Where? Florida vs Michigan makes a difference. Our MI home is 1,500sqft and has a much smaller unit than you have. Plus, an older house with older windows and construction methods as well as poor insulation will need a larger unit.

Also, depending on how fancy your new system is, the air handler maybe running while the compressor is which would give you a false delta between the supply and return temps. I suspect having a multi-speed or variable speed compressor will affect the delta as well.

What temp was the house to begin with? I mean 98 outside, 79 inside after 2 hours if the house started at 90 wouldn’t be cause for alarm. It takes awhile to cool all the stuff inside the house besides the air. We set our house in Florida to 80 when we leave for the summer. When we get back, it takes a few hours to get it down to 75 just because the furniture, walls, cabinets, countertops, etc. are all 80 when we get back.

Edited, because I just saw your last post:

What’s running continuously, the air handler and compressor or just the air handler? Is the compressor two speed or variable speed? If so, is it running at its highest speed? The thermostat may have that information available in its menu.

You could read at least 2 or 3 of his posts. I mean, he even posted the part number for the unit.

I did, but I’m not smart enough to read the labels. I started my post before his last post, got sidetracked, and missed that one. I actually started it before that house picture post, so on my part. Nice house and yard.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Where? Florida vs Michigan makes a difference. Our MI home is 1,500sqft and has a much smaller unit than you have. Plus, an older house with older windows and construction methods as well as poor insulation will need a larger unit.

Also, depending on how fancy your new system is, the air handler maybe running while the compressor is which would give you a false delta between the supply and return temps. I suspect having a multi-speed or variable speed compressor will affect the delta as well.

What temp was the house to begin with? I mean 98 outside, 79 inside after 2 hours if the house started at 90 wouldn’t be cause for alarm. It takes awhile to cool all the stuff inside the house besides the air. We set our house in Florida to 80 when we leave for the summer. When we get back, it takes a few hours to get it down to 75 just because the furniture, walls, cabinets, countertops, etc. are all 80 when we get back.

All good points.
I'm in Lower Alabama, 25miles from the Florida line.Currently 96 and expected high is 98.

The inside temp was 80 when the techs left at 11 this morning. After the heat pump has run continuously for almost 4 1/2 hours, the inside temp has gone down exactly 1 degree. It is now 79 inside the house. My old R22 2.5 ton that was replaced this morning would point and laugh at this new heat pump. It was running MUCH better than this new heat pump with R410A.

So something isn't right. Not right at all. And it could be the air handler for all I know. I just got a call from the HVAC company and another tech will be here in 30-45 minutes to have a look see.

Ya, that’s not right at all. Hope they get it sorted out and you get some relief from the heat.

Is the ductwork at the A coil cold? Could it be frozen? If so shut the unit off but leave the air handler keep running to thaw it.

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
I'm in Lower Alabama, 25miles from the Florida line....
So something isn't right. Not right at all. And it could be the air handler for all I know. I just got a call from the HVAC company and another tech will be here in 30-45 minutes to have a look see.

You're not far from me, hope Woodall or Southeastern or whoever you're using gets you fixed up. I know Baker supply in Dothan sells that brand locally, just not sure who installs them... Good to hear you got them back today.

Last go around for me, new install, my unit was slightly overcharged and was cycling the compressor off and on for high pressure. Seems they don't always do the right calculations when installing a pre-charged unit.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
I'm in Lower Alabama, 25miles from the Florida line....
So something isn't right. Not right at all. And it could be the air handler for all I know. I just got a call from the HVAC company and another tech will be here in 30-45 minutes to have a look see.

You're not far from me, hope Woodall or Southeastern or whoever you're using gets you fixed up. I know Baker supply in Dothan sells that brand locally, just not sure who installs them... Good to hear you got them back today.

Last go around for me, new install, my unit was slightly overcharged and was cycling the compressor off and on for high pressure. Seems they don't always do the right calculations when installing a pre-charged unit.

You nailed it stoic-one.
Woodall install, equipment from Baker.
Tech just left. He added 1 3/4 lbs refrigerant and the air temp dropped from 70 to 68.
Just like the earlier tech, he said give it time. I've heard that before LOL

My gut says I won't see any improvement tonight but time will tell. Although pretty sure I'll have to call them back in the morning. I still think something isn't right. Inside temp is still 79 and I'm letting it run. Think there's still a ways to go on this journey.

The lead tech from Woodall this morning has been with Woodall for 31yrs. The tech that just left after adding 1 3/4 pounds of R410A has been with Woodall for 8yrs and has 26yrs HVAC experience. So I'm dealing with some knowledgeable people but we aren't quite there yet I'm afraid. My guess with all that experience they know it but aren't ready to admit it yet.

@ridewv ... although 1 3/4 pounds refrigerant was added, it wasn't low enough for the saturation temp on the suction line to be below freezing ... so no frozen coils.

Pistons typically do not work well with 410A. 410A normally requires a TXV. Also if they did not properly flush the lines you will have issues with contaminated oil going forward. Best practice is a new coil and lines when replacing an outdoor unit and converting to 410A, with new coil and flushed lines being the less acceptable but still workable lesser option. Converting a coil is something that is not generally accepted as good practice. Sorry for your troubles.

Stlhead I concur,
Hobbs, sorry to hear of your troubles.
I suggest a TXV be installed ASAP or a new coil with a TXV matched to the outdoor unit.
Not advisable to just replace the outdoor.
https://literature.nortekhvac....122e8ab6698279193017

quote:

Originally posted by Stlhead:
Pistons typically do not work well with 410A. 410A normally requires a TXV. Also if they did not properly flush the lines you will have issues with contaminated oil going forward. Best practice is a new coil and lines when replacing an outdoor unit and converting to 410A, with new coil and flushed lines being the less acceptable but still workable lesser option. Converting a coil is something that is not generally accepted as good practice. Sorry for your troubles.

Thank you. They flushed the lines with R11 and did the nitrogen(?) thing. Vacuum pulled down good and no leaks in the system.

quote:

Originally posted by hvactech:
Stlhead I concur,
Hobbs, sorry to hear of your troubles.
I suggest a TXV be installed ASAP or a new coil with a TXV matched to the outdoor unit.
Not advisable to just replace the outdoor.
https://literature.nortekhvac....122e8ab6698279193017

Done a lot of research online and see yay and nay on just replacing the outdoor unit. Look at the specs in OP on the A-coil I have. It's a newer A-coil and rated for R410A and should handle it no problem. But there could be crude in that A-coil for all I know. Just about anything is possible at this point.

That said, I won't be shocked if I end up replacing the air handler to TRY and correct this poor cooling issue.

Baker distributing shows 3 air handlers compatible with the new heat pump installed today. Two of them have TXV/TEV metering devices and one comes with a piston metering device. I looked up the piston part on a third party site and find that air handler comes with a 61 piston. The installation tech put in a 63 piston this morning at A-coil in my old air handler. Should be close enough?

EDIT: The A-coil I have is rated 2.5-3 ton and came with a 67 piston. My guess is 67 is more suitable for a 3 ton. Don't think it's appropriate for a 2.5 ton R410A. Barring any manufacturers recommendation all the charts I find online say 2.5 ton R410A ... use a 59 piston ... or something like 59-63. So the 63 piston installed today should theoretically work(?)

EDIT 2: Two techs with a combined almost 60yrs experience didn't blink when I asked if I could just replace the outside unit. I think their consideration may have been in light of the newer and R410A compatible A-coil I have.

Hobbs, appears the link shows the coil mentions " required" TXV kit and Tube kit.
The orifice metering device causes the refrigerant system to be a "critical charge".
No disrespect to the techs, but my 43 years in the trade ( commercial ) has seen many 20+ year techs that are subpar in their knowledge of the fundamentals. I question their decision to forgo a matched indoor coil with TXV metering with a new outdoor unit.
Also, have them confirm the coil is heat pump duty, not air conditioning only.
page 10: Micro Channel REPLCOIL01M 921482 920669A 921732
In general, the coil should work, I question the piston size selection, it may very well be fine. Without the specific pressures and temperatures readings, I cannot give more insight.
Primary point here is your new unit is not operating properly.
May be prudent to turn off the unit if you are not observing any cooling. The size of the unit to the sq.ft. appears to be oversized, and you should see a fairly rapid temperature fall.

quote:

Originally posted by hvactech:
Hobbs, appears the link shows the coil mentions " required" TXV kit and Tube kit.
The orifice metering device causes the refrigerant system to be a "critical charge".
No disrespect to the techs, but my 43 years in the trade ( commercial ) has seen many 20+ year techs that are subpar in their knowledge of the fundamentals. I question their decision to forgo a matched indoor coil with TXV metering with a new outdoor unit.
Also, have them confirm the coil is heat pump duty, not air conditioning only.
page 10: Micro Channel REPLCOIL01M 921482 920669A 921732
In general, the coil should work, I question the piston size selection, it may very well be fine. Without the specific pressures and temperatures readings, I cannot give more insight.
Primary point here is your new unit is not operating properly.
May be prudent to turn off the unit if you are not observing any cooling. The size of the unit to the sq.ft. appears to be oversized, and you should see a fairly rapid temperature fall.

Thanks hvactech. Your research and consideration has gone above and beyond to try and logically reason with and help me out. Thank you.

I think rather than try and piece-meal jury adapt my old air handler coil, I need to just bite the bullet and replace the old air handler with a match paired air handler to the new heat pump that includes a TXV metering device.

Things are VERY slowly looking ever so SLIGHTLY better as it runs. I placed my thermostat at 79 so at least the heat pump has some normal on / off cycles and the thermostat, air handler and heat pump are at least "talking / shaking hands" as it is now cycling.

I'll have a better idea in the morning but I think I see a new air handler in my near future.

You have a nice little cottage there. Beautiful actually.

Glad you are getting professional grade advice here.

I personally would not of done the new outdoor unit with an existing indoor unit that was 6 years old. Of course $ and your confidence in your hvac contractor all factor in. I hope it gets resolved quickly and you get a good 20 year run on the new equipment.

Question on a slightly different vein…

Where is your indoor unit located? In the attic, crawl space or?

Can you get access to the attic and see what kind, if any??, insulation you have up there?

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Question on a slightly different vein…

Where is your indoor unit located? In the attic, crawl space or?

Can you get access to the attic and see what kind, if any??, insulation you have up there?

Air handler is in a closet dead center of the house. Duct work is in the attic. Attic has blown in insulation

So how are the house temps today?

Did you replace the air handler?

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
So how are the house temps today?

Did you replace the air handler?

Still have poor cooling.
With 70's outside temp this morning, air out of vents was 63 degrees.
By this afternoon with 90's outside temp, the air at vents was 68 and the heat pump ran virtually continuously to hold an indoor temp of 79.

Ordered a heat pump matching new air handler today. The whole dang system will be brand new then except for the copper lines and thermostat. If that doesn't improve cooling, I don't know what to do except sue the heating & cooling company

The tech said he would expedite the air handler and give me priority installation. Ordered air handler today and waiting for installation call back.

I am guessing defective product. I had that problem and the system failed in a few weeks. They installed a replacement at no cost. Been working fine for several years. Hope this works out for you.