u/Unlucky_Economy_7477

Follow up from the original post https://www.reddit.com/r/DIYHeatPumps/s/2jaAxUZYx0

It is done! quite a bit of work but it is well worth it. the whole house is now a nice consistent temperature. i lost my energy monitor in the panel for some reason so have a new one on order but i have watched it with a clamp meter and it’s run anywhere from 4-14 amps and is dead quiet. i used the TL04-1 in communicating mode to the mitigation board. furnace is two stage. the mitigation board determines when to ramp up or down the blower fan in relation to set point and evaporator temperatures. everything is so much quieter than my existing R410a Trane system (2020 build dates). only major complaint is with the TL04-1 you can no longer disable constant fan. going to give it about a week after my new energy monitor comes in then swap back to my ecobee to see if there really is a huge efficiency loss.

new supply plenum and re routed a lot of the duct work to make easier access around the unit. air flow is greatly improved without the old leaky supply plenum.

side note, i did not plumb up the furnace yet. it was 120° in the attic all weekend so i will wait for houston summer to dial back to finish that part.

Installed some Senville Leto mini splits last year and have been so impressed with their operation that i started doing research. found that the equipment is all Midea sourced and that ACIQ has the best warranty of them all.

my house has two units.

2020 Trane 3.5 ton with 2011 80% 80k btu furnace (downstairs)

2003 R22 3 ton with 2011 80% 80k btu furnace (upstairs)

the R22 system shucked the condenser fan the other day as i was getting ready to head out of town and tore the fan up pretty good. luckily it didn’t get into the coil outside of some fins. now the unit shakes like a leaf when running and temp split has never been great with it.

plan is to move the downstairs unit to the upstairs, decommission the R22 system and install the ACIQ R454b central inverter system downstairs. Will be converting from 80% furnace to 96%. Plan is to vent out of the side of the house and draw combustion air from the attic.

new parts:

Condenser: ACIQ-36-AC-B

Furnace: ACIQ G96CTN0801714 (2 stage 96% 80k btu)

Evaporator Coil : ACIQ-36-ACL-17-B

50’ 3/8 and 3/4 line set

Wall mount bracket for mounting into brick

QTY (2) Eaton Type II surge protectors.

ACIQ TL04-1 communicating thermostat

150’ 16/2 shielded wire

Chose to go AC only as i will never need a heat pump in houston. natural gas is significantly cheaper here.

i have all of my supplies just waiting on a break in this rain to get to work. I have done mini splits and many normal central systems but it will be my first inverter/smart central system. I purchase the TL-04 smart thermostat to try the communication over two wires. my primary goal here is efficiency. it’s hot in houston and i have a 3000sqft 1978 house.

i will update this with progress pictures finished product when the day comes.