Packaged Heat Pump System York WQE 3 Ton Three-Phase | Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore and North Shore
Replacing a 3 ton rooftop unit by making the most of the existing roof curb
When the 3 ton rooftop unit of a store, an office or a service space reaches the end of its service life, the most direct plan is to remove the old unit, check the roof curb and the ducts already in place, then set a new unit down in the same spot. The YORK Sun Core cabinet was designed with the replacement market in mind: its full-perimeter base rail fits many existing roof curbs. At AirGreen, we plan this kind of replacement for businesses in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore and the South Shore, from the first site visit through to commissioning.
The WQE04A2C1AB5A111A1 model is a 208/230 V three-phase 3 ton (36,000 BTU/h nominal) packaged heat pump from the WQE series, the standard-efficiency version of the Sun Core line. It runs on R-454B refrigerant and takes, according to your needs, a field-installed electric heat kit.
A complete unit, set down on the roof curb
A packaged heat pump gathers the whole system in a single outdoor cabinet: compressor, outdoor coil, indoor coil, supply fan, filters and control. It is installed on the roof or at ground level and connects directly to the building's supply and return ducts. On a replacement, nothing is added indoors: the work stays on the roof, then moves to the thermostat or zone sensor connection. In summer, the unit cools; in winter, the heat pump heats the space and the electric kit supplies backup heat when needed.
A full-perimeter base rail built for replacement
The base rail runs around the entire perimeter of the cabinet. YORK builds it in a heavier gauge, with a shape worked out to avoid damage during transport and lifting; it has holes for the lifting shackles and for moving the unit with a forklift. Since no two roof curbs are ever exactly alike, we always measure yours before confirming compatibility.
If the existing curb does not work out, YORK offers two rigid roof curbs for its small cabinet size: the 14 in. 1RC0456 and the 24 in. 1RC0458, with an insulated deck and shipped unassembled. These same curbs serve the 3, 4 and 5 ton models (WQE04, WQE05, WQE06 and their WYE equivalents). That leaves you the option of moving up to a larger capacity later without rebuilding the curb.
Model specifications
- Nominal capacity: 3 tons (36,000 BTU/h)
- AHRI net cooling: 35,600 BTU/h
- Heating at 47 °F (8.3 °C): 34,500 BTU/h, COP of 3.5
- Heating at 17 °F (-8.3 °C): 19,500 BTU/h, COP of 2.1
- Efficiency: 14.0 SEER2, 6.7 HSPF2 and 12.2 EER2
- Nominal airflow: 1,240 CFM (ft³/min)
- Power supply: 208/230 V three-phase, 60 Hz (allowable applied voltage from 187 V to 252 V)
- Dimensions (width x length x height): 48.9 x 74.1 x 32.5 in.
- Operating weight: 529 lb (542 lb shipping)
- Outdoor sound level per AHRI 270: 78.4 dBA
- R-454B refrigerant, one scroll compressor on a single refrigeration circuit
A short cabinet and a high static pressure blower
At 32.5 in. tall, the 3 ton model uses the short cabinet of the small Sun Core size, while the 4 and 5 ton models reach 40.6 in. According to the YORK nomenclature, the letter C in the model number designates the high static pressure option: a belt-driven centrifugal blower, a 2.4 HP motor and an adjustable-pitch drive pulley. It is a sound choice when the existing duct system is long or includes several elbows, since the YORK tables cover up to 2.0 in. w.c. of available external static pressure. Before start-up, we measure the actual static pressure of your ducts and adjust the pulley to reach the target airflow.
What you gain over the old unit
- R-454B refrigerant: an A2L refrigerant with a low global warming potential. According to the YORK nomenclature, this model includes the refrigerant detection system (RDS), which starts a dilution sequence and an alarm when it detects a leak equal to 25% of the lower flammability limit.
- Smart Equipment control: built-in LCD display, USB port, factory-installed temperature sensors, voltage monitoring and compressor lockout after three trips of the same safety within two hours.
- Communication with a building management system: the model code provides for the BACnet MS/TP, Modbus and N2 communication card.
- Scroll compressor with internal protection, liquid line filter drier and high and low pressure switches.
- Coils with copper tubes and aluminum fins, embossed top for rigidity and powder paint rated 750 hours of salt spray.
- 2 in. filters (two 16 x 25 x 2 in. filters, MERV 4 from the factory), reachable without tools through a dedicated panel.
Electrical and backup heat: to confirm before the quote
The existing circuit can be reused if its rating is adequate. Without backup heat, the YORK guide gives for this configuration a minimum circuit ampacity (MCA) of 22.5 A at 208 V and 22.8 A at 230 V, with a fuse or a breaker of 30 A maximum. Adding an electric heat kit changes these values. In 208/230 V three-phase, the small size kits come in 6.5, 10.5 and 16 kW at 230 V, which gives 4.9, 7.9 and 12 kW when the actual supply is 208 V. We therefore measure the voltage at your electrical service before choosing the kit and the circuit rating; the unit's nameplate always has the last word.
How a typical replacement unfolds
- Visit to your space: survey of the roof curb, the duct openings and the electrical service.
- Load calculation to confirm that 3 tons still suit the current use of the space.
- Order of the unit and, if needed, of a new roof curb, a heat kit, an economizer or a hail guard (kit 1HG0419, specific to the short cabinet).
- Crane lift: the unit weighs 542 lb as shipped and its rails are meant for lifting with shackles.
- Respect of the YORK clearances: 72 in. above, 36 in. at the front, 18 in. at the back (36 in. with an economizer or a powered exhaust), 18 in. on the right and 12 in. on the left.
- Connections, airflow adjustment, commissioning and a start-up report pulled from the control's USB port.
Every unit leaves the factory configured and run-tested, which simplifies commissioning on the roof. The control also allows cooling down to 40 °F (4 °C) outdoors with no additional component.
Trust AirGreen with your 3 ton replacement
We sell and install YORK Sun Core packaged heat pumps, and our crews take charge of the whole project: free on-site estimate, sizing, lift coordination, duct and electrical connections, commissioning and maintenance. As an HVAC contractor based in Montreal, we also handle coordination with your building manager or your general contractor.
- A single crew in charge, from the site visit to the first start-up
- Work planned around your business hours and carried out quickly
- Regular maintenance: filter changes, coil cleaning and belt inspection
Whether your business is in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, on the North Shore or on the South Shore, we hand you a clear quote after our visit. To book your free on-site estimate, call us at 514 316-2973 or fill out the form on airgreen.ca: we get back to you quickly to set the date of the visit.