Probably be less money and hassle to just replace with a new H/P. Plus you get a warranty which you will not get with a "conversion"

 

Have to get it properly sized then check the ducts as well.

Heat pumps are fine on the isl of long Don’t think your going to heat that house in the middle of the winter with 30+ MPH NE winds. You’ll need the oil then.

 

@pecmsg. Are you on The Island?

 

Southold and E Hampton

 

Thanks. I think that I sent you a DM on Facebook. Noticed your company on the locator map here.

 

One of my favorite lines is "We can do anything you like. But do really want to pay that much?"
A regularly split air conditioner certainly can be converted to a heat pump.
But just for the parts to do it which include a reversing valve, a defrost board and likely an accumulator you are more than half way to purchasing a heat pump.
I did do a conversion many years ago out on the farm. It worked ok..... but the reason for it was really just to see what it took to actually do it with used parts.
So while it totally can be done it's a much better idea just to buy one. Then you get an actual warranty. And bonus points for NOT having a Frankenstein machine for someone to have to figure out down the road.....

 

So, Would all of the parts you listed above except heat strips be included with a new outdoor unit? I'm really not worried about the house being toasty warm in the winter, as it is not usually occupied then. I just would like to worry less about fuel oil levels in the tank when I'm not there for a couple of months during the winter. What do you think is a safe temperature setpoint when I'm not there in the winter? Could I get away with 50deg or so?

 

Its not just the extra components that have been mentioned, but heat pumps have larger coils and usually larger cabinets, too. You'd also need backup heat installed in the indoor unit and a much larger electric circuit for that. That also may necessitate a larger electric service.

 

Also, the comfort level of that hydronic system that you now have is far superior to that of a heat pump forced error (no typo) system.

 

AHRI web-site shows 22 matches with that indoor section, anywhere from Trane, American Standard and even one RunTru outdoor Heat Pump. Anywhere from 3, 3.5 and even 4 ton. With SEER ratings anywhere from 14, 14.5 or 15 may have to increase thermostat wire conductors also.

As mentioned if your expecting to run as only a Heat Pump in New York alone in the middle of winter, good luck with that. Best to run it down to a certain OD temperature then switch to boiler, if you do decide to do that. Not sure how the warranty works as your only changing one part instead of both at the same time.

That’s the system I have at my residence, a Heat Pump and separate oil boiler with baseboard. Bucket list is to use a outdoor stat to switch automatically one of these days....

 

Sure you can convert it. Just move the air handler into the lawn, and put the outdoor condenser indoors kind of like a fire place.

It will heat the indoors just fine if you do that.


***
Actually buying a new unit and paying an actual pro who properly installs it... Priceless

For everything else there is MasterCard for all your repeat service calls.

 

If you’re concerned about running out of oil while you’re not there, why don’t you just get setup on automatic fill with your local oil company instead of trying to re-invent the heating wheel?

Some other considerations:
1. An oil burner can operate with a lower house temperature and not have the issues that a heat pump would.
2. If you use a heat pump and keep the house cooler than 70*, you may likely have broken hydronic lines where they run in or near any unconditioned spaces. It may even happen with the house at 70*. You need to keep the water flowing to the radiators when it’s below freezing outside.
3. A GOOD oil boiler tech can probably make some improvements that will make your boiler more efficient.

I like thinking out of the box, but we need to have as many facts available as possible when we do. I think enough have been given to demonstrate that what you’re considering is not practical.

 

I'm sort of confused at this point. I thought converting or adding a heat pump to this home would be kind of the best of both worlds. It seems like the local power company there is really pushing the heat pumps, and also many contractors are installing them. I thought that with the advances in technology the newer heat pumps worked well in the colder climates. I thought the hp would also be more efficient. I don't mind buying a new hp, but wouldn't want to do so if it's not going to work very well. Don't know if worth it to rip out and throw away the 4 year old a/c.

 

I have done it with AC both systems and also with refrigeration systems. There is a fair amount of re-engineering effort involved - most of it due to the fact that each of the coils must work well together while each doing the job of the other at times.

The primary obstacle you will have will be finding someone willing to do it.

The secondary obstacle you will have is economically justifying it.

In the end I think you will find your best answer in removing the AC system and replacing it with a standard off-the-shelf heat pump system.


PHM
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