Installation of a MIDEA EVOX G3 central heat pump in Rivière-Beaudette, Montérégie

An installation photographed during the most technical stage of the jobsite: commissioning the EVOX G3

This installation of a MIDEA EVOX G3 central heat pump in Rivière-Beaudette shows a stage that homeowners rarely see in final photos of an HVAC project: the moment when our technicians do more than simply secure the equipment and connect the lines, instead carrying out the necessary checks before considering the system ready to operate.

In the jobsite photo, several tools are still in place. A digital manifold is connected to the heat pump's service ports. Refrigeration hoses connect the unit to the commissioning equipment. A vacuum pump is visible on the floor, along with a service cylinder and the tools used during the work. The outdoor unit itself is installed on an independent, elevated metal stand, in front of a stone facade.

This image clearly summarizes an important reality: a good central heat pump installation does not end when the equipment is simply placed in position.

The final quality depends enormously on what happens during the last stages: checking the refrigeration circuit, preparing the lines, removing air and moisture, checking the connections, performing electrical checks, starting up the system, and validating its operation.

At Rivière-Beaudette, we therefore gave as much importance to commissioning as to the mechanical installation of this MIDEA EVOX G3.

A jobsite photo showing what is usually not visible in a quote

When a homeowner compares two central heat pump proposals, they often see the brand, tonnage, price, warranty, and sometimes the energy efficiency.

What it sees much less often is the installation method.

However, two identical systems can produce very different results depending on the quality of the installation.

On this job, the presence of the digital manifold and service equipment shows that the refrigeration circuit was being checked when the photo was taken. The vacuum pump visible in the foreground is also typically used while preparing a circuit before final commissioning.

Why does this step matter so much?

Because a heat pump’s refrigeration circuit must operate under very precise conditions. Air or moisture left inside the lines can compromise the system’s reliability and operation. The work must therefore be carried out using a rigorous method, rather than simply connecting the pipes before pressing “start.”

This is an aspect of our work that is not spectacular once the tools have been put away, but it directly influences the result.

An EVOX G3 installed on a ground support rather than directly on the masonry

Another detail distinguishes this project from some of our previous installations: here, the outdoor unit is not suspended from two brackets attached directly to the wall.

We used a metal support on legs, installed on the paved surface beside the house.

This solution supports the unit independently of the exterior siding while maintaining significant height above ground level.

In some homes, a wall bracket is the best solution. In others, an independent support offers several advantages, especially when you want to:

• limit the potential transmission of vibrations to the building structure;
• avoid unnecessarily loading certain types of siding;
• maintain substantial clearance beneath the unit;
• make access around the outdoor unit easier;
• position the unit precisely in relation to the existing lines.

The right choice is therefore not simply “wall or ground.” It depends on the building.

A particularly useful height during winter in Rivière-Beaudette

A central heat pump in Quebec must be installed to operate in January as well as in July.

The outdoor unit visible in the photo is positioned high enough to leave generous space beneath the chassis.

This clearance becomes important when the heat pump operates in heating mode. The outdoor coil may accumulate frost, after which the system runs defrost cycles. The water must then be able to drain without ice gradually reaching the base of the unit.

A heat pump installed too low can become surrounded by snow, frozen water, or both.

At Rivière-Beaudette, near the Saint Lawrence River and in a climate where periods of snow, wind, and freezing are part of the heating season, we therefore consider the installation height a functional factor, not merely an aesthetic one.

The horizontal-discharge design of the MIDEA EVOX G3

The EVOX G3 outdoor unit has a large front fan.

MIDEA uses what is known as a horizontal discharge design here, with a front fan and a vertical heat exchanger. According to the manufacturer's documentation, this design is intended to distribute airflow more evenly across the heat exchanger and maintain good heat-exchange efficiency as the temperature drops.

For a residential installation, this geometry can also be advantageous because it allows the unit to be placed relatively close to the building without using the vertical space of a conventional central condenser with upward air discharge.

The essential rule remains the same, however: the front of the fan must remain unobstructed.

After installation, a shed, solid fence, bins, or dense vegetation that could obstruct the air discharge should therefore not be placed directly in front of the heat pump.

Short, insulated, and directly accessible refrigerant lines

The photo also shows the route of the refrigerant lines between the outdoor unit and the building.

The tubes are insulated and run directly toward the opening made in the wall. We can also see a component integrated into the piping route before it enters the building.

For the owner, the objective is simple: have a clean installation.

For us, several technical considerations overlap: route length, pipe protection, bend radius, insulation, service access, and the location of the connections.

An unnecessarily complicated route increases the amount of work and can make future service more difficult.

On this Rivière-Beaudette installation, the outdoor circuit remains highly accessible.

The electrical system is not considered separately from the HVAC design.

To the right of the heat pump, the outdoor electrical disconnect can be seen.

It must allow the equipment to be quickly isolated when a technician needs to work on the system.

We therefore examine its location just as carefully as the refrigerant piping.

Good access to the disconnect switch, service compartment, and refrigerant valves makes future inspections easier. In this photo, all the technical components are grouped on the same side of the unit: connections, service ports, lines, and power supply.

This may seem secondary when the installation is new. It becomes much more important when a diagnosis must be carried out several years later.

A heat pump designed for Quebec's low temperatures

Choosing a MIDEA EVOX G3 makes perfect sense when analyzing the heating capacities presented by the manufacturer.

MIDEA advertises for the Extreme Heat range continuous operation down to -30 °C and, under the conditions presented, up to 100% of heating capacity at -25 °C, with a COP of up to 1.9.

This information is particularly relevant for a residence in Rivière-Beaudette, where the equipment is expected to provide a significant share of the heating during winter.

However, the expression “operation at -30 °C” must be interpreted correctly.

This does not mean that all models in the family produce the same number of BTUs at this temperature.

Capacity depends on the outdoor model, the indoor air handler, and the complete pairing.

The technology behind very-low-temperature performance

MIDEA also describes compressor technology designed to support performance when the outdoor temperature drops sharply.

According to the documentation, the system can introduce intermediate-temperature vapor into the compression process to increase the amount of compressed refrigerant and enhance heat production in cold conditions.

The brochure also presents results obtained with a 3-ton MIDEA system: up to 2.4 COP at approximately -15 °C, and up to 118% of nominal capacity at approximately -25 °C with a COP of 1.92 for the tested system. MIDEA specifies that these figures come from a 3-ton system.

This distinction is important.

At AirGreen, we do not take the best figure from a brochure and automatically apply it to all available capacities.

Several EVOX G3 capacities, multiple performance levels

MIDEA's technical table presents different configurations of the third-generation EVOX, from 18,000 to 54,000 BTU/h of nominal cooling capacity in the listed combinations.

The Rivière-Beaudette photo does not make it possible to read the complete model number with enough certainty to announce the exact tonnage without risking an error.

We therefore prefer not to arbitrarily assign a capacity to the system shown in the photograph.

This caution is also important for homeowners shopping for a heat pump. The name MIDEA EVOX G3 refers to a family of systems, not a single capacity.

The manufacturer's table shows, for example:

• 18,000 BTU/h with up to 19 SEER2 in the configuration shown;
• 24,000 BTU/h at 18.6 SEER2;
• 30,000 BTU/h at 17.2 SEER2;
• 36,000 BTU/h at 17.7 SEER2;
• 48,000 BTU/h at 17.5 SEER2;
• 54,000 BTU/h at 17.5 SEER2.

The best choice therefore depends on the building, not on the highest figure on the technical sheet.

From evacuation to indoor airflow: why an EVOX G3 installation must be treated as a complete system

Refrigeration commissioning is part of the work, not a formality

What is distinctive about the Rivière-Beaudette photo is that it shows the installation before all the tools were put away.

The manifold allows technicians to monitor refrigeration parameters during service operations. A vacuum pump is also visible.

During a professional installation, the circuit must be prepared according to the procedures applicable to the system. The objective is to obtain a clean, leak-tight circuit ready to operate under the conditions specified by the manufacturer.

This step should not be confused with simply “adding gas.”

A properly commissioned installation requires, among other things, knowledge of line lengths, manufacturer specifications, evacuation practices, and the equipment used.

This is particularly important for next-generation systems.

R-454B requires an appropriate work method

The MIDEA EVOX G3 presented in the brochure uses R-454B refrigerant.

MIDEA indicates that this A2L refrigerant has a global warming potential of 466 and that it is used in its EVOX Central System range.

The transition to R-454B involves practices adapted to the installation and servicing levels.

The presence of appropriate refrigeration tools in this photo therefore illustrates an important aspect of the new generation of HVAC systems: having previously worked on an old heat pump is not enough to assume that all procedures are identical.

At AirGreen, we incorporate these new technologies into our work methods and the equipment used by our technicians.

The outdoor unit is only half of the system

A central heat pump differs from a wall-mounted heat pump in how heating and cooling are distributed throughout the home.

The MIDEA EVOX G3 operates with an indoor air handler connected to the ducts.

This is where airflow becomes critical.

MIDEA uses an indoor unit architecture with an M-Coil and symmetrical fan. The manufacturer states that this design greatly reduces differences in airflow between the different parts of the heat exchanger compared with a conventional design.

In an existing home, however, this feature must work with the ducts that are actually in place.

Computational Constant Airflow 2.0 and existing duct networks

The EVOX G3 platform also incorporates Computational Constant Airflow 2.0 technology.

The documentation indicates that the fan can adjust its power and speed when static pressure conditions change. MIDEA's illustrations show scenarios of up to 1.2 in. of water column and airflow adjustment of up to 60 levels.

This feature is particularly interesting for replacement projects.

A house in Rivière-Beaudette may have a duct network that was installed several decades ago. It may have been modified during renovations, an addition, or the replacement of an old furnace.

We therefore need to check more than the heat pump's tonnage.

We look at the following in particular:

• the size of the main duct;
• air return;
• filtration;
• the transitions between the unit and the ducts;
• the number and size of registers;
• static pressure;
• and the airflow required for the selected capacity.

A central heat pump is both an air distribution system and a refrigeration system.

An indoor unit designed for renovation

The EVOX G3 was also designed to facilitate certain replacements of existing central systems.

MIDEA indicates indoor unit widths of 14.5 to 21.5 inches, depending on capacity, meaning sizes close to those of several common residential furnaces. The platform also provides multivoltage compatibility with 115 V and 208/230 V for the indoor unit, depending on the configuration.

This can simplify certain projects, but it does not mean that all installations are interchangeable without modification.

We still need to adapt the sheet metal, filtration, drainage, electrical system, and controls to the actual building.

Six indoor configuration options

The air handler also uses a modular design called Block N Lock.

MIDEA presents up to six installation orientations, including vertical upflow, downflow, right horizontal, left horizontal, and “low-boy” configurations suited to spaces with limited height.

This flexibility is useful in Quebec basements.

We regularly work in mechanical rooms where the new unit must accommodate beams, a water heater, plumbing, or existing ductwork.

Being able to orient the unit differently gives us more options for creating a clean and accessible HVAC installation.

Auxiliary heating: sizing it without wasting energy

The EVOX G3 documentation also provides for three-stage auxiliary heating kits capable of up to 25 kW, depending on the configuration.

In Quebec, this auxiliary heating may be necessary during certain cold-weather peaks or when the building's needs temporarily exceed the heat pump's available capacity.

But more auxiliary capacity is not automatically better.

The control system must avoid unnecessarily activating large electric resistance heaters when an Inverter heat pump can still effectively meet the demand.

That is why we consider the heat pump, the electric resistance heaters, the thermostat, and the heating load as one system.

A communicating or 24 V control, depending on the project

MIDEA also provides compatibility with 485 communication and conventional 24 V controls, allowing for several integration scenarios depending on the equipment and thermostats used.

With the manufacturer's communicating thermostat and the SmartHome app, the platform can also offer scheduling, comfort control, consumption monitoring, and certain diagnostic tools.

The goal is not to impose the most complex technology on every homeowner.

Instead, we look for the appropriate level of control for the installed system.

Rebates must be verified using the exact pairing

For a MIDEA EVOX G3 central heat pump in Rivière-Beaudette, any potential financial assistance should never be calculated solely based on the series name.

The brochure clearly shows that there are several capacities, several indoor units, and several performance levels.

To determine the eligibility of a specific system, it is therefore necessary to work with the indoor and outdoor model numbers of the actual installed pairing and verify the requirements of the applicable program at the time of the work.

This is the safest way to avoid presenting a theoretical rebate that does not match the customer's actual configuration.

This Rivière-Beaudette project effectively summarizes our approach

This project is interesting because the photograph does not simply aim to show a completed, cleaned heat pump.

It shows the work in progress.

You can see the manifold. You can see the hoses. You can see the vacuum pump. You can see the refrigerant connections still accessible. You can see the service cylinder. You can also see the metal structure specifically used to hold the EVOX G3 at the proper height above the pavement.

This is a much more representative picture of what a professional HVAC installation really is.

At AirGreen, the value of the project lies as much in the steps that disappear once the tools are put away as in the machine's final appearance.

The tonnage selection, equipment mounting, piping, evacuation, commissioning, airflow, electrical work, filtration, and control programming must all work together.

We install MIDEA EVOX G3 central heat pumps in Rivière-Beaudette, Vaudreuil-Soulanges and western Montérégie, as well as Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the South Shore, and the North Shore.

For a furnace replacement or an older central heat pump, we can assess not only the required capacity, but also the ductwork, mechanical space, electrical supply, and outdoor location before proposing the system.