How adjustable is york modulating furnace?

[central nj]

Hi,
I currently have a 18 y.o. 80K btu 92% efficent trane upstairs. It is for 1500 sq ft. It short cycles (like my bedroom system)---comes on for 5 minutes, temp goes up 2 degrees and goes off. The duct is in a well ventilated antic, and is r4? ductboard.

I'm in the process of replacing it. And minor duct work. The load calc supposedly was 56k, (which I think is high for above average 1995 construction)

I was quoted a trane modulating “affinity” 60k unit. I've read briefly that the the long slow gentle heating isn't ideal for attic placed ductwork. Heat loss in the ducts. I'm wondering just how variable are the york modulating systems---could I set it to run in 10 minute cycles only, or even 5 minute cycles.
What is the current preferred way to trade off comfort and shorter runs for efficiency? Stay with a single stage?

Thanks
Steve

[LibertyTree]

You're thinking too hard. Get the York affinity/Coleman echelon and you will be happy. Heat loss is heat loss, whoever told you that a modulating furnace is not good with "attic duct" is a door knob. And no you cannot manipulate its cycle hrough the furnace itself, The engineers are smart enough not to allow provisions for such non sense. I install a few of these a week and they are fantastic, especially when you have very low load requirements. You're going to do the dance of joy going from a grossly oversized single stage furnace to a mod.

[beenthere]

No, you can't set it to have only X amount of run time. that would defeat the purpose of modulating.

It will learn the house and adjust its firing rate and ramping accordingly.

[central nj]

Got it installed last week, and it totally ROCKS! Rooms are always at 70, never any drift, and the unit is SILENT. wow. thanks

[beenthere]

Your welcome. Glad you like it.

[hvacrmedic]

Heat loss is heat loss, whoever told you that a modulating furnace is not good with "attic duct" is a door knob.

That's an unfortunate statement.

http://www.bnl.gov/isd/documents/24650.pdf

The OP may not be as happy with his modulating furnace when he has an opportunity to compare fuel costs. It's very possible that a single stage 80+ furnace on that duct system would have been more fuel efficient on average than the modulating 90+ furnace that he installed.