Arzel Zoning
We’re proud to offer an HVAC zone controller for nearly every application. To choose the right one, there are a few important factors to keep in mind. This post is a guide to those factors. It will help you choose a zone controller wisely so your customers get exactly what they want out of their zoning system.
When choosing an HVAC zone controller, it’s crucial to start by assessing the existing equipment in the system. Here’s a list of options for each type of equipment.
As you can imagine, most of our controllers work with conventional equipment. Our Pro Panel, HeatPumPro, and AirBoss can all handle this setup well. The MPS also works as long as the equipment is single-stage. In this case, you may want to make a decision based on how the building is used.
When you want the easiest installation and the most features, choose the Pro Panel. The Pro Panel has an app-based setup that configures all equipment settings when you choose an equipment type. It has better staging control for multi-stage equipment, and the Pro Panel has adjustable timers for the time spent in each stage. The Pro Panel can control up to 4 zones per board, or 16 zones with daisy-chaining.
When you are zoning a light commercial building, you might want to use the AirBoss because of its all-building temperature setback. This setback can save energy when the building is not in use. AirBoss is available in 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 zone configurations. If you need more than 8 zones, you will need the Pro Panel because of its ability to zone up to 16 zones.
For residential zoning applications, many contractors choose the HeatPumPro. It offers some of the features that the Pro Panel has, but takes a bit longer to configure.
If price is an issue, and the equipment is single-stage, then the MPS is a great option. It’s a great way to get zoning when you need to stay inside a budget and don’t need a lot of extra features. The MPS does not have any settings to configure; you just wire it up and it is ready to run. This makes installation very simple. If your customer doesn’t need a lot of specialized control, the MPS will do the job well.
If you’re installing the HVAC zone controller for new construction, we recommend the MPS zone controller. MPS features a budget-friendly price, super easy installation, and – just like our other panels – a lifetime warranty.
When you’re installing an HVAC zone controller for a heat pump system, we recommend the Pro Panel. While all of our panels can zone heat pumps, the Pro Panel is the best one for handling staging and backup heat efficiently. Pro Panel also comes with features that assist the heat pump in staging as effectively as possible. You can set a temperature target in the ductwork to initiate staging, and we have improved the range of temperatures available to work better with modern heat pumps. Additionally, you can adjust the time the equipment spends in each stage.
The Pro Panel also has an easier setup process than the HeatPumPro, with an app that configures most of the settings for you. It has additional features like the ability to make any zone a slave zone that can’t engage the equipment by itself. The Pro Panel also connects directly to most A2L mitigation boards, so you won’t need to add a relay to be up to code.
An added bonus to installing the Pro Panel or HeatPumPro with a heat pump is that you don’t have to install a heat pump thermostat unless you want to! The Pro Panel and the HeatPumPro can interface with the heat pump with any 4 or 5 wire thermostat on the market. You can still use a heat pump thermostat on zone 1 if you choose, but you never have to use a heat pump thermostat with these panels.
Your best bet for multi-stage equipment to is to take advantage of our Pro Panel and its flexibility. You can customize the Pro Panel to stage based on target temperatures in the ductwork. You can also adjust the amount of time the equipment spends in each stage. For heat pump systems, the Pro Panel includes larger temperature ranges to better control modern heat pumps.
The Pro Panel and the HeatPumPro both offer the Zone Weighting feature, which lets you stage up the equipment based on which zones are calling. This gives you the flexibility to create zones that are too small for second-stage operation, because you can ensure that they won’t get second-stage. With the Pro Panel, there is an additional feature that lets you designate any zone as a slave zone. A slave zone cannot engage the equipment if it is the only zone calling, so it will never get the full power of the equipment by itself. This gives you flexibility to create zones that are too small even for first-stage operation.
By thoroughly evaluating your equipment and understanding the specific requirements and limitations of your HVAC system, you can make a more informed choice when selecting an HVAC zone controller.
The type of building where the HVAC zone controller will be used is a significant factor in its selection. Residential applications and light commercial buildings have different requirements. The size of the building may also be an important factor.
We recommend the Pro Panel for both residential and light commercial zoning. The Pro Panel is packed with features that optimally control different types of equipment. It has advanced features for staging. The setup with the Pro Panel can be done in just a couple minutes with the app. And the Pro Panel can zone up to 16 zones with daisy-chaining. However, you may make a different choice depending on the application. Here are the things to consider.
Light commercial buildings are often empty for many hours while the business is closed. If this is the case, you may want the capability to run a temperature setback program on the whole building, which comes with the AirBoss. If your residential customer wants this ability too, you may want to consider the AirBoss for them.
Homeowners often use part of their home during the day and a different part at night. During the day, family members are likely to be in the kitchen, living room, and office. At night, everyone is in the bedrooms. Zoning is great for this usage pattern because residents can heat and cool only the areas they are using. They will save a lot of energy by not heating the kitchen at night, or cooling the bedrooms during the day. While any of our HVAC zone controllers can accomplish this setup, the Pro Panel and the HeatPumPro are especially effective because of the zone weighting feature.
The Pro Panel goes a step further with flexibility. It allows you to designate any zone as a slave zone, or a zone that cannot engage the equipment when it is calling alone. This can be useful when there is a small area that doesn’t need on-demand comfort, but does need conditioning at times.
By tailoring the choice of HVAC zone controller to the specific environment, you can ensure optimal performance, energy efficiency, and user satisfaction.
Selecting the right HVAC zone controller for your customers involves understanding the specific features they value most. Different customers have varying needs, so a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Instead, focus on key functionalities that cater to their specific requirements for comfort and energy efficiency.
If you want to create more than 4 zones, we offer two choices. The AirBoss can control up to 8 zones with one panel. The Pro Panel can control up to 16 zones when you daisy-chain multiple panels together. (Pro Panels come in 2, 3, and 4 zone configurations.)
Keep in mind that applications with more than 4 zones are usually light commercial buildings with a rooftop unit. These rooftop blower units are designed to handle the higher static pressure created by smaller zones. For residential applications, keep the smallest zone at least 25% of the ductwork capacity for multi-stage equipment, and use the zone weighting feature to ensure you’re not getting second-stage operation when there’s not enough ductwork open.
We recommend keeping the smallest zone at least 35% of the ductwork for single-stage equipment. Remember, tiny zones can cause issues. With the Pro Panel, you can also designate any zone as a slave zone. Slave zones don’t get conditioning until another zone is also calling for heating or cooling. Because of this, slave zones can be as small as you want. They will never get the full force of the airflow without other zones taking some of the conditioning.
Our best HVAC zone controller for 4 or fewer zones is the Pro Panel. It uses an app for setup, and it has more features than the HeatPumPro, MPS, or AirBoss, so it probably has what you need. However, the AirBoss is available for 4 or fewer zones, so you can choose to use it, especially if you want a master setback switch. The HeatPumPro also works well with 4 or fewer zones, though it takes longer to set up than the Pro Panel or AirBoss, and doesn’t have as many features as the Pro Panel.
Finally, a simple system with only 2-3 zones could be a candidate for the MPS zone controller. MPS is our budget-friendly choice for single-stage equipment. MPS is the best choice when you don’t need all of the features of HeatPumPro or AirBoss, and you’re using single-stage equipment.
We couldn’t pick a favorite child! Still, there is definitely a best HVAC zone controller for most applications. For simple zoning jobs with 2 or 3 zones and single-stage equipment, the MPS is the best choice because of its budget-friendly price. When you want a full-featured experience, are using a heat pump, or have multi-stage equipment, the Pro Panel is your answer. If you’re zoning a larger building that requires more than 4 zones, you can use an AirBoss or you can daisy-chain multiple Pro Panels together. Or if you want to use a temperature setback feature for the entire building, then the AirBoss is the best zone controller for you.
Hopefully this guide is helpful as you choose an HVAC zone controller. If we didn’t answer all of your questions, you can ask an application question here. We’re always here to help at Arzel Tech Support, too. Just give us a call at 800-611-8312. We’re available from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm, seven days a week.
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