Does The EG4 Hybrid Solar Heat Pump Work At -17?

[@mikep95133]

Your reports are why I have this system now !! So far the coldest it has been out here in the NW Arizona desert at 3500 feet/1.0 km altitude, is 27F/-3C. Output temps were around 100F/37C, much like yours. Although we are very dry out here, so my unit has less of a load. I still have a pellet stove for backup. My math shows that this mini split should be less than half the operating cost of pellet fuel. We shall see.

[@offgridwanabe]

It will be interesting to see the comparison results as pellets are fairly expensive but great for backup.

[@mikep95133]

@@offgridwanabe You and me both !!!

[@andrewd.harris656]

I live in the depths of Mississippi, and it got down to 12 farenheit here last week. Ours worked great.

[@Scott-sm9nm]

That video was oustanding. Such a good job showing several examples AND showing the app values. So handy to see your math calcs giving some of your fixed values used.

[@TenaPhillips-h4d]

100 degrees from 0 temp outside is hind of amazing

[@ejennings98]

Very impressive! I do appreciate the cold weather performance video.

[@roadracer4life]

The defrost cycle video at the end was awesome. Great video.

[@rodneyhunt]

Nice how this thing works in the cold even though it is not rated for really low temps.

[@2009glories]

you should buy a unit rated for lower temps --some are able to withstand -22F but you have to check the ability to withstand temps because not ever heat pump is rated for the same temps ---some only for 40 Fahrenheit temps and will not work lower temps than that because they freeze up and stop working.

[@silverleapers]

Thanks! I'm getting one here in NL, Canada to heat a 53' reefer. Great info on your channel on this unit. Thanks!

[@SmitHVAC.]

Awesome! I have a discount code SMITHVAC when you go to make the purchase!

[@silverleapers]

@@SmitHVAC. Can I use the code in Canada, or just off the USA site for Signature Solar?

[@SmitHVAC.]

@@silverleapers Signature Solar site, they ship to Canada. signaturesolar.com/?ref=_KvVrzchAclARI

[@dnewf]

Newfoundland here as well. Is there any other suppliers in canada

[@silverleapers]

@@dnewf Yes, several, including direct from manufacturer and retail on-line. Check google. Not sure about dealers in NL (yet).

[@WattsMiner]

My unit runs awesome as well! It was 6f here in pa and my unit produces great heat at 1200w

[@johnmal5975]

Man this would be great for Florida. We get our cold snaps but nothing like you got up there. The ac and heat are one unit down here and heat part is crazy expensive to run. Most days here in Tampa we run heat in the morning and ac in the afternoon during January. Avg. temp is 72 in January our coldest month. We have not had a frost but were close during that cold snap last week. The summer which is 6-9 months long usually averages 92 during the day. We don't usually get 100 degree days here it will thunderstorm before that happens. If this thing can deal with high humidity its a win.

[@SmitHVAC.]

It would be perfect for Florida! It does pretty well with humidity, you can run a constant dehumidifier mode directly from solar

[@phxBird]

Great saving from previous year, I love my E4 1 ton for shed. Thinking about getting a 2 ton E4 to add to main living area of house to increase my energy credits I have for solar. Currently I have $223 credit from 2023 that give me 7 months no electricity bill which if I add the 2 ton E4 may give me 3 more months in solar credits to help with the hot summer months in Arizona. Have what you have outside a Gazebo like you do with solar panels on top besides what I already have existing for the house. On the house I have 52 panels at 265 watts, installed in 2016 and it works great in savings. Thanks again for a great educational video. 👍🏻

[@SmitHVAC.]

That's awesome!

[@zigavucic754]

It does have a "cranck case heater" but it uses inverter and internal compressor windings as a heater.When not in operation it gives some voltage to windings so it keeps compressor heated.Base pan heater is not affecting performance only drainage.

[@SmitHVAC.]

Yea. That's what I said in the last video

[@unhippy1]

I made a 'doghouse' for a friends offgrid solar heatpump that means when its running off the 2kw inverter generator at night all the heat from the generator cooling air and exhaust is being pulled thru the outdoor unit by the fan.....decreases how hard the heatpump has to work to heat the house, at -15c its normally using 600 - 800W depending on wind etc....with the generator adding heat to the air for the outdoor unit is it's 200 to 400W

[@SmitHVAC.]

That's interesting, my father in law tried something like that with his radon exhaust system but it had issues with moisture

[@unhippy1]

@@SmitHVAC. When i built it the intent was to only use the cooling air and to pipe the exhaust out of the airflow due to concerns about moisture in the exhaust freezing onto the fins in the outdoor unit.......have all bits to do that but the owner was curious as to how it would run without doing that.....did a full winter without causing any problems....heatpump did its defrost cycles as normal.

[@paulpurcell5658]

Very interesting, I want to obtain one of these, but the best i can do out here in Australia is 1500 dollars from eBay they seem to be a great unit. Paul

[@robbehr8806]

Thanks!

[@SmitHVAC.]

Thanks Rob!

[@PlumCrazyRob]

Nice video as always, just went thru -3F here, now i dont have to do any COP calcs, thx 👍 PS just went past 1 yr instl anniversary, app history only maintains 1 yr = rolling delete. Thought you might like to know, you said 1 yr coming up...

[@SmitHVAC.]

Oh interesting! I was wondering what woukd happen at the year mark

[@zia_kat]

thanks for the vid! this is impressive and i'm looking forward to getting one. just wondering- how many sq ft is your house?

[@SmitHVAC.]

Around 1300 sq ft, nothing crazy. Fairly well insulated too!

[@zia_kat]

@@SmitHVAC. thanks!

[@offgridwanabe]

Do you think locating the outside unit on the sun side and painting it black would increase the efficiency. You have proven the majority of heat pump haters completely wrong, I believe because the new heat pumps have a different refrigerant and technology. My GSHP is going great so far after 20 years it still runs.

[@SmitHVAC.]

I don't think the colour would affect it. It may bring a little more heat to the compressor/ circuit board cabinet but it wouldn't help the heat transfer through the coil

[@ibenglish]

Putting this exact model in my garage (650 sqft) in a year or so unless they come out with an upgraded model. I wish the bigger solar model would have a higher seer rating for when I put one in the house. 2100 sq foot ranch style and a bit concerned about how well it will do for my needs and may need 2 🤷‍♂. Any ideas for my future house project? A bit tired of the central air gas bill since I have electric on solar already. Awesome videos on this EG4 so thank you 👍🏻.

[@SmitHVAC.]

I'd start with a 24k and see how it does, you can always add another one. Seer rating doesn't mean too much if you're able to get a good chunk of the power from the sun!

[@ibenglish]

Man,that’s exactly what I was thinking of doing. Worst case is add a 12k in the back bedroom. Appreciate your advice thanks. 👍🏻@@SmitHVAC.

[@SmitHVAC.]

@@ibenglish Anytime! Use my code for an extra $50 off! SMITHVAC

[@tschuuuls486]

Does Panasonic sell the Heatcharge VZ9 (they have a longer convoluted model number but it contains VZ9) in the Canadian/US market? Those rock in colder climates and produce 7.8 (or 9.3kw on the VZ12) of heat with an really good COP.

[@SrStew]

Can you do the AC limiter on heat mode like you show in your other video so if its cloudy out you don't run your batteries down? On that note can it run only when it's sunny out also, that would be cool? I'd like to supplement the furnace but not draw down my limited winter battery charging.

[@SmitHVAC.]

If you disconnect it from the grid entirely you can have it turn on and off with the sun

[@leafnutz2341]

Great video, question for you. knowing what you know now. Would you choose the solar powered EG4 or would you choose a cold climate heat pump and simply power it with a hybrid inverter and let the inverter blend the solar and grid.

[@SmitHVAC.]

I think I'd still go with the EG4 Hybrid, I don't have the real estate for a large array. If I had a big solar setup and inverters already, or I had to use propane or oil as backup I would probably go with a cold climate pump

[@rrivard8636]

Hi! is there a Canadian seller? Or do you order in from the States?

[@SmitHVAC.]

@@rrivard8636 I buy my equipment from Signature Solar but I believe The cabin depot sells them in Canada

[@4Jeffv]

I have a 400sqft basement. I was thinking of getting this unit for it. It’s completely underground with 2” foam insulation on the concrete and floor. So the insulations is good. And it’s underground so the cold doesn’t get to it as much. Do you think that would work for me?

[@SmitHVAC.]

@@4Jeffv Absolutely, I'm thinking of doing one in my basement as well

[@slip0n0fall]

Is there a way to configure the EG4 to only heat when solar is above a certain threshold? Basically set/forget supplement off solar only (even if grid tied)?

[@SmitHVAC.]

Not at the moment. I feel like it would definitely be possible in an app update

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

That a nice output and cop. Sorry if I missed it before, but at what od temp does is stop producing 12,000 BTU’s?

[@SmitHVAC.]

I think it's limiting compressor speed at these cold temps, I can't get it to ramp up to 1200 watts in this weather so the output is reduced. Im going to look into that further when the weather warms up a bit

[@stephendiolallevi7282]

I’m really interested in getting one of these. What’s the square footage of your house that this unit is heating/cooling? Thanks.

[@SmitHVAC.]

About 1300 sq ft. They work great! No regrets.

[@jasonbroom7147]

Got the link to this from a short you put up? I have done the math on the EG4 hybrid solar mini-split and it just doesn't add up. If you have solar panels and an inverter already in your house, it's FAR less expensive to buy a normal mini-split to heat and cool your home. Buying a mini-split with its own on-board solar charge controller and inverter, built-in, makes the cost much higher. When the weather is mild, meaning you don't need much energy to heat or cool your home, the panels dedicated to that EG4 mini-split are basically providing no value. So, you paid extra for an expensive unit, then you get much lower year round efficiency from the panels you connected to it. You would have been much further ahead to add those panels to the array powering a larger inverter, then running a conventional mini-split from that. Is there something I'm missing?

[@SmitHVAC.]

I think you answered it yourself.. IF you have solar equipment already, any minisplit will do. If you just want to add or supplement heating and cooling without spending $10,000 on the necessary equipment, the EG4 is the cheapest way to get your foot in the door. This was my goal when I first got into solar and now I have a 6000xp and all the other equipment but most people don't have 10k to shell out when they just want to dip their toes in solar.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@SmitHVAC. I have several solar/inverter setups. I build LFP batteries from component parts. I have a total of four heat pumps, including a mini-split. I really like these types of technology, and will continue to implement more of them, because they are truly cost-effective. However, the ONLY place this particular EG4 hybrid mini-split makes sense (or cents) is for someone who doesn't have solar panels, an inverter and batteries, and never will. How many consumers fit that description, really? I suspect the answer is less than 5% of folks who own one of these units don't have "solar" and never plan to.

[@SmitHVAC.]

@jasonbroom7147 it's a stepping stone to more solar equipment for most people. 5% is wild estimation given the amount of sales they've already seen on these units. They were backordered several times last year because demand was so high. It obviously solves a problem for a lot of people.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@SmitHVAC. - I'm sure it does solve a problem for a lot of people. Whether or not it does so in a cost-effective manner is what I'm questioning...and I guess it rubs some folks the wrong way.

[@OffGridandOutdoors]

Did you get a room temp read from something other than the EG4s thermometer? I find it pretty off.

[@kensurratt3045]

i think he has a thermometer pushed in the unit. Think he uses it to see out put temp.

[@SmitHVAC.]

Yes I check it periodically and it's usually close. That corner of the kitchen will be 73 while the hall area is closer to 70 after running for a couple hours

[@richardduke6930]

Can a person just use grid electricity with this unit ? Or is the solar array required ?

[@SmitHVAC.]

Solar is not required, it just uses solar when its available

[@Ed123]

Very well explained operation of your system. Could you go a bit slower and more in detail through your calculation/conversion. Thanks.

[@SmitHVAC.]

Yes I can, I do have a more thorough video on that as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2SUnKhqfLKre9U

[@rade95]

what i want to know is how many indoor units can each outdoor unit drive? If its 1:1 thats terrible. i need 5 indoor units for my house and i want to do it using hybrid acdc system.

[@SmitHVAC.]

It's a $1300 heat pump, of course it's 1:1. Nobody offers a 5 head hybrid solar and if they did it would cost as much as a central system plus ductwork

[@dnewf]

I am in Newfoundland. Where did u buy ur mini split

[@SmitHVAC.]

signaturesolar.com/?ref=_KvVrzchAclARI

[@dnewf]

@@SmitHVAC. thank you

[@broniusale5987]

Do you trust factory CFM rating? Also it clogs up.

[@SmitHVAC.]

Yes, I have verified it with an anemometer in another video. Like anything else, they require basic maintenance.

[@sprockkets]

While your calculations are correct, the CFM might not be. Most mini splits I've come across will limit cfm at low temps if it is very cold outside, limiting heat output. I would verify with anemometer. I use Testo's probe since the app makes it easy to calculate. Your COP should be closer to 2, not 3. HVAC School's channel has a good video showing how to verify airflow with heat pumps. Also, I had a Daikin unit rated only to 5 F put out heat around -13 F. Not much, but it wasn't dead. IMO, unless your heat pump has a hot gas separator, like Gree and IIRC newest generation h2i Mitsubishi units, whatever money you save might go out the window because running a heat pump at anything below 0F starts to get really hard on the compressor.

[@SmitHVAC.]

I have verified the cfm with an anemometer in another video, it was within 6 cfm of the rated airflow

[@sprockkets]

@@SmitHVAC. that's pretty good then.

[@vica153]

75F haha are you in shorts+Tshirt? I guess when you're using 'green' energy it's ok.

[@JFabric500]

Insulate those valves

[@SmitHVAC.]

They're fine

[@spuriouseffect]

The only problem with heat pumps is that they use a crazy amount of energy when temperatures drop below freezing. For those on the grid natural gas is cheaper below freezing. You can't beat a heat pump above freezing though.

[@SmitHVAC.]

This one only costs me $1 per day around 20f. Gas would be cheaper if not for all the extra fees they add on.

[@spuriouseffect]

@@SmitHVAC. The smallest units might be able to get close to 30 dollars a month just below freezing in a very small house with a sweater on, but the size needed to heat a larger house to 72 can be closer to 300 dollars a month as temperature drop further below freezing.

[@SmitHVAC.]

@spuriouseffect my father in law has the 24k and it costs him about $3.25 a day. Gas is fairly economical in most places but if your stuck on propane or oil these heat pumps are an easy choice

[@spuriouseffect]

@@SmitHVAC. How far below freezing? Not at -17 C. No way is he getting 3.25 a day unless it's a tiny house.

[@SmitHVAC.]

That's a bold assumption without knowing the cost per Kw, let alone what country the house is in