For the Technician: IceCOLD Effects and Considerations

Q.  How does the stuff work?
A. We are all perhaps aware of the claims, that IceCOLD improves performance while reducing power consumption.  In the last ten months and through 35 trials to date at diverse testing sites, we are beginning to see developing patterns.  In each case, and beginning as early as the moment of installation, compressor current drops.  In a few cases, the drop is close to 20% but at a minimum we see 7-9%.  In quite a few cases, the effect takes over 60 days to reach its maximum.   We have been able to statistically parse out the effect of improved condenser capacity from reduced compressor friction.  We did this by measuring performance in systems with "flooded condenser" systems.  Data was collected over a variety of conditions both above and below the (average) 52 deg temperature when device begins to close.  In this case, the controls completely eliminate any improvement in condenser capacity by adding more liquid refrigerant to the condenser and thereby keeping head pressure constant regardless of temperature.  Therefore, at these temperatures, any recorded drop in compressor current would be solely attributable to the action of the product's catalyst on the oil.

A second property of IceCOLD is the catalyst that reduces or removes oil fouling, the sticky globs lining the interior walls of both coils and the tubing itself.  ASHRAE acknowledges the impact of the problem and predicts that, over time, the effect can cut 30% off the system's efficiency.  In the field, we see an immediate reaction as the catalysts are installed.  Compressors equipped with with an oil sight glass quickly show increased oil levels and the pale yellow color disappears from the refrigerant sight glass.

   Since the oil sticking to the interior of the system may have trapped manufacturing debris, there is a concern.  All this crud will start moving within the system and sooner or later will end up in a filter drier.  If the original drier was undersized it may become restricted and will have to be changed.  This is not a big concern, but it does occur in about 3% of IceCOLD installations.  It has not been a problem in any installations where the original drier was sized correctly.

   The third effect is a reduction in refrigerant evaporating temperature.  We tested for that effect by placing thermistors directly into a refrigeration evaporator at random points. The particular coil was operating at 15 degrees delta T and the drop in temperature was 1.8 degrees immediately, a 12% increase in coil capacity.  A current test will use extremely low mass thermocouples in an attempt to further understand this action of IceCOLD.

Air Conditioner Test with IceCOLD Reveals Higher Efficiency, Higher Capacity and Lower Humidity - Remarkable!

   In a series of tests lasting 71 days, this couple achieved their goals with IceCOLD catalysts improving all aspects of their cooling system's performance.  We will call them Cole and Donna.  Cole had read of IceCOLD and wanted to see how it would work in his Topeka home.  As a mechanical engineering graduate from Kansas State, the best kind, he understood the underlying processes, but wanted to try it for himself.

  Humidity - As the testing began we not only noticed, but Donna pointed out, the high humidity in the home.  We saw that it was well over 60%.  When we returned two months later, we verified humidity levels in the home had dropped well into the low 40% range.

  Efficiency - During initial testing we found the compressor's gross efficiency at 90 degrees to be 9.6 EER.  As testing was concluded, the efficiency was measured at 12.6 EER.  This is an impressive gain of 31%.

  Capacity - The nine year old unit was observed to have a dry bulb capacity of 43,000 Btu at the same 90 degrees.  At the time of our follow-up testing, the capacity had increased to 53,000 Btu.  This is a gain of 23%.

 

More Results from the DeSoto Pizza Hut

   In our earlier post we noted immediate performance gains as IceCOLD was installed of 7% reduction in compressor power and a 24% reduction in compressor running times.  We promised additional results as the testing was completed.

   For this part of the data analysis, we used a statistical method called a "scatter diagram."  With this, the entire test data set of over 13,000 individual data points was placed into two pools, one before and one after the installation.  Each of these data pools was independently charted with compressor / condenser amps and outdoor temperatures.  These are presented here:

 Both graphs use linear regression analysis on the plot of data gathered.  The first gives us a formula:  Amps = 0.029 Temp + 4.0567.  The slope of the line (.029 in the pre-test) is the rate of increase in compressor Amps per degree Fahrenheit.  The R2 value is a measure of confidence, the "regularity or dependability" of the data.

   The second graph is data immediately following the installation of IceCOLD.  The data shows a different lower slope of 0.0225.  This is a "flatter" graph indicating lower power consumption at all temperatures.  

   This represents a 9% reduction in condensing unit power per minute at the temperatures present during the period.  The IceCOLD did not reduce cycle lengths below 50 degrees outside.  We expected this effect.  The absence of "flooded condenser control" in the condensing unit means that normal unit capacity is reduced during cool weather.  Above 50 degrees, the impact of the product was pronounced.  At 70 degrees outdoors, the compressor cycle length was cut by and average of 17%. At 80 and above, the reduction was above 20%.

    The important result is that the initial results were verified in a full-length test.  The noticeably quieter compressor operation continued from the moment of installation to the full length of the testing.  The initial finding of a overall power saving of 30% was confirmed for the full test period and at all temperatures available during the testing.

Scotsman Ice Maker Test at Golden Pizza

More Ice and Lower Costs

    Golden Pizza will produce a lot more ice to use and to sell and still pay a lot less for the power to make ice.  They bag their extra ice for customers and save some back for major holidays like the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.  

    Golden Pizza graciously allowed a test of their ice maker at the Meriden, KS store. The "subject" is a twelve year-old machine which is considered "elderly" in the world of ice makers.  The reason I wanted to do this was that, unlike many other ways that IceCOLD can be tested, it offers a well-controlled environment with fewer uncontrolled variables.  No, the real reason is that their pepperoni pizza with onions and green peppers is just delicious!

    The results were consistent with our expectations for IceCOLD.  We found significantly higher ice production because the machine made it faster and harvested it faster.  The cycle time was reduced and production increased by 15% while power was reduced by 21%.  Steve can sell an additional 8+ bags per day for an annual revenue increase of $3,000.  Even with this extra ice,  he will still save $500 for electricity each year.  

     Taken differently, if Steve does not sell any ice, he will still be way ahead.  If he uses 500 pounds a day, he still saves $600 per year on electricity.  Either way, Steve has himself a winner.

Major University Confirms IceCOLD Performance Gains

Stillwater, OK March 2014

      In a ground-breaking study of a ground-source heat pump by Oklahoma State University, IceCOLD catalysts installed immediately increased heat flow by 24.3%.  The data was recorded by Bill Holloway, a senior research engineer at the University.  The subject of the test was a 3 ton Climate Master ground source heat pump.  The system was monitored for 19 days before IceCOLD was installed and 11 days afterward.  

   

        

     This is just a portion, view the full report: OSU Heat Pump Study Results

   

   We are hoping to see more of this fine work from Oklahoma State.

The Story of the Skeptical Brothers

Even the Most Jaded Engineers Can Become Fond of "Snake Oil"

   There are some risks of writing about a product as revolutionary as IceCOLD.  Those of us who follow and write about the product get branded as crackpots.  I wrote a couple of responses on a commonly-visited site where HVAC techs talk about their experiences and share ideas.  Two of them were complaining about the claims of success by other IceCOLD fans.  Stupidly, I answered their questions with a few well-documented facts.  Their huge, bold responses were "BS", "BS" and I got banished from the site.  

   This also happens in one's own family.  Mark 6:4  Jesus said, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."  Total strangers can accept this kind of news but someone closer to us is more dubious. My competitor and dear friend Kevin Wheeler with Aire Serv has been the one actually selling IceCOLD and installing it locally.  His brothers are pretty sure all this IceCOLD stuff is some kind of scam. Brother Sean does have a very nice 18 SEER, 2-stage R-410a system, so he's able to accept some new ideas.  But Sean in Tennessee and Tim in Missouri have been telling Kevin that all this IceCOLD stuff is BS and it cannot work.  This weekend he traveled to Tennessee and to install the catalysts into one brother's Goodman heat pump and back through Missouri to treat the other brother's two air conditioners.  Both his brothers are those "been there, done that, got the T-shirt" guys who have seen enough foolishness in this business to be skeptical of any new product and new claims.  

   It was worth a weekend road trip for Kevin and his bride to teach the brothers a lesson about a technology a bit different than what they already know.  Saturday was Sean's installation day.  Kevin and I had already noticed a drop in compressor noise at installation and Kevin was prepared to document that effect.  He noted a drop from 76dB to 71dB at installation. The effects were immediate.  Kevin and Sean recorded the following:

       Outdoor ambient: 56 degF   Return air 70 degF throughout

                    Pre-test           Post-test

                   Low     High        Low    High

Supply Air         84       92         89      97

Outdoor leaving    51                  49

Compressor Amps    6.6      7.8        5.3     6.5

Discharge Line     91       99         97     110

Discharge Press   290                 300

Liquid Line        88       89         88      87

Suction Press     135                 135

   This translates into a 35% increase in heating capacity on low and a 23% increase on high.  The power dropped by 19% on low and 16% on high.  Predictably, Kevin and Sean both got on the phone to Tim with the good news.  Equally predictably, the Missouri "show-me-state" guy was unimpressed.  He vowed that his results would be different because he would turn off the electric heaters messing up the other brother's test data.

    We can assume that Tim will be a convert quite shortly.  
UPDATE:  
    So Sunday night Tim got IceCOLD in both of his air conditioners.  Granted it was a bit cool in eastern Missouri, but the effects were equally impressive in cooling as Sean's were in heating. Tim's two air conditioners were blowing 43 degrees and 41 degrees respectively.  The power on the 2 1/2 ton dropped by 1.1 Amp and the 3 1/2 dropped 1.3 Amps.  Now, he's as excited to start saving on his utility bills as other brother Sean is.  
EPILOGUE:
     Kevin writes April 21:  "I spoke with my Tennessee brother about the performance of his heat pump after the installation of IceCOLD. (going on 3rd week) 
My brother notices the unit actually shutting off (being satisfied quicker)...and his subsequent defrost time is CONSIDERABLY less. In addition, because of the shorter run times, frost is NOT accumulating like before. 
My brother disconnected his heat strips to ensure we only have pure heat pump data. He is no longer skeptical. HE IS A BELIEVER!! "
EPILOGUE II:
     With warm weather finally arriving in Kansas, Kevin installs IceCOLD in his own home today in his 7 year-old Rheem 2 1/2 ton AC. 
      Outdoor ambient: 67 degF   Return air 71 degF throughout

                    Pre-test           Post-test

                   

Supply Air             51                 47

Outdoor leaving        79                 81

Compressor Amps       6.79               6.45

Suction Press          62                 60

Suction Line Temp      55                 53
Liquid Press           155                150

Liquid Line Temp       62                 64 

dB Level               95                 91
On Time/Off Time(%) 7:51/9:17 (45%)    6:44/10:36 (39%)
Amperage Reduction  5%
Run Time Reduction  13%
Capacity Increase   20%
Heat Rejection Incr 17%

Pizza Hut Testing Confirms Performance Gains

         Test Shows 31% Savings in Walk In Cooler

   We confirmed significantly shorter compressor run-times AND reduced compressor current draw.  The just-completed testing followed compressor power, indoor temperature and humidity and outdoor temperatures. The chart below tracks outdoor temperature, cooler temperature and compressor amps immediately before and after IceCOLD installation.  The vertical green line represents the moment the catalysts were injected into the system.  The chart clearly shows the reduced compressor power and the shortened running times beginning very shortly after testing.

  Compressor power was reduced by just over 7% and running times were reduced 24%.  This mirrors quite well our testing at Golden Corral last fall.  Like the prior test, we were able to eliminate the variables relating to cooler usage.  

    

  We can see clearly how the product works its way through the system and how performance continues to improve over time.  In subsequent posts we will look later into the testing period to see how long it takes for the full benefits to show up.  

Electric Heat Pump Now Challenges "Cheap" Natural Gas

The evidence is now in, the data appears complete.  An efficient heat pump with IceCOLD catalysts may well beat the cost of heating with natural gas and beat it badly.  The Goodman facility will cut their heating costs by nearly 30% by using their 16 SEER heat pump instead of natural gas.    

      We saw sharply higher heating capacity after the installation of the IceCOLD.  These effects continued well into the ranges of outside temperatures where heat pumps have traditionally been turned off in favor of other forms of heating such as propane or natural gas.  The term "hybrid heat pump" has come to mean a system whereby we use the advantages of cheap heat pump operation at warmer temperatures where the heat pump is known to do so well.  Then, at some point as temperatures fall, we shift the heating chore to a more conventional heating source.  

     In this market, our electricity is $ 0.111 per kWh and natural gas $10.60 per mcf ($0.037 per kWh.)  At this level, even a very good heat pump "balances" with natural gas at about +44 degrees outside.  Below this, the furnace is relied upon and the heat pump waits patiently for spring.  The heat pump is useful only on the warmest winter days and is used mostly for fall and spring weather. 

     However, with the IceCOLD catalysts installed, the nominal 60,000 Btuh (17 kW) system capacity was observed to maintain that capacity down from the 47 degree rating point to below 35 degrees.  Increased capacity remained available throughout all temperature ranges although it was most noticeable at temperatures below +11F (-11C).  While capacity was increased, so was efficiency.  The system's COP remained above the natural gas balance value (about 3) down into the low twenties.  This means that the gas furnace is unnecessary for primary heating needs in much of our "normal" winter climate.   

      The chart compares test results with the published Goodman data on this combination of furnace, coil and outdoor unit.  Based on a "standard" winter weather profile and the results of this test, the combination of this heat pump and IceCOLD will reduce the facility's heating costs from $863 to about $600.  These results were so startling as the test was being completed that we were forced to re-examine everything about the testing, the equipment and even our methods and calculations.  We were seeing Stage II low temperature performance that challenged credulity.  We knew from earlier testing that the effects of the catalysts would stretch system capacity and therefore efficiency as entering evaporator temperatures fell and as condenser temperatures rose.  We will challenge these results with new trials next winter and we suggest others do the same.

Goodman Heat Pump Test Proves Huge Savings - Startling!

     The Goodman heat pump test proves very convincingly that IceCOLD will revolutionize thinking about heat pumps.  After a 65 day test, the results are now in; our first look gives results even more exciting than our most optimistic expectations.

     In a preliminary post, we noted that IceCOLD was improving low temperature performance and those improvements got better as it got colder outside.  While this was expected, we were short-sighted and cut off the testing at +5 degrees outdoors.  During the last cold snap, we saw temperatures to -3 degrees and got huge results.  The catalysts greatly improved coil performance and system capacity so that the system continued delivering very warm air (108 deg F) down to the very limit of the testing. Prior to the installation,  the system achieved 108F only down to + 17 deg F outdoor temperature.

   The benefit of this increased heating capacity will be huge in climates where these temperatures are common.  In this part of Kansas, we have 550 annual hours of heating at 17 degrees and below and a heat pump must supplement its capacity with more expensive means.  We call this the thermal balance point.  Lowering the balance point to -3 means that only 23 hours of annual supplemented heating, a reduction of 96% in this expensive heat.

   The thermal balance point at Goodman's facility was demonstrated to be +6 prior to product installation and was below the limits of the temperatures available after the test.  No supplemental heating was needed after the installation of IceCOLD.  Rather, the system was still cycling between stage I and stage II at -3 degrees Fahrenheit.

   As you can see from the chart above, the installation of IceCOLD improved capacity for both stage I and stage II operation, extending the usefulness of the heat pump to colder weather conditions.   Because the testing was carried out in actual field conditions, not all combinations of staging and ambient conditions could be tested.  As an example, there was not sufficient data during the pre-test period to study system capacity at low stage below +11 degrees F.  The system did not operate long enough in that mode to establish a stable data set.  

   This test was conducted with field grade data logging equipment that was verified both before and after the testing period.  We attempted at each point to be certain that the data set was solid and that all independent variables were eliminated.  Nonetheless, we find the results so startling that we encourage and even insist that other researchers conduct their own test and even to challenge these results.  We will continue this series and post all results promptly.

Pizza Hut Study in Nebraska City - Better than expected!

    A follow-up analysis of the data from the Pizza Hut study has suggested a far better result than was found earlier.  Based on some rather limited data we noted a 24% reduction in power consumption following the installation.  The original IceCOLD test was done using traditional cooling degree day analysis.  In an earlier post we discussed the short-comings of that technique.  We were startled to see that the product appeared to give very mixed results.  At first glance, the product gave modest savings when installed in one system, yet in the other it did not.  The preliminary data suggested that the dining room system cost more to run following the installation.  Looking further at the data, we noted that the air conditioner appeared to run full-blast at night but never during the day.  This was certainly counter intuitive.

    Doing some simple pattern analysis, we discovered that the data appeared to be "shifted" by about 36 hours.  Data loggers synchronize their time with a computer when given the opportunity but something went very wrong in the process.  We created graphs of local temperature records and actual power consumption and manually shifted the two to evenly overlay each other.  No explanation is given as to how this shift might have occurred.

    Regrettably, because of the limitations of the original testing protocol, we retrieved useful data for just one day.  The purpose of this blog and this post is to "raise the bar" in testing procedures. Customers deserve to know that they are getting the results they expect.

Alternative IceCOLD Testing Strategies - The Case for Enhanced Data

     As an investigator looking into the usefulness of IceCOLD for increasing performance and reducing costs of refrigeration and air conditioning, we have learned the hard way to wary of unplanned variables.  Twice, we have even "tested the testing" trying out different logging strategies to find consistent pre-test data that is likely to remain consistent throughout the entire testing period.

    Sometimes, variables creep in that were entirely unplanned.  At the Golden Corral test, we understood that human activity (going in and out of the coolers) would be a difficult variable to track.  Therefore, total power use could vary independently of tracked variables like outdoor temperature.  We hoped that tracking coil temperatures would allow us to demonstrate the usefulness of the product regardless of how the cooler was used.  

    Thankfully, this did work.  We saw the type of benefits we expected even though the Thanksgiving week fell in the middle of the test.  Coil capacity increased remarkably as we hoped and cycle lengths were reduced as well as compressor starts.  

    Had we relied on the traditional cooling degree day methods, we would not have been able to account for the vastly different usage patterns we found in this establishment.  The customer deserves to see what results he is getting and know just how well that the product is working for him.  Enhanced data was the answer!

     Regardless of what applies in the rest of life, in data-logging there is no such thing as too much information.  Unless someone has done the exact same type of testing many times before, you can never have too much data.  As of right now, every investigation we have been involved in had surprises.  To provide the customer with the best value, we need the best data.

    The Nebraska City Pizza Hut test illustrates this well.  During the study, the data loggers were not "synchronized."  The internal timing of the loggers was incorrect and the data appeared to be useless.  This researcher noted that power and temperature data was "off" by about 36 hours.  Simply, the higher power consumption times occurred in the middle of the night and peak temperature times had lower power consumption.  We did not give up when this became obvious.

    We took some liberty with the data and shifted the times so higher temperatures corresponded with higher power consumption.  Indeed, the curves match rather well.  To get all the details of the Pizza Hut test we invite you to read that post.

Goodman Heat Pump Test Produces Dramatic Results

   IceCOLD may be poised to revolutionize the heating industry.  It is showing much greater performance gains when installed in heat pumps than had been predicted.  Recent testing at the Goodman facility in Topeka has shown eye-popping gains in heat pump performance that go far beyond any expectations.  The system at Goodman delivered increased heating capacity and those gains are greater as the weather gets colder.  From 37 degrees outdoors down to 11 degrees, the gains improved from 2.5% up to 80% in stage I operation. When operating in stage II, the gains ranged up to 50%.   Below 10 degrees, the treated heat pump was producing approximately double the heat that it did prior to IceCOLD.  The colder it gets, the better it works.

   The impact of these finding is huge because it is in this temperature range that expensive supplemental heating is required.  Reducing or eliminating this need will dramatically decrease customer's electric costs.

    Early testing on IceCOLD has shown considerable improvement in evaporator performance. When this technology is applied to heat pumps operating on cold climates, the evidence suggests that heat pumps could produce more heating capacity in cold weather than untreated equipment. Our testing was designed to identify any such gains and to quantify that improvement.  This test strongly suggests that further testing will be required.

    Our testing protocols did not anticipate this type of gains and, as such, we cut off the heat pump at +5 degrees F.  Weather was available for testing at -10 degrees, but we were not prepared for that possibility.  The results suggest that the improvements we found will be available at much lower temperatures.  Further testing at a similar facility next season will be necessary because pre-testing electrical data will be inconclusive.  We noted and corrected a manufacturing defect during the test that invalidates all electrical measurements prior to that discovery.  Post test electrical data is not compromised, however.

    Given this, we DO believe our findings are validated by the very close way test data mirrored available specifications for this piece of equipment.

Cooling Degree Day Normalization

    The concept of cooling degree day (CDD) normalization is used by utilities and energy auditors to compare one year to another and one geographic area to another.  It is a "low precision" tool but it does have a place in such use.  It is based on a very simple calculation for each day.  The highest temperature and the lowest temperature for a given day are averaged and 65 degrees is subtracted from the result.

     The number cannot be negative. As an example, a day with a high of 95 and a low of 75 is averaged to 85 degrees.  Then 65 is subtracted from 85 and the result is 20 degrees for this individual day.  The individual days are added and each week, month and season "earns" a total number of cooling degree days.

     Over the course of an entire season, using CDD normalization for comparing residential air conditioning strategies has some merit.  For example, a given summer "earns" 2,000 CDDs while we are using air conditioning strategy A.  The next summer earns 2,500 CDDs while we use strategy B.  The CDD technique says the second summer had 500 more cooling degree days; it was 500 divided by 2,000 times 100% or 25% warmer and under "normal" conditions we should use 25% more energy if all other factors are equal.  If strategy B in the second year gives a result that increases costs by less than the 25% increase in CDDs, it can be assumed to have saved energy and that strategy is assumed to have merit. 

    So far, so good!  But here is where things do not work so well.  We recently saw a test from a Nebraska Pizza Hut and the tests were normalized using CDDs.  The week before the test was quite warm and after IceCOLD was installed the weather got cooler.  Using CDD normalization technology, the surveyor got no meaningful results for one of the two AC units.  The indication was that IceCOLD did not work in one system but did work in another.  The problem was not the product but the testing. Cooling degree days use a baseline of 65 degrees. The assumption is that little or no cooling is required below 65.  In a Pizza Hut it certainly is.

    Reviewing the data we saw that a considerable amount of cooling was required below 65 and at temperatures down to the lowest available during the test.  Nonetheless, three of the five days of the testing after installation, "post-test," earned no degree days at all.  The daily average for these days was below 65 degrees.  A far more realistic concept for commercial air conditioning is "growing degree days" (GDD.)  This technique uses a base temperature of 50 degrees and GDD information is readily available.  At this restaurant, even this did not work, two of the five days in the post-test period earned no GDDs, either.

    The Pizza Hut trial demonstrates the short-comings of CDD or even GDD techniques for very short tests like this one.  Even using GDDs, there were two days where the cooling ran, but no "DDs" were earned.  The greatest concern about any such technology is that neither gives us real information about anything but the "relative" warmth of the weather.  As an example, let's create an imaginary day with very high humidity that has a low of 75 degrees in the morning and it warms to 90 in the afternoon.  About closing time a storm moves in and the temperature drops to 60 degrees outside.  This day earns 15 degree days just like a much milder day that never got hot or humid.  Nothing so far reveals why one of the units used more power after the installation than it did before.  Any normalization insists that it was cooler, regardless of how it is calculated.

    There are other techniques that do give us reliable information.  In our next post we will discuss alternatives to cooling degree day normalization and whether there may other ways to look at IceCOLD and get meaningful data.  We will look again at this Pizza Hut with a very different approach.  HINT: It's GOOD

Golden Corral Refrigeration Study

 
   The Topeka Golden Corral announced in the fall of 2013 that they will install Ice COLD in all their cooling and refrigeration systems.  That decision was made at the end of the last cooling season and the plan is to install the product in all systems as soon as the spring of 2014 weather warms enough to allow adequate pre-installation testing. The refrigeration systems, however, allow us to do some important research with Ice COLD prior to the warm weather air conditioning season.  This series of tests is taking the research in a very different direction and we needed to test new protocols and techniques. 

  In prior testing, the results always showed significant savings in electrical costs after the installation of Ice COLD, but some important questions remain such as exactly how the product interacts with the system and how each of the three components work in concert.  The really valuable part of the test is that refrigeration systems actively control head pressure independent of outside temperature and any benefits of the product in the condenser.  Thus, we are able to identify the increase in evaporator capacity (12%) and the reduction in compressor running time of 21% after Ice COLD installation.

    Subsequent testing later in the spring of 2014 will involve an additional cooler and bring more details into the testing.  We have learned what testing strategies give meaningful results. Specifically, we know that Ice COLD results are measured in hours, not weeks and a shorter data logger recording interval will allow us to achieve greater precision.  For this next test, we will record temperatures and Amperes at one minute intervals.  We will be able to look more closely at the rates of temperature change in the evaporator and condenser both before and after product installation.

 

 

Goodman Heat Pump Study Project

  The good folks who bring us IceCOLD have said how powerful it is and how it well it works with heat pumps.  Well, San Antonio may be good place to make salsa, but it is a lousy place to really check out a heat pump system (in heating, that is.)  I got pretty excited when the local Goodman branch said "come on, give us a test."
  The "subject" is a 5 ton single phase 16 SEER two-stage with communicating thermostat and two-stage 95% furnace.  Oddly, it never had been set up to even read outdoor temperature and therefore had never been used in heating.  While setting it up, I noticed a severe refrigerant leak at the indoor expansion valve and took care of that.  It would be just "wrong" if Goodman got the idea that Ice COLD made the system leak.  We take care of this little stuff before we begin any testing.
  We saw the results from another test where the oil in the evaporator immediately returned from the evaporator to the compressor and how well it improved evaporator capacity.  Thinking this effect would be wonderful in a heat pump as it gets really cold, I could imagine that the system would enjoy a boost in capacity, especially when it gets really cold.
  Long story, short, it DID.  Below about 25 degrees outside, the system running times became noticeably shorter after the product was installed.

  This can be a big deal for heat pump customers who have expensive supplemental or standby heating.  We found that IceCOLD at Goodman lowered the point where additional heat is needed by about 10 degrees.  With rising electrical rates and skyrocketing LP prices, this is a very big deal.

We will do additional low temperature research to support these conclusions.  This could revolutionize our current marketing strategies.