What is the difference between conventional and heat pump?

Conventional HVAC Units:

Conventional air conditioners generally have separate cooling sources from their heating sources. For this reason, conventional air conditions are often packages of one or multiple compressors, chilled water valves and a gas furnaces, electric heating elements, or a hot water/steam valve.

Setting a Pelican thermostat to conventional tells the thermostat that the units will respond to conventional thermostat signals.

Signal Outputs from Conventional Thermostats:
(G) = Supply Fan Enable
(Y) = Stage 1 Cooling Enable
(W) = Stage 2 Heating Enable
(Y2) = Stages 2 Cooling Enable
(W2) = Stage 2 Heating Enable

Heat Pump HVAC Units:

Heat Pump air conditioners generally have a shared cooling and heating sources. This is normally one or multiple compressors with a reversing valve which is used to reverse the refrigerant flow to either produce hot or cold air. Heat Pumps generally perform very well in mild winter climates, but in areas where it can get extremely cold, an Auxiliary/Secondary heating source is usually added to the Heat Pump to provide additional heating capabilities.

Heat Pumps are most commonly “Air Source”, “Geothermal”, or Ductless/Mini-Split type units. Sometimes Heat Pump units respond to “Conventional” thermostat outputs. Confirm that with your Heat Pump installation guide on if the thermostat should be configured as Conventional or Heat Pump.

Setting a Pelican thermostat to heat pump tells the thermostat that the units will respond to heat pump thermostat signals.

Signal Outputs from Heat Pump Thermostats:
(G) = Supply Fan Enable
(Y) = Stage 1 Compressor Enable
(W) = Reversing Valve
(Y2) = Stages 2 Compressor Enable
(W2) = Stage 2 Auxiliary/Secondary/Emergency Heat Enable