I am too fussy? Ordered a 4 ton replacement. Dealer installed 3.79 BTUs instead

[sam324]

I selected a Trane contractor to replace two units in my home ( one 4 ton and the other is a 2 ton). The dealer installed a 4 ton condensing unit outside 4ttb4049E (4ton) with a GAM5...32 (3.5 ton) air handler inside.

It does get the 16 seer rating but only has 45,500 BTU which is 3.79 tons and not the full 4 (48,000 BTUs) that I ordered from the dealer. It's only been one day and it seems to cool the house fine so far but I am feeling like I didn't get what I paid for. I wonder if I am going to have problems down the road. Does having a smaller air handler inside cause the compressor to work harder and cause an eventual failure from wear and tear?

The dealer is offering me $ off my invoice because he does want to remove the 3.5 and give me the 4 ton I ordered and paid for. Is $ the "real" difference between the 3.5 vs the 4 ton air handler? or are they still scamming me?

The second unit (the 2 ton) is up in the air. I may find another contractor for that one since I am feeling like these guys aren't very trustworthy. If I would not have checked the model numbers online, I probably still would not have known they slipped in a smaller air handler.

What should I do? I just want a peace of mind in the long run.

[LibertyTree]

I wouldn't sweat it. We're only talking about a 1,000 BTU difference between the two units. And it is a certified AHRI match. Also, it has a slightly better SEER rating as well. Maybe the contractor picked the AHRI match up with the highest SEER rating. Thats what I would do if the homes sizing calc could do without the extra 1k BTU and slightly less airflow. The airflow could also be a reason why he went with that air handler. I always make sure that the duct is capable of the full 4 tons of air, if its a bit shy the 3.5 is a perfect solution. Here is the AHRI reference # for both the GAM542 and the GAM548 to compare:

GAM542
4150838
http://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridir...ultSearch.aspx

GAM548
4150839
http://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridir...ultSearch.aspx

Honestly, he should have been able to tell you what I'm telling you though... Who knows what the motive was but all I'm sayin' is that you have an engineered match and its unlikely that you are going to see any kind of problem in my opinion.

[sam324]

Thanks Liberty! I should just take the $ huh? Would have been less confusing if they would have been upfront or offered me some type of explanation. They seemed more like they knew they were "busted" and offered a settlement.

aside from that....the air handler blows louder than my old cluncker. I expected less noise from a Trane. Is there anything that I can do to make it quieter? Can I change the bi fold shuttered door to a solid door? does it needs the ventilation from the shutter door? Can I have someone build more installation at the bottom of the stand its sitting on?

the air handler closet is location right in the hallway near all 3 bedrooms

[sam324]

Liberty,

Actually, its like 3000 btu difference. a 4 ton is 48000 and the unit they installed in 45,500. which means it is 3000. Is 3k btu enough to make a stink over dollars and sense wise.

[beenthere]

If the 3.5 is louder then what you have, think how much louder the 4 ton would be.

The 3.5 may remove more moisture from the air then the 4 would. So you may actually be better off with the 3.5 then you would have been with the 4.




PS: Neither prices or price questions are allowed here.

[mark beiser]

Liberty,

Actually, its like 3000 btu difference. a 4 ton is 48000 and the unit they installed in 45,500. which means it is 3000. Is 3k btu enough to make a stink over dollars and sense wise.

There are no matchups with any air handler with that outdoor unit that result in 48000 btuh of total capacity. The only 48k+ btuh system matches are with a furnace and coil inside.
This is actually quite common.

aside from that....the air handler blows louder than my old cluncker. I expected less noise from a Trane. Is there anything that I can do to make it quieter? Can I change the bi fold shuttered door to a solid door? does it needs the ventilation from the shutter door? Can I have someone build more installation at the bottom of the stand its sitting on?

Can you post pictures of the setup?
Having a unit on a stand, with an open return, is somewhat less than ideal for sound attenuation...
There is a sound deadening kit listed for those air handlers, but I'm not sure what is in it.

In my area we don't have units on stands in a closet, so we haven't had the kind of noise complaints I've seen from people that have an open return with the unit on a stand.

[catmanacman]

Im curios as to why you have straight cooling and did not opt or a heat pump

[sam324]

There are no matchups with any air handler with that outdoor unit that result in 48000 btuh of total capacity. The only 48k+ btuh system matches are with a furnace and coil inside.
This is actually quite common.



Can you post pictures of the setup?
Having a unit on a stand, with an open return, is somewhat less than ideal for sound attenuation...
There is a sound deadening kit listed for those air handlers, but I'm not sure what is in it.

In my area we don't have units on stands in a closet, so we haven't had the kind of noise complaints I've seen from people that have an open return with the unit on a stand.

Thanks for the reply.

Here are the pics of the Air handler on the stand. Thank you. I will try looking into finding out about sound deadening kit. We live in Miami and its been set up that way forever.

[sam324]

We live in Miami in sub tropic heat. I don't know of anyone here that owns a heat pump. It's never winter here. I think what is common here is called heat strips. I haven't used my heater in years.

[sam324]

Error

[mark beiser]

Wow, that is a terrible "stand", hard to believe it passed a code inspection...
There isn't even an emergency drain pan, and part of the suction line is exposed where it enters the air handler.
It may be a trick of the camera, but it looks like a red LED is flashing an error code.
In normal operation, with no errors, there should be no red lights flashing, just blue and green.

AS/Trane makes an adjustable metal return stand, BAYPLENM120.
It looks like there is plenty of room in the closet for some baffles to block sound, without restricting airflow. The Hyperion air handlers have the blower in the bottom, so don't have anything blocking the air noise from the blower like a regular air handler does.

[bmathews]

That's not a stand, that's a sawhorse. That's a joke. He couldn't even spring for a piece of plywood. Is that the way the other one was as well?

[BaldLoonie]

Pretty typical of a "4 ton" to be 3.79 ton. I can't believe he offered money back. About every brand is that way, especially as you get into the bigger sizes. In the tech forum, someone recently asked why the industry doesn't make a 4.5 ton. They do, lots & lots of them. They just have 060 in their model #.

Open return is going to be noisy. A box under the AH with duct liner on 3 side and the bottom would have cut that down to almost nothing.

[jimj]

Not to ask a dumb question but where is the filter? Oh and that is really ugly!

[precision hvac]

That's the crappiest install I've seen in awhile. Won't be long until the wood slats are bowing from the weight of the AH.
Very few systems are exactly 48,000 btu's. Think that is bad- you should see the 5 ton units!
I think you are worrying about nothing (size wise). I wouldn't give you any money back- I'd refer you to the model number of the condenser (048) & the AHRI match. If it's cooling ok, let it go.

[rponson]

Wheather you are picky or not would be determined by what your load calc says. From the Pictures I am guessing that you wont be able to get that from this contractor. I dont know when this was installed but as of March 15, 2012 a load calculation is required to change a system in Florida

[precision hvac]

That's assuming a permit was pulled. Looking at the pics? I'd bet not.

[drife678]

Nice box... u can tell these guys arent sheet metal workers.. Insulated box with pleated filter rack would help a lot.

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[sam324]

I am laughing so hard. I guess it is a joke. That stand has been that way in my home since 1994. It passed whatever codes there were back then. I have lived with it for so long that I didn't even realize how ridiculous it is.

You would think I my contractor would have done it over the right way.....maybe that wasn't part of the job since I didn't know I need to ask for a proper stand. Funny, seems I have more problems than I realized.