My Janitor-troll just turned 25, still going strong.

I had to bury mine. It was the only way to get the efficiency I wanted. Just completing its 4th heating season, no problems, no maintenance (except filter changes).

Nordic ground-source DX.

SR

Did the Nordic system come with a cool horned helmet and war hammer?

I just replaced by 1979 Carrier Model 38BQ Heat Pump. It was still operating fine when I replaced it last month. It was mated with a 29 year old GE air handler and a 15 year old Am. Std. coil. I'm sure the efficiency was pretty low on the scale.

I also just about threw a 30 year birthday part for my electric hot water heater but it started leaking before the big event.

My main refrigerator is a 1949 GE and going strong. (mint cond.) I keep my beer in a 1930's GE Monitor Top and it's still going strong.

These old relics might not be all that efficient but they were built to last.

Those old Moniter Tops are charged with sulpher dioxide, if you have a leak better call HAZMAT. But they do cool good and last virtually forever.

Does anyone have an idea what SEER my 1979 GE A/C might be?
It's about 3 ton I think, but we are going to have it replaced despite the fact it still works. Last month's $445 elec. bill was too much (with the therm. set at 79F). Our average monthly elec. bill before had to turn on the A/C was $145, so just cooling cost us $300 last month. We have all CFLs and a front-load washer, so it must be the water heater and A/C that are killing us.

ba, I think the 8 seer's came out in 86, yours is most likely a 5... how many compressors have been in there? I feel pretty confident that a new 13 even (the cheapest models currently offered) would drop your bill by over 150... if your house has not been updated since the 70's, you need good roof ventilation, proper attic insulation, and updated windows, and door seals. that ought to drop it another 50 or so/month...
John

As far as I know, this is the original compressor - as our about half the neighborhood's. GE made them to last!

We have R-11 fiberglass batt insulation in the walls, R-13 under living room floors, 4-6 inch loose fill fiberglass in the attic, but only single-pane windows. We are looking to improve insulation (closed-cell foam where poss.) and upgrade to triple-paned low-E windows. Ideally I'd like to look into a metal roof when that needs replacing.

I am interested in the possibility of a water-cooled A/C, but aside from Freus, there doesn't seem to be much out there in the residential market.

Wow, one of my old posts.

In June, I replaced the old heat pump, even though it was still running, with a new 14 SEER Goodman. I said that I would not replace it, but Maryland electric rates shot up 65% thanks to de-regulation and no competeition.

Looking at my previous 2 electric bills, I have reduced my electricity consumption by 40% compared to the same time last year.

I bought the unit myself and paid a pro to install it. I saved almost $2k over brand XYZ.

Best of luck to you, Bargainacious.

Just now changing out our Goodman heat pumps to these fancy Carrier Infinity 21 systems. The Goodmans are 1995 issue, so 12 yrs. old. A little noisy but they still ran fine. Tired of a leak no one could find. Very hard to find but it was a tiny leak in the evap. coil. Decided not to fix it and started pricing new systems.

Our house would get up to 85F upstairs even w/a $600 electric bill. So bye bye...old. Here comes 78F and lower electric bills ($0.12/kwh, $240 base bill w/o HVAC).

I have a 1931 GE monitor top refrigerator. Just got it. When tested it worked. However, only worked for an hour for me and now has to be turned on manually and then it turns off shortly thereafter.

Does anyone have any info, ideas, suggestions, or know of someone who is knowledgeable or who repairs these?

Puzzled.

Thanks!

Take it to your local trade school.
They can have the students work on it and your cost is only the parts.

Boy that thing must suck up the kw's!!

best of luck to you.

And happy birthday to Gary's Goodman.
How did your utility bills look this winter?

My old post is re-visited again.

The new heat pump is going great. Winter $$ savings are not as much as summer since I can use up to 2000 kw/month in the winter. Most of that is the heat pump and the aux electric strips (which don't seem to run as much with the new heat pump). First winter with the new Goodman went very well.

Take care.

Gary, out of sheer curiosity, what wholesale HVAC warehouses did you look into around our area (though I believe you bought it in PA, didn't you?)? Is there one for Trane/American Standard you checked out (do you think you could somehow get equipment from them?)? I think I recall you saying you priced an American Standard system for around $3k and was curious where this was.

I have a Sears upright freezer that Mom & Dad bought us when we bought our first home. That was in 1963. That makes it 45 years old.

Still humming along.

V

Ryan H. - What type of system did you finally get. Must have missed your post.

None yet. I'm going to wait for the current one to run into serious problems again, but for now it's working okay. I have found the company I'm going to use, though. Looking at Trane XL15i and Evolution 16.

"Gary, out of sheer curiosity, what wholesale HVAC warehouses did you look into around our area (though I believe you bought it in PA, didn't you?)? Is there one for Trane/American Standard you checked out (do you think you could somehow get equipment from them?)? I think I recall you saying you priced an American Standard system for around $3k and was curious where this was."

Ryan:

I did indeed get an A/S quote "back in the day" when I first started looking. It was a Heritage 13 3-ton (don't think the air handler was v-s) with 15 kw strip heat for $3600. It was from Northeast Plumbing and Supply. They weren't too happy that I called them for pricing as I am not a pro.

I wound up geting a 14 SEER, 12 EER, 9 HSPF Goodman. Copeland scroll, and a full 36,000 btu cooling and 35,000 btu heating. I went with the 3-speed air handler and TXV. Also got a hard-start cap, bypass humifier, filter/drier, sight glass, and condenser mounting pad. Paid $2500 for everything from DESCO, over the MD state line in Hanover PA. I picked everything up from their warehouse with a tow trailer. They provide the 10 year parts warranty.

My wife works for a Property Management Company so I paid one of their pros $1200 to install it. 2 guys, 8 hours each. He had to fabricate 2 custom duct pieces for the installation.

$3700 total for the new heat pump.

So far so good with the Goodman.

Take care.

Well, you did good Gary, and it sounds like you're happy so that's good. I'm surprised they gave out pricing over the phone--did they question you at all? I wonder how much for a Heritage 14/15 + v/s air handler + 15 kw heat strip. : )

I still have this Payne for now. Kitchen remodel comes first I guess. I have no desire to invest much more into this system, though, but as the old adage goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." : )

Ryan:

I'm not on this site as much as I used to be.

Kitchen remodel is more $$ than your new heat pump. Priorities come first. I held out for 6 years before I replaced the old heat pump. Electric prices jumping 72%, as you know, prompted me to counter with a new system and save 40% on cooling/heating bills. Net increase in heat/cool bill is now around 20% which isn't bad.

Take care.

Right, and home buyers like visual improvements as you know. I foresee myself replacing this heat pump sometime in the near future, before I sell the house.

Getting to be A/C time soon. I actually ran mine today (and still am now)--works great.