A "standard" split for an electric heat pump?

[Lance Rogers]

There was a HAVC tech at my inspection. He inspected the 26 year old Payne electric heat pump and told the client and agent that it operated properly. The outside temperature was 40 degrees and the temperature at the register was 89 degrees. The agent then asked me if there was a “standard” temperature split. I thought there should be 40-70 degrees difference. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Lance Rogers]

sorry and the plate on the unit was not readable...

[Scott Patterson]

There was a HAVC tech at my inspection. He inspected the 26 year old Payne electric heat pump and told the client and agent that it operated properly. The outside temperature was 40 degrees and the temperature at the register was 89 degrees. The agent then asked me if there was a “standard” temperature split. I thought there should be 40-70 degrees difference. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

I do know of a set number, I think that would depend on what the manufacturer says if they say it should be. If you are getting an air temp of 89f and it is 40f outside I would say that it is working.

What was the temp for the supplemental or emergency heat setting?

A 26 year old unit is past its expected life. I would not bless it for another hour of operation!

[Jim Luttrall]

Temperature split is not typically determined by indoor vs outdoor temperature but the indoor supply vs indoor return temperatures. This is not to say that the indoor temperature is unrelated to the outdoor temperature, just that putting the two terms and relating to a temperature split is... unconventional and borders on uneducated unless you know something I don't.

[James Duffin]

For example....the nearest Goodman manual I could find shows a 22.2 degree rise at 40 degrees outside with a 70 degree inside temperature. This is on a 14 SEER three ton system.

[Jeffrey L. Mathis]

I think I tell my client at the 20 odd year old Payne is probably working as good as it can and budget to replace. I think a couple of you guys are trying to slice this a little too fine.
Also I don't think comparing supply temperature to outside temp. is the proper inspection technique. As noted earlier, Supply to return. I think to be specific, 6' downstream from the air handler in each direction which is almost always impossible.

JL Mathis

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

The title and posts are frankly making no sense.

Lets start with a simple question. Is the HP a "packaged unit" or a "split" Heat Pump???

Then lets figure out what you mean by "split".

For a "split" all electric heat pump, the condensor is outdoors and the air handler, coil(s) and heats (backup heat/strips, etc.) are indoors. A packaged unit is contained outdoors.

[James Duffin]

I think I tell my client at the 20 odd year old Payne is probably working as good as it can and budget to replace. I think a couple of you guys are trying to slice this a little too fine.
Also I don't think comparing supply temperature to outside temp. is the proper inspection technique. As noted earlier, Supply to return. I think to be specific, 6' downstream from the air handler in each direction which is almost always impossible.

JL Mathis



Here is the same Goodman chart for a 3 ton heat pump that shows the temp rise from 70 degrees inside air temp at various outside air temps. You can see at 65 OAT you get a rise of 29 degrees and at 30 OAT you get a rise of 17 degrees. How are you getting to the conclusion that the OAT does not affect the temp rise on a heat pump? ( I got the columns to line up the best I could...sorry)


OAT 65..60..55..50..47..45..40..35..30..25..20..17..15 ..10...5...0..-5..-10
..ΔT 29..27..26..24..23..22..21..19..17..16..14..14...1 3..12..10..9...8 ...6