• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

horizontal air handler in ceiling plenum

John shane

Registered User
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
12
Location
California
0*PW6TX4rzNLNPoXg1.jpg

THe architect of our project wants a horizontal air handler that runs on gas heating and electric cooling. Our Convenience store load is at 12 ton and since we only have single phase we designed it as three- 4 ton units. I specified carrier Forced air furnace and matched evap coil and condensing units.

The architect then tells us that he does not want the ones used for residentials and says please search for "horizontal air handler in ceiling plenum" and sent me this picture. I explained that the same configuration will happen with what we specified which will still be hung in the ceiling and the residential ones are not limited to residential and can be applied in commercial establishments. However they still dont want those units, does anyone know a commercial rated 4 ton furnace+split system that is not 3 phase?
 
John … tell the architect to specify the units. Sounds like he has a dream sheet, doesn't know the answer, and wants yo7 to do all the research. “Please search for” … no, you tell me what you want. Either that, or you (the archy) specify the performance goals and let me do the rest.
 
Unless they are heated with a package rooftop unit, "residential style" split systems are what I typically see used in smaller commercial establishments like this, often hanging above the ceiling. Used in convenience stores, retail stores, dental offices, restaurants, you name it. You might have a hard time finding a unit that doesn't look like a residential air handler at that size for anywhere close to a competitive price.....
 
0*PW6TX4rzNLNPoXg1.jpg

THe architect of our project wants a horizontal air handler that runs on gas heating and electric cooling. Our Convenience store load is at 12 ton and since we only have single phase we designed it as three- 4 ton units. I specified carrier Forced air furnace and matched evap coil and condensing units.

The architect then tells us that he does not want the ones used for residentials and says please search for "horizontal air handler in ceiling plenum" and sent me this picture. I explained that the same configuration will happen with what we specified which will still be hung in the ceiling and the residential ones are not limited to residential and can be applied in commercial establishments. However they still dont want those units, does anyone know a commercial rated 4 ton furnace+split system that is not 3 phase?
Your Architect should have engaged a Mechanical Engineer and not assigned the task to you.

I amassuming your gas fired heat is a condensing furnace that gets all the combustion air from outside, Also I am wondering how the outside air needed for people is being introduced ionto the COMERCIAL space.

A MechanicalEngineer will take these questions and develope a solution to your lackof a 3 phase electrical service
 
Top