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Heat Pump and Radiators? Freud 05-08-2007
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Posted by SJF on May 8, 2007, 6:36 pm

>
>> I hadn't thought about isolating the systems - I'm not really familiar
>> with this stuff (obviously), but it seems like there must be a way to
>> make the best use of what we have.
>
> When you install a heat pump in tandem with another system
> (eg: forced air gas etc), the system is usually set up to use
> the other system as backup. You wouldn't have electric
> heating strips at all.
>
> But that doesn't seem as convenient with a hydronic system
> coupled with a heat pump/AC :-(
>
> I'd have a chat with an expert at a good HVAC company and see
> what your options are. There's bound to be something.
>
> Disconnecting the heater strip is easy. Whether it's advisable
> (is it part of defrost cycle?) is a different question.
> --
> Chris Lewis,
>
> Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
> It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.



AppliancePartsPros.com, Inc.
Posted by SJF on May 8, 2007, 6:43 pm

>
>> I hadn't thought about isolating the systems - I'm not really familiar
>> with this stuff (obviously), but it seems like there must be a way to
>> make the best use of what we have.
>
> When you install a heat pump in tandem with another system
> (eg: forced air gas etc), the system is usually set up to use
> the other system as backup. You wouldn't have electric
> heating strips at all.
>
> But that doesn't seem as convenient with a hydronic system
> coupled with a heat pump/AC :-(
>
> I'd have a chat with an expert at a good HVAC company and see
> what your options are. There's bound to be something.
>
> Disconnecting the heater strip is easy. Whether it's advisable
> (is it part of defrost cycle?) is a different question.
> --
> Chris Lewis,

On my Carrier heat pump, the heat strips were auxiliary units and never
installed. Obviously not necessary to the defrost cycle. I do use a gas
furnace which preceded the heat pump as a backup unit, set a few degrees
cooler than the heat pump setting.

SJF



Posted by Bob F on May 8, 2007, 3:03 pm

> Hi:
> We have a 1930s Cape Cod in MD. It has a natural gas boiler for
> radiators, and a heat pump/central AC system. The two systems are
> controlled by two separate thermostats. My question is, can I get a
> single thermostat which will allow me to control the two systems so I
> can be as energy-efficient as possible? Around here it gets cold enough
> so that the heat pump will doubtless fall back to its aux heat, which is
> quite inefficient. What I'd like is to use the heat pump when it's not
> too cold out, then switch over to the radiators as the aux heat. Can I
> maybe wire the heat pump thermostat so that it kicks on the gas rather
> than the resistance heat? Any ideas would be appreciated.
> Thanks,

I'm sure it could be done. You would probably want it set up so the
heat pump would still use the resistance heat during the defrost cycle
to avoid cold drafts. Basically, you'd want the auxillary heat signal
from the thermostat to go to the boiler rather then the heat pump,
perhaps with a relay to isolate the systems. If you are handy with
electricity, you might handle it fine yourself. You could call any local
heating/AC contractor and ask them what they'd charge to do it.

Bob



Posted by Freud on May 8, 2007, 4:16 pm
bobnospam@gmail.com says...
>
SNIP
>
> I'm sure it could be done. You would probably want it set up so the
> heat pump would still use the resistance heat during the defrost cycle
> to avoid cold drafts. Basically, you'd want the auxillary heat signal
> from the thermostat to go to the boiler rather then the heat pump,
> perhaps with a relay to isolate the systems. If you are handy with
> electricity, you might handle it fine yourself. You could call any local
> heating/AC contractor and ask them what they'd charge to do it.
>
> Bob
>
Thanks, I think I'd get a pro to do it. I've been looking for an all in
one device that could handle this, but I guess there's not much demand
for it. I had heard that it's possible to run a loop from the furnace
into the duct instead of the resistance heat, so I figured that there
must be a way to control both easily.
Thanks,
Freud

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