Packaged Heat Pump System Gree Rooftop R32 2 Ton | Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore and North Shore
A properly sized 2 ton unit for a single duct system
The packaged heat pump Rooftop R32 from Gree, in the 2 ton size, is meant for buildings served by a single duct system: a small business, an office, a neighbourhood clinic or a large home. Everything sits in one outdoor cabinet (compressor, coils and fan), connected to the building's ducts. The unit is all-electric and handles heating in winter as well as air conditioning in summer. At AirGreen, we install this model in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, on the North Shore and on the South Shore, and we always start with the same step: confirming that 2 tons is the right capacity for your building.
Rated capacity is 24,000 BTU/h. The unit is ENERGY STAR Cold Climate certified, posts a SEER2 of 18.0 and delivers heating down to -30 °C outdoors. Before we talk about efficiency, though, let's talk about sizing, because a unit that is too big for the building runs poorly, whatever its spec sheet says.
The buildings this size is meant for
The 2 ton fits when the heating and cooling load stays modest and all the air travels through one duct system. Here are the situations we often meet in the field:
- Small business: a shop, a hair salon, a service counter or a café whose sales floor is served by a single duct system.
- Office: a professional practice, an agency or a small administrative office where you want a steady temperature during business hours, winter and summer.
- Large home: a house whose floors are tied to the same duct system and that has a suitable outdoor spot for a packaged cabinet.
- Mixed-use space: a workshop with a reception area, a studio or an adjoining meeting room, tied to the same air distribution.
No simple rule ties floor area to capacity. Insulation, windows, orientation, the number of occupants, the equipment that gives off heat and the building's air tightness all weigh just as much in the calculation. That is why we assess the building on site before recommending a size, rather than relying on a square-foot estimate.
Why not go bigger "just to be safe"
The instinct makes sense: pick a bigger unit to be sure of having enough heat in January. In practice, an oversized unit creates other drawbacks, and summer is when you notice them most.
Cycles that are too short
When capacity clearly exceeds the need, the unit reaches the setpoint very quickly, shuts down, then restarts shortly after. These short cycles multiply compressor starts, create temperature gaps from one room to the next and move the air in bursts. Gree's DC Inverter technology lets the compressor slow down when demand falls, but it is on a unit whose capacity matches the building that it makes full sense: it can then run for long stretches at moderate speed instead of stopping and starting again endlessly.
Dehumidification through the summer
In cooling, the coil also pulls moisture out of the air, but only if it runs long enough for the water to condense and drain. An oversized unit cools the air in a few minutes then shuts off: the temperature on the display is reached, but the air stays humid and the room feels clammy. Through the hot, humid days Montreal and Laval get in July, a properly sized unit runs longer and dries the indoor air better. Your customers, your employees or your family feel it right away.
An investment matched to the real need
Choosing the right capacity also means not paying for tons that will never be used, then living with their drawbacks for years. If our assessment shows that your building needs more, we will tell you plainly and we will propose the next size up in the same line. To compare the capacities and the brands we install, see our packaged heat pumps page.
The best efficiency in the Rooftop R32 line
Among the four capacities in Gree's Rooftop R32 line, the 2 ton posts the best EER2 (11.7) and the best HSPF2 (8.8). The 3, 4 and 5 ton units certify an EER2 of 11.2 and an HSPF2 of 8.5 or 8.3. The SEER2 of 18.0, for its part, is the same across the whole line. These ratings read as follows:
- EER2: cooling efficiency measured at a fixed condition, at an outdoor temperature of 35 °C. That is the figure to look at for hot days.
- SEER2: seasonal cooling efficiency, calculated over a full typical season rather than at a single temperature.
- HSPF2: seasonal heating efficiency, certified here for climate region IV.
- COP: the ratio between the heat delivered and the electricity used at a given temperature. The 2 ton certifies a COP of 1.90 at -15 °C.
In other words, at -15 °C, the unit delivers 1.90 units of heat for every unit of electricity it draws, and that is at maximum compressor speed. An electric baseboard, for its part, turns electricity into heat without drawing anything from the outdoor air.
The certified capacities, and how to read them
- Cooling at 35 °C: 24,000 BTU/h.
- Heating at 8.3 °C: 24,000 BTU/h.
- Heating at -8.3 °C (17 °F): 15,500 BTU/h, the certified rated capacity.
- Heating at -15 °C (5 °F): 29,000 BTU/h, measured at maximum compressor speed.
The value at -15 °C is higher than the one at -8.3 °C, which can be surprising. The two figures do not measure the same thing. The capacity at -8.3 °C is the certified rated capacity; the one at -15 °C is measured at maximum compressor speed, as the criterion for the ENERGY STAR Cold Climate designation requires. It shows what the unit can deliver when it ramps up to meet a heavy heating demand. This data is certified under AHRI number 216763049 and ENERGY STAR certificate no. 4006772.
Installation in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, on the North Shore and the South Shore
A well-chosen 2 ton also has to be well connected. During the on-site estimate, we go over four points with you.
What we check before recommending the unit
- The duct system: condition, tightness and ability to carry the unit's airflow, that is 880, 700 or 600 CFM depending on the speed (high, medium or low). External static pressure is 0.50 in., within a range of 0 to 0.7 in.
- The electrical supply: the unit runs on 208-230 V, single-phase, 60 Hz. It therefore suits buildings that have no three-phase service.
- The location: the cabinet measures 44 × 35-7/16 × 49-1/4 in. (1,120 × 900 × 1,250 mm) for a net weight of 523 lb. We check the access, the support and the distance to windows, because the published sound pressure is 63 dB(A).
- The control: GREE controller included, linked by two-wire communication, or a standard 24 V connection to a thermostat, with a communication distance of up to 30 m (98.5 ft.).
Gree technology day to day
Gree, which presents itself in its Canadian brochure as "the world's largest manufacturer of air conditioners", has given this line its "Ultra-Heat" technology: two-stage, twin-cylinder compression combined with hot gas injection, for heating performance in cold weather. The manufacturer intends it for "a wide variety of residential and small commercial applications", which fits the 2 ton well.
Added to that are high-efficiency DC Inverter technology, anti-corrosion and dust-resistant construction, multiple protections, multi-parameter regulation, zero-wind start-up and an emergency operating mode. Polarity-free communication simplifies the wiring, central control is provided for, and remote control is possible with an optional gateway. The refrigerant is R-32, with a charge of 149.9 oz. In cooling, the unit runs from -5 °C to 52 °C outdoors; in heating, from -30 °C to 24 °C.
Free estimate for your 2 ton project
If you are torn between 2 and 3 tons, or you want to confirm that your duct system suits a packaged heat pump installation, we do the assessment with you, on site. 100% free on-site estimate anywhere in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore and the South Shore. Call AirGreen at 514 316-2973 to book your appointment. AirGreen inc., RBQ licence 5645-9605-01.