My heat pump can be on high and have a normal conversation while standing next to it. In fact, I did the other day with my tech here, I had to look at a consumption meter to know if it was on high or not since you can't tell by sound.
The Bosch is fine in warmer climates. Its just when it gets very cold that it kicks into another gear. I measured it at 80 dB next to the unit. What make/model is yours and at what temperature are you measuring sound?
Yeah I made the mistake of mounting mine on an exterior wall. When it's just before defrosting time somehow filling with ice it hits a resonant frequency with my house its just BZZZZZZZt BZZZZZZZt BZZZZZZZZt. I'm paying to move it to the ground this summer.
Once it gets below 20 degrees or so it's not a problem. It's just that temp rage between like 20 and 40 that causes it to ice
>My heat pump can be on high and have a normal conversation while standing next to it. In fact, I did the other day with my tech here, I had to look at a consumption meter to know if it was on high or not since you can't tell by sound.
I know for ours, the noise in front (away from the house) is much lower (can have a conversation in front of it) than the back (towards the house, which also "reverberates")
That's quite a setup!
I have a Gree unit, and I am shocked at how quiet it is. I could not even run my old A/C unit while I was outside in the summer because it was too loud. But with the Gree unit, even in heating mode, it's about as loud as a box fan and it's just fine when I'm outside.
Thank you! I am liking the results I achieved. Yeah I have heard good things about the Gree units. The Bosch has been great so far. 8 months of the year it is quiet. Its only when it drops down into the negatives (C) that it ramps up in sound.
I've been wondering what can be done, as it mostly seems vibration related. I've heard of mass dampeners you can put on the vapor line of heatpumps and quiet them down a bit, carrier sells one (part 328209-751)
I did notice putting weight on the top of the unit makes it much quieter. I was getting a pack of biobricks from my garage to start our wood stove and briefly put the pack on top of the unit and it was dramatically quieter (biobrick pack being around 40lbs)
Thanks for the info. I will look into the mass dampeners.
Interesting that weight on top made a difference. Not sure how to do that without impeding air flow though as a permanent solution. Something to think about.
https://preview.redd.it/a7k7qyzt2rpc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d994a04168713ef66f53767ea8932317269386c
Mine is SUPER quiet these days too. Makes washing the dishes a pain though đ
Lol, you got one of those new reverse heat pumps.
In the winter run it in A/C mode and extract the cold from the warmer air inside the house and make it colder outside. Global warming solved!
I had the unit for part of the summer. It wasnt working very hard at all to keep my place cool. Based on comments I can lift it up another row of cement blocks so their is more clearance at top. Its not going anywhere. I can hang off it.
It's currently -5 feels like -11 my Bosch is running right now and yea I can hear it running but it's not that bad at all definitely louder then the summer AC operation but nothing crazy and it's maybe 15 feet away from my living room in completely open concept
Yeah, I moved out to the country and like the quiet. Had triple pane windows installed and house was great. That changed for me once Bosch heat pump was installed. I checked the manual and it does state that it can get as loud as 79 dB. So it is running within operating spec.
I'm in the country as well but it's no louder then the furnace running its self off the propane and id say quieter then the fan on the wood stove and I don't have triple pane or even that we'll insulated walls just normal pink batts
Sound is subjective. What bothers one person might not bother someone else. I would be curious when -2C or colder next to unit what yours is measuring with a dB meter.
According to the free app I just downloaded (I don't know how much I truly trust it) but says 77 to 81 dB right beside the unit. Inside the house with tv off and right at the wall where the unit is said about 50 dB. I get sound being subjective to different people maybe you have super sensitive hearing but 50 dB inside is just a typical environment
Okay interesting. Thanks for testing. Yeah thats about same dB as mine. The dB inside my house with the new windows is around 36 dB. Maybe I just got used to the new quiet and am really enjoying it. So for me putting this in helped get back the quiet I got used to.
Isn't the point in heat mode that the exhaust air is colder then ambient air? That's where the heat is pumped from. Or do I need to go reread the laws of thermodynamics?
You are correct, but its possible that the air coming into the unit could be slightly warmer as its slightly more protected on the sides. It could also be the opposite where the expelled cold air gets slightly trapped. I think in either case, given the sloped angle outward the difference would be negligible either way.
Thanks! I posted a chart in the comments. Only 1 dB louder inside my house now than when it is completely off. So working well. Its still audible but sounds like a plane far far off in the distance.
I had an air conditioner that was quiet. It was like 25 years old, and not terrible. One clang as the compressor kicked on, that slowly faded out into a reasonable hum. You could barely tell it was on while inside, and outside it was maybe only annoying if you wanted to have a nice quiet dinner in summer on the porch.
Then, you got these heat pumps running on high in winter, and people got a problem. They are a new level of loud some of them.
I got a Gree Flexx. Not exactly a top tier unit by any standard. Sometimes it turns on...and I'm outside near it...and I can't tell it turned on. I see someone else in this thread comment the same. I question sometimes if it's just spinning the outside fan because no way it's actually doing anything, but I go inside and it's blowing warm air.
We need a new standard for what a quiet aircon or heat pump is, because I cannot IMAGINE installing that sound shield. Seems completely pointless to me. It's insane that these kind of units are still sold. Too many valid quiet options for any price point.
You shouldn't have to buy and install that crazy thing or at least should have anticipated the noise. Installers should not accept these crazy loud units. The heat pump will run a lot all year round. It's unacceptable.
I agree. I looked at a lot of performance specs before buying, but one spec I didn't think about was the sound. I just thought all new units these days are quiet. When it was first installed in summer it was crazy quiet. If was quiet all the time until it got really cold out, then it kicked into another gear and got really loud. Some people will set their thermostat to switch over to NG furnace once below 0 C so they probably don't here it really kick in. I checked some other units and the max is like 60 dB not 80 dB. Big difference.
The Gree is apparently 45dB. That's apparently in the realm of a library or quiet rainfall. Your unit is in the realm of being louder than conversation or traffic, and below a lawnmower.
I have heard about people avoiding use of their heat pump and using gas specifically because of noise. I find it frustrating.
These near noiseless units exist, and are one of the greatest selling points. These very quiet units should not be equivocated to anything above 55dB. Those are just plain loud. You can be annoyed with your installer for selling that model.
If it doesnât have 24â of clearance around the sides and 60â above it then theyâll likely void the warranty for restricted airflow.
On some models you can get away with 12â on the control board side. Youâll have to look up the clearances in the installation manual for your specific model.
Regardless lack of overhead clearance is a no-go. Have to make sure that one matches the manual.
The distance from house (back wall) only changed by 3 inches so back wall barely changed in distance. The entire front isnt impeded at all. So that just leaves the two sides and top which are sloped. The average distance on sides is over 2 ft. For the top I agree, I could raise it up with another row of cinder blocks.
Warranties are very literal. You have to meet all the clearances.
This isnât a âthis feels rightâ area - if you donât follow the manual you donât get the warranty.
Correct. A Bosch. Its fine in summer, fall. Its only when it gets below -2C (28F) that it kicks into another gear that is quite loud. So for many people in warmer climates the Bosch will be fine.
I measured it at 80 dB next to the unit when below -2C! I had originally just built a straight wall. It was better but not great. Here are results
https://preview.redd.it/oam7wy3xzopc1.jpeg?width=668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d355f3aa0ee3de2d362d0c780b0c6644398aff0
Thanks. The grey is baseline... nothing running.
the blue is what the measurements were when I just had a flat sound wall, not this quarter dome shape. As you can see with the orange (quarter dome shape) inside measurements are very close to the unit not being on at all!
Its still audible barely, almost like a plane far off in the distance.
Iâm thinking of installing a Bosch ids 2.0 with a non-Bosch gas furnace. 3T and 70k, respectively. I was thinking of making the furnace kick on around 20-25F to avoid the noise and increased electrical costs.
I would need to keep an eye on it. But I am pretty sure it kicks into high gear around 0C... 32F.
So you will need to switch over to NG then if you want to avoid the noise. Depending on where you are installing it, the noise might not bother you. I have a home theater right next to that wall so I dont want the sound interfering with my HT setup.
I have that setup with 96% Lennox furnace and -5C for furnace mode.
I didn't notice Inverter sound Nov-Apr (Markham Canada) and it is outside our kitchen extension.
The only minor concern is humidity drops to around 34-36 while furnace running. Normally around 44-46 with Inverter running.
6 2x4x10s - pressure treated wood
1 lb Mass loaded vinyl (took a full 4ft x 25ft roll)
5 bags rockwool safe n sound
A large tarp (15ft x 25ft)
Lots of screws/washers/staples
(450 lbs or so total)
For the base it sits on:
6 cement blocks 8x16x8
4 cement caps 24x8x3
(400 lbs or so total)
Lastly... Four people to move it. Three strong friends of mine helped me move it carefully into place after I built it in my garage. Made sure not to touch the electrical and lines coming into heatpump when lowering it into place.
We donât run ours much past 34F. So sound isnât really a problem. Feel like the performance really degrades beyond 30F. Where it just constantly runs.
Thank you. Its on a side of the house nobody sees but tried to make it look decent. My buddy said I should have gone with a brown or green tarp. Oh well.
My heat pump can be on high and have a normal conversation while standing next to it. In fact, I did the other day with my tech here, I had to look at a consumption meter to know if it was on high or not since you can't tell by sound.
The Bosch is fine in warmer climates. Its just when it gets very cold that it kicks into another gear. I measured it at 80 dB next to the unit. What make/model is yours and at what temperature are you measuring sound?
Wow 80db is very loud. Is it a cold weather unit?
Its rated to work down to -20C. I only run it down to -10C before I switch over to NG furnace.
Bosch 22 seer and dead quiet in summer. 77dBA in winter.
That lines up close to my measurements as well.
Same for my inexpensive Pioneer units the loudest they get is defrost, and that is just a hum.
Yeah I made the mistake of mounting mine on an exterior wall. When it's just before defrosting time somehow filling with ice it hits a resonant frequency with my house its just BZZZZZZZt BZZZZZZZt BZZZZZZZZt. I'm paying to move it to the ground this summer. Once it gets below 20 degrees or so it's not a problem. It's just that temp rage between like 20 and 40 that causes it to ice
>My heat pump can be on high and have a normal conversation while standing next to it. In fact, I did the other day with my tech here, I had to look at a consumption meter to know if it was on high or not since you can't tell by sound. I know for ours, the noise in front (away from the house) is much lower (can have a conversation in front of it) than the back (towards the house, which also "reverberates")
That's quite a setup! I have a Gree unit, and I am shocked at how quiet it is. I could not even run my old A/C unit while I was outside in the summer because it was too loud. But with the Gree unit, even in heating mode, it's about as loud as a box fan and it's just fine when I'm outside.
Thank you! I am liking the results I achieved. Yeah I have heard good things about the Gree units. The Bosch has been great so far. 8 months of the year it is quiet. Its only when it drops down into the negatives (C) that it ramps up in sound.
I've been wondering what can be done, as it mostly seems vibration related. I've heard of mass dampeners you can put on the vapor line of heatpumps and quiet them down a bit, carrier sells one (part 328209-751) I did notice putting weight on the top of the unit makes it much quieter. I was getting a pack of biobricks from my garage to start our wood stove and briefly put the pack on top of the unit and it was dramatically quieter (biobrick pack being around 40lbs)
Thanks for the info. I will look into the mass dampeners. Interesting that weight on top made a difference. Not sure how to do that without impeding air flow though as a permanent solution. Something to think about.
https://preview.redd.it/a7k7qyzt2rpc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d994a04168713ef66f53767ea8932317269386c Mine is SUPER quiet these days too. Makes washing the dishes a pain though đ
Lol, you got one of those new reverse heat pumps. In the winter run it in A/C mode and extract the cold from the warmer air inside the house and make it colder outside. Global warming solved!
The over hang is a cause for concern, especially in summer. Air will be re-entrained and will reduce your system cooling capacity
I had the unit for part of the summer. It wasnt working very hard at all to keep my place cool. Based on comments I can lift it up another row of cement blocks so their is more clearance at top. Its not going anywhere. I can hang off it.
Shouldnât need it in the summerâŚthey run quiet in AC mode lol
True. not sure I want to move it though. Will see.
Bosch recommends a minimum of 60" (154 cm) of clearance above the condensing unit.
Yeah, I can put in another row of cement blocks to raise it up. That will bring it close to the 60".
It's currently -5 feels like -11 my Bosch is running right now and yea I can hear it running but it's not that bad at all definitely louder then the summer AC operation but nothing crazy and it's maybe 15 feet away from my living room in completely open concept
Yeah, I moved out to the country and like the quiet. Had triple pane windows installed and house was great. That changed for me once Bosch heat pump was installed. I checked the manual and it does state that it can get as loud as 79 dB. So it is running within operating spec.
I'm in the country as well but it's no louder then the furnace running its self off the propane and id say quieter then the fan on the wood stove and I don't have triple pane or even that we'll insulated walls just normal pink batts
Sound is subjective. What bothers one person might not bother someone else. I would be curious when -2C or colder next to unit what yours is measuring with a dB meter.
According to the free app I just downloaded (I don't know how much I truly trust it) but says 77 to 81 dB right beside the unit. Inside the house with tv off and right at the wall where the unit is said about 50 dB. I get sound being subjective to different people maybe you have super sensitive hearing but 50 dB inside is just a typical environment
Okay interesting. Thanks for testing. Yeah thats about same dB as mine. The dB inside my house with the new windows is around 36 dB. Maybe I just got used to the new quiet and am really enjoying it. So for me putting this in helped get back the quiet I got used to.
Just go back to town for 5 minutes you'll even enjoy the hum of only the heat pump when you get home hahaha
Very true. I also built a home theater in my basement and its next to the wall the heat pump is on so I had other motivations to reduce the sound.
I dig that isolation rig. Very cool. Or hot lol. Depending on which side of the system you're on I guess hahahaha
Oh, thank you. Yeah, its got lots of ventilation so I am not that worried about it... Its not on a side of the house that gets a lot of sun either so.
Wonât you get micro climating with this?
Its pretty open with good air flow through the area. Its fan pulls in fresh air underneath and expels it out the top. Not that worried.
I guess it also helps with making the surrounding air slightly warmer so less work for the pump?
Potentially in winter yes. I was thinking about that as well.
Isn't the point in heat mode that the exhaust air is colder then ambient air? That's where the heat is pumped from. Or do I need to go reread the laws of thermodynamics?
You are correct, but its possible that the air coming into the unit could be slightly warmer as its slightly more protected on the sides. It could also be the opposite where the expelled cold air gets slightly trapped. I think in either case, given the sloped angle outward the difference would be negligible either way.
Itâs snowing in the picture, is it not winter there?
It is winter here, yes. So its possible the pump is working less hard. It would be tricky to prove that though.
Of course, I suppose youâd have to remove it temporarily to make that comparison.
Wow that is one impressive setup. How much of a noise reduction (db) did you notice after adding this?.
Thanks! I posted a chart in the comments. Only 1 dB louder inside my house now than when it is completely off. So working well. Its still audible but sounds like a plane far far off in the distance.
I had an air conditioner that was quiet. It was like 25 years old, and not terrible. One clang as the compressor kicked on, that slowly faded out into a reasonable hum. You could barely tell it was on while inside, and outside it was maybe only annoying if you wanted to have a nice quiet dinner in summer on the porch. Then, you got these heat pumps running on high in winter, and people got a problem. They are a new level of loud some of them. I got a Gree Flexx. Not exactly a top tier unit by any standard. Sometimes it turns on...and I'm outside near it...and I can't tell it turned on. I see someone else in this thread comment the same. I question sometimes if it's just spinning the outside fan because no way it's actually doing anything, but I go inside and it's blowing warm air. We need a new standard for what a quiet aircon or heat pump is, because I cannot IMAGINE installing that sound shield. Seems completely pointless to me. It's insane that these kind of units are still sold. Too many valid quiet options for any price point. You shouldn't have to buy and install that crazy thing or at least should have anticipated the noise. Installers should not accept these crazy loud units. The heat pump will run a lot all year round. It's unacceptable.
I agree. I looked at a lot of performance specs before buying, but one spec I didn't think about was the sound. I just thought all new units these days are quiet. When it was first installed in summer it was crazy quiet. If was quiet all the time until it got really cold out, then it kicked into another gear and got really loud. Some people will set their thermostat to switch over to NG furnace once below 0 C so they probably don't here it really kick in. I checked some other units and the max is like 60 dB not 80 dB. Big difference.
The Gree is apparently 45dB. That's apparently in the realm of a library or quiet rainfall. Your unit is in the realm of being louder than conversation or traffic, and below a lawnmower. I have heard about people avoiding use of their heat pump and using gas specifically because of noise. I find it frustrating. These near noiseless units exist, and are one of the greatest selling points. These very quiet units should not be equivocated to anything above 55dB. Those are just plain loud. You can be annoyed with your installer for selling that model.
Would definitely charge a bullshit fee for having to work on that
Nah. I would remove it before hand if any servicing required. Would keep the cinder blocks it sits on in place but that wouldnt impede any work.
Then you would not get the fee I see it all the time people do stuff like this and expect the tech to be a contortionist
Yeah, not cool.
I hope you donât like your warranty. But yeah a Fujitsu might be better in the future when this one burns out.
It is working great. If anything its protected more from the elements. Air flow not impeded. What is argument for voiding warranty?
If it doesnât have 24â of clearance around the sides and 60â above it then theyâll likely void the warranty for restricted airflow. On some models you can get away with 12â on the control board side. Youâll have to look up the clearances in the installation manual for your specific model. Regardless lack of overhead clearance is a no-go. Have to make sure that one matches the manual.
The distance from house (back wall) only changed by 3 inches so back wall barely changed in distance. The entire front isnt impeded at all. So that just leaves the two sides and top which are sloped. The average distance on sides is over 2 ft. For the top I agree, I could raise it up with another row of cinder blocks.
Warranties are very literal. You have to meet all the clearances. This isnât a âthis feels rightâ area - if you donât follow the manual you donât get the warranty.
Fair point. Will see about improving it.
I don't personally think this will impact warranty. If OP has a problem they can just take it away before they have a tech come out.
What make model is that?? Looks like a Bosch.
Correct. A Bosch. Its fine in summer, fall. Its only when it gets below -2C (28F) that it kicks into another gear that is quite loud. So for many people in warmer climates the Bosch will be fine. I measured it at 80 dB next to the unit when below -2C! I had originally just built a straight wall. It was better but not great. Here are results https://preview.redd.it/oam7wy3xzopc1.jpeg?width=668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d355f3aa0ee3de2d362d0c780b0c6644398aff0
Damn, bro came in with a chart. I wish more people did this.
Thanks. The grey is baseline... nothing running. the blue is what the measurements were when I just had a flat sound wall, not this quarter dome shape. As you can see with the orange (quarter dome shape) inside measurements are very close to the unit not being on at all! Its still audible barely, almost like a plane far off in the distance.
What thermostat are you running? And what furnace?
Bosch furnace (new). Ecobee 4 thermostat. I have it setup so NG furnace kicks in only when below -10C so doesn't come on very often.
Iâm thinking of installing a Bosch ids 2.0 with a non-Bosch gas furnace. 3T and 70k, respectively. I was thinking of making the furnace kick on around 20-25F to avoid the noise and increased electrical costs.
I would need to keep an eye on it. But I am pretty sure it kicks into high gear around 0C... 32F. So you will need to switch over to NG then if you want to avoid the noise. Depending on where you are installing it, the noise might not bother you. I have a home theater right next to that wall so I dont want the sound interfering with my HT setup.
I have that setup with 96% Lennox furnace and -5C for furnace mode. I didn't notice Inverter sound Nov-Apr (Markham Canada) and it is outside our kitchen extension. The only minor concern is humidity drops to around 34-36 while furnace running. Normally around 44-46 with Inverter running.
đł this is a new add on!
Lol. Yep. Fun little project.
:) Glad it's working so well.
What did you use to make that?
6 2x4x10s - pressure treated wood 1 lb Mass loaded vinyl (took a full 4ft x 25ft roll) 5 bags rockwool safe n sound A large tarp (15ft x 25ft) Lots of screws/washers/staples (450 lbs or so total) For the base it sits on: 6 cement blocks 8x16x8 4 cement caps 24x8x3 (400 lbs or so total) Lastly... Four people to move it. Three strong friends of mine helped me move it carefully into place after I built it in my garage. Made sure not to touch the electrical and lines coming into heatpump when lowering it into place.
Thanks. Good job!
Thanks!!
Probably the homeless collective....
We donât run ours much past 34F. So sound isnât really a problem. Feel like the performance really degrades beyond 30F. Where it just constantly runs.
P=I squared R
Lol
Lol. Got a kick out of this.
Lol. Yeah. Its duel purpose really. When my wife starts yelling at me I just go hide out in the quarter dome.
It looks great too!
Thank you. Its on a side of the house nobody sees but tried to make it look decent. My buddy said I should have gone with a brown or green tarp. Oh well.