Help adding Heatpump to existing Air Handler

[ttkeeler]

I am new to heatpumps (but very versed in electrical wiring) so take it easy on me. We had a new house built in the late 80's and had a Coleman Forced air eletric heater installed in the corner of the garage for our source of heat. I was told at the time it was an 'air handler' and that in the future a heatpump could be added to it for heating and cooling. It does say 'Coleman Air Conditioning & Heating Systems' on the front of it. The electric furnace and fan are now powered with a 60 amp breaker, will that be a large enough circuit to add a heatpump? Will any other breakers be required or will the heatpump be powered off this same breaker? I know I will be getting some input from some contractors and our power company but I like to have at least some basic knowledge before making contacts for estimates.

Thanks for the help.

[mattison]

Depending on the size of the h/pump you will need a seperate 2 pole breaker for it.

[ttkeeler]

Depending on the size of the h/pump you will need a seperate 2 pole breaker for it.

The extra circuit must be for the compressor and fan in the condensing unit? What are we looking at for the average size 1,500 sq.ft house a 30A 240VAC circuit?

I was afraid of that as my panel is maxed out with breakers. I guess I had better look at adding a 125A subpanel next to the main panel. When I wired this house we had just came out of an old house that had like one circuit for the entire house so I put in plenty of seperate circuits...to the point I am out of room in the panel. I do have four GFI breakers that take up a full space each by themself that I could replace with a half breaker and put the GFI outlets in the first outlet in the circuit. I have replaced many a GFI outlet over the years and very few of the GFI breakers so that's the reason I went that way.

[mattison]

Whatever you do don't derate your panel and cause a safety hazzard. It's really hard telling the size a/c you need without a load calculation done.