Wanting to Buy a Modulating furnace with a Prestige Controller

[Fekser]

I'd appreciate assistance with the following issue.

I have a 3800 SF home in Wisconsin currently with a single stage Carrier furnace and 3 zones controlled by a Carrier ComfortZone II system with Carrier dampers, all installed in 2004. I'd like to take advantage of current incentives and install a fully modulating furnace and have 3 quotes for installations for a Carrier, Lennox and Coleman system. I am not planning to replace my single stage AC at this time.

My issue is that I am not inclined to use the proprietary communicating thermostats offered by the manufacturers and would rather install a Honeywell zone system with Prestige controllers. I can get into why I'd rather use Honeywell but I don't think it's essential to my question. Everything I have found so far states that the Honeywell system will not communicate fully with the various furnaces and enable them to fully modulate. However, my Coleman contractor says that if I install the Coleman CP9C furnace and a full Honeywell control system (replacing the zoning board with Honeywell HZ432K) that I will get full control of the modulating furnace and will lose no ability compared to the Coleman Echelon Thermostat.

I am looking for validation that this is true, and wondering if there are other furnaces besides the above that I should be considering.

[jtrammel]

You have to use the proprietary controller for any mod furnace to work. With a honeywell it will only be a multi staged furnace, even the Coleman.

[beenthere]

The Coleman will modulate by its board if you use the Honeywell zone system.

Might want to check into the Evirozone panel. Will help to eliminate short cycling due to one zone calling after another one has stopped.

[jtrammel]

The Coleman will modulate by its board if you use the Honeywell zone system.

Might want to check into the Evirozone panel. Will help to eliminate short cycling due to one zone calling after another one has stopped.

I wasn't aware of that, and I deal in York. Rarely do a zone system though.

[beenthere]

It will mod off of a single stage stat by using board algorithm. Zoning panel not really any different.

[Fekser]

Thank you. Can you explain what modulate by its board means, and how is that different than what it would do with a Coleman state?

[Fekser]

Sorry, I meant Coleman stat, not state.

[beenthere]

Thank you. Can you explain what modulate by its board means, and how is that different than what it would do with a Coleman state?

The board tracks run time and firing rate. And determines what firing rate to use the next time it receives a heat call. So if you set the stat up 4 degrees, the furnace starts out at a lower rate then needed for a quick recovery, since it has no way to know how much colder the room is. Unlike a thermostat.

[Fekser]

OK, so it doesn't communicate back and forth with the thermostat like a proprietary communicating thermostat does, that's the difference.

[jtrammel]

The proprietary controller would be a better option than letting the board try to figure out what it needs. Why don't you want the York, carrier ect communicating controllers?

[Fekser]

I like the fact that Honeywell offers portable units, meaning that you are not tied to the wired location and can move the stat anywhere you want the temperature to be read, and still control all zones. I also feel like Honeywell will innovate faster than the others and you can connect other controls to the network (lights, locks).

[superfittertech]

on Goodman variable speed modulating furnaces they use a honeywell communicating stat with all of the bells and whistles as the prestige. It is essentially a prestige stat with the communication feature added. See here

http://www.goodmanmfg.com/Residentia...1/Default.aspx