We recently replaced our 30 year old Trane furnace/compressor with the variable speed XV20i heat pump, variable speed air handler (P-series modular blower), Trane evaporative coil and digital thermostat. The bid showed "Trane XV20i 4 Ton Condenser" and "Trane Evaporative Coil".
When I sent in the rebate application to our city, I was told that the rebate was for a 5 ton heat pump. Sure enough, I looked at the model numbers on the invoice and the installation was for a 5 ton condenser and 5 ton cased coil unit. I called and spoke to the person who sold us the unit, and he said something along the lines that this unit offered the highest SEER rating, and that since it was all variable speed the size (tonnage) was not too large for our house. Most of his comments went over my head, and after speaking in circles I finally ended the call amicably and apologized for my inability to understand the reason for the switch.
Our house is two level, 2000 square foot in inland Southern California. Winter temperatures rarely fall below 40F but summers can reach 105 for days on end. We have a mini-split system for the upstairs bedrooms because our duct system was never adequate to cool those rooms sufficiently. The company we hired has been in business for decades and is very highly regarded but I am still confused about why a 5 ton system was substituted for the 4 ton system, and how that could provide a higher SEER. I would mostly like reassurance that the capacity of the system is not too large for our house. Does fully variable speed really eliminate the problem of over-sizing the system?
When I sent in the rebate application to our city, I was told that the rebate was for a 5 ton heat pump. Sure enough, I looked at the model numbers on the invoice and the installation was for a 5 ton condenser and 5 ton cased coil unit. I called and spoke to the person who sold us the unit, and he said something along the lines that this unit offered the highest SEER rating, and that since it was all variable speed the size (tonnage) was not too large for our house. Most of his comments went over my head, and after speaking in circles I finally ended the call amicably and apologized for my inability to understand the reason for the switch.
Our house is two level, 2000 square foot in inland Southern California. Winter temperatures rarely fall below 40F but summers can reach 105 for days on end. We have a mini-split system for the upstairs bedrooms because our duct system was never adequate to cool those rooms sufficiently. The company we hired has been in business for decades and is very highly regarded but I am still confused about why a 5 ton system was substituted for the 4 ton system, and how that could provide a higher SEER. I would mostly like reassurance that the capacity of the system is not too large for our house. Does fully variable speed really eliminate the problem of over-sizing the system?
