FPH installation advice. What do you wish you knew before starting?

[riny]

I hope this is ok... I'm going to page some people that I know have FPH units installed: @drglanton, @newpoolj, @mcampa, @Belikin, @rparker901. Sorry if I missed anybody!

My FPH arrived today and I haven't even opened the box yet. I have an HVAC guy lined up to do the installation (third try, after two others flaked out) and I've already been prepping the plumbing and electrical. I'm hoping to get it installed in the next few weeks. Of course I've had a lot of back-and-forth with the friendly guy at Hotspot already.

Here's my question: at least a few of you have said that the HVAC side of the installation is complicated, but after getting it done, you could do another one much more quickly. So before I get started, is there any wisdom you can share? Anything I can tell my HVAC guy that you wish someone had told you up front? What problems did you encounter, stuff you had to do that wasn't in the book, etc?

I know a lot of people are curious about this so I'll be happy to post plenty of details once my installation is done. In the meantime, if you have any "I wish someone had told me this" type stuff, I hope you'll share it!

 

[drglanton]

So the directions and manual are not written for lay persons. They are written for an engineer and took a little time to figure out. Once I understood how an HVAX system works, it made plenty of sense.
1. Make sure you understand that you actually have to fill and eventually drain if necessary both sides of the system. (Side when when FPH is not active and Side two when system is active). Make sure you have a port on the side of the FPH for filling freon.
2. Make sure you joints are clear and free of leaks. I would have used more bending of pipes versus joints.
3. I positioned my unit on the wall behind my outside condenser at waist level for easy access. I am always manually touching the copper pipes to feel for heat to confirm if it’s working. (My personal pleasure abs double check)

Please feel free to ask any questions. It’s a great system and worth every penny. I have had some challenges, but I had the time and energy to figure them out. My pool sits at 87-89 regularly.

 

[riny]

So the directions and manual are not written for lay persons.

Forget lay persons. The manual isn't written for humans! I'm doing the electrical work myself (I have a lot of experience this area) and the wiring diagrams are incomplete, and really poorly drawn. I'm working through it though, and my HVAC guy is supposed to come by this weekend for some pre-game. I might poke you with his questions after that.

One thing I've noticed from installation photos I've seen: the finished product is a bit of an eyesore. The heat exchanger is actually pretty striking, but then you have the HRV just floating in space and a mess of copper going every which way. My AC equipment is pretty close to the pool and patio that we just spent a fortune on. Did you find a way to make it look clean in the end?

 

[drglanton]

Yes. If I had to do it again, it would look very neat and pretty. Lol. Mine Is in the other side of my house. So, I do not mind.

 

[newpoolj]

It took me a while to make sense of the diagrams and understand what all the lines did. Since the HVAC diagram doesn't reflect how things will be laid out in practice, I found it helpful to re-sketch the diagram to be a bit more lifelike, with the consdenser on one side and the FPH on the other with the valve in the middle. IMO, this more clearly shows the flow of things to and from the house, and between the different sides of the system.

 

[riny]

Thanks, that's a good idea. Granted I don't know a lot about the HVAC side of things but I'm finding the drawings to be pretty confusing.