X-Pro 35,000 BTU 4 Zone Ducted Mini Split Heat Pump, 22.5 SEER2, Wifi, 9K + 9K + 9K + 9K

The usual fix for four awkward rooms is a machine in each window. That blocks the light, kills the view, leaves a gap for winter draughts, and has to come out again every autumn.

Four 9,000 BTU ducted air handlers go in once and stay put all year, hidden above a ceiling or in a bulkhead. Each one runs from its own wall thermostat. Only the zones that are switched on draw from the 35,000 BTU outdoor unit.

What is actually in the cartons

Four of every per zone item: a copper gas pipe and liquid pipe at 16 ft, a communication wire at 19 ft, a drain hose, a wall thermostat, a remote, a wall sleeve, mounting foot pads and a screw kit. Ducting, grilles and the flexible duct itself are not included and are sized by your installer for each room.

What the yellow label says

The label reads 22.5 SEER2 for cooling and 10 HSPF2 for heating, on R454B refrigerant. The graph beside it is the inverter argument in one picture: a flat line holding the set point against a line that overshoots and undershoots all day. Ducted air handlers gain from that, because a ceiling grille gives you less warning when a room drifts.

Wall thermostat, remote, phone or voice

A hidden air handler needs a control you can see, and each zone gets a wired wall thermostat for that. The remote, the app and voice through Alexa or Google Home all work as well. Four thermostats on four walls is the closest this gets to a conventional ducted system, except each one only commands its own zone.

Where a hidden air handler earns its keep

The four photos are the usual homes for this format: a living room with a wall of glass, a bedroom where a wall unit would sit over the bed, an office, and a small commercial room. In each one the only visible part is a grille. The air handler itself sits above the ceiling with the drain and the line set.

One 35,000 BTU outdoor unit runs all four ducted air handlers. Each zone starts, stops and holds its own temperature, so an empty room costs nothing to leave alone.

A common rule of thumb is 20 to 25 BTU per square foot (Carrier publishes 25). On that basis a 9,000 BTU unit suits roughly 360 to 450 sq ft. Natural Resources Canada points to CSA F280-12 for a proper load calculation.

The compressor varies its speed instead of cycling on and off. Published ratings are 22.5 SEER2 for cooling and 10 HSPF2 for heating on R454B refrigerant.

A chassis electrical heater keeps the outdoor base pan clear. The manufacturer rates heating down to -25°C (-13°F) and cooling up to 55°C (131°F).

Each zone gets a 16 ft insulated copper line set and 19 ft of communication wire, plus a drain hose. That is the material most quotes list separately, four times over on a system this size.

The outdoor unit runs on 208-230V 60Hz. This is not a standard 15 amp household outlet. It wants its own branch circuit, sized from the MCA and maximum breaker figures on the unit's own nameplate, with a disconnect within reach.

Four wired wall thermostats, four remotes, the phone app and voice control through Alexa or Google Home. A 24 hour timer and a child lock are built in.

A self clean cycle dries the coil after cooling, and the filter washes out. Both matter more on a hidden air handler, because nobody walks past it and notices.

Ships from a Canadian warehouse. Free shipping on orders over $150. Some remote areas, PO boxes and surcharge regions may be excluded or charged extra.

Return within 14 days of purchase, unused, in original condition and packaging.

Covered directly by the manufacturer under their warranty terms for material and manufacturing defects.

Four matched 9,000 BTU zones, each suited to roughly 360 to 450 sq ft on the usual rule of thumb. Bedrooms, a home office and a den rather than one large open plan floor.

Glass walls, a cornice worth keeping, a bed under the only free wall. A concealed air handler above the ceiling leaves a slim grille and nothing else on show.

This is a heat pump, not a cooling only air conditioner. It carries a 10 HSPF2 heating rating and a chassis electrical heater on the outdoor unit for cold weather.

What we stand behind

• Ships from a Canadian warehouse, with free shipping on orders over $150
• 14 day returns on unused items in original condition and packaging
• Covered by the manufacturer's own warranty for material and manufacturing defects
• Line sets, communication wire and a controller for every one of the four zones are in the box

How much space will each ducted air handler cover?

Sizing runs off the heat load of the room, not just its floor area, and Natural Resources Canada points to CSA F280-12 for the real calculation. As a rough check, 20 to 25 BTU per square foot is the usual rule of thumb. On that basis a 9,000 BTU unit suits roughly 360 to 450 sq ft. Poor insulation, large west facing windows or a 9 ft ceiling all push the figure up.

The four ducted air handlers add up to 36,000 BTU but the outdoor unit is 35,000 BTU. Is that a mistake?

No. On any multi zone system the indoor ratings are not meant to be added together, and multi zone sizing guides say so plainly. The 35,000 BTU figure is what the outdoor unit can deliver at one time, shared among whichever zones are calling for it. Four rooms rarely peak at the same moment, which is why this combination is offered.

How cold can it get outside before it stops heating?

The manufacturer rates low ambient heating down to -25°C (-13°F), helped by an electric heater in the outdoor chassis. Natural Resources Canada notes that air source heat pumps lose capacity and efficiency as it gets colder, with typical COPs falling from 2.0 to 5.4 at 8°C to 1.1 to 3.7 at -8°C, and that most newer units have a minimum operating temperature between -15°C and -25°C. Keep a backup heat source for the coldest stretches.

Can I install this myself in Canada, and does it run on a normal outlet?

No on both counts. The outdoor unit runs on 208-230V 60Hz, so it needs its own branch circuit and an electrician, not a wall socket. Refrigerant work is also regulated: Ontario, for example, states that only a certified technician may remove, discharge, handle and dispose of refrigerants including HFCs, and that mechanical work on refrigeration equipment needs a Certificate of Qualification on top of that. Other provinces have their own halocarbon rules, and the federal Code of Practice says the same thing in plainer terms.