5yo Trane VS AH Paired w/ a new Tempstar txt+?

[catmanacman]

i would put a xr13 heat pump on it, would probably be 14 seer and would be a matched system

[duckman06]

basically yeah, It will can use a different speed for heat mode, ac mode and continuous fan. Most newer equipment comes with a variable speed blower motor (x13 or ECM) and they use less power to operate than a traditional fixed speed or multispeed PSC (permanent split capacitor) motor. VS air handlers are used all the time on single stage hp, their are little savings in a 2 stage heat pump it is used mainly for increased comfort rather than a return on investment over a single stage unit.

I agree with this statement! I install a lot of variable speed air handlers and furnaces with single stage heat pump and condensers. I recommend this for energy savings, better humdity control, quietness and helps with hot and cold spots just to list the main reasons. A proper sized system with variable speed indoor unit and single stage outdoor unit is ideal for most applications.

i would put a xr13 heat pump on it, would probably be 14 seer and would be a matched system

Agreed! I think the last XR 13 head pump I installed with that air handler was rated at 14 seer plus. It all depends on the size heat pump you have outside as well. To original poster. What size heat pump will be installed?

[SqueakyDog]

Agreed! I think the last XR 13 head pump I installed with that air handler was rated at 14 seer plus. It all depends on the size heat pump you have outside as well. To original poster. What size heat pump will be installed?

2-ton after insulation/window updates after home energy audit.

I'm still confused though? I probably missed something along the way, but, what good does a VS AH do for you if your HP is a single-stage? Heat or cool mode?

[SqueakyDog]

Yes, it would work. Most likely it would work quite well.

The problem is that it is anyone's guess as to what the actual efficiency and capacity of the resulting system would be.

I must be way underestimating the importance of the AH-HP relationship.

[mark beiser]

I must be way underestimating the importance of the AH-HP relationship.

The recommended and best practice, and even legal requirement in some areas, is to stick with rated and/or manufacturer approved matched equipment.
That way you always know what you will end up with for efficiency and capacity, and it protects you from situations where the equipment may not work properly.

For the most part, every manufacturers equipment follows very similar/same design principles, and are using the same or similar compressors and other parts.
In this case, the coil in your air handler was designed for use with very high efficiency heat pumps, and has a large coil, with plenty of internal volume to handle operation in the heating mode with pretty much any 1.5 to 2.5 ton conventional single or 2 stage heat pump, and many lower efficiency 3 ton heat pumps.

There wouldn't be any operational issues at all, but there isn't any knowing what the actual efficiency and capacity of the match will be.

While there are any number of air handler and heat pump combinations that will not work properly, in both heating and cooling, without seasonal refrigerant charge adjustments, the coil volume ratio issue that causes it will not be an issue with the equipment you listed.