Max distance between condenser and air handler?

[kwschumm]

I googled this briefly and didn't find an answer.

We're planning a new house. To reduce noise we'd like to have the outdoor condensing unit located at the end of the three car garage, about 45 feet away from the air handler.

Is that feasible? What is the downside?

Thanks!

 

[my02v6]

I believe the system you plan on installing will have specifications on the maximum lineset length, so you or the installer should reference that.

The other aspects would be increased cost of a longer lineset as well as the need for supplemental refrigerant since the capacity increases.

 

[Stuff]

Here is an example of Goodman's instructions:
https://www.alpinehomeair.com/related/Goodman R-410A Long Lineset Instructions 1.2012.pdf

 

[kwschumm]

Thanks guys, looks like it may be possible depending on the unit. As always, results depend on the installer knowing what the heck they are doing.

 

[dw1]

I googled this briefly and didn't find an answer.

We're planning a new house. To reduce noise we'd like to have the outdoor condensing unit located at the end of the three car garage, about 45 feet away from the air handler.

Is that feasible? What is the downside?

Thanks!

I replaced my furnace and outside condensing unit a couple years ago, my outside unit is right around the corner from our patio, less than 20' away, it has a variable speed condenser fan, compressor ect, I can hear it kick on, but you cant hear it run from our covered porch area. The one it replaced was at the other end of our house and you could hear it run. New High Efficiency units are pretty quiet

 

[yeldogt]

I would spend the money on better equipment and get comfort with quiet w/o having to run a long linset. - I can't tell mine are running in AC mode unless I look to see if the fan is running -- in HP they make some noise when it's 10 degrees out ... but not much. I'm also inside ...so I can't hear it.

 

[AndyCBR]

New High Efficiency units are pretty quiet

I wish my newish Trane XR16 was further away.

Unfortunately, some of the newer units are scroll compressors and "quiet" is not one of their strong points, especially the vibration in the walls from the linset. Additionally scroll compressors are famous for all types of noise upon shutdown, while normal, it is annoying.

The manufacturer should have limits and I suspect you can extend the limits by upsizing the linset diameter. More money, more refrigerant, but if you are in a climate where the A/C runs a lot I like your line of thinking.

 

[kwschumm]

We spend a lot of time in the backyard, either sitting on the patio or in the hot tub. The unit we have now is an older Trane located 15 feet away from the patio and is surrounded by a wood "good neighbor" fence enclosure. When it kicks on it drowns out conversations.

Somewhere I read a review from a guy who had a new Trane XV20i installed and he was complaining about the condenser noise.

Seems like it's a good idea to place it far away if it won't cause problems. It would probably need a 60 foot lineset, not sure if that is considered "long" by most technicians.

 

[Ohmthis]

You can definitely go over that distance. Is it 45' of lineset or 45' of floor distance? It's still ok, most have you upsize the lineset after/around 50'. I will state that most new condenser units are very quiet. But you know your tastes. Have you picked out a system yet?

 

[47WDXPW]

Isn't an insulation blanket for sound control available ?

 

[larry4406]

I have a 2-story house with attic (3rd story) under construction now that has Lennox heat pump for the attic and I am pretty certain that its line set is 50-60'.

 

[yeldogt]

I wish my newish Trane XR16 was further away.

Unfortunately, some of the newer units are scroll compressors and "quiet" is not one of their strong points, especially the vibration in the walls from the linset. Additionally scroll compressors are famous for all types of noise upon shutdown, while normal, it is annoying.

The manufacturer should have limits and I suspect you can extend the limits by upsizing the linset diameter. More money, more refrigerant, but if you are in a climate where the A/C runs a lot I like your line of thinking.

I think you have an installation problem - you shouldn't hear anything through the lines -- properly insulated with stand- offs stops any transmissions.

 

[yeldogt]

We spend a lot of time in the backyard, either sitting on the patio or in the hot tub. The unit we have now is an older Trane located 15 feet away from the patio and is surrounded by a wood "good neighbor" fence enclosure. When it kicks on it drowns out conversations.

Somewhere I read a review from a guy who had a new Trane XV20i installed and he was complaining about the condenser noise.

Seems like it's a good idea to place it far away if it won't cause problems. It would probably need a 60 foot lineset, not sure if that is considered "long" by most technicians.

Ask your installer if you can go and listen to a few of his new installs -- the better units are incredibly quiet. There is a penalty paid with longer line sets and they must be properly insulated ....

 

[Falcon67]

We have a fairly new Ruud 14 SEER heat pump system. The compressor unit is about 10' from the bedroom window. If it's all quiet in the house, you can hear it start up and the fan run but under normal circumstances - wife always has the tower fan running in the MBR - you can't hear it. It does not disturb us at night either.

 

[mrpizza]

I know Carrier's greenspeed model can have up to 200' of lineset. There are height restrictions and you need an LLSV with anything over 80'

 

[kwschumm]

You can definitely go over that distance. Is it 45' of lineset or 45' of floor distance? It's still ok, most have you upsize the lineset after/around 50'. I will state that most new condenser units are very quiet. But you know your tastes. Have you picked out a system yet?

Where I hope to put the condenser is about 45' of floor distance from air handler, which will be at the other end of the garage. Was thinking of a higher end Trane or American Standard, something with a variable speed compressor.

 

[dw1]

On my original system that was put in when we built the house, it had a 60' line set at the far end of the house (R22) when I replaced the system (R410A) it has about a 25' lineset
It was 23 Y.O when I replaced it, kept chasing leaks on outside unit, replaced it all.

 

[mrpizza]

Get the Trane, xv18 or xv20. 12 year compressor warranty.

 

[nh_yota]

A 45' horizontal run should not be a problem.

If you are concerned about noise, plant some hedges around the unit to baffle the sound, but don't plant them too close to the unit or else they will interfere with airflow and impede servicing of the unit.

Solid privacy fences tend to reflect or transfer the sound rather than baffle it, so just keep that in mind.