Hello all,
Many years ago I was an HVAC mechanic and designed and installed my own house system.
Used a Freus water cooled condenser, 3.5 ton, and a 5 ton coil with TXV.
The system has run well for 16 years but I recently decided to preemptively replace the system with a new Bosch BOVB 60 5 ton condenser.
It's an IDS Plus system also called the BOVB18. My install will be downrated to 4ton.
and new/replacement Bosch 5 ton coil(keeping my hydronic LifeBreath air handler with HRV).
Don't fully understand why the local installer says I need to replace my 5 ton, copper tube A coil with the aluminum 5 ton Bosch unit?
My first question is what experience has anyone had with the Bosch condenser units? Given it's inverter technology and variable output, it is very interesting
piece of technology, but is there a downside to all this electronics in a heat pump?
Second question is why I'm being told I have to replace my 5 ton coil, is it because I've got an R22 system currently? I would think a new TXV valve would do the trick.
Third question is why the derating to 4 ton? My current system is a 3.5 ton and it's slightly undersized(Ventilation ducting contractor specked out the size)so 4 ton would
be nice, but this is a variable output compressor, why limit it's operation to 4 ton in case we get another 115 degree heat wave like last year?(my Lifebreath has a 3/4 horse ECM motor rated at 1800cfm @ .25 w.g.)
Last question, according to the specs from the bovb 18 manual, minimum rated circuit is 25 amp, max is 40 amps. I got 10 gauge romex running from the panel to the unit
and was told I need a 40amp with 8 gauge wire for the unit. A bosch rep responded to my question about running amps and he said at full load, it's running at 8 to 9 amps.
I know LRA load can spike quite a bit, but running new bigger wire? What experience have any of you had with the need to increase the wire size?
An interesting side note is I thought to use an Amrad Turbo Easy Start capacitor on the unit to reduce the spike in amps at start up, but it apparently doesn't have an external capacitor for either the fan or the compressor.
That's something new to me.
Any thoughts or opinions would be appricated.
Jack
Many years ago I was an HVAC mechanic and designed and installed my own house system.
Used a Freus water cooled condenser, 3.5 ton, and a 5 ton coil with TXV.
The system has run well for 16 years but I recently decided to preemptively replace the system with a new Bosch BOVB 60 5 ton condenser.
It's an IDS Plus system also called the BOVB18. My install will be downrated to 4ton.
and new/replacement Bosch 5 ton coil(keeping my hydronic LifeBreath air handler with HRV).
Don't fully understand why the local installer says I need to replace my 5 ton, copper tube A coil with the aluminum 5 ton Bosch unit?
My first question is what experience has anyone had with the Bosch condenser units? Given it's inverter technology and variable output, it is very interesting
piece of technology, but is there a downside to all this electronics in a heat pump?
Second question is why I'm being told I have to replace my 5 ton coil, is it because I've got an R22 system currently? I would think a new TXV valve would do the trick.
Third question is why the derating to 4 ton? My current system is a 3.5 ton and it's slightly undersized(Ventilation ducting contractor specked out the size)so 4 ton would
be nice, but this is a variable output compressor, why limit it's operation to 4 ton in case we get another 115 degree heat wave like last year?(my Lifebreath has a 3/4 horse ECM motor rated at 1800cfm @ .25 w.g.)
Last question, according to the specs from the bovb 18 manual, minimum rated circuit is 25 amp, max is 40 amps. I got 10 gauge romex running from the panel to the unit
and was told I need a 40amp with 8 gauge wire for the unit. A bosch rep responded to my question about running amps and he said at full load, it's running at 8 to 9 amps.
I know LRA load can spike quite a bit, but running new bigger wire? What experience have any of you had with the need to increase the wire size?
An interesting side note is I thought to use an Amrad Turbo Easy Start capacitor on the unit to reduce the spike in amps at start up, but it apparently doesn't have an external capacitor for either the fan or the compressor.
That's something new to me.
Any thoughts or opinions would be appricated.
Jack
source https://hvac-talk.com/vbb/threads/2240315-Bosch-BOVB-60-Heat-Pump-experience?goto=newpost
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