The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) contracted with Ecotope, Inc., Cascade Engineering Services, Inc. and Larson Energy Research to conduct a laboratory assessment of Rheem’s next generation (Generation 5 or “Gen5”) heat pump water heaters (HPWH). The water heater series consists of two distinct lines: Premium/Plus and Builder, each aimed at different market segments. Each line includes four tank sizes: 40, 50, 65, and 80 gallons. Cascade Engineering evaluated the 40-gallon Premium, 50-gallon Premium, and 50-gallon Builder products using a testing plan developed by Ecotope to assess HPWH performance.
The goal of the work was to evaluate the products using the Advanced Water Heater Specification. Overall, the results suggest that the Rheem Generation 5 Premium and Builder water heaters are highly efficient. Comprehensive results were achieved through a combination of direct observation at Cascade Engineering Services and a collaborative test result reporting effort from Rheem.
