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New Lennox system, am I doomed to coil failures now

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gmacrill

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Had 2 Lennox systems for 14 years, no real issues. 4 ton unit quit cooling, AC company recommended replacing the system due to several issues and overall age, so I did. They installed a complete AC and furnace, basically everything but duct work.

XC16 condensor, CH23-51 evaporator, SL280 furnace.

Upon looking at the Lennox website to register new units I came across info on the 2015 class action lawsuit. So....I called Lennox and their "level 2" support confirmed that the CH23-51 copper tube coil design has not changed since 2010.

Any experience out there with the new Lennox units? I'm I doomed to early and/or repeated coil failures like the ones used in the 2015 lawsuit timeframe?

I'm hoping that they improved their quality control or something, but sound like they are using the same eval coil.

Appreciate any feedback.

GM
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Yes, I've read a bit about the change from R22 to R410a (?), some say Lennox has more issues than others with it, others don't seem to think that's the case. I also found that some Lennox units have aluminum coils vs. copper....is that more durable against the R410a?

My AC contractor didn't mention anything about any past issues, or different coil technology in the different Lennox units.
 
#4 ·
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#6 ·
Dont worry about it, R410a is being phased out. They will have a new refrigerant out for you to beta test in a couple years. I haven't heard that its compatible with R410a equipment yet, so everyone that has R410a equipment might be buying new equipment before expected end of equipment life
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
When is R410a being phased out?! R22 is supposed to be phased on completely in 2020, right? So new units are going in with R410a instead (at least that's my understanding)...not really another option is there? So f Big Brother (EPA) says R410a has to go, anyone with that has to replace their old R22 unit is screwed?
 
#11 ·
Rheem is the one who hit us the hardest. Their N coils especially when production changed to Mexico, leaked like crazy. We also use a lot of ADP coils, they come out of the same factory as Lennox. We haven't had near the failure with them as Rheem. Carrier seems to have gotten their act together but we changed a ton of their coils back in the R22 days.
 
#12 ·
gmacrill said:
When is R410a being phased out?! R22 is supposed to be phased on completely in 2020, right? So new units are going in with R410a instead (at least that's my understanding)...not really another option is there? So f Big Brother (EPA) says R410a has to go, anyone with that has to replace their old R22 unit is screwed?
Click to expand...
It’s not the refrigerant it’s the manufacturing!
 
#13 ·
Even Lennox’s new “quantum coils”, WHICH WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO LEAK, are leaking. We’ve have had to replace several this year. Lennox is getting so bad, between their leaking coils and crappy blower motors, I’ve stopped selling them. My company is a Lennox premier dealer too!!!
 
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#14 ·
gmacrill said:
When is R410a being phased out?! R22 is supposed to be phased on completely in 2020, right? So new units are going in with R410a instead (at least that's my understanding)...not really another option is there? So f Big Brother (EPA) says R410a has to go, anyone with that has to replace their old R22 unit is screwed?
Click to expand...
The new refrigerant is going to be R-32, or R-454b.

Carrier will start using 454b in the next few years.
The phaseout for 410 isnt until 2048.
 
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#15 ·
hvacvegas said:
The new refrigerant is going to be R-32, or R-454b.

Carrier will start using 454b in the next few years.
The phaseout for 410 isnt until 2048.
Click to expand...
This is true, has anyone heard if 454b can be easily retrofitted into current R410a equipment, because I haven't and that's giving me a bad gut feeling. If it's not then it will be a short time before manufacturers are required to stop selling the old equipment and then what? No one knows for sure because the EPA is an unelected branch that sets their own policy, and they could mandate a refrigerant phaseout every 5 years if they want to. I dont think the manufacturers are blind to the fact that they get to sell more equipment everytime an energy efficiency or environmental law comes onto the scene, in the end they seem to be aiming for a total fleet change over every 10 years and making the equipment accordingly just like what's happened to the automotive brands
 
#17 ·
So my take away is that there is no law saying that R410a is being phased out per say, they are just going to let the market do it for them. Manufacturers only have so much R&D money to spend on meeting increasing energy guidelines, their going to spend it on whatever the new refrigerant for the foreseeable future is. Carrier chose R454b over R32 for its lower gwp, giving them more time to recoup their R&D money and make a profit before they have to start all over with a new refrigerant.
 
#19 ·
gmacrill said:
So another question then.....is there a replacement coil available from an alternate manufacture that is less likely to fail than a Lennox coil?
Click to expand...
You seem Fixed on Lennox. They didn’t manufacture the coil a sub contractor did and probably supplied several other manufactures.
Get a new Lennox coil.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
Well, that's because as I said in my opening post...I just had a complete Lennox system installed, and it wasn't until after that when I started hearing about the class action suit and lots of people seem to think Lennox coils are more prone to failure.
 
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gmacrill
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