What A/C features should I consider?

[faithfulfrank]

Hello all,
I built my own house 5 years ago, and installed a boiler system with in floor radiant heat. Now, I plan on adding an whole house A/C system with new ductwork, etc.
I plan on adding a good quality air filteration system, (perhaps an american standard Acuclean 1500 CFM unit) and perhaps a UV light for germs and viruses.
I'll also add a hot water coil and hook it up to a free zone off my boiler to solve some heat balancing issues I have with my radiant floor system, and to heat the house in the milder months when the radiant floor system is not really needed.

My question- what features should I consider? Mainly, what about a variable speed motor? Are they more expensive? Are they worth it? I think it would be a good idea to filter the air more and balance the rooms more.

So, are there differences in air handlers? What are the better features I should be looking at. I do not want to do this only to find there was something I wished I got but did not know about.
Thank you in advance for your kind help.

thanks, Frank D.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I got a VS air handler about six years ago. It had a five year warranty. The motor is dead. Actually, the 230/3/60 motor core seems okay, but the driver circuit isn't working.

So far, I've been looking six months for a replacement motor, or someone who can diagnose/ service/ rebuild what I have. No joy.

All I can find is annoying Government sponsored flackery about the virtues of VS motors, but no one is selling actual replacement motors. Except one guy who offered to sell me a replacement motor for 20 pct more than the cost of an entire air handler.

Oh. While it worked, it was great; reduced energy bills, quiet operation, all that rot.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[faithfulfrank]

Thanks Mike.
That is sobering. Perhaps I should just stick with the norm.
Being outside of Buffalo, the A/C will not me used all that much, but the heat part will sometimes in the winter. I was thinking of just running the fan for circulation and filtering.

Thanks, Frank D.

 

[walkes]

Have you looked into something like a Carrier fan coil unit?

http://xpedio.carrier.com/idc/group...keting/01-08fe-401-25-010606.pdf?SMSESSION=NO

http://www.commercial.carrier.com/c...cription/0,,CLI1_DIV12_ETI434_PRD1254,00.html

 

[faithfulfrank]

Thanks Wilkes,
That first link looks like a great unit for me. i'll have to find out what my supply house sells.....even if it is more money, it looks like you save down the road.

Frank D.