Heat Controller's Patriot 80 oil furnace includes upflow, downflow, horizontal, rear flue, and front flue models.
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Thankfully, it didn’t actually get warmer around the manufacturers’ booths that were showing furnaces at the 2002 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo). The units shown emphasized compact design and energy efficiency.

The new Nordyne (O’Fallon, MO) O4 Series oil furnaces are available in three configurations: low boy, high boy, and downflow/horizontal. Features include multiple firing rates for a wide range of applications; barometric draft control; and filters. (Filters and racks are built in on O4LD models; they are packaged with O4HD and O4MD units.)

Other features include a 20-ga steel cabinet designed to provide strength and quiet operation; thermosetting powder coat for durability; a Beckett AF Series burner which is prewired, preassembled, and tested; and a heat exchanger design featuring 100%-welded construction and large, accessible cleanout ports.

The Patriot 80 oil furnace line, from Heat Controller, Inc. (Jackson, MI), includes upflow, downflow, horizontal, rear-flue, and front-flue models in heating capacities from 58,000 to 196,000 Btuh. AFUE ratings are from 80% to 83%. Two of the models are heat only, but 11 are air conditioning-ready with a range of 2 to 5 tons of cooling.

The furnaces feature a corrosion-resistant steel cabinet and Beckett AFG oil burner with PSC motor and solid-state ignition. The heat-only models are equipped with a belt-drive blower; all others have a state-of-the-art direct-drive blower. The primary heat exchanger is welded and made of 14-ga steel. The combustion chamber is a high-temperature ceramic material to aid in clean, quiet combustion.

Texas Furnace, LLC (Houston, TX), showed the Meridian 80%-plus and 90%-plus gas furnaces. The 80%-plus model is said to be an all-position furnace, handling upflow, downflow, or horizontal applications. Units are available from 40,000 to 140,000 Btuh and can be used with 1.5 to 5.5 tons of air conditioning.

The compact furnace measures 31-5/8-in. tall, enabling it to be used for a variety of retrofit and new construction applications. Single return duct can enter from right, left, or bottom on all sizes through 4 tons of air conditioning.

The Nordyne O4 Series oil furnace features multiple firing rates for a range of applications.
The 90%-plus model is offered in upflow and downflow/horizontal models. It is available from 54,000 to 126,000 Btuh and a/c airflow from 3 to 5 tons.

Both models include a control module with self-diagnostics that monitors furnace functions for safe operation.

ECR International, Olsen Division (Wallaceburg, ON, Canada), featured its UltraMAX III natural gas/propane furnace, which performs at 94% to 95% efficiency. Designed for reliability, it features ball-bearing direct-drive blower motors; Honeywell Smart Valve II ignition system; and controlled, “wrinkle-bend” heat exchangers to reduce thinning in the bend for a longer-lasting unit.

The furnace is also designed for serviceability, featuring plug-in electrical connectors; slide-out blower and control panel; and a removable front door for access to burners, gas controls, limit and pressure switches, and gas valve diagnostic LED, without removing the power supply.

LOB Series low-boy and HOB Series high-boy oil-fired furnaces were shown by Oneida Royal, an ECR International Company (Utica, NY). The HOB is a multi-position, low-profile unit. Efficiency ratings range up to 81.5%. A spun glass and aluminum foil insulation-lined jacket keeps heat loss to a minimum and aids overall efficiency. The filter rack accommodates an extra-large filter.

The LOB is a front-top/rear-flue furnace that also features a low-profile design. Efficiency ratings are up to 82.5%.

Publication date: 02/04/2002