A heat strip kit installs inside a compatible air handler and provides supplemental heat when the heat pump alone cannot meet demand, plus emergency heat if the heat pump fails.
Ruud RXBH-1724A05J-1 5 kW Heat Strip Kit
Ruud RXBH-1724A07J-1 7 kW Heat Strip Kit
Ruud RXBH-1724A10J-1 10 kW Heat Strip Kit
Ruud RXBH-1724A15J-1 15 kW Heat Strip Kit
Ruud RXBH-1724A18J-1 18 kW Heat Strip Kit
Sizing is an electrical decision as much as a heating one
Kit size should reflect your heat pump's capacity at design temperature and your climate — not the largest kit the air handler will accept. Oversizing raises peak electrical demand and can force a service panel upgrade that costs more than the kit. Undersizing leaves the home short on the coldest days of the year.
What the ratings mean
Kits are rated in kilowatts. Each kilowatt delivers roughly 3,412 BTU of resistance heat, so a 15 kW kit supplies about 51,000 BTU. Unlike the heat pump, resistance heat produces exactly one unit of heat per unit of electricity, which is why it supplements a heat pump rather than replacing it, and is used as a supplement rather than a primary heat source.
Compatibility and installation
These kits fit Ruud RH2TY and RH2VY series air handlers. Each requires dedicated circuit capacity sized to the kit rating. Confirm panel headroom before ordering, and have the kit installed by a qualified electrician or HVAC technician.
