[cino72]

I have a few questions about heat pumps. My contactor went out and that has made me question a few things.
while the contactor was on order I unplugged the disconnect for the compressor outside so I could use emergency heat until I got the part in. it seemed to be struggling to heat the house. it never got cold but seemed to be running every time I looked at it.
I don't exactly understand how it works. My breaker box has 3 breakers 1 for heat pump one for 5kw and one for a 10 kw heat strip. here comes the questions

1 when I had the compressor disconnected and set to emergency heat what was it using to heat the house?
2 When i see aux heat on what is heating the house?
3 when i fixed the part and turned everything back on the aux heat kicked on because I had the thermostat set high and I could smell the normal smell when you first turn on a furnace for winter which tells me that something was not working until the contactor was replaced.
4 How can you test the heat strips to know if they are working

I am a little well a lot confused on the auxiliary heat vs emergency heat when does the 5 kw strip run when does the 10kw run?
its hard to ask questions on something you dont fully understand.
TIA for any info you can provide.

 

[roughneck]

The aux heat and emergency heat are basically the same thing. While using the normal heat setting on your thermostat, the strip heat is used to supplement the heat pump. When set to emergency heat, only the strip heat is used. Now, yours may be wired to only use either the 5 or 10 kW in emergency mode and both in aux. I don't really agree with doing it that way but I see it done frequently.
You need an ammeter to test them.

 

[cino72]

Thanks for reply. I assume since i felt no large air temperature change while using emergency heat when the aux kicked in that only 1 heat strip functions during emergency heat use.
i forgot so how can i test the strips with a multimeter

 

[roughneck]

Thanks for reply. I assume since i felt no large air temperature change while using emergency heat when the aux kicked in that only 1 heat strip functions during emergency heat use.
i forgot so how can i test the strips with a multimeter

Check the amp draw of each heater

 

[cino72]

thanks

 

[user_12345a]

The heat kit is sequenced - the entire set of strips doesn't all come on at once.

The call for heat may end before the entire kit comes on.

Is also possible that it was miswired (w1 and w2 have to be jumpered on a 1cool/2heat thermostat) and the entire kit isn't coming on, only the first stage. 5kw alone may struggle to heat the house.

 

[beenthere]

Is also possible that it was miswired (w1 and w2 have to be jumpered on a 1cool/2heat thermostat) and the entire kit isn't coming on, only the first stage. 5kw alone may struggle to heat the house.

Some have to be wired that way, others don't. Depends on the thermostat.

 

[user_12345a]

...not at the stat, at the air handler in many cases.

 

[taylorjames]

The aux heat and emergency heat are basically the same thing. While using the normal heat setting on your thermostat, the strip heat is used to supplement the heat pump. When set to emergency heat, only the strip heat is used. Now, yours may be wired to only use either the 5 or 10 kW in emergency mode and both in aux. I don't really agree with doing it that way but I see it done frequently.
You need an ammeter to test them.

Right...It may be any other fault that's why it is working correctly.

 

[DOUG1111]

OP / Did you get it fixed/ going/repaired???? What was the fix?? What is the rest of the story???? Pics????

 

[cino72]

OP / Did you get it fixed/ going/repaired???? What was the fix?? What is the rest of the story???? Pics????

LOL sorry i guess i never received an email that someone had responded and I had not been back to the thread. I was just trying to figure out how it was working and what it was doing. I did end up having to change out the contactor. but the contactor had nothing to do with my understanding how the heat strips functioned.