Just bought a house with a heat pump, which is new to me. One big difference I note between the heat pump and a conventional furnace is that the cycle times are longer. When it’s running, it runs for about 45 minutes and then shuts down for an equally long time. I’m used to furnaces cycling in shorter durations. So I’m wondering if this longer cycling time is typical of heat pumps or is there something wrong with mine. It’s quite old but seems to heat just fine, the idiosyncracy notwithstanding.
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typical
That's good to hear. I was afraid I might have a problem. Thanks for your reply.
What type of thermostat? Mine does not do that. Some have the feature of anticipator that is adjustable. Either your house is insulated great or it must get pretty cool over the 45 min off part. Another function could be t-stat placement. Mine does cylcle frequently but not that long of a run/off.
Rasconc: It's a Hunter programmable thermostat. If it has an adjustable anticipator, I don't know how it access it. The house is moderately insulated. And the T-stat is centrally located, away from windows and doors.
You can probably find the manual on line for the stat if you do not have it. After reading your post to Scott it appears that your expectations are a little high. They will run longer than most gas or oil fired furnaces. The heat rise across the coil is not a dramatic as those types and takes a little longer to raise room temp. They will run a pretty good bit.
Right now my oat is 32, stat set for 70, discharge air fom a register about midpoint in the ducts is 94.5. Yesterday when it was 18 oat it was doing about the same ( I kept looking to see if Aux heat was on).
I have lots of glass (10 3-0 15 lit panel doors on the north side of the house) with r-41 in a cath ceiling and 2x6 walls all with denspak cellulose. The reason for all the doors is in the pix below. The one through the door is from where I am sitting today and the others were yesterday off the deck just outside the door.
Boy, you've got some enviable views.
I checked online and found a pdf of my thermostat, and I see there is a way to change the cycle duration. Thanks for the tip.
Glad to oblige. Thanks on views. Mt Mitchell, highest east of rockies is over to right of the one with towers.
Have a cousin in your area who worked for Michelin and has has some really devasating med problems. Hope to get up that way some day.
Cheers, Bob
My (newish, but medium efficiency) heat pump has never run longer than five to ten minutes in heating mode. Forty five seems long to me, but maybe the physics of your pump, house, and climate are significantly different.
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Scott: Five to ten minutes is what I'm used to. I don't know why my climate (Louisville, Ky.) would necessitate longer cycle times. I guess I'm as uncertain that something's amiss as i was yesterday.
Where abouts in Louisville?
I am east of you, just acrross the Henry/Oldham county line. Work downtown four days a week.
Hi Dave. I'm in Indian Hills. I work downtown too.