Cold Climate Heat Pump Capacity

Carrier Performance (ducted): Heating Capacity at 5F and Below

The MAX heating capacity the Carrier Performance (ducted) holds as it gets cold, from the AHRI-certified NEEP record (AHRI 217907770), with the maintained-% and a balance-point readout.

Quick answer: the Carrier Performance (ducted) holds 26,200 BTU/hr MAX at 5F, which is 82.4% of its 31,800 BTU/hr rated capacity at 47F, and delivers 26,200 down to 5F. COP at MAX at 5F is 2.12. It is a 3-ton R-454B ducted unit.

MAX Capacity by Temperature

Printed rated points for the Carrier Performance (ducted) (AHRI 217907770), each labeled RATED or MAX
Outdoor temperatureTypeHeating capacity
47FRATED31,800 BTU/hr
47FMAX31,600 BTU/hr
17FMAX31,800 BTU/hr
5FMAX26,200 BTU/hr

The “will it heat my house at 5F” answer is the MAX at 5F (26,200 BTU/hr), shown next to the rated 47F capacity so you see both. Capacity below 5F is not published for this line, so it is not extrapolated here.

Maintained Capacity at 5F

At 5F the Carrier Performance (ducted) holds 26,200 BTU/hr. That is 82.4% of its rated 47F capacity (26,200 / 31,800), and 82.9% of its MAX 47F capacity (26,200 / 31,600). Both are true; the denominator is always stated. NEEP floors its stored percentage to a whole number (82% and 82% respectively); the computed ratio is shown above.

Balance Point & Backup Heat

Against a 45,000 BTU/hr design load at 5F, the Carrier Performance (ducted) balances at 22.7F and needs 18,800 BTU/hr (5.51 kW) of backup heat at the 5F design temperature (capacity at design 26,200 BTU/hr vs 45,000 load).

The balance point is where this model's declining capacity curve crosses the load line, which runs from zero at 65F to your full design load at the design temperature. Enter your own design heat load in the calculator below for your numbers. This is a readout, not a substitute for a Manual-J load calculation.

Run It for Your Temperature and Load

Source

Capacity and COP transcribed from the AHRI-certified NEEP cold-climate air-source heat pump database, pinned to AHRI certificate 217907770 for outdoor unit 27VPA936A*030*: NEEP ccASHP record, accessed 2026-07-11. The manufacturer engineering data or a Manual-J by an HVAC pro has the final say.

An R-454B ducted variable-speed unit. It holds capacity flat from 47F through 17F, then delivers 26,200 at 5F (its coldest rated row), with the highest 5F COP in this roster at 2.12. Its MAX at 47F (31,600) sits just below its rated 31,800; that is what NEEP prints, kept verbatim.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Carrier Performance (ducted) heating capacity at 5F?

The Carrier Performance (ducted) puts out 26,200 BTU/hr MAX at 5F, which is 82.4% of its 31,800 BTU/hr rated capacity at 47F (and 82.9% of its 31,600 MAX at 47F). This is the number that answers whether it can heat your house on a cold day. Pinned to AHRI certificate 217907770.

How low can the Carrier Performance (ducted) operate?

The AHRI-certified NEEP record rates the Carrier Performance (ducted) down to 5F, its lowest published row (26,200 BTU/hr). Capacity below 5F is not published for this line, so it is not extrapolated here; read the manufacturer submittal for any lower-temperature data.

What is the Carrier Performance (ducted) COP at 5F?

The COP at MAX capacity at 5F is 2.12. That is the coefficient of performance at the maximum output the unit reaches at 5F. Only the MAX-capacity COP is published here; the minimum-output COP at extreme lows is artifactual and is not a useful cold-weather figure.

What is the balance point for the Carrier Performance (ducted)?

It depends on your home's heat loss. Against a 45,000 BTU/hr design load at 5F, the Carrier Performance (ducted) balances at 22.7F and needs 18,800 BTU/hr (5.51 kW) of backup heat at the 5F design temperature. Enter your own load in the calculator for your balance point. A Manual-J load calculation has the final say.


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