Electric Furnace GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI R32 | 2.5 Tons - 30000 BTU

GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI AMUH30KUAS 30,000 BTU electric furnace: one system where the furnace and the central air conditioner used to split the year

Many houses ended up with two units on the same duct system: an electric furnace for winter and, added later, a central air conditioner whose coil sits on the plenum and whose condenser waits outside. Each one has its own age, its own breakdowns and its own maintenance. The GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI 30,000 BTU (2.5-ton) electric furnace replaces both with a Heat Pump that heats and cools.

In practical terms, the AMUH30KUAS air handler takes the place of the furnace and the coil, and the AOUH30KUAS1 outdoor unit takes the place of the condenser. These two models carry exactly the same numbers as the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE twin: same machine, same manufacturer’s sheet, same warranty. The manufacturer only changed its banner on January 1, 2026: Fujitsu General Limited was renamed GENERAL Inc.

Going from two units to one means one machine for both seasons, a single control and a single set of equipment to maintain. It is also the right time to review a duct system that has served two masters for years.

GENERAL or Fujitsu AIRSTAGE: the same machine

The new banner follows logically from a change of owner. In August 2025, Fujitsu General was acquired by Paloma Rheem Holdings, Rheem’s parent group since 1988; on the first day of 2026, the company took the name GENERAL Inc. The GENERAL name itself has served as a brand since 1946. On the product side, nothing to report: the factories, the head office and R&D in Kawasaki, Japan, the AIRSTAGE model numbering and the warranty program all stay in place.

The Fujitsu brand is fading out in stages, so we sell the same machine under two names. Since February 2026, sales in Canada have been Rheem Canada’s business; our units still come through Groupe Master. Both product pages remain online: the line-by-line comparison in the table speaks for itself.

If you prefer the Fujitsu label, here is the matching page: Fujitsu AIRSTAGE CENTAURI 30,000 BTU (2.5-ton) electric furnace.

On installation day, the work divides up like this:

• we remove the electric furnace, the air conditioner coil sitting on the plenum and the outdoor condenser;
• we install the air handler, which brings the blower, the coil and the compatible manufacturer electric backup heat kit (sold separately, on a dedicated power supply) together in one cabinet;
• we connect the outdoor unit with a 3/8 and 5/8 in. refrigerant line set, a cable and a drain;
• we replace the separate controls with a single one, which manages heating, cooling and backup.

The AMUH30KUAS cabinet is 21 in. wide, 21 in. deep and 48 in. high. It replaces the furnace-and-coil stack with a single cabinet; we measure the height available up to the plenum to plan the connection. In a basement, it is usually installed in upflow. Downflow requires the UTD-DFMMB1 kit, and the horizontal left and right positions are also allowed.

The air conditioner’s old refrigerant line set is not reused by default. Its route and its wall penetrations can sometimes serve again; the copper itself we assess on site, based on the required diameters and its condition. Same thing for the condenser’s location: if it suits the outdoor unit, which measures 31 × 12.63 × 37 in., we keep it, otherwise we propose another one. Line length can reach 164 ft (50 m) without going below 16 ft (5 m), a height difference of up to 98 ft (30 m) is allowed, and the precharge is good for 66 ft (20 m).

In winter, heat no longer comes from the elements but from the outside air. Rated heating capacity is 32,000 BTU at 8.3 °C and varies between 9,200 and 38,000 BTU. The sheet also lists 22,200 BTU for a COP of 2.96 at −8 °C, then 29,400 BTU for a COP of 2.18 at −15 °C: two test points with distinct conditions, to be read separately. The unit keeps heating down to −21 °C, and the manufacturer’s brochure states “no lockout” at low temperatures. The manufacturer also claims, for the series, up to 33% of rated heating capacity over and above nominal capacity.

The old furnace’s elements have a successor: the backup kit housed in the air handler. The air handler brings it in according to the logic chosen among those it offers, when the heat pump no longer meets demand, and the refrigeration technician sets it at commissioning.

In summer, the same Inverter compressor handles cooling: 30,000 BTU nominal, modulated between 9,600 and 35,000 BTU. It slows down on mild days instead of constantly starting and stopping like a single-speed air conditioner, and the air handler removes 3.47 pints of water per hour from the house air. AHRI certificate 217290595 credits it with a SEER2 of 19.0, an HSPF2 of 10.0 and an EER2 of 11.7; ENERGY STAR classifies it in the cold climate category (ID 4428947).

A duct system that first served a furnace, then had a coil added, can hide restrictions. The new air handler moves up to 1,000 CFM and accepts 0.2 to 0.8 in. WC of external static pressure. We take that reading on the existing duct system, return air included, before confirming the layout and the number of grilles.

In the basement, the air handler stays discreet: 32 dB(A) at its lowest, 43 dB(A) at its highest. Outside, count on 55.0 dB(A) for the outdoor unit. On the electrical side, power is 208/230 V, with an MCA of 24 A; we review the circuits of the old furnace and the old air conditioner, as well as the one the backup kit requires.

One control, then, and you choose it, since none comes with the system. Wi-Fi runs through the AIRSTAGE Mobile app; on the wall, we install a KAGAMI wired controller (UTY-RVRU or UTY-RNRUZ5) or a third-party 24 V thermostat wired via the UTY-TTRXZ1 interface; the IR receiver kit, for its part, provides a wireless remote. The BACnet and Modbus protocols are mostly useful in a managed building. The input/output terminals accept a humidifier or an HRV/ERV if needed.

Maintenance now focuses on a single unit, starting with its filter, reached through an access hatch (optional 20 × 20 in. filter base). The built-in leak detection monitors the refrigerant; as for service monitoring, it is done through a compatible controller.

LogisVert, the Hydro-Québec program, lists this system at $2,664 on its October 27, 2026 list. The manufacturer’s warranty protects the compressor and parts for 12 years; labour is protected for 6 years. The manufacturer’s spec sheet, in the bilingual GENERAL version AirGreen prepared, is supplied with the product, with its performance data and dimensional drawings. AirGreen also offers this system under the name “central heat pump”.

It is meant for a house heated by an electric furnace and cooled by a separate central unit, with a 2.5-ton load, when the owner prefers a single system to two successive replacements.

Official brochures

The manufacturer's brochures are available as PDF files:

• Brochure in French (PDF)
• Brochure in English (PDF)

Lavaltrie and the North Shore: have both of your units assessed, get a single free quote

In Lavaltrie, we examine the furnace, the coil and the condenser, measure the static pressure of the duct system and check the electrical panel. The free quote that results covers the removal of both units, the new installation, the control and the LogisVert grant. AirGreen, an AIRSTAGE Elite Plus installer and HVAC contractor, serves the entire North Shore, as well as Laval, Montreal, Longueuil and the South Shore.

Get in touch at 514 316-2973 for the visit.