HVAC Rated
    Menu

      3.5-ton central heat pump · CLASSIC SERIES

      Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N

      Below average cooling and heating efficiency for a 3.5-ton central heat pump, and certified for cold climates.

      Ranks #80 of 138 3.5 ton central heat pumps for cooling efficiency, and costs about $1,308 a year to run in a mixed climate like Atlanta.

      SEER2
      16.0 Cooling efficiency over a season
      Below average · beats 26%
      HSPF2
      8.1 Heating efficiency over a season
      Below average · beats 20%
      EER2
      11.7 Cooling efficiency on a 95°F day
      Average · beats 43%
      Heat at 5°F
      21,000 BTU/h47% of its 47°F output
      Very good · beats 76%

      A good fit if…

      • Your winters get properly cold - it is ENERGY STAR cold-climate certified, with 21,000 BTU/h at 5°F.
      • You want a choice of indoor units - 151 certified pairings.

      Think twice if…

      • Cooling cost matters most - its SEER2 is below average for central heat pumps.
      • You mainly need heat - its HSPF2 is below average for central heat pumps.

      Calculate my running cost

      Details

      Specifications3.5 ton, R-454B
      General
      BrandRuud
      Also sold asRheem
      Outdoor unit modelRP15AY42AJ2N
      SeriesCLASSIC SERIES
      TypeCentral heat pump
      Nominal size3.5 ton
      CompressorVariable-speed units run longer at low powerTwo-stage
      RefrigerantR-454B
      Connected (smart) capableNo
      On the market sinceAugust 6, 2024
      Last certifiedSeptember 16, 2026
      Cooling
      SEER2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better16.0 (range 15.2-16.0)
      EER2Efficiency at 95°F outdoors11.7-12.0
      Cooling capacity40,000 BTU/h
      Heating
      HSPF2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better7.8-8.1
      Capacity at 47°F40,000 BTU/h
      Capacity at 17°F24,600-40,000 BTU/h
      Capacity at 5°F18,200-21,000 BTU/h
      COP at 5°F2.0 = twice as efficient as a space heater2.00-2.20
      ENERGY STAR cold climateYes
      Heating output as it gets colder47% kept at 5°F

      Every heat pump delivers less heat as the outdoor temperature drops. Certified output of its matchup with RCFY4824STANM at the standard test temperatures, in BTU/h:

      Certified matchups151 indoor units

      The same outdoor unit scores differently with each indoor unit and furnace. The 60 highest-rated of 151 are shown. Ask your installer for the AHRI reference number of the exact system you are quoted.

      Indoor unitFurnaceSEER2EER2HSPF2Heat @5°FAHRI ref.
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1255A24DZ16.011.78.118,700215655134
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1255A24DZ16.011.78.118,700215655140
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1255A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655156
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655160
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHU16.011.78.118,800215655161
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655162
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655170
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1505A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655180
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655193
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0704A17UH16.011.78.119,300215655197
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655201
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1255A24DZ16.011.78.118,700215655211
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655221
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHS16.011.78.118,800215655222
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0754A17DZ16.011.78.119,300215655225
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1255A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655226
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0754A17UH16.011.78.118,800215655231
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655240
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655242
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1505A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655249
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655262
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1505A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655268
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1255A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655270
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655269
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0754A17DZ16.011.78.119,300215655274
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655278
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655277
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655286
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0754A17UH16.011.78.118,800215655293
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1255A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655299
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655305
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHU16.011.78.118,800215655319
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V0704A17UH16.011.78.119,300215655322
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1505A24UH16.011.78.118,800215655321
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655332
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0754A17UH16.011.78.118,800215655333
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0754A17UH16.011.78.118,800215655334
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHN16.011.78.118,800215655335
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21UH16.011.78.118,800215655337
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655336
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21UH16.011.78.118,800215655340
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1004A17UH16.011.78.119,000215655351
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21DZ16.011.78.118,800215655354
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655357
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1004A17UH16.011.78.119,000215655360
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHS16.011.78.118,800215655368
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1255A24DZ16.011.78.118,700215655371
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0754A17DZ16.011.78.119,300215655381
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHU16.011.78.118,800215655384
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655387
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V1004A17UH16.011.78.119,000215655394
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655407
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0755A21UH16.011.78.118,900215655476
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR802V0754A17DZ16.011.78.119,300215655487
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR802V1005A21UH16.011.78.118,800215655432
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHN16.011.78.118,800215655434
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHS16.011.78.118,800215655437
      RCFY4821STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHN16.011.78.118,800215655441
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21UHS16.011.78.118,800215655442
      RCFY4824STANM · cold climateR801V1005A21DZ16.011.78.118,700215655446
      Yearly running cost in 10 large cities$1,175-$3,124

      At each state's average electricity price and the city's typical heating and cooling hours.

      Questions5
      What is the SEER2 rating of the Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N?
      The Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N is rated at up to 16.0 SEER2 and 11.7 EER2 for cooling and up to 8.1 HSPF2 for heating. The exact figure depends on the indoor unit it is paired with; across its 151 certified matchups SEER2 ranges from 15.2-16.0.
      Is the Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N good for cold climates?
      Yes. At least one certified matchup meets the ENERGY STAR cold-climate criteria, delivering up to 21,000 BTU/h at 5°F with a COP of 2.20, so it is still 2.2 times as efficient as electric resistance heat at that temperature.
      How much does the Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N cost to run per year?
      At its rated efficiency it costs about $1,175-$3,124 a year in electricity in large U.S. cities, depending on climate and local rates - for example $1,446 in Phoenix and $2,608 in Minneapolis. The calculator on this page works it out for your city and compares it with your current system.
      Which indoor units work with the Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N?
      ENERGY STAR lists 151 certified combinations for this outdoor unit. The highest-rated ones use RCFY4824STANM, RCFY4821STANM.
      What refrigerant does the Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N use?
      It uses R-454B.

      Running cost and savings

      Pre-filled with this model. Pick your city and what you heat with today; everything else is optional.

      Heat pump $1,433/yrYou save $629/yrSee details ↓
      1. Where you live
      Adjust heating and cooling hours

      Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

      2. The heat pump Ruud RP15AY42AJ2N
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $1,433
      Current system, per year
      $2,063
      You save per year
      $629
      Payback
      23.8 years
      Net after 10 years
      -$8,706

      Cooling $880Heating $553Electricity used: 8,957 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $149

      Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

      Similar 3.5 ton models

      See all 138 3.5 ton central heat pumps, ranked

      Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps (U.S. EPA), certification of September 16, 2026. How we use the data.