Toward Payback on investments, IMO there are many things to consider of much more importance than the SEER Ratings!

I personally would not go higher than 14-seer in my climate zone a 600-hour cooling season.

Even if I lived in Floria's highest 2800-hour cooling season I might not go over a 15 or 16-seer.

I would spend the difference in initial cost on ways to reduce the heat-gain heat-loss of yor home.

That saves money in both heating & cooling if you live in a climate were heating is a big cost factor!

For Intermediate temperature heating days a Heat Pump is very effective & efficient.
udarrell _ 2007
===============================
DISCLAIMER:
I assume NO responsibility for how anyone uses the information I provide in posts or on my websites.

I provide information for better understanding, edification & communication between contractors, techs & customers'.

A licensed Contractor & licensed Techs should always do all HVAC/R work!

You are responsible for your decisions! udarrell

Here is a link that might be useful: udarrell.com

The XL19i has a 2 stage compressor. These can be used in areas of the country that have very high humidity or very high electricity costs. In my opinion, these conditions may warrant a 2 stage compressor. For all other conditions, a single stage compressor works fine.

The Energy Effficiency Ratio (EER) provides a better insight into true operating costs than does SEER. EER is determined at 95 F outside air temps (more realistic) while SEER is taken at 82 F outside air temps. At 95 F outside air temps, SEER drops like a rock. In my opinion, high SEER ratings are pure BS. Many high SEER units do not meet the 12 EER of a 14 SEER system. A 14 SEER system provides the best combo of purchase price and true operating cost. The difference is price between a 19 SEER and a 13 SEER is almost never recovered in electricity savings. 2 stage compressors are, for the most part, more for comfort than cost savings.

"Did I get hosed?"
- Depends on what you paid. Also depends on sytem installation.

Best of luck to you.

The full understanding of energy efficiency ratings on hvac equipment, that has to perform
in a multiple of, unpredictable climates across this country is extremely difficult . The ratings
on this equipment in most cases is gathered by testing in an atmosphere controlled room
in a testing facility under conditions that could possibly be different than the conditions at
any one of our homes, and they are usually perfect conditions. For example I have yet to see
a condenser unit, in a lab with a lab technician mowing grass and shooting grass clippings and dirt at it. I was involved just recently with bringing a seer 13 unit to a seer 14 , and that was
done just by merely extending the ventri in length by 1 inch, so that we could position the leading pitch if the fan blade farther into the ventri. This reduced turbulence witch in turn
reduced the load on the fan motor witch in turn made the fan motor operate at fewer watts. In
my opinion, I would stick with the equipment that has the least amount of electronic and
mechanical gismos that were designed to inflate equipment ratings. The nickels and dimes
that you save on your electric bill by purchasing an ultra high efficiency system may not be
enough to pay for pre mature service calls that you may need to service the bells and whistles of these units and the initial costs difference between main stream equipment and ultra high efficient units. If I was to install a system today I would have no problem with a 13 or 14 seer Toolman210