OT Heat pump

msb · Jan 25, 2011

Outside unit is frozen. Should I do something about ? I thought it had a heater to keep the ice from freezing on the coils ? TIA,bob

Anonymous-0 · Jan 25, 2011

What is the make? also. what is the outside temp? How old is the unit?

Anonymous-0 · Jan 25, 2011

Mine will go through a defrost cycle were it will run in in reverse to thaw the coil out. It not a heater but it pulls heat from the building. If it is frozen solid you might need to have a service man out to find out if it is cycling correctly.

buickanddeere · Jan 25, 2011

Don't operate an air source heat pump with outside temps below freezing. Freezing temps are below the design specs.

old · Jan 25, 2011

Both my unit and my moms does that from time to time then later you look and it is gone. You may just be look at it in the between times. Now if it never thaws it maybe time to call a service man and hold on to your back pocket

msb · Jan 25, 2011

Thanks guys. It thawed itself out Guess I always catch it when it is frozen up?

IH2444 · Jan 25, 2011

Could be a bad defrost sensor, etc.

Heat pumps go into AC mode and put out cold air inside to thaw out the outside coils. While in this mode they kick in the electric heat strips in the duct so they do not freeze your butt off.

big fred · Jan 25, 2011

My heat pump doesn't kick on if the outside temp is below 35F. But it will still freeze up because the coils are well below freezing.

old · Jan 25, 2011

What heat strips??? I know 1000% that my unit does not have any such thing in it. How do I know because they used the same heat ducts that where in my home before I had the heat pump put in and not the electric part of the furnace does not come on either but I do get cold air at times. So what your saying maybe right but only on complete new units set up in NEW homes but sure is not in older homes and the old heat ducts

old · Jan 25, 2011

Ya they are sort of like a watched pot never boils so you watch it and it never thawed because like that pot it knew you where looking LOL

massey 333 · Jan 25, 2011

You had better look your system over Old,Any Heat Pump put in that has to operate in temps.below freezing has some form of backup heat,either electric strips-electric furnace-gas-oil furnace that comes on when the heat pump goes into (air cond)defrost mode.Defrost mode last apx. 2 to 5 min.This isn't something new,been doing it this way before you were ever born.The only HPs that don't are Geo systems.So your 1000% is 999.99% wrong.

old · Jan 25, 2011

Ah but you did not read what I said. I said I do not have any heat strips in my ducts. Yes I have back up or as it is called on my system emergency heat but that does not kick on unless it is to cold for the heat pump or unless I select it. Please read before you jump in this does get old you know

massey 333 · Jan 25, 2011

I think you are the one that needs to learn to read Old.The backup units come on any time the HP goes into defrost mode.I didn't say anything about where they were,just that they are there.

old · Jan 25, 2011

Funny my back up only come one if it is to cold for the heat pump to work or if I turn it on. When mine unit goes into defrost mode it does in fact blow cold air into the house. As I sad you need to read because I stated what my unit does in my first post

John M · Jan 25, 2011

What heat strips??? I know 1000% that my [b:b07fa43077]unit[/b:b07fa43077] does not have any such thing in it.

Thats what you said, not ducts!

Dblair · Jan 25, 2011

heat pumps go into defrost and it reverses the heat cycle to the cool cycle and cuts the outdoor fan off. at this point the heat strips will supplement the house .It stays in defrost until the coil outdoors reach 59 degrees or 10 minutes which ever happens first. if it doesn't defrost it may be necessary to use other means to defrost it . like wash it off with a hose . excessive ice buildup could harm the compressor.

DH in Carolina · Jan 25, 2011

Any properly installed heat pump will have the aux heat come on during defrost cycle. It may be electric strip, oil furance or gas furance. If there is nothing to temper the air during defrost cycle you are wasting money and might as well open your front door for 10 minutes every three or four hours. DH

old · Jan 25, 2011

Well it may but if it does I do not get the odor I get if I use the electric heat part of my system but then I do not open it up and look at it all that close. I can only say what I was told when it was installed and there was nothing about a heat system for the thaw out of it other then it was built into the unit out side some how

DH in Carolina · Jan 25, 2011

You probably have around 15 kw electric strip heat in your inside air handler. During defrost cycle which is brought on by a defrost board and sensor in the outdoor unit, it may only turn on 5 kw electric heat. The other 10 kw only come on when the heatpump cannot keep up with the heat demand in cold weather. That is why you smell the electric heat when its real cold or you switch the thermostat to emergency heat. DH

old · Jan 25, 2011

Could well be. Wat is funny is this all got started by one guy saying they have heat strips in the duct work ad I know I do not have any on my duct work. Ya there are elements in the lower part of the unit but non as such on the duct work unless you count the unit it self as part of the duct work

massey 333 · Jan 25, 2011

SOME HOW was your downfall.Old you post some good answers,however sometimes I think you post just to see your name,because sometimes your answers are so far off the wall(wrong&dangerous at times)that they need to be corrected.This was meant in a good way,but you are not the expert you try to portray.

old · Jan 25, 2011

Never said I was but then on the other hand I have learned you you are a person who attacks me all the time so when ever I see you answer a post of mine I'm on the defensive the moment I see you name so think about it if you didn't attack me all the time maybe I would not go on the defensive all the time

bingo · Jan 25, 2011

DH you have got it right!!

JMS/.MN · Jan 25, 2011

Wrong- our air source heat pump is good until about 15 degrees. LP furnace kicks in at that temp. Heat pump starts, then if temp is around 15, heat pump stops and lp furnace kicks in. At lower temps, only the lp furnace kicks in.

biggerred · Jan 25, 2011

thats not so massey, as not all units have 2nd stage heat. Kinda like saying "not all farts stink"

massey 333 · Jan 26, 2011

I don't know where you are going with this,but you are 100% correct.HPs have no backup to them other then what the dealer and customer agrees to put in for backup or emergency heat(gas-Oil or electric or Hydronic)for when temp.gets too cold for the HP to be efficent.Some HPs are 2 staged but still need a backup for -10 temps.

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