Advice for replacing furnace / A/C

[beenthere]

Very seldom does an VS ECM motor go out.

[RyanHughes]

Very seldom does an VS ECM motor go out.

Don't newer variable speed ECM motors have governors to restrict torque to 90%? I've noticed this with my system as the filter gets very dirty. Good feature, to protect the motor. I'll take a little less airtlow over an overworked motor any time.

[beenthere]

Don't newer variable speed ECM motors have governors to restrict torque to 90%? I've noticed this with my system as the filter gets very dirty. Good feature, to protect the motor. I'll take a little less airtlow over an overworked motor any time.

Yes they do.

[aircooled53]

Carrier - is BDP
Bryant-Day-Night-Payne
So, which dealer provided you the best information on design, load and the adapt of new system to your duct system. I would recommend Variable DRV system which ever system you decide on Lennox, Carrier or Bryant. ECM is standard motor with ECM design voltage to variable (pulse) voltage to decrease starting amps and to control amount of rpm.

[jmac00]

Very seldom does an VS ECM motor go out.

ya, 98% of the time it's the module that takes a dive.

Honestly, in the last 15 years I think I have changed out 1 entire motor and 5 modules

[Old College Try]

Carrier - is BDP
Bryant-Day-Night-Payne
So, which dealer provided you the best information on design, load and the adapt of new system to your duct system. I would recommend Variable DRV system which ever system you decide on Lennox, Carrier or Bryant. ECM is standard motor with ECM design voltage to variable (pulse) voltage to decrease starting amps and to control amount of rpm.

I had 6 bids and nobody seemed to do any sort of calc initially. They just told me what size furnace I needed by standing in my dining room and swinging their heads around. Most of them did examine the supply and returns at the furnace, but didn't look anywhere else in the house. The Carrier guy told me that he would re-do the return drop into the furnace for a cleaner proper installation saying the existing drop was larger than needed and would be kind of ugly. The Bryant guy told me that I needed an 80K furnace saying that 60K would probably be too small and I told him that everyone else suggested 60K or 70K. He called me back that night and told me that he did some sort of calc that came up with 48K btu and then offered that 60K unit would be the correct size. He didn't do any measurements while he was here, so I'm concerned that he just threw the numbers out to appease me. He also said that re-doing the return drop to the furnace was a waste of money. I did tell all of the dealers that I would like them to do a calc and properly size the unit if I decided to move forward and some of them agreed. I just hope the Bryant guy didn't fudge the numbers just to be in line with the others. Now that I think back on it, the Amana guy did actually do some measurements and spent about 2 1/2 hours at my house explaining things. He was the only guy that offered the variable speed unit and he did poke around a little more than the others. Maybe I should consider that option???

I'm just confused. Everyone online is suggesting variable speed as the best option, but the dealers are pushing multi-speed / single speed. I just don't get it. There was one Lennox dealer that I spoke to on the phone the other day. He's very expensive, but he swore up and down that the EL296V was the best option for me based on our conversation saying that he could refer me to a bunch of people he installed them for and love them. Why does this have to be so complicated?

If I go variable, should I install a whole-house, panel mounted surge protector?