i come to the great hive mind seeking info, experiences, etc, with Payne residential AC units, specifically the PA13NA line. The quote we got on Payne unit was lower by a large amount vs others.
i come to the great hive mind seeking info, experiences, etc, with Payne residential AC units, specifically the PA13NA line. The quote we got on Payne unit was lower by a large amount vs others.
Payne is Carrier's entry level division. Decent stuff, but no frills. It's got the lowest efficiency level allowable by the fed (13 SEER) and runs about 74 decibels, which is pretty buzzy. That said, our experience is that they are good in the reliability department.
What Kreb said, bottom of the line / price point line that’s a division of Carrier. If truly a 13 SEER system move quickly as new DOE regulations take affect on 1/1/23 that raise minimum efficiency ratings and 13 SEER equipment will no longer be available.
In reply to 11GTCS :
Sounds like that's why it's cheap. Maybe even negotiate lower!
In reply to 11GTCS :
Serious question: Why move quickly? Is there something inherently desirable about less efficient HVAC?
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
Less efficient = higher operating costs. There's not a ton between 13 and 14. It's a linear progression, but it adds up depending on how much you use it.
Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
Less efficient = higher operating costs. There's not a ton between 13 and 14. It's a linear progression, but it adds up depending on how much you use it.
is it gonna be worse than my 1997 bryant 3.5-Ton standard efficiency? we run the E36 M3 out of it in the summer, mama needs the house at 68 for sleeping.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
My previous reply could have been better stated. I wanted to point out the efficiency change in case you were thinking about holding off until next year to do the work. That 13 SEER unit won't be available for sale in 2023 due to upcoming minimum efficiency regulations.
I'm all about using better efficiency equipment especially in areas or applications where it gets used a lot. We went from 2, 25 YO 10 SEER (maybe) 18,000 BTUH splits to 3, 14 SEER 18,000 BTUH systems when we did a kitchen renovation / family room addition 3 years ago. The electric usage is about the same now with 1 1/2 tons more capacity than it was with the older systems so the higher efficiency claims are real. To be fair the first floor zone of the main house does not run anywhere near as much as it did in the previous layout but it still runs to maintain temperature in that zone.
The higher SEER equipment (18 and up) usually requires either multiple stages of compressors (unusual in residential equipment), two speed compressors or inverters to control compressor speed to get the improved efficiency. Most of those gains are due to the units running at reduced capacity for at least part of the cooling cycle. They tend to be more complex either mechanically (multiple stage or two speed units) or in the built in electronics needed to operate the system (inverter units). There are tradeoffs to everything, I personally like to factor in long term "repairability" into anything we do as I'll be the guy fixing it if there's a problem. I've seen too many times where we're servicing ductless equipment for our commercial customers where a control board can be 50% of the cost of a new condensing unit if it's out of warranty. We've even run into a few cases of manufacturers no longer supporting 10-12 year old system for some of the electronic parts. I'm old school and expect major investments to go at least 20-25 years. The only reason I swapped out our original systems was they had to be moved to dig the new foundation for the addition and that R-22 had been discontinued. Other than one condenser fan motor and a couple of capacitors they ran reliably for a long time.
In reply to 11GTCS :
thank you for the further explanation.
we're looking at single stage / single speed basic equipment. may not be here in 5 years. house is 2400 sqft 2-story, whole house is 1 zone.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
If you’re looking at 5-7 years then it’s difficult to justify super high efficiency equipment, it won’t pay back that quickly. The replacement system will still be “newer” at that time in terms of marketing the home / home inspections.
I went a little overboard with three independent zones because we’re not planning on moving and HVAC is what I do.
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