GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S VRF R32 | 48000 BTU - 3 Indoor Units

• Energy Star®: Oui
• WiFi: En Option
• Efficiency: 20.2 SEER
• Warranty (Compressor - Parts - Labor): 12-12-6
• Additional Warranty (10-10-10): Possible
• Voltage: 220V
• Sound Pressure Level (Outdoor): 60.0 dB(A)
• Gas (Freon): R-32

GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S VRF 48,000 BTU, 3 indoor units: a single Heat Pump to replace the three old systems of a large house, one unit per floor

This is the GENERAL AIRSTAGE J-7S VRF 48,000 BTU in its 3-indoor-unit configuration. Under the label, nothing sets it apart from its Fujitsu AIRSTAGE twin: same AOUK048SSAN7 outdoor unit, three indoor units drawn from the same J-7S range, identical manufacturer's brochure and 12-12-6 warranty. The manufacturer simply has a new name since January 1, 2026: GENERAL Inc.

The situation we have in mind is a familiar one in large houses of 3,000 square feet and more. Over the years and the renovations, the house has piled up equipment: one system on the ground floor, another added for the bedroom floor, a third one for the finished basement. Three machines of different ages, three maintenance visits, several compressors in the yard, and floors that never quite heat the same way.

The proposal is simple: a single 4-ton outdoor unit, then, on each floor, an indoor unit run by its own control. The basement, the ground floor and the upper floor become three independent zones served by the same machine.

GENERAL or Fujitsu AIRSTAGE: the same machine

If you see two names going around for the same unit, that is the result of a transaction. Paloma Rheem Holdings, parent of Rheem since 1988, bought Fujitsu General in August 2025; as of January 1, 2026, Fujitsu General Limited took the name GENERAL Inc. Kawasaki, Japan, is still home to the head office and R&D; the factories run as before, the AIRSTAGE model numbers have not moved and neither has the warranty program. As for the GENERAL name, it has served as a brand since 1946, and the company, born in 1936, celebrates in 2026 the 90th anniversary of its founding.

Rheem Canada took over sales in this country in February 2026, with no change for us: Groupe Master is still our distributor. While the Fujitsu brand is being phased out, we publish both pages so everyone finds the machine under the name they know; our AIRSTAGE Elite Plus installer certification covers both.

The same configuration under the Fujitsu brand: Fujitsu AIRSTAGE J-7S VRF 48,000 BTU, 3 indoor units.

In a J-7S system, the outdoor unit adjusts its refrigerant flow to what each indoor unit calls for, and each floor is set separately. Four families of indoor units exist, and none works outside a J-7S outdoor unit: the wall-mounted ASUA***KSA1, the slim ducted ARUL***KSA1, the multi-position air handler ARUX***KSA1 and the compact cassette AUUA***KSA1. For a house on three levels, here is how we usually approach each floor, subject to what the visit reveals:

• ground floor: a multi-position air handler, from 12,000 to 60,000 BTU/h and a static pressure of 0.8 in. WC, installed in the mechanical room in place of the old unit, on the existing duct network if it is in good shape;
• finished basement: a slim ducted unit only 198 mm high tucked into a ceiling bulkhead, or a wall-mounted unit if the ceiling does not allow it;
• bedroom floor: a slim ducted unit in the attic, or a wall-mounted unit as quiet as 22 dB(A) in quiet mode.

An honest point about capacity is needed. The 48,000 BTU of the outdoor unit are shared among the three indoor units, and the sum of their capacities has to stay within what the AOUK048SSAN7 accepts. Whether 4 tons is enough is not worked out from a square-foot rule: it depends on what we measure in your home, windows, insulation, orientation. The 4-ton unit is the largest of the three J-7S outdoor units; if your house needs more, we will tell you clearly at the visit.

The table gives this system's ratings: an EER2 of 11.4, a SEER2 of 20.2 and an HSPF2 of 10.2. When the temperature drops, the system produces 35,800 BTU at −8 °C and 41,500 BTU at −15 °C, with a COP of 2.1 at the second of those two points. The brochure cites higher peaks for the series as a whole, namely an HSPF2 of 11.3, a SEER2 of 22.2, a COP2 of 4.64 and an EER2 of 15.7; they describe the series, not this configuration. On the certification side, the outdoor unit holds ENERGY STAR cold climate certification (ID 3813053) and appears on Hydro-Québec's list under AHRI number 216372783.

Even in January, the machine keeps heating: the manufacturer states operation down to −26 °C, with no lockout when the cold sets in. It is equipped with a base pan heater, and its electronics are cooled by means of the refrigerant. For summer, the brochure sets the limit of reliable cooling at 50 °C outdoors; the previous generation stopped at 46 °C.

In the yard, the change shows. A single unit of 37 × 12.63 × 39.31 in. (W × D × H) replaces the old compressors, with an outdoor sound level of 60.0 dB(A), reduced minimum clearances and a footprint 16% smaller than the previous generation's. It is installed on a pad or a stand, along a side wall or behind the hedge, at the spot where, based on the visit, the refrigerant line will be most direct. Piping can reach 120 m (393 ft) in total to serve all three floors.

On safety, the R-32 circulating in the J-7S has a low global warming potential; 12% less of it is needed than with the previous generation, and 6 kg (13.2 lb) is the system's charge ceiling. The multi-position air handler and the slim ducted unit have a built-in leak detection sensor; for the wall-mounted unit and the cassette, the leak sensor is added as an optional kit. To go further, there is an optional gas sensor kit, with audible and visual alarm, as well as a refrigerant shut-off valve kit fitted with backup power.

At installation, each air handler is connected to the ducts, supply and return, after inspection of the ones already in place. From each unit run a refrigerant line, a cable and a drain to the outdoor unit; we plan the access panels for the filters, and commissioning falls to a refrigeration technician. At the panel, plan for 208/230 V for the outdoor unit, with an MCA of 36 A and an MOP of 40 A. What happens to the old equipment is spelled out in the quote.

A wired controller per floor, or a wired touch controller, keeps each level at its own temperature; the wireless remote suits wall-mounted units, and Wi-Fi is optional. Those who want to see the whole house at a glance can add a touch panel controller. On maintenance, you go from three machines to a single outdoor unit, with three indoor filters to clean, and our HVAC team takes care of the system's periodic maintenance.

Hydro-Québec includes the AOUK048SSAN7 on its LogisVert list of October 27, 2026, with a grant of $4,296. Before anything is signed, we go over the program rules with you to confirm the project's eligibility.

This system is meant for large three-level houses that want a single outdoor unit, for owners tired of having three systems serviced, and for families who want a different temperature in the basement, the living room and the bedrooms.

Official brochures

The manufacturer's brochures are available as PDF files:

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

Large homes in Hampstead and Montreal: free quote

In Hampstead, houses are large and yards well kept: we take the time to locate the outdoor unit and the piping route before setting a price. The visit leads to a free quote, floor by floor.

Beyond Hampstead, our territory extends to all of Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore and the South Shore. Reach AirGreen at 514 316-2973.