Any HVAC experts? Please solve this riddle

[Dunder]

OK, so suppose that unbeknownst to the home owner (me), the outside breaker for the AC/heat pump was tripped. But the air handler was working fine. And by the way, this is a brand new system just installed 3 months ago. Also, the new WIFI thermostat that the homeowner had installed has an option that disables the system from ever using emergency heat, even if the heat pump is "broken" (literally the words on the app).

Now, with the above in place, and the thermostat set to heat the house to 72 degrees at wake up time and after work/school time, but drop back down to 68 in the away & sleeping hours.... How did the HVAC system manage to get the house back up to 72 degrees each & every morning & evening, even though I know for a fact it did drop the temperature during the away & sleeping hours? (although the system did stuggle mightily to get & keep the house warm, and it used TONS of electricity).

Also, even thought I had emergency heat disabled on the app, I was constantly checking the thermostat on the wall to make sure emergency heat wasn't on, and it never was.

How did my house get warm each & every day? Go!

 

[Gator515151]

I'm not an A/C guy but it sounds to me like with the breaker off outside your unit was automatically switching to the emergency heat strip even though it was not turned on. It would act more like a furnace and use a lot more electricity. Not sure if that is how it is supposed to work but I bet that is what was happening.

 

[Dunder]

I'm not an A/C guy but it sounds to me like with the breaker off outside your unit was automatically switching to the emergency heat strip even though it was not turned on. It would act more like a furnace and use a lot more electricity. Not sure if that is how it is supposed to work but I bet that is what was happening.

That's about the only explanation I have as well, although it makes the setting on the app seem very misleading. Also, if the damn thermostat had said emergency heat was on, I would have went outside & checked if the heat pump was running. Ugh!!!

 

[crosscreekcooter]

@Dunder

The heat strips are in the air handler. The condenser and airhandler are on different circuits and can run run independent of each other. The outside breaker you speak of is a fusible disconnect. Why is it off? There is also one at the airhandler. Without understanding more, sounds to me like the wifi thingy is wacko. @grengadgy is a master electrican maybe he will weigh in.

 

[Dunder]

@Dunder

The heat strips are in the air handler. The condenser and airhandler are on different circuits and can run run independent of each other. The outside breaker you speak of is a fusible disconnect. Why is it off? There is also one at the airhandler. Without understanding more, sounds to me like the wifi thingy is wacko. @grengadgy is a master electrican maybe he will weigh in.

The outside breaker tripped. I suspect it tripped when JEA installed a new electric meter & the power surged when they turned it back on. Either that, or the installer of the new meter flipped the breaker off & then failed to turn it on.

How ever the breaker got tripped, it cost me a lot of money on my next electric bill.

 

[Dunder]

@Dunder

The heat strips are in the air handler. The condenser and airhandler are on different circuits and can run run independent of each other. The outside breaker you speak of is a fusible disconnect. Why is it off? There is also one at the airhandler. Without understanding more, sounds to me like the wifi thingy is wacko. @grengadgy is a master electrican maybe he will weigh in.

Yes, I understand that the strips & heat pump are independent. But the heat strips should have been unable to activate based on the setting of the thermostat. Also, the thermostat never indicated emergency heat was being used. The only time it did indicate it was when I turned off that setting on the app. Then it did say emergency heat was being used, for one minute until I disabled it again on the app.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

Why did JEA replace the house meter? Are you requesting a refund for electrical usage?

 

[Dunder]

Why did JEA replace the house meter? Are you requesting a refund for electrical usage?

They are replacing them all around town, has something to do with better communication during power outages like recent hurricanes. Funny thing is, for both of the last 2 big hurricanes that went through, my street only lost power for a few hours each time.

JEA would laugh at me if I requested a refund.

 

[Dunder]

I'm a master baiter and not a master electrician . :)

In an AC you have aux heatstrips and emer. heatstrips. If your heatpump can't achive the TS setpoint then the aux heatsrips will turn on and try to to achieve the set point. The emer heatstrips is the extra setting on your thermostat that is independent of your heatpump but will turn on if the heatpump and aux heatstrips can't reach setpoint. Your app defeated the emer heatstrips but not the aux heatstrips. Now this is old school but I think that it's still done like this in some way.

I hope that this is plain to as it is to me...

Got it, thank you! Most people, including me, thought aux & emergency heat strips were one in the same.

 

[CGgater]

I always associated the outside unit with A/C only. Do I have that wrong?

 

[CGgater]

on a heatpump, yes, in simple terms, the coil inside changes functions with the coil outside by way of a reversing valve in the outside unit. You extract heat from the outside or from the inside/ winter vs summer.
With a oil fired system for example , you are right.

Thanks. CG has taken me to colder climates. Haven’t dealt with a heat pump in forever.

Actually, never really “dealt” with a heat pump. Knew a little about them, but clearly not enough.

 

[CGgater]

A heatpump is very inefficient when it's colder than 45 degrees they claim so you don't see them much in colder climates.

Even in the VA Beach area, they’re pretty rare. Most homes are natural gas heat. OH, MI or MA? Zero chance for a heat pump.

 

[Gator515151]

Got it, thank you! Most people, including me, thought aux & emergency heat strips were one in the same.

In my defense I was a GC we rely on Master Electricians, Plumbers and AC people for the technical chit. Actually after 8 years of losing money I shut down my GC business and became a county inspector because like they say...."those who can't do inspect".