[NetComrade]

I had recently installed a Fujitsu AOU36RLXFZ by a professional, accompanied by 9K cassette (ARU9RLF) to heat/cool two small BR and a bathroom upstairs, and 18K (ARU18RLF) to cool/heat downstairs (larger area).

I had a few questions.

Is there a graph/curve that would show me units performance in cold temperatures, or even display a minimum operating temperature? At 0F unit still seemed to work, but it was performing poorly enough to not only maintain temp, but it was actually dropping. This temperature is very unusual for this part of the country (eastern WV).

Can the unit be controlled by other gadgets then what it comes with, like "smart thermostats" that are out there, or any type of Z-wave products (controlling heat from your phone)

The unit has built up ice a few times around the fan, and gotten noise. If I build a roof over it (it's under a 2 foot overhand, but the wind seems to get some accumulation on top of it anyway), will it help, or is ice around the fan accumulating for other reasons.

Thanks!

 

[crmont]

Pics?

 

[NetComrade]

Pics?

What would you like pics to reflect?

 

[crmont]

The ice

 

[NetComrade]

The ice

I will try to get a picture this weekend (it's my second home).

I know a picture is worth a 1000 words, but I will try anyway..
The ice forms around the edge surrounding the fan. The fan supposedly hits it and knocks it out, but until it does knock it out it makes an annoying noise hitting the ice, and I just remove it with a stick (turning off the unit beforehand).

 

[pecmsg]

What does your contractor say about the ice?

 

[NetComrade]

What does your contractor say about the ice?

That its normal, and fan should knock the ice off, as it's made of high quality plastic.

Not that I don't disagree with him, but I'd like to minimize both the noise and the wear of the fan blades.

 

[pecmsg]

That its normal, and fan should knock the ice off, as it's made of high quality plastic.

Not that I don't disagree with him, but I'd like to minimize both the noise and the wear of the fan blades.

I would contact Fujitsu and ask them. Something doesn't sound right.

 

[NetComrade]

I would contact Fujitsu and ask them. Something doesn't sound right.

I think it's just water melting off the top of the unit and freezing as air coming out of the unit is cooler than that outside. I don't think it's a big deal, but will contact Fujitsu. I thought of just covering it up to minimize any liquid accumulation on top of the unit.

 

[craig1]

I recently installed one of these exact units in my cabin which is under renovation. The design was for the unit to be protected by a roof overhang. at first the roof was incomplete and I had icing issues. As soon as the the roof was completed, no more ice.

As for low temperature opperation, fujitsu publishes the minimum temp for this unit as 14 degrees above zero. I was running mine at 15 below zero and was getting satisfactory heat. However, I discovered I had to set the fan on medium manual speed. If i used Auto speed the fan would never get above the lowest speed and i had insufficient heat.

Currently its just being used for construction heat so I had it set at 60. I don't think it would have been able to maintain 70 at the extremely cold temps

 

[NetComrade]

OK, thanks.. I will try to cover it up more, and look into manual fan control when it's cold. Guess will reach out to installer and/or Fujitsu on controller options.

 

[GoodGuyPA]

I've had a hard time finding a graph for your Fujitsu unit, but my company is not a Fujitsu dealer. As a Mitsubishi dealer though I can tell you the normal (non-Hyper Heat) mitsubishi units start to see a drastic drop in Heating performance below 14degF and from customer experience will stop producing heat between 0 and 5 degrees. From the information I could find on the Fujitsu's it looked like 20degF is where that curve started so somewhere between 0 and 10 is where you would expect it not to produce heat.

 

[lytning]

Is the drain blocked at the bottom of the unit? Also Fujitsu make a cold temp unit that will heat below zero, or somewhere around that. Check out Fujitsugeneral.com

 

[NetComrade]

Is the drain blocked at the bottom of the unit? Also Fujitsu make a cold temp unit that will heat below zero, or somewhere around that. Check out Fujitsugeneral.com

That unit is single room.

 

[lytning]

The outside unit

That unit is single room.

 

[NetComrade]

Still single room up to 15000 BTU (and up to -15F)
http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/wallmountedRLS2H.htm
It's more efficient (by SEER rating), and I think achieves the colder temperatures with a de-icing coil.

 

[lytning]

Right, but I aren't sure if the energy rating is better then the older unit. The deicing coil burn a bit of electricity. Still they are a great unit. I was told the number 1 seller in Canada.

Still single room up to 15000 BTU (and up to -15F)
http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/wallmountedRLS2H.htm
It's more efficient (by SEER rating), and I think achieves the colder temperatures with a de-icing coil.

 

[terry1]

In my experience the ice will form from defrosted water coming from the outdoor heat exchanger when the cold(below freezing) wind hits it.Before the water can get down the the bottom pan and out the holes it can freeze.
To me, ice means that the system is working properly; and it is a weather condition problem.
If you see frost on the heat exchanger after a defrost cycle(s) you have issues.

 

[pecmsg]

In my experience the ice will form from defrosted water coming from the outdoor heat exchanger when the cold(below freezing) wind hits it.Before the water can get down the the bottom pan and out the holes it can freeze.
To me, ice means that the system is working properly; and it is a weather condition problem.
If you see frost on the heat exchanger after a defrost cycle(s) you have issues.

Care to explain this again!

 

[terry1]

In eastern Canada,this time of year, if a cold wind is blowing for an extended period of time and the temp is well below freezing the defrosted water from the heat exchanger will freeze before it can run down the fins of the exchanger to the bottom pan and get out the drain holes.
Fujitsu supply a drain hole "director" to channel the water in a particular direction if necessary; not a good idea if not required.These "directors" freeze up real quick.
Terry