies performing

work on your units. It's costly. Our local gas company has (1) NG machine

and (1) electric machine to fall back on while the NG machine is being fixed.

Most NG machines get replaced with conventional electric equipment due to

the maintenance costs associated with NG equipment.

[2old2rock]

I don't know about a natural gas a/c unit, but many years ago, we were gutting a home, and found a refrigerator with a natural gas supply hooked to it. Needless to say, it took us by suprise. Took a real old timer to explain that one to us.

[BaldLoonie]

Expensive to buy, run and good luck finding techs!

The Robur 3 ton chiller last I knew used 67,000 BTU per hour. At a low $1.00 per therm for gas, that's 67 cents for 3 ton/hour plus juice for pump, blower & outdoor fan another dime so let's say 77 cents.

13 SEER 3 ton uses about 2.8 kw per that hour of cooling. At an average of 10 cents per kwh, that means you are paying 27 cents vs the chiller's 77 cents for the same cooling.

[Coolmaniac]

I've seen a couple of resi ammonia chillers, one was Payne, a couple others were Arkla/ Seville. Very high up front cost due to everything made of stainless steel to hold up with ammonia. I googled Arkla and nothing came up. One I remember was in a mobile home park, and was the only type of A/C that could be installed because of the lack of enough power supply in the park. And the owner was pissed cause it was upgraded shortly after his unit went in. Pretty sure Payne doesn't make them anymore. Don't know about Arkla.