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  1. #1
    Jody Humbert's Avatar
    Jody Humbert Guest

    Default Heat pump operation

    When the temperature outside is 60-65 degrees, should a heat pump be supplying the heat for the house or should the electric strip furnace be operating. HVAC tech who installed the unit states that the setpoint for the heat pump is 55-60 degrees. Anything above will call for the strip furnace. I have never heard of this and it does not sound correct. Why would the heat pump not operate from whatever high temp outside until around 32 degrees when it cannot pull enough heat from the air outside? Thank you for any comments in advance.

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Fredericksburg, VA
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    895

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Quote Originally Posted by Jody Humbert View Post
    When the temperature outside is 60-65 degrees, should a heat pump be supplying the heat for the house or should the electric strip furnace be operating. HVAC tech who installed the unit states that the setpoint for the heat pump is 55-60 degrees. Anything above will call for the strip furnace. I have never heard of this and it does not sound correct. Why would the heat pump not operate from whatever high temp outside until around 32 degrees when it cannot pull enough heat from the air outside? Thank you for any comments in advance.
    When the system is cold, i.e., been off for a while, it will usually start up when in Heat mode with the auxiliary coils active as SOP.

    The above statements are expressed solely as my opinion and in all probability will conflict with someone else's.
    Stu, Fredericksburg VA

  3. #3
    Jody Humbert's Avatar
    Jody Humbert Guest

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    System was run for 45 minutes with the heat pump never kicking on. A Hunter digital thermostat was installed and I am wondering if it is wired properly.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Fredericksburg, VA
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    895

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Quote Originally Posted by Jody Humbert View Post
    System was run for 45 minutes with the heat pump never kicking on. A Hunter digital thermostat was installed and I am wondering if it is wired properly.
    In that case, I also would believe something was wrong. Sometimes the control panel in the air handler will give a fault code. Could be the thermostat. Could be the control system. Could be a loose wire. Calls for service by HVAC tech.

    The above statements are expressed solely as my opinion and in all probability will conflict with someone else's.
    Stu, Fredericksburg VA

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Plano, Texas
    Posts
    4,245

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Unless there is an outdoor thermostat (common only in colder climates) the indoor thermostat is simply a two stage switch that should call for heat from the heat pump first and the strip heat second. There is no advantage to energizing the strip heat during mild temperatures except to speed recovery in which case both the HP and strip heat should run simultaneously.

    Either the technician is wrong or there is a misunderstanding.

    Jim Luttrall
    www.MrInspector.net
    Plano, Texas

  6. #6
    Jody Humbert's Avatar
    Jody Humbert Guest

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Thanks guys. I can't see any advantage efficiency wise that the heat pump would not operate when the temp outside is at 60-65 degrees. I am calling for an HVAC tech.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    1,828

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    did you test the a/c? if the a/c works, the heat will work


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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    5,851

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Quote Originally Posted by Jody Humbert View Post
    When the temperature outside is 60-65 degrees, should a heat pump be supplying the heat for the house or should the electric strip furnace be operating. HVAC tech who installed the unit states that the setpoint for the heat pump is 55-60 degrees. Anything above will call for the strip furnace. I have never heard of this and it does not sound correct. Why would the heat pump not operate from whatever high temp outside until around 32 degrees when it cannot pull enough heat from the air outside? Thank you for any comments in advance.
    It all depends on the type of heatpump and what sensors it has built into it.

    If you turn the thermostat up by usually more than 10-15 degrees I have found that heatpumps will turn on their auxiliary heat strips to warm the house up quickly. Then as the home warms the strips turn off and the heatpump then turns on to maintain the temp.

    You can always turn the heat strips on with the flick of a switch if you want.

    When the outside temps gets down in the 40-30's you will find that the heatpump mode does not produce really warm air. At this point if your system is not automatic you will need to flip the switch and turn the auxiliary heat strips on. I think the HVAC tech was mistaken or you misunderstood what was being said.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  9. #9
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Heat pump operation

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Patterson View Post
    It all depends on the type of heatpump and what sensors it has built into it.

    If you turn the thermostat up by usually more than 10-15 degrees I have found that heatpumps will turn on their auxiliary heat strips to warm the house up quickly. Then as the home warms the strips turn off and the heatpump then turns on to maintain the temp.

    You can always turn the heat strips on with the flick of a switch if you want.

    When the outside temps gets down in the 40-30's you will find that the heatpump mode does not produce really warm air. At this point if your system is not automatic you will need to flip the switch and turn the auxiliary heat strips on. I think the HVAC tech was mistaken or you misunderstood what was being said.
    Heat pumps better be producing heat in the 40s and 30s or there is a problem the HVAC company needs to address. When it gets to the very low 30s there is limited heating going on but the new ones will produce even into the upper 20s.


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