Having an Ancient Air Conditioner is no reason to Celebrate

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Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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Posted by garyg (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 10:39

My Trane Executive Weathertron heat pump turned 21 years old in March. It is now of legal drinking age. I will celebrate with it tonight with a mixed drink or two. I hope that it doesn't get drunk and tries to take advantage of me (or vice-versa).

No problems in the 6 years since I have been in the house. The compressor motor overload did trip a few months ago because of a power outage. I clean the inside coil yearly with an evap coil cleaner and change pleated filters once/month religeously.

I will not replace it until it dies even though it is only a 7 SEER. I will have an emergency back-up plan for the summer - a 12,000 btu window shaker that I'll buy and keep in the shed just in case.

Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by blacknumber1 (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 11:02

My Janitor-troll just turned 25, still going strong.

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by fsq4cw (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 11:22

I had to bury mine. It was the only way to get the efficiency I wanted. Just completing its 4th heating season, no problems, no maintenance (except filter changes).

Nordic ground-source DX.

SR

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by blacknumber1 (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 15:36

Did the Nordic system come with a cool horned helmet and war hammer?

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by davefr (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 19:08

I just replaced by 1979 Carrier Model 38BQ Heat Pump. It was still operating fine when I replaced it last month. It was mated with a 29 year old GE air handler and a 15 year old Am. Std. coil. I'm sure the efficiency was pretty low on the scale.

I also just about threw a 30 year birthday part for my electric hot water heater but it started leaking before the big event.

My main refrigerator is a 1949 GE and going strong. (mint cond.) I keep my beer in a 1930's GE Monitor Top and it's still going strong.

These old relics might not be all that efficient but they were built to last.

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* Posted by blacknumber1 (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 21, 07 at 19:24

Those old Moniter Tops are charged with sulpher dioxide, if you have a leak better call HAZMAT. But they do cool good and last virtually forever.

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by bargainacious (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 20, 07 at 22:50

Does anyone have an idea what SEER my 1979 GE A/C might be?
It's about 3 ton I think, but we are going to have it replaced despite the fact it still works. Last month's $445 elec. bill was too much (with the therm. set at 79F). Our average monthly elec. bill before had to turn on the A/C was $145, so just cooling cost us $300 last month. We have all CFLs and a front-load washer, so it must be the water heater and A/C that are killing us.

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by vstech (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 20, 07 at 23:32

ba, I think the 8 seer's came out in 86, yours is most likely a 5... how many compressors have been in there? I feel pretty confident that a new 13 even (the cheapest models currently offered) would drop your bill by over 150... if your house has not been updated since the 70's, you need good roof ventilation, proper attic insulation, and updated windows, and door seals. that ought to drop it another 50 or so/month...
John

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by bargainacious (My Page) on
Fri, Sep 21, 07 at 1:19

As far as I know, this is the original compressor - as our about half the neighborhood's. GE made them to last!

We have R-11 fiberglass batt insulation in the walls, R-13 under living room floors, 4-6 inch loose fill fiberglass in the attic, but only single-pane windows. We are looking to improve insulation (closed-cell foam where poss.) and upgrade to triple-paned low-E windows. Ideally I'd like to look into a metal roof when that needs replacing.

I am interested in the possibility of a water-cooled A/C, but aside from Freus, there doesn't seem to be much out there in the residential market.

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by garyg (My Page) on
Fri, Sep 21, 07 at 7:14

Wow, one of my old posts.

In June, I replaced the old heat pump, even though it was still running, with a new 14 SEER Goodman. I said that I would not replace it, but Maryland electric rates shot up 65% thanks to de-regulation and no competeition.

Looking at my previous 2 electric bills, I have reduced my electricity consumption by 40% compared to the same time last year.

I bought the unit myself and paid a pro to install it. I saved almost $2k over brand XYZ.

Best of luck to you, Bargainacious.

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* Posted by keithtx (My Page) on
Fri, Sep 21, 07 at 14:34

Just now changing out our Goodman heat pumps to these fancy Carrier Infinity 21 systems. The Goodmans are 1995 issue, so 12 yrs. old. A little noisy but they still ran fine. Tired of a leak no one could find. Very hard to find but it was a tiny leak in the evap. coil. Decided not to fix it and started pricing new systems.

Our house would get up to 85F upstairs even w/a $600 electric bill. So bye bye...old. Here comes 78F and lower electric bills ($0.12/kwh, $240 base bill w/o HVAC).

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by annabelle_gardener (My Page) on
Sat, Apr 5, 08 at 4:35

I have a 1931 GE monitor top refrigerator. Just got it. When tested it worked. However, only worked for an hour for me and now has to be turned on manually and then it turns off shortly thereafter.

Does anyone have any info, ideas, suggestions, or know of someone who is knowledgeable or who repairs these?

Puzzled.

Thanks!

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by energy_rater_la (My Page) on
Sat, Apr 5, 08 at 16:45

Take it to your local trade school.
They can have the students work on it and your cost is only the parts.

Boy that thing must suck up the kw's!!

best of luck to you.

And happy birthday to Gary's Goodman.
How did your utility bills look this winter?

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by garyg (My Page) on
Sat, Apr 5, 08 at 22:58

My old post is re-visited again.

The new heat pump is going great. Winter $$ savings are not as much as summer since I can use up to 2000 kw/month in the winter. Most of that is the heat pump and the aux electric strips (which don't seem to run as much with the new heat pump). First winter with the new Goodman went very well.

Take care.

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RE: Happy Birthday Heat Pump - old enough to drink legally

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* Posted by ryanhughes (My Page) on
Sat, Apr 5, 08 at 23:36

Gary, out of sheer curiosity, what wholesale HVAC warehouses did you look into around our area (though I believe you bought it in PA, didn't you?)? Is there one for Trane/American Standard you checked out (do you think you could somehow get equipment from them?)? I think I recall you saying you priced an American Standard system for around $3k and was curious where this was.