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My house is 6 yrs old and has 2 Lennox AC units... One upstairs, one downstairs, both 4 ton. They were installed by home builder (so builder grade) and use the new 410a coolant.
The evaporator coil leaked all bone dry and we need a new coil / capacitor. We have 2 quotes which are comperable from mid sized AC companies.
1st company wants to install the same Lennox 4 ton coil.
2nd company wants to install an American Standard coil, but be only 2.5 ton. However American Standard offers a 10 yr warranty... Lennox offers 5 yr warranty.
Upstairs of house is about 1200 sq ft.
Any thoughts? Thankfully we have time to think, since downstairs AC still works!
My house is 6 yrs old and has 2 Lennox AC units...
One upstairs, one downstairs, both 4 ton.
Upstairs of house is about 1200 sq ft.
This sounds like wayyyyy too much capacity.
4T total or 2T per level (@1200SF per level should be* adequate)
Quote:
1st company wants to install the same Lennox 4 ton coil.
= didn't evaluate anything just "replace what's there and hope that was right to begin with"
Quote:
2nd company wants to install an American Standard coil, but be only 2.5 ton.
Still sounds high.
* should be means I think you need to have the entire house evaluated.
The brand choice isn't a big deal but sizing capacity and matching components is critical.
This sounds like wayyyyy too much capacity.
* should be means I think you need to have the entire house evaluated.
The brand choice isn't a big deal but sizing capacity and matching components is critical.
This^^^
8TONS!!!? IF you can afford a house that "requires" 8TONS of cooling, a gold-plated evaporator shouldn't be outta the question.
Seriously, get someone to do a Manual-J a find out exactly what is "required" to cool your house.
You can have a bigger evap coil than condenser and it actually isn't too uncommon. It helps with humidity control as there is more surface area for water to condense on. Definitely don't want to go with a smaller evap coil though. Maybe the outdoor unit really isn't a 4 ton and they just used a larger evap coil?
Also, you may want to see if you are getting a tin plated coil. Most manufacturers will warranty a copper coil for 5 years and a tin plated copper coil for 10 years. The tin plating helps control corrosion and will last longer.
I ask because it's rather important regarding 410a refrigerants and the POE oil they use. Most manufacturers recommend not having the system open to atmospheric pressure for more than 15 minutes or so. The oil used in 410a is a POE oil and very hygroscopic. This should be accounted for in any repair you have done and it will cost you quite a bit more money to fix properly.
i know another newly built building who has 6 years old lennox hvac, with air conditioner coil start breaking down in year 7 / sabbathical year.
the price of new coil is $2k
Last edited by arnon_jaya; 05-29-2016 at 07:06 PM..
With your cutesy answer of your location as cinco dinero, you make it hard for anybody to really give you any kind of decent answer. Yes, it makes a huge difference. Assuming, since you post in the Houston forum a lot, that you live there, a 2.5 ton unit is the right size for a second story 1200 sq ft living space. That's the common size for a standard 14-16 SEER unit in Houston Texas. That handles the humidity and heat that Houston sees every year. The only brand you got a price on is the American Standard that's worth having. American Standard and Trane are both made in Tyler Texas on the same line. The difference.....the paint....and the name plate. If you have the want, you can go the factory and watch your unit made and you'll see both brands made side by side with all parts coming out of the same bins. American Standard and Trane are both owned by Ingersol- Rand Co. As I recall, Lennox is made in Mexico and I would doubt many USA parts.
Where do you live?
Like some said. Using a larger coil is not that uncommon. All depends on how it was mixed and matched for Efficiency and sometimes you are trying to get the unit really quiet and a larger coil means less required velocity.
Unfortunately these days most coils are now aluminum tubed and prone to leaks with 410a. Still it dosent seem that old and should be fixable. Did the service tech remove the coil from the enclosure?
Generally if the unit is installed correctly, you can pull the coil out of the enclosure. Many leaks are in the connection from the TXV to the evaporator itself.
correction : coil break down happen in year 6, not year 7 / sabbathical year
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