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· Hvac Pro
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Technically the tonnage is based on the compressor and you can have a 22-23,00 BTU compressor in a 2 ton unit but that is just info a few techs know.:glasses:

PLUS compressors are rated in HP not BTU's.:biggrin2:
 

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I just had a 3 ton unit installed in my home and the number was 36, like others said it's divisible by 12 for 36,000 BTU's. :wink2:
My old unit that leaked out the freon through the A coil I think was 2.5 ton, but it was 36 years old.
This 3 ton unit works great and doesn't run as much as the 2.5 ton unit. Better to go with a tad more than you need for those 100+ degree days.
 

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The installer should have done a heat load calc and sized it according to your house and insulation type etc.

Your old unit had a worn compressor and that is why it ran longer. It may have been a 3 ton if you don't know the model # so don't worry.

If you are in a very humid area a smaller unit runs longer and de-humidiifes better. Extra capacity in Arizona and Texas is a good idea IMO.
 

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I just had a 3 ton unit installed in my home and the number was 36, like others said it's divisible by 12 for 36,000 BTU's. :wink2:
My old unit that leaked out the freon through the A coil I think was 2.5 ton, but it was 36 years old.
This 3 ton unit works great and doesn't run as much as the 2.5 ton unit. Better to go with a tad more than you need for those 100+ degree days.
Bigger is not better when it comes to hvac. Advising to blindly put in a larger unit isn’t wise, as your new 3 ton unit could get connected to undersized duct and never put out 3 tons.
You want the unit to run, it’s most efficient that way.
 

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Bigger is not better when it comes to hvac. Advising to blindly put in a larger unit isn’t wise, as your new 3 ton unit could get connected to undersized duct and never put out 3 tons.
You want the unit to run, it’s most efficient that way.
My 3 ton unit is suited for the 1900 square feet of my home and so is the duct work. 2.5 ton is not quite enough. :wink2:

It also depends on how well one insulates the cold line from the unit to the A coil. I noticed it's not insulated inside the unit but I insulated it with 1/2" ID foam which is 11/16" ID vs the 3/4" which is 7/8" ID and too lose of a fit. Then I wrapped the insulation with 2" vinyl electrical tape. You get a nice tight fit this way for the 3/4" copper tube. We do this at work for our liquid nitrogen lines and it works very well. Not many people know this little trick.
 

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That's not what my friends tell me that do this for a living.
Also I edited my post and added a useful trick of the trade. :wink2:
Unfortunately they are misled. Experience sometimes means you’ve been doing things wrong a long time.
The suction line is supposed to be insulated. But it’s not a trick of the trade in how your referring it to.
 

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Experience counts for a lot if you work a certain area and are very familiar with the age and how house certain houses were constructed.

I can size most ACs by square footage in my area and after 35 yrs of working in these houses you get to know how well certain sizes of ACs work PLUS they way people run them.

Lots of people still wait until the sun gets high and then slam on the AC and expect it to cool like crazy and catch up so we don't always size them to specs.

In theory the minimum size is a good idea but in reality people expect cool fast air and you have to factor in whether they do a lot of cooking, have several dogs, many kids etc and a bit of extra capacity is a good idea IMO.
 

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Certainly

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Sizing_Selecting_for_Proper_Humidity_Control.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Another_View_on_Equivalent_Sizing.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Understanding_HVAC_System_Design_Issues.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/...t_Better-Sizing_Air_Conditioners_Properly.pdf

Basically, as your equipment gets larger in size it tends to short cycle. It takes 15-20 minutes of consistent runtime for the unit to reach its full capacity and efficiency. Increased runtime also removes humidity from the space, which doesn’t happen cycling the unit on and off.
Then there’s the fact that the vast majority of homes are built with undersized/inadequate duct. So that big new 3 ton unit, never actually puts out 3 tons of air.
When your unit was commissioned, and you received your commissioning/startup report, what was your CFM/static/CFM per ton?
 

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The big new 3 ton will always put out 3 tons of cooling BTUs but if the ducts are too small will freeze the indoor coil.

You cannot lose cooling because of duct sizing. It may not flow well but the capacity is still there.:smile:
 

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The big new 3 ton will always put out 3 tons of cooling BTUs but if the ducts are too small will freeze the indoor coil.

You cannot lose cooling because of duct sizing. It may not flow well but the capacity is still there.:smile:
Depending on the duct some will never put out enough airflow. Equipment speaking you still have 3 tons, but not in airflow.
 

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Certainly

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Sizing_Selecting_for_Proper_Humidity_Control.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Another_View_on_Equivalent_Sizing.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/documents/Understanding_HVAC_System_Design_Issues.pdf

http://efficientcomfort.net/assets/...t_Better-Sizing_Air_Conditioners_Properly.pdf

Basically, as your equipment gets larger in size it tends to short cycle. It takes 15-20 minutes of consistent runtime for the unit to reach its full capacity and efficiency. Increased runtime also removes humidity from the space, which doesn’t happen cycling the unit on and off.
Then there’s the fact that the vast majority of homes are built with undersized/inadequate duct. So that big new 3 ton unit, never actually puts out 3 tons of air.
When your unit was commissioned, and you received your commissioning/startup report, what was your CFM/static/CFM per ton?
This is not a new home actually built in 1966. Also how do you know how long my unit runs? More run time = more electric bill. My house cools nicely and my unit runs according to how hot and humid it is outside. Much like the furnace in the winter. I can tell it's more efficient than my old unit because it cools the house faster than the old unit. My old unit used to be on more than off on hot days. So far this one on the few hot days runs about 40% less. Never had a commissioning report and don't care to pay for one. The installer 40 years experience matched the A coil with the furnace/AC unit and he did a good job.
Seems like you have a lot to learn. Hope I helped to educate you. :wink2:
 
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