GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S Mini-VRF R32 | 36000 BTU - 1 Head

• Energy Star®: Oui
• WiFi: En Option
• Efficiency: 21.7 SEER
• Warranty (Compressor - Parts - Labor): 12-12-6
• Additional Warranty (10-10-10): Possible
• Voltage: 220V
• Sound Pressure Level (Outdoor): 57.0 dB(A)
• Gas (Freon): R-32

GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S Mini-VRF 36,000 BTU with 1 indoor unit: a multi-position air handler for the large open room of a store or workshop

This 3-ton GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S with 1 indoor unit is the twin Fujitsu AIRSTAGE, nothing more, nothing less: same AOUK036SSAN7 outdoor unit, same compatible indoor units, same factories. Since January 1, 2026, the manufacturer has been called GENERAL Inc., and neither the manufacturer's brochure nor the warranty has changed.

The angle here is the large open room: showroom, repair shop, open-plan store, fitness room. One single volume, often high walls, sometimes dust. Rather than hanging several units on the walls, a multi-position air handler goes into a mechanical room, onto a mezzanine or into a service space, and the air is distributed through a network of short ducts.

The other advantage lies in the outdoor unit: the AOUK036SSAN7 accepts up to 9 indoor units. If the workshop gains an office, a lunch room or partitions, other units can be connected later, as long as the total capacity stays within what the outdoor unit can serve.

GENERAL or Fujitsu AIRSTAGE: the same machine

The name change dates from January 1, 2026: Fujitsu General Limited became GENERAL Inc. following its acquisition, in August 2025, by Paloma Rheem Holdings, owner of Rheem since 1988. The company keeps its head office and R&D centre in Kawasaki, its factories, its AIRSTAGE products with the same model numbers, and the same warranty program.

The GENERAL brand has been in use since 1946. While the Fujitsu name is phased out, both labels coexist on the same machine. Rheem Canada has handled Canadian sales since February 2026, Groupe Master remains our distributor, and the table below shows two identical columns.

The same system under the former name is presented on the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE J-7S 36,000 BTU 1-head page.

The J-7S is a compact variable refrigerant flow (VRF) Heat Pump system: one outdoor unit, and indoor units chosen for each space from four families, wall-mounted, compact cassette, slim ducted and multi-position air handler. These units and their accessories are reserved for J-7S outdoor units. For a large room served by ducts, the ARUX***KSA1 multi-position air handler is the family that fits best:

• it covers 12,000 to 60,000 BTU/h, in S, M or L chassis, and its exact capacity is set at the visit to respect the outdoor unit;
• its 0.8 in. WC static pressure lets it push air through a duct network with supply grilles, return air and filter;
• it offers 3 fan speeds;
• a refrigerant leak sensor is built in at the factory.

It is important to be clear about what a single indoor unit gives: one zone, so one setpoint for the whole room. If an office corner or the area near the garage door needs its own setting, a second unit has to be planned. The duct layout, the number of grilles and the return air location are decided at the visit, after checking any existing ducts.

This system's values, listed in the table, are a SEER2 of 21.7, an HSPF2 of 10.8 and an EER2 of 13.6. For context, the brochure gives these series-wide J-7S maximums: SEER2 up to 22.2, HSPF2 up to 11.3, EER2 up to 15.7 and COP2 up to 4.64. On heating, the table gives 26,200 BTU at the −8 °C test point and 36,400 BTU at the −15 °C test point, two measurements taken under different conditions, with a COP of 2.14 at −15 °C. The dimensioned drawings are in the manufacturer's spec sheet, in French and English, which comes with the product.

For winter on the South Shore, the J-7S heats down to −26 °C with no low-temperature lockout, according to the brochure cover. The system is ENERGY STAR cold climate certified (ID 3813050), and the outdoor unit has a built-in heated base pan. In summer, when the workshop's machines add their own heat, cooling stays reliable up to 50 °C outdoors. A garage door left open for a long time, on the other hand, is something no system fully makes up for.

On the installation side, here is what we plan:

• the location of the air handler, with an access panel for maintenance and the filter, and the short duct network to the grilles;
• the outdoor unit, 998 mm (39-5/16 in.) high, 15% lighter with a 16% smaller footprint than the previous generation, set on a base or a bracket; the brochure gives it 0.12 in. WC of static pressure, and the table lists a sound level of 57 dB(A);
• the 3/8 and 5/8 in. main refrigerant piping, the cable and the drain, with the units that could be added in mind, within the series limit of 120 m (393 ft) of total piping;
• the electrical hookup: 208/230 V, MCA of 29 A, maximum overcurrent protection of 30 A.

A refrigeration technician commissions the air handler and the outdoor unit. On the refrigerant side, the air handler and the outdoor unit run on R-32, a low global warming potential refrigerant of which the series uses 12% less than the previous generation; the system's maximum charge is 6 kg (13.2 lb). Two options can be added to the air handler's built-in sensor: the gas sensor kit, with its audible and visual alarm, and the refrigerant shut-off valve kit, with its backup power.

For control, a wired remote controller or a wired touch controller in the workshop office is enough; the wireless remote is also available, and Wi-Fi is optional. The day other units are added, a system controller, a touch panel controller or a central remote controller lets you run everything from one place.

In a workshop, the air handler's filter gets dirty faster than elsewhere. Plan to check it often, through the access panel. AirGreen can take over complete maintenance, air handler and outdoor unit.

AHRI number 216372781 is the one under which Hydro-Québec lists the outdoor unit. The LogisVert list of October 27, 2026 shows $3,144 for this system; for a store or workshop, check the program's conditions, including the type of building that qualifies, before counting on that amount. The warranty follows the 12-12-6 formula: compressor, parts, labour, in years.

This configuration is for the merchant or tradesperson with a large volume to condition, who prefers a single hidden indoor unit to several visible ones, and who wants to keep the option of adding zones when the space gets partitioned.

Official brochures

The manufacturer's brochures are available as PDF files:

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

Store or workshop in Marieville: free quote

In Marieville and elsewhere on the South Shore, we come to measure the space, find where to house the air handler and lay out the ducts with you. For a free quote, reach AirGreen at 514 316-2973; we are an HVAC contractor and AIRSTAGE Elite Plus installer.

We also install in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and on the North Shore.