GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI XLTH R32 Electric Furnace | 3 Tons - 36000 BTU

GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI XLTH 36,000 BTU electric furnace: less electric backup in winter, the same ducts

A family heating with an electric furnace pays every winter for elements that do all the work. With this GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI XLTH system, in the 36,000 BTU (3-ton) size, the proportion flips: the AMUH36KUAS multi-position air handler connects to the existing ducts in place of the furnace, the AOUH36KUAH1 Heat Pump handles most of the heating, and the electric elements stay only as reinforcement, in the form of an electric backup heat kit.

The same pair is sold under the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE CENTAURI XLTH name, with identical model numbers. No surprise there: both versions come from the same manufacturer, Fujitsu General Limited, renamed GENERAL Inc. on January 1, 2026, which gives them a single spec sheet and the same warranty.

The goal of this project fits in one sentence: cut the share of electric backup heat during winter without redoing the ducts. The XLTH outdoor unit, which heats down to −26 °C according to the manufacturer, is built for exactly that.

GENERAL or Fujitsu AIRSTAGE: the same machine

The manufacturer has used the GENERAL name as a brand since 1946; since January 1, 2026, it is also the company's name. The company itself dates back to 1936, and 2026 marks 90 years since its founding. The Fujitsu brand is withdrawing little by little; in the meantime, the same factories produce a single machine that carries two names.

That is the reason for our two pages online: some customers still search for "Fujitsu", others already see "GENERAL". The table confirms you are talking about the same system.

To see the version sold under the former name: Fujitsu AIRSTAGE CENTAURI XLTH 36,000 BTU electric furnace.

The replacement sums up neatly in two columns. What stays in place:

• the duct system, supply and return air, after inspection during the visit;
• the grilles in every room, where they are now;
• the unit's location, in the basement or in the utility closet where the furnace stood.

What gets added or changes:

• the AMUH36KUAS, a 21 × 21 × 48 in. cabinet (W × D × H), connected to the plenum; being multi-position, it accepts downflow with the UTD-DFMMB1 kit if needed, or horizontal, left as well as right;
• the AOUH36KUAH1 outdoor unit, 39.31 × 12.60 × 37.01 in., on a pad or a bracket;
• between the two units, a refrigerant line (3/8 and 5/8 in.), a connecting cable and a drain;
• a 208/230 V supply for the heat pump (MCA 30 A, MOP 30 A), and another, dedicated one for the backup kit sold separately.

Here is why the backup weighs so much in the equation. A heating element turns electricity into heat, nothing more, nothing less: what it consumes, it gives back. A heat pump, on the other hand, draws heat from the outdoor air, and its COP measures the heat delivered for each unit of electricity consumed. At the certified test points, this system shows a COP of 2.9 at −8 °C, for 25,200 BTU, and a COP of 1.98 at −15 °C, for 41,000 BTU; these two measurements come from different test conditions, and we give them as they are.

The longer the heat pump heats through the season, the fewer hours the backup has to put in. That is where the XLTH unit stands out: it keeps up low-ambient heating down to −26 °C, where the standard CENTAURI's limit is −21 °C. Below that threshold, or when the house's demand exceeds what the heat pump supplies, the electric kit takes over. No figure promised on your bill from us, but the principle is sound.

The settings do the rest. The air handler offers several backup heat logics, and a thermostat set too eagerly can call on the elements well before the heat pump has reached its limits. At commissioning, the refrigeration technician picks the logic that delays the backup as far as comfort allows. If you keep your 24 V thermostat through the UTY-TTRXZ1 interface, it must be able to run a heat pump and its backup, and its own staging settings are checked at the same time.

Without touching the ducts, yes, but only if they keep up. The AMUH36KUAS has a maximum airflow of 1,207 CFM, and its external static pressure range runs from 0.2 to 0.8 in. WC. During the visit, we check whether the duct system can carry that airflow, whether the return air is large enough and whether joints are leaking in an unheated basement; the final layout and the number of grilles are set during that visit. If a correction is needed, you will know before the quote.

Maintenance, the filter above all, is what protects that gain. A dirty filter cuts airflow, the heat pump struggles to deliver its heat, and the backup is likely to kick in more often. The routine stays simple:

1. check the filter through the access panel built in at installation, on the optional 20 × 20 in. base if there is one, and replace it as soon as it is loaded;
2. keep supply and return grilles clear of furniture and rugs;
3. clear snow and leaves from the outdoor unit;
4. have the system's periodic maintenance done by a technician.

Safety-wise, a leak detection system comes built into the air handler. Its sound level runs from 31 dB(A), at the lowest, to 46 dB(A); outside, the AOUH36KUAH1 is rated at 58 dB(A), and we choose its location with the patio and the neighbours in mind. When summer comes, the same equipment provides cooling across a −21 °C to 50 °C range, per the manufacturer, and dehumidifies at a rate of 3.82 pints/h.

On certifications, AHRI certificate 217895717 gives a SEER2 of 18.3, an HSPF2 of 10.2 and an EER2 of 11.4. The system is approved ENERGY STAR cold climate, ID 4511773. Hydro-Québec's LogisVert list tied $3,024 to it as of October 27, 2026; Hydro-Québec revises that list, and only the version on the day you apply counts. The manufacturer, for its part, covers the compressor and parts over a 12-year period, and labour over 6 years.

No control is included: besides the 24 V thermostat connected to the interface, you can opt for a wired KAGAMI controller (UTY-RVRU, UTY-RNRUZ5), for the AIRSTAGE Mobile app over Wi-Fi or for a wireless remote, which requires the IR receiver kit. Compatible controllers also give access to service monitoring. A refrigeration technician starts up the system, and AirGreen, an HVAC contractor, holds the AIRSTAGE Elite Plus installer designation. The same system is also offered by us as a "central heat pump".

This choice is aimed at the family whose ducts are sound and who wants electric backup to become the exception. It will not make the backup disappear: on the coldest nights, the kit will still work. And the 3 tons are validated by a calculation done at your home.

Official brochures

The manufacturer's brochures are available as PDF files:

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

Contrecœur and the whole South Shore: let's talk about your electric furnace

Contrecœur is part of our South Shore territory, which also reaches Longueuil, Montreal, Laval and the North Shore. Call 514 316-2973 for a free quote; during the visit, we review the furnace, the duct system, the thermostat, the electrical service and the future location of the outdoor unit.

If your ducts have already been cleaned or modified, tell us when you call: it changes what we check first.