Carrier Heatpumps and Placement

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networkn

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# 262095 5-Jan-2020 13:06

Our kitchen dining, and lounge are a big U shape. We are considering adding a heatpump to the lounge. I have had 3 quite different quotes some saying we need 8+KW and one saying 6KW is plenty.

We don't need the kitchen area cooled, mostly the lounge area.

One place quoted a 6KW and said they would place it in the lounge, the two others said they would put the heatpump in the bottom of the U which directly faces a wall! They are saying the cooling will just "split" and cool the "arms" of the U, though this would mean the kitchen would be cooled.

The quotes seem quite a bit ranging from $2800 to $3800 but the last guy quoted a Carrier with Wifi for $2500. I haven't heard much about Carrier though I know they are big in the commercial space. I can't find many reviews and some searches returned Toshiba!

The primary area we want cooled is the lounge.

Any advice?

mattwnz

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# 2385523 5-Jan-2020 18:21

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I have found that heat and cooling from a heat pump doesn't travel well around corners without some form of fan to move it.

timmmay

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# 2385570 5-Jan-2020 19:08

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Agree, air doesn't move around corners quickly or well without a fan. I'd put the heat pump near where needs it, with provision to add another one later if required.

larknz

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# 2385574 5-Jan-2020 19:16

Carrier may not be well known in NZ, but they are a major player in Oz.

dejadeadnz

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# 2385619 5-Jan-2020 22:28

One can debate whether the general range of the quotes are high (I offer no major comments beyond observing that a quick Google found me a couple of supposed "specials" for circa 6 KW heatpumps installed back-to-back for around $2500). But if you can get seemingly a "major" (by NZ market penetration) brand for $2,800, I personally wouldn't bother thinking about Carrier for a measly $300 less.

From general observations, the four biggest brands in NZ seem to be (in no particular order): Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Daikin and Fujitsu. Some shops also sell the likes of Hitachi and others. Honestly, I've rarely heard anyone with a bad thing to say about Mitsubishi and Panasonic heat pumps and those have been well-rated by readers in Consumer and Canstar surveys. I also seem to recall that you don't like Fujitsu, so that probably helps to narrow your choice a bit. With any kind of electrical device, especially one so closely tied with one's comfort, you'd want a wide and reliable distribution network plus a substantial manufacturer presence in case anything goes wrong. Speaking purely for myself, unless you are talking about a frightening cost discrepancy, I would personally never consider any brands that only have limited penetration.

SomeoneSomewhere

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# 2385624 5-Jan-2020 22:40

Toshiba and Carrier are in a joint venture. I'm not sure how similar they are under the hood. They're fairly major brands.

Some of the Mitsi units can be set to direct air both left and right.

bfginger

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# 2392244 14-Jan-2020 23:06

How big is the area you want to cool? Does it receive direct sunlight? Heat pumps are seldom rated for the same kW for both heating and cooling so I don't know which the "6kW" is for.

Carrier is only marketed for commercial applications in New Zealand so their local website doesn't list the specifications of the high wall units being sold here. I wouldn't buy a mystery product.

Were any quotes for an installation on a separate circuit? You don't want a big heat pump on the same circuit as high wattage kitchen devices like kettles.

One place quoted a 6KW and said they would place it in the lounge, the two others said they would put the heatpump in the bottom of the U which directly faces a wall! They are saying the cooling will just "split" and cool the "arms" of the U, though this would mean the kitchen would be cooled.

Some models have louvres that can be set to continuously move left and right or be directionally locked in place. It may not be as big of an issue as it sounds. Look at the prospective model's manual and remote control.

The fan on the Panasonic 6kw heating model is relatively powerful at a maximum of 332 litres/second.
https://www.panasonicaircon.co.nz/range/highwall/VKR-Series/cscu-z50vkr

Many models rated at above 6kW of heating are unable to drop down much below 2kW capacity meaning they'll power off and on more during times of low load. Other problems with big heat pumps can be noisy outdoors units and the inability to ramp down the indoors fan. So you need to check the specifications.