advice needed....

[kwired]

Thank you all for the info! The units are mostly air handlers with electric heat strips and not heat pumps. These units are in 1970's vintage condo buildings that are all electric (water heater, range etc) and are usually just "like for like" swap outs. If we happen to sell a heat pump system, then I will have to either add a breaker for eh 3rd heat strip, or a sub panel like I just did.

Chicago isnt a real great market for heat pumps, due to the winters having more than a few days of below 30F temperatures. Also, if a heat pump were to go in our HVAC guys would have to either repull the control wiring or use the "add a wire" kit, and all the condensers are on the roof (I dont want to see what is going on up there!! )


Howard

Modern heat pumps should work down to zero F and still be efficient enough to not need back up heat if you don't let it get too far behind or have poor insulation, etc. They will run nearly continuously but still use less energy than resistance heat will to get same heating results. I think many just get turned off by the fact the air isn't as warm coming out of the registers.

 

[LarryFine]

Modern heat pumps should work down to zero F and still be efficient enough to not need back up heat if you don't let it get too far behind or have poor insulation, etc. They will run nearly continuously but still use less energy than resistance heat will to get same heating results. I think many just get turned off by the fact the air isn't as warm coming out of the registers.

Mine switches around 28-30 degrees, so I pull the T-stat and jumper the red and yellow.