GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI R32 Central Heat Pump | 3 Tons - 36000 BTU

GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI AMUH36KUAS 36,000 BTU Central Heat Pump: two storeys, one air exchanger, one duct system

This GENERAL AIRSTAGE CENTAURI 36,000 BTU (3-ton) system pairs the multi-position air handler AMUH36KUAS with the AOUH36KUAS1 outdoor unit. On its twin page, the same machine carries the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE name, with identical model numbers, the same spec sheet and the same manufacturer's warranty. The manufacturer hasn't changed either: since January 1, 2026, it is simply called GENERAL Inc.

The case here is a specific one: the two-storey family home that already has its duct system and its air exchanger. These houses often have three devices each doing their own thing, namely the furnace, the HRV and sometimes a humidifier. The AMUH36KUAS has built-in input/output terminals precisely to get all of them working together.

A useful point: 3 tons is not a size you pick from a photo. On site, we assess the floor area of both storeys, the windows, the insulation and the condition of the ducts before confirming this size.

GENERAL or Fujitsu AIRSTAGE: the same machine

A few dates are enough to explain the name change. The purchase of Fujitsu General Limited by Paloma Rheem Holdings, a group that has held Rheem since 1988, dates back to August 2025; the new name, GENERAL Inc., took effect on January 1, 2026. Nothing moved in Kawasaki, Japan, where the head office and the research and development centre remain, nor in the factories, and AIRSTAGE products keep their model numbers. While the Fujitsu brand fades out little by little, both names coexist on the same central heat pump.

So both pages stay online on our site. Compare the columns in the table: every value is identical, because it is the same system.

The original page is still available if you'd rather shop under the old name: Fujitsu AIRSTAGE CENTAURI 3-ton central heat pump.

A central heat pump is a bit like a forced-air furnace that can also cool. The AMUH36KUAS, at 21 × 21 × 48 in. (W × D × H), most often takes the old furnace's spot in the basement, connected to the plenum on the supply side and to the return air. Because it is multi-position, it can also be mounted downflow (UTD-DFMMB1 kit required) or laid horizontal, left or right, when the basement height or a mechanical closet calls for it.

Here, the upper floor is what tests the system: heat rises there in summer, and in winter, warm air has to make it all the way to the bedrooms. The unit delivers up to 1,207 CFM and holds external static pressure anywhere from 0.2 to 0.8 in. WC, which gives a duct system that climbs some headroom. That said, no blower makes up for missing return air upstairs. If your bedrooms have no return grille, we point it out at the visit, where the duct route and the number of grilles are also set.

Then there is the air exchanger. In many homes, the HRV is tied into the furnace ducts and relies on its blower to spread fresh air. When the two devices aren't coordinated, fresh air circulates poorly. The input/output terminals on the AMUH36KUAS are designed to connect third-party equipment:

• HRV or ERV: the exchanger and the air handler run in a coordinated way rather than each at its own pace;
• backup heat: several backup logics are available, and the manufacturer's electric kits designed for the unit are sold separately and require their own power supply;
• humidifier: handy when dry January air sets in;
• fire alarm and door switch: two inputs to tie the unit into the home's safety devices.

The exact sequence, which device starts what and in what order, is set at commissioning. We first check what type of connection your HRV accepts, because a very old model doesn't always connect as is.

In terms of efficiency, we are talking SEER2 17.6, HSPF2 9.8 and EER2 10.6 (AHRI certificate 217290596). The manufacturer's brochure gives 36,000 BTU in cooling, modulated between 9,600 and 39,000 BTU, and 38,000 BTU of rated heating at 8.3 °C, modulated between 9,200 and 43,000 BTU: the Inverter compressor adjusts its output instead of constantly starting and stopping. The manufacturer also puts forward, for the whole series, rated heating that can reach up to 33% above nominal capacity.

In winter, the AOUH36KUAS1 runs down to −21 °C, in heating as in cooling, and according to the brochure, without lockout even in the cold. The certification file gives two separate test points, to be read as they are: at −8 °C, 27,400 BTU and a COP of 2.85; at −15 °C, 32,000 BTU and a COP of 2.18. Below −21 °C, backup heat takes over.

On noise, the air handler goes down to 31 dB(A) at its lowest level and up to 46 dB(A) at maximum; in the basement, it works far from the upstairs bedrooms. Outside, the unit is rated at 56 dB(A) and measures 31 × 12.63 × 37 in.; we avoid placing it under a bedroom window, yours or your neighbour's. The spec sheet also puts dehumidification at 3.82 pints/h, welcome when the upper floor gets sticky in July.

Once the ducts are checked, we install the unit with an access panel for the filter and maintenance. The 3/8 and 5/8 in. refrigerant line, the cable and the drain run to the outdoor unit, set on a base or a bracket. The line can reach 50 m (164 ft), the precharge covers 20 m (66 ft), and you need a minimum of 5 m (16 ft) and a height difference of no more than 30 m (98 ft), which leaves room to choose where the outdoor unit goes. The system needs a dedicated 208/230 V circuit (MCA 25 A, MOP 25 A). Commissioning is entrusted to a refrigeration technician; AirGreen, an HVAC contractor, is an AIRSTAGE Elite Plus installer.

No control comes with the unit, so plan for one. There are plenty of options: Wi-Fi through the AIRSTAGE Mobile app, a KAGAMI UTY-RVRU or UTY-RNRUZ5 wired controller, a wireless remote with its IR receiver kit, or a third-party 24 V thermostat wired to the UTY-TTRXZ1 interface. Service monitoring requires a compatible controller; as for leak detection, it comes built in as standard.

The filter can sit on an optional 20 × 20 in. base. The air exchanger keeps its own maintenance, filters and core included: put both units on the same list.

ENERGY STAR cold climate certified (ID 4428949), the system is also on Hydro-Québec's LogisVert list: as of October 27, 2026, the planned grant is $3,288, subject to the list in effect when you apply. On warranty, the manufacturer gives the compressor 12 years, parts 12 years and labour 6 years.

It is the right choice for the family that already has ducts on two storeys and an air exchanger worth keeping. With no ducts at all in the house, a central heat pump is not the right starting point, and we would rather say so up front.

Free quote in Saint-Philippe and elsewhere on the South Shore

AirGreen installs this system in Saint-Philippe, the rest of the South Shore, Longueuil, Montreal, Laval and on the North Shore. One call to 514 316-2973 is all it takes to get a free quote: we come to examine your ducts, your air exchanger and the planned spot for the outdoor unit, then you receive a detailed price. Note the brand and model of your HRV beforehand: we'll know which questions to ask.