Oil/electric vs LP gas

[nhraracer90]

I have been looking at a 4-5ton self contained heat/ac until for my building. How well does LP gas work? The LP units have a much higher BTU for heat than the all electric ones. I have used oil furnaces in the past and am wondering how much LP is used vs an oil furnace.

 

[yeldogt]

LP works as well as NG ... by self contained .. are you speaking of a packaged unit?

Oil was all over the NE prior to NG pipes everywhere -- it's still used in more rural areas. Mostly in legacy applications. Oil was the only choice in many areas years ago. Propane is the preferred fuel for new installations.

 

[nhraracer90]

LP works as well as NG ... by self contained .. are you speaking of a packaged unit?

Oil was all over the NE prior to NG pipes everywhere -- it's still used in more rural areas. Mostly in legacy applications. Oil was the only choice in many areas years ago. Propane is the preferred fuel for new installations.

Okay. Yeah i am talking about a packaged unit i guess. The unit would sit outside by itself and the only think inside would be the duct work.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Package unit (aka PTAC) are notoriously INEFFICIENT ! They are cheap and easy to install which is why they are used in apartments and hotels. If one dies, the handyman swaps in a spare. When they run short of spares, the send the broken ones out for repair.

 

[mrpizza]

If the OP is talking about 4-5 ton units, then a PTAC is not what he is talking about. Normal package units can be had up to 16 SEER that I know of. Highest AFUE is 80% since the entire flue setup is outside, can't have it freezing up.

 

[yeldogt]

packaged units are not the norm around me -- they seem to fit well in more temperate climates and where AC is needed most of the year. Do they make oil packaged units ?

Obviously in commercial setting they are all over the place -- you do see see a lot of hack jobs down south using them

On the face of it they seem like a good idea -- everything self contained no playing with the line sets. I guess it's a case of the unit being outside in the cold weather -- and there is only so much insulation you can provide for both the unit and the ductwork.

I actually thought of getting a heat pump packaged unit for my studio -- since it basically one big space, The radiant would take care of it when it get real cold