Westinghouse IQ

[air2spare]

any opinions or experiences with this inverter technology? I've already seen one on a service call where the customer said it never worked right, come to find out the stat wire has to be shielded com wire.

[valerioac]

they are awsome but you must learn the system very high tech...i put one in my own house... love it this system will run 25% above or 75%below full capacity made to run all the time constanly checking itself for load requirements... go to class befor you put one in they wont sell them unless you do anyway.

[mchild]

any opinions or experiences with this inverter technology? I've already seen one on a service call where the customer said it never worked right, come to find out the stat wire has to be shielded com wire.

Inverter technology is the majority of what is used everywhere except here in the US. The Japanese have been building these systems for years. In fact, Nordyne (Westinghouse) uses a Panasonic compressor and much of the other technology used by many Japanese manufacturers. They are just repackaging it in a cube for the outdoor unit and a big box for the indoor unit.

Check out the the systems by Daikin, Sanyo, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, LG, the list goes on and on. They are still ahead in that with their systems up to eight or nine indoor units can be connected to one outdoor unit. Small air handlers, not much bigger than a bread box, can be connected with capacities up to 130% (newer products will be up to 200%) of the outdoor unit nominal capacity (no more ducting issues with zoning).

Quiet, small in physical size, and efficient.

[TMH58]

The range of capacity of the units from Westinhouse is 40-118 % nominal capacity. And yes, sheilded cable is required for "communication cable" .It has been for years. I have installed and maintained many energy management systems for outfits all over the country. They tried using T-stat cable for a while on these and sometimes it worked. The problem is we have soo many electronic devices,cell towers,etc. in and around our homes now that interference in inevitable. Those new 23 seer units are awesome, but only trained installers are qualified to install and service them, due the advanced technology. Inverter technology is here to stay and we need to get on the band wagon. Soon you will only see DC fixed torque or VSB in every furnace and A/H coming down the pike. the future never stops advancing. Get with the times or get left behind.

[jkish]

Inverter technology is here to stay and we need to get on the band wagon. Soon you will only see DC fixed torque or VSB in every furnace and A/H coming down the pike. the future never stops advancing. Get with the times or get left behind.

Where are the other US manufacturers with this technology?

I've heard not a peep out of anyone other than Nordyne.

[gary_g]

Does anyone have a link to Product Specs for an IQ Drive condenser?

No heat pump yet, just straight a/c right?

Thanx.

[jkish]

Does anyone have a link to Product Specs for an IQ Drive condenser?

No heat pump yet, just straight a/c right?

Thanx.

Here's something: http://www.nordyne.com/Literature/a289c.pdf

Heat pump coming later this year or 2009 last time I checked.

[gary_g]

Here's something: http://www.nordyne.com/Literature/a289c.pdf

Heat pump coming later this year or 2009 last time I checked.

Thank you very much - I have been looking for that document.

Take care.

[mchild]

Where are the other US manufacturers with this technology?

I've heard not a peep out of anyone other than Nordyne.

What is really driving these advancements is the ever increasing cost of energy. Think back to the early `70's when we first saw gasoline prices starting to move. Where were the American automobile manufacturers? They got caught with their collective pants down. The desire to reduce the cost of driving our cars led us to manufacturers that were focused in a new way on quality, efficiency, and performance. Exactly what Sanyo, Mitsu, Daikin and many others do as a standard part of their business.

Some of the US manufacturers are partnering with Asian counter parts (Carrier with Toshiba) in order to try and have opportunities abroad. Some will adapt here in the US and others will have to throw in the towel (remember American Motors?).

[mchild]

Heat pump coming later this year or 2009 last time I checked.

They have pushed off the delivery of this new product as much as Microsoft did with that new POS operating system Vista. I wouldn't wait for Nordyne when this stuff is readily available from manufactures that have been doing this for years. I'd rather buy form a manufacturer that is focused on making very good units better, not working the bugs out.

[jkish]

They have pushed off the delivery of this new product as much as Microsoft did with that new POS operating system Vista. I wouldn't wait for Nordyne when this stuff is readily available from manufactures that have been doing this for years. I'd rather buy form a manufacturer that is focused on making very good units better, not working the bugs out.

I agree, but I'm not aware of anyone else that manufacters a ducted split system that would work as a replacement for an existing conventional US system.

Any pointers?

[TMH58]

Most of the newer and affordable inverter technology is coming from China. Broad Ocean is one of those manufacturers. Much more affordable than Emerson, GE. Pansonic has made big improvements to their rotary compressors and have been very reliable in the new IQ system. And as far as Nordyne goes, they have won top innovative awards in this respect and when the heat pump comes out, it will probably do the same. "Working out the bugs" as you put it is what got us to the moon and back. I cannot think of any other manufacturer that has the amount of technical support, accessability and willingness to help the guy in the field that they have.

[mchild]

I agree, but I'm not aware of anyone else that manufacters a ducted split system that would work as a replacement for an existing conventional US system.

Any pointers?

Daikin VRV-S, Mitsubishi City Multi, Sanyo Eco-i Mini, maybe Fujitsu. These are NOT "mini-splits" but full split systems.

These are fully inverter driven systems that have a single outdoor unit that can have up to eight or nine indoor units connected. As mentioned earlier, the air handlers are small and are used to create zones as needed. No more need to have specialty designed and installed elaborate oversized duct work to handle multi zones with dump zones and the like. With the typical US systems you would still be running a large compressor even when a small zone was the only one calling. With these systems the compressor slows down in speed to meet the load. The indoor units also modulate to meet the load. And they are better than the Nordyne product in that most can run as low as 25% of capacity for those really light load periods. A 4 ton system can operate at only one ton. And not banging on and off but slowing down the speed of the compressor, slowing the indoor fan(s) and the flow of refrigerant of the units calling. Delivering the exact load needed.

The indoor units can also be ductless if that is a better setup. Most of the manufacturers have many different types of indoor units (Sanyo, for example, has six different types of indoor units both ducted and ductless with seven different capacity ratings starting as low as 7,500 BTU and going up to a 4 tons) that can be connected to the outdoor unit. You could have separately ducted systems for the first and second floors and a ductless for a sunroom. Total of three zones that are all run separately, but connected to one outdoor unit. Got a finished basement that is not used a lot but needs to be heated and cooled? Make that another separate zone. Up to four, how many more would you need?

Capacity range is three to five tons with heating capacities that can not be matched by any typical US system. Size the outdoor unit to the highest load you have - heat or cool. Can't really oversize them. But, because you can match the indoor units to match the diversity of the building you can actually use a smaller outdoor unit and fully meet the needs of the building.