Packaged Heat Pump System Gree Rooftop R32 5 Ton | Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore and North Shore
Heating a demanding building through the Quebec winter
Some buildings need a lot of heat: a store whose door opens all day long, a showroom with large areas of glass, open-plan offices, a community hall with high ceilings. For them, the Gree Rooftop R32 packaged heat pump in the 5 ton size (60,000 BTU/h nominal capacity) counts on its cold weather performance. ENERGY STAR Cold Climate certified, it provides heating down to -30 °C outdoors, from a single cabinet installed outside that brings together the compressor, the coils and the fan and connects to the building's duct system.
Rather than lining up a spec sheet, let us follow the unit through the winter, from the fall to the deep cold of January, with the certified capacities at each stage. That is how we explain this model to the owners and managers we meet in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, on the North Shore and on the South Shore.
At 8.3 °C: 57,000 BTU/h for the shoulder seasons
In October, in November, then again in the spring, the thermometer often hovers around 8.3 °C. At that temperature, the 5 ton certifies 57,000 BTU/h in heating. The building's demand generally stays moderate, and DC Inverter technology lets the compressor slow down instead of stopping and restarting over and over. Comfort is steadier from one hour to the next.
At -8.3 °C: 34,000 BTU/h, the certified rated capacity
The temperature of -8.3 °C (17 °F) serves as the reference point for cold weather heating certification. At that point, the 5 ton certifies a rated capacity of 34,000 BTU/h. It is the figure that allows units to be compared with each other under identical test conditions, and a useful benchmark for sizing.
At -15 °C: 51,000 BTU/h at maximum compressor speed
At -15 °C (5 °F), the data sheet shows 51,000 BTU/h, more than at -8.3 °C. The two figures do not measure the same thing: the one at -8.3 °C is the certified rated capacity, while the one at -15 °C is measured at maximum compressor speed, as the ENERGY STAR Cold Climate designation criterion requires. It shows the reserve the unit can call on when the cold settles in and the building asks for more heat.
At that same temperature, the certified COP is 2.00: the unit delivers two units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed, and that at maximum speed. This is what sets a heat pump designed for a cold climate apart from resistance heat, which simply turns electricity into heat.
Down to -30 °C: the operating limit
The heating operating range runs from -30 °C to 24 °C outdoors. During the cold snaps that hit the Montreal area, the unit therefore stays within its operating range down to -30 °C. For those periods, we review with you, right at the estimate, the role that the existing heating system should keep, according to the building's load and its use.
Reading the three figures together
To size the installation, we relate these capacities to the building's heat losses: the insulation, the windows, the air tightness, the volume to be heated and how often the doors open. The capacity of 57,000 BTU/h at 8.3 °C matches the shoulder seasons, the rated capacity of 34,000 BTU/h at -8.3 °C serves as a basis for comparison, and the 51,000 BTU/h measured at maximum speed at -15 °C shows the margin the unit has in deep cold. This picture lets us tell you clearly what share of the winter the heat pump can carry in your building.
What happens inside the compressor
Gree, which presents itself in its Canadian brochure as “the world's largest air conditioner manufacturer”, calls its cold weather heating technology “Ultra-Heat”. It relies on two-stage, two-cylinder compression combined with hot gas injection, for cold weather heating performance. The unit also includes zero-wind start-up, anti-corrosion and dust-proof construction, multiple protections, multi-parameter regulation and an emergency operating mode.
For businesses and buildings that need a lot of heat
Gree intends this lineup for “a wide variety of residential and light commercial applications”. The 5 ton size is meant for those whose heating load is substantial. Here are examples of buildings for which we consider it:
- High-traffic retail store: every opening of the door lets in cold air that has to be made up quickly.
- Showroom or glassed-in space: large window areas increase heat losses in winter and solar gains in summer.
- Open-plan offices: a commercial floor served by a single duct system.
- Community hall or non-profit space: a large volume to heat, often occupied intermittently.
- Large home: a house whose heating load justifies this capacity and that has a suitable outdoor location.
Sizing is always confirmed on site. A 5 ton is justified only if the building's load calls for it; otherwise, we will recommend a smaller size in the same lineup. To compare the capacities and the brands we install, see our packaged heat pumps page.
Moving 1,600 CFM through the building
To deliver its heat, the 5 ton moves 1,600, 1,200 or 1,100 CFM depending on the speed (high, medium or low). The published external static pressure is 0.50 in., within a range of 0 to 0.8 in. We check that the ducts, the grilles and the return air can carry that airflow: in winter, a duct system that is too restrictive leaves rooms lukewarm, even with a properly sized unit.
Power, roof and control
- Power supply: 208-230 V, single-phase, 60 Hz, which suits buildings without three-phase service. MCA of 39.1 A and MOP of 45 A, to be planned with your electrician.
- Dimensions and weight: 44 × 44 × 49-1/4 in. (1,120 × 1,120 × 1,250 mm), 628.3 lb net. The capacity of the roof structure is confirmed before the work.
- Noise: published sound pressure of 68 dB(A), which we take into account when choosing the location.
- Refrigerant: R-32, charge of 204.6 oz.
- Control: GREE controller supplied, linked by a two-wire non-polarized communication, or a standard 24 V connection to a thermostat, over a distance of up to 30 m (98.5 ft). Central control provided for; remote control possible with an optional gateway.
And in summer, cooling
The same unit cools the building during the warm season. Its certified cooling capacity is 56,000 BTU/h at 35 °C, and it operates in that mode from -5 °C to 52 °C outdoors. Its certified ratings: SEER2 of 18.0, EER2 of 11.2 and HSPF2 of 8.3 (region IV). The 5 ton data is filed under AHRI no. 215866831 and ENERGY STAR certificate no. 3721889.
Get ready for next winter with AirGreen
If your building needs a lot of heat, we assess its load, your ducts, your electrical supply and your roof, then we propose a packaged heat pump installation sized for the Quebec winter. 100% free on-site estimate everywhere in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, North Shore and South Shore. Call AirGreen at 514 316-2973. AirGreen inc., RBQ licence 5645-9605-01.