ACiQ 3 Ton Evaporator Coil | 17.5" Wide V-Coil w/ TXV | R454B (EVD5X36M17A)
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Key features
- 3-ton capacity V-coil in a 17.5-inch wide cabinet footprint
- Factory-installed TXV for precise refrigerant metering and compressor protection
- R-454B refrigerant compatible, meeting current and upcoming EPA regulations
- V-coil design maximizes heat-transfer surface area within the cabinet width
- Sold direct with no dealer markup, passing savings to the buyer
- Backed by ACiQ's 12-year warranty when registered within the required window
About this system
The ACiQ EVD5X36M17A is a 3-ton, 17.5-inch wide V-coil evaporator coil designed to work with R-454B refrigerant, the low-GWP replacement that is rapidly becoming the industry standard as R-410A is phased out. If you are upgrading an existing air handler or building a new split system and want to be ahead of the refrigerant transition rather than behind it, this coil is sized and equipped to handle that future without a mid-life refrigerant retrofit. The included thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) handles refrigerant metering automatically, improving part-load efficiency and protecting the compressor from liquid slugging better than a fixed orifice can.
The 17.5-inch width makes this coil compatible with a specific range of air handlers and furnaces, so confirming your cabinet width before ordering is not optional. The V-coil configuration maximizes surface area within that cabinet footprint, which is practical for situations where you want strong heat-transfer performance without moving up to a wider cabinet. ACiQ positions this as a value-oriented component, meaning you are not paying for a name-brand premium, but you are also working with a company whose manufacturing lineage is unconfirmed and whose long-term track record in the field is still accumulating. For homeowners and contractors who prioritize upfront cost savings and R-454B readiness, this coil is worth serious consideration alongside a compatible matching system.
The EVD5X36M17A is a straightforward, competitively priced R-454B evaporator coil that checks the right technical boxes for a 3-ton replacement or new-installation project. The TXV inclusion and R-454B compatibility are genuine selling points, not marketing filler. The honest reservation is that ACiQ is a newer brand with limited independent long-term data, so buyers are placing some trust in a warranty backstop rather than a deep field reliability record.
Overall score is the average of the five ratings above.
What we like
- R-454B ready, avoiding a future refrigerant changeover headache as R-410A is phased out
- Factory TXV improves efficiency and protects the compressor versus a fixed orifice
- Direct-to-consumer pricing undercuts name-brand coils at comparable spec levels
- 12-year warranty coverage reduces financial risk during the ownership period
- V-coil configuration delivers good surface area without requiring a wider cabinet
Trade-offs
- Manufacturer identity is not disclosed, making parts cross-referencing and service history harder to verify
- No Consumer Reports reliability ranking yet due to insufficient long-term field data
- Service depends on independent contractors since ACiQ does not operate a dealer network
- Cabinet width must be confirmed precisely before ordering because the 17.5-inch spec narrows compatibility
What homeowners and pros say about ACiQ
Homeowners who have installed ACiQ components tend to report that the equipment arrives well-packaged and that ACiQ’s customer support is responsive when questions come up before or during installation. The themes that appear consistently in early owner feedback are quiet operation once the system is running and satisfaction with performance relative to price paid. That said, Consumer Reports has not yet assigned ACiQ a reliability score because the brand is too new to have the kind of longitudinal data that score requires, and that is an honest gap worth acknowledging rather than glossing over. The specific failure modes that come up in broader ACiQ system discussions include questions about long-term coil integrity and the difficulty of sourcing parts when the underlying manufacturer is not publicly named, both of which are relevant considerations for a coil that you expect to last 15 or more years.
Among HVAC contractors, the reaction to ACiQ is mixed in a predictable way. Contractors who work primarily through manufacturer dealer programs tend to be skeptical, partly because there is no dealer margin in a direct-to-consumer model and partly because an unconfirmed manufacturer makes warranty coordination less predictable. Independent contractors who prioritize giving clients cost-effective options are more likely to be comfortable installing ACiQ components, particularly for clients who are price-sensitive and understand the trade-off. For this specific coil, the R-454B compatibility and the included TXV are features that contractors doing new system builds for 2025 and beyond will recognize as genuinely useful, not just marketing language, which gives the EVD5X36M17A more credibility on the technical side than its price alone might suggest.
Sources: Consumer Reports heat pump ratings, HVACDirect on the ACiQ brand, AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance, U.S. DOE appliance and equipment efficiency standards.
How it compares
| Brand | Comparable model | SEER2 | Stage | Price position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACiQ | EVD5X36M17A | N/A (coil only) | N/A (coil component) | Value pick |
| Carrier | Performance Series CNPVP3617ALA | N/A (coil only) | N/A (coil component) | Moderately higher than ACiQ |
| Trane | Comfort Coil CAUF3636A6 | N/A (coil only) | N/A (coil component) | Moderately higher than ACiQ |
| Lennox | C33 Series C33-36B-2F | N/A (coil only) | N/A (coil component) | Higher than ACiQ, often significantly so |
Competitor rows are comparable single-stage units at similar efficiency; price is relative position, not a quote.
Questions about this system
Will this coil work with my existing R-410A outdoor unit?
No. R-454B and R-410A are not interchangeable, and mixing refrigerants or using mismatched components is unsafe and voids the warranty. This coil is designed for R-454B systems only, so your outdoor unit and refrigerant lines must also be R-454B compatible.
What air handler or furnace cabinet width does the EVD5X36M17A fit?
The coil is designed for 17.5-inch wide cabinets. Before ordering, measure your existing air handler or furnace cabinet width carefully, because even a one-inch mismatch means the coil will not seat properly and you will be dealing with a return shipment.
Does the TXV make a meaningful real-world difference compared to a fixed orifice coil?
Yes, particularly at part-load conditions, which is how most systems operate most of the time. A TXV adjusts refrigerant flow to match the actual load, which improves system efficiency and reduces stress on the compressor. For a 3-ton coil running through a long cooling season, that matters both for energy use and equipment longevity.
How does the 12-year warranty work when ACiQ is sold direct and not through dealers?
You register the product with ACiQ directly to activate the 12-year coverage. Because there is no dealer network, warranty service means coordinating with an independent licensed contractor and working with ACiQ's support team for parts or claims. That process is workable but less seamless than a brand with a local dealer who owns the relationship.
Is ACiQ a real manufacturer or a rebranded product, and does it matter for parts availability?
ACiQ is AC Direct's house brand, and the actual manufacturer has not been publicly confirmed, though forum speculation points toward the ICP and Carrier family. That ambiguity matters if a coil component needs replacement outside the warranty period, because you cannot easily cross-reference the part to a known manufacturer's catalog the way you can with a Carrier or Trane unit.
Specifications
| Cooling capacity | 3 Ton |
| Refrigerant | R-454B |
| Model | EVD5X36M17A |