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Senville Pro Partner · Authorized dealer/installer
Senville’s two heat-pump water heaters, and the room they need.
Replacing an electric tank with a heat-pump water heater: Senville’s SENWH-HP50 and SENWH-HP65, what they ask of the room (clearances, air, ducting, condensate), how their modes take turns, and the figures Senville publishes two different ways. Everything comes from its product pages, its catalogue, its manual and the ENERGY STAR records of both models.
Updated October 27, 2026 · ENERGY STAR records read and manual quotes re-checked that day; senville.ca pages re-read October 26Certified storage volume
Certified first-hour rating
ENERGY STAR records 4518070 and 4518071, read October 27, 2026. senville.ca says 45 and 61 gal “nominal”, and 84 gal for the HP65. Same compressor, same elements, same 27.5 gal/h recovery per Senville.
This page answersFor anyone replacing an electric tank with a heat-pump water heater: Senville’s 50- and 65-gallon units, what they ask of the room, how their modes work, and which published figures contradict each other.
Same hook-ups, same compressor: pick the volume, then check the room against the drawing further down. Prices on quotation.
A heat-pump water heater draws its heat from the air around it. Here is what Senville asks of that room, on one drawing, in its own words where they matter.
Front view
Top view
Schematic, not to scale. The dimensions are the ones Senville publishes; the condensate, duct and circuit routes are illustrative. The 20 in in front come only from the manual’s drawing; the senville.ca pages do not give them. Crossed circle: never into the water-heater pan.
0 in behind, 6 in on each side and 20 in above on both senville.ca pages; the manual adds 20 in in front on its drawing (“Min 20”) and explains the top figure: “20 Minimum clearance above heat pump to allow for filter maintenance”.
Minimum room volume: not published. The manual says “Allow 200m3 of free space surrounding the unit”, a unit that looks wrong: not confirmed. It also warns that a poorly ventilated confined space raises power consumption.
8 in diameter at the air inlet and outlet; 7, 6 and 5 in are accepted, with shorter lengths. “Every foot of flexible ducting counts as three feet of rigid ducting.” And never shared: “This water heater MUST be ducted separately from other appliances.”
“DO NOT allow water heater drain pan to be used as a condensate drain”. A slope of at least 1/8 in per foot (about 1 cm per metre), a trap if the line joins a sewer pipe, an insulated line never smaller than the fitting. No neutralizing: “it is not acidic”.
A separate 208/240 V branch circuit with copper conductors, run by a qualified electrician per Senville; no power strip and no timer.
49.5 dBA per Senville, 49 dBA per ENERGY STAR. The unit also runs at night, hence the instruction: “Avoid positioning unit against wall shared with neighbours’ bedrooms.”
In ECONOMY mode, the default, the heat pump heats when the room is within its range, 3 °C to 42 °C per ENERGY STAR; outside that range, only the elements work. Above 46 °C, Senville forbids the installation. Its catalogue presents these water heaters as “perfect for semi-heated spaces”, naming the garage, the basement and the utility room.
Heat pump: cut-offs certified by ENERGY STAR at 37.4 and 107.6 °F (3 and 42 °C); Senville publishes 37 to 109 °F (3 to 43 °C), hence the hatching from 42 to 43 °C. Elements: 5 to 115 °F (−15 to 46 °C) per Senville, with no certified value.
| Diameter | Rigid | Flexible |
|---|---|---|
| 8 in203 mm | 357 ft109 m | 131 ft40 m |
| 7 in178 mm | 168 ft51 m | 68 ft21 m |
| 6 in152 mm | 68 ft21 m | 26 ft7.9 m |
| 5 in127 mm | 18 ft5.5 m | not published |
Table 1 of the manual, values as printed. The manual also sets a pressure and airflow limit: “If the static pressure is higher than 45Pa or the airflow at the outlet is less than 150m3/h, the efficiency will reduce more than 20%.” (150 m³/h is about 88 CFM.) Between the unit and the rigid duct, the manual asks for a short flexible section of 12 in or more, to isolate vibration.
| Minimum footprint, computed | SENWH-HP50 | SENWH-HP65 |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling height, at leastheight + 20 in | 86.4 in2,195 mm | 86.4 in2,195 mm |
| Clear widthdiameter + 2 × 6 in | 33.7 in856 mm | 37.7 in*958 mm |
| Clear depth0 behind + diameter + 20 in in front | 41.7 in1,059 mm | 45.7 in*1,161 mm |
* Using the 25.7 in diameter in Senville’s catalogue, the larger of the two published for the HP65 (the senville.ca page says 24.25 in). Height of 66.4 in, as on the senville.ca pages (the catalogue gives 65-6/7 in for the HP65). Depth includes the 20 in in front from the manual’s drawing. AirGreen’s calculation from Senville’s published dimensions; the drain pan and fittings are not counted. ENERGY STAR gives other figures, those of the tank alone: 47.9 × 18.3 in and 45.5 × 21.8 in.
Sources: senville.ca SENWH-HP50 and SENWH-HP65 pages (re-read October 26, 2026); “Use & Care Manual with Installation Instructions” for the SENWH-HP50, HP65 and HP80 (read October 26, 2026, quotes re-checked October 27, 2026); Senville catalogue (October 14, 2026); ENERGY STAR records 4518070 and 4518071 (October 27, 2026).
ENERGY STAR records 4518070 and 4518071 settle the volume, the efficiency, the first-hour rating and the sound. For the HP65’s size, weight and charge, where the senville.ca page and the catalogue disagree, we show both and the page uses the less favourable one.
What changes, per ENERGY STAR: the volume (47 gal vs 60 gal), the first-hour rating (69 gal vs 80 gal) and the UEF (3.75 vs 3.90); per Senville, the footprint and the weight. What does not: the compressor, the elements, the 27.5 gal/h recovery, the operating ranges, the sound and the electrical hook-up. So, per Senville, the 65-gallon unit does not reheat any faster: it keeps more hot water in reserve.
| Compare | SENWH-HP5050 gallons | SENWH-HP6565 gallons |
|---|---|---|
| Storage volume | 47 galENERGY STAR45 galsenville.ca page, “nominal”used: 47 gal (178 L), certified | 60 galENERGY STAR61 galsenville.ca page, “nominal”used: 60 gal (227 L), certified |
| UEF | 3.75ENERGY STAR, page and catalogue | 3.90ENERGY STAR and catalogue3.75senville.ca pageused: 3.90, certified |
| First-hour rating | 69 gal261 L · ENERGY STAR, page and catalogue | 80 galENERGY STAR and catalogue84 galsenville.ca pageused: 80 gal (303 L), certified |
| Draw pattern · annual use | medium · 855 kWhENERGY STAR, “Medium-Usage” | high · 1,240 kWhENERGY STAR, “High-Usage” |
| Recovery, 90 °F (50 °C) rise | 27.5 gal/h104 L/h · page and catalogue | 27.5 gal/hsame |
| Unit height × diameter | 66.4 × 21.70 in1,687 mm × 551 mm | 66.4 × 24.25 insenville.ca page65-6/7 × 25.7 inSenville catalogueused: 66.4 × 25.7 in, the larger |
| Unit weight | 218 lb98.9 kg | 243 lbsenville.ca page271.39 lbSenville catalogueused: 271.39 lb (123.1 kg), the heavier |
| Refrigerant charge | R-134a · 18.34 oz | 23.63 ozsenville.ca page18.34 ozSenville cataloguenot settled: no bearing on your choice |
| Compressor · elements · total | 1,500 W · 2 × 4,500 W · 5,500 Wtotal: 5.5 kW at ENERGY STAR too | 1,500 W · 2 × 4,500 W · 5,500 Wsame |
| Cold Climate Efficiency (CCE) | 3.0page and catalogue | 3.0same |
| Sound level | 49 dBAENERGY STAR49.5 dBApage and catalogueused: 49 dBA, certified | 49 dBAENERGY STAR49.5 dBApage and catalogueused: 49 dBA, certified |
| ENERGY STAR record · AHRI reference | 4518070AHRI 217485713 | 4518071AHRI 217485714 |
value the page uses when two sources disagree
Certified values come from the ENERGY STAR records (“Certified Heat Pump Water Heaters” dataset), read October 27, 2026; they match Senville’s catalogue for the HP65’s UEF and first-hour rating. ENERGY STAR does not certify the unit’s size, weight or charge: there, better to plan for the larger space and weight. Annual use: ENERGY STAR estimate, each under its own draw pattern, so not directly comparable. “Nominal” is the senville.ca page’s word; the catalogue says “Rated Gallon Capacity”. Litres: our conversion, at 3.785 L per US gallon.
For each mode: which heat source works, per Senville’s manual, and the sentence that says so. Where the manual is silent, the box says “not published”.
Our reading of the manual: the heat pump heats while the room is within its range, and the upper element joins in when the T5U sensor drops below 36 °C.
“If the ambient temperature is out of the heat pump ambient operating range, only the heating element will work”
The manual says no more than that the icon lights up. This mode is not switched back to ECONOMY after 72 hours.
“This icon will be lightened when the appliance is running in HEAT PUMP MODE.”
Heat pump and element together. The manual does not say when to choose this mode.
“The heat pump and the electric heater are running at the same time.”
Elements only, like an electric tank.
“In this mode, only the heating element will work (won’t work at the same time).”
During an absence, the tank is kept low, at 15 °C, for 1 to 360 days. The manual adds that this mode protects the lines from freezing.
“Maintains low tank water temperature, preheats hot water and anti-freeze lines, while reducing on/off operation of the tank.”
Pick HYBRID or E-HEATER: with no new choice within 72 hours, the unit goes back to ECONOMY on its own. VACATION and HEAT PUMP are the exceptions. “If no user changes the device mode within 72 hours (except for VACATION mode and HEATPUMP mode), it will automatically switch to ECONOMY mode”
Senville publishes 4,500 W per element, 1,500 W for the compressor and 5,500 W in total, as does ENERGY STAR (5.5 kW): less than the 9,000 W of two elements. For E-HEATER mode, the manual says “only the heating element will work (won’t work at the same time)”. The circuit asked for: 26.8 A minimum at 240 V.
Built-in communication per ENERGY STAR: “A - Built-in”, over Wi-Fi and CTA-2045 (CTA-2045-B protocol). The manual names the NetHome Plus app, on a 2.4 GHz network.
Senville’s catalogue lists “Hybrid, High Demand, Electric Heating, Vacation, and Heat Pump”: no ECONOMY, and a High Demand mode the manual never describes. The page follows the manual, the only document that describes the modes.
Mode names as printed in the manual. SENWH manual, read October 26, 2026, quotes re-checked October 27, 2026; Senville catalogue, read October 14, 2026; ENERGY STAR records 4518070 and 4518071, read October 27, 2026.
| Power supply | 240 V, 1 phase, 60 Hz (range 208 to 240 V) |
|---|---|
| Min. circuit ampacity | 23.6 A (208 V) · 26.8 A (240 V) |
| Max. fuse | 25 A (208 V) · 30 A (240 V) |
| Wiring | 10 AWG × 3 |
| Elements (240 V) | 2 × 4,500 W |
| Compressor · total | 1,500 W · 5,500 W |
To size the breaker and wire, Senville asks you to add 500 W to the upper element’s rating. Separate circuit, copper conductors, grounding.
| Hot and cold water | 3/4 in NPT |
|---|---|
| T&P valve | comes fitted, must remain installed; 150 PSI maximum |
| Expansion tank | on the cold line, between the water heater and the check valve |
| Mixing valve | not included; Senville recommends an ASSE 1017 valve |
| Outlet water | 43 °C to 65 °C (109 to 149 °F) |
Senville spells it out: “this product does not include a mixing valve”. The water connections (T&P valve, expansion tank, mixing valve, trap to the drain) are plumbing work, done by a plumber holding his own RBQ licence: they fall outside AirGreen’s subclasses 15.8, 15.10 and 16. The AirGreen quote states exactly what it includes.
| Senville warranty | 7 years parts · 10 years compressor |
|---|---|
| LogisVert | not on Hydro-Québec’s list |
| Other Quebec program | not published |
The warranty is printed on both senville.ca pages; the catalogue and the manual give no term. Hydro-Québec’s LogisVert list covers space-heating heat pumps. No source in our file confirms a Quebec program for a heat-pump water heater. Warranty terms on the Senville page
senville.ca pages (October 26, 2026) and SENWH manual (October 26, 2026); Hydro-Québec LogisVert list, file of October 14, 2026.
A room that stays between 3 °C and 42 °C so the heat pump can work (cut-offs certified by ENERGY STAR; Senville says 43 °C), and never above 46 °C. It needs 20 in clear above, 20 in in front according to the manual’s drawing, 6 in at the sides; the back may touch the wall, but Senville advises against a wall shared with a neighbour’s bedroom. Senville names the garage, the basement and the utility room.
senville.ca pages (October 26, 2026), SENWH manual, Senville catalogue and ENERGY STAR records (October 27, 2026).The manual gives the duct rules without saying when ducts are required; it warns that a poorly ventilated confined space raises power consumption. With ducts: 8 in diameter, never shared with another appliance, each foot of flexible duct counts as three feet of rigid, and beyond 45 Pa or under 150 m³/h, efficiency drops by more than 20%.
Senville SENWH manual, read October 26, 2026, quotes re-checked October 27, 2026.Into a drain, through a line sloped at least 1/8 in per foot, with a trap if it joins a sewer pipe, insulated so it does not sweat. Never into the water heater’s drain pan: Senville writes it in capitals. The condensate is not acidic and needs no neutralizing.
Senville SENWH manual, read October 26, 2026, quotes re-checked October 27, 2026.No. Neither the SENWH-HP50 nor the SENWH-HP65 is on the list of heat pumps eligible for LogisVert, which covers space heating. As for another Quebec program for this type of water heater, no source in our file confirms one as of October 26, 2026: not published.
Hydro-Québec, list of heat pumps eligible for LogisVert, file of October 14, 2026.Senville prints “Warranty: 7-year parts — 10-year compressor” on the HP50 and HP65 pages. The terms shared by the Senville range are on the Senville page. See the terms
senville.ca SENWH-HP50 and SENWH-HP65 pages, re-read October 26, 2026.
We come and see the room: the on-site estimate confirms the location, the clearances, the ducting, the condensate drain and the electrical supply, and the quote states exactly what it includes.
Applies to the whole Senville range
Prices on quotation.
