UltrEco 36,000 BTU 3 Zone Mini Split Heat Pump, 23 SEER2, Wifi, 12K + 12K + 12K

Window units block the glass, leak air around the frame and have to come out before winter. Three of them means three machines rattling in three rooms, and none of them heat once the weather turns.

One outdoor unit serves all three zones here, with 12,000, 12,000 and 12,000 BTU indoor units mounted out of the way. It is a heat pump, so the same equipment heats down to -25°C (-13°F) rather than sitting in a garage for eight months.

One outdoor unit, three indoor units

The photo has the complete system in it: a 36,000 BTU condenser for outside, three wall units of 12,000, 12,000 and 12,000 BTU for inside, three remotes and the copper, wire and sundries that connect them. Nothing here is sold separately as an accessory pack.

Efficiency, and what it actually buys you

A 23 SEER2 cooling rating and 10 HSPF2 heating rating come from the variable speed compressor, which throttles to match the load instead of cycling. The refrigerant is R32. Steadier output is the comfort argument; less cycling is the running cost argument. It carries ENERGY STAR, ETL and AHRI certification.

What the buttons on the remote do

Dry mode pulls humidity without overcooling, fan mode moves air with the compressor off, and sleep mode drifts the set point overnight. There are 6 modes (auto, cool, heat, dry, fan, sleep) in total and 5 fan speeds, plus a 24 hour timer and auto swing.

Checking it from the driveway

Wifi is built in, so you can see what each zone is doing and change it from your phone before you get home. A remote with a digital display comes with every indoor unit, and the 24 hour timer handles the routine days without any app at all.

One 36,000 BTU outdoor unit runs all three indoor units. Each zone starts, stops and holds its own temperature, so an empty room costs nothing.

A common rule of thumb is 20 to 25 BTU per square foot (Carrier publishes 25). Each 12,000 BTU unit suits roughly 480 to 600 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 23 SEER2 for cooling and 10 HSPF2 for heating.

A chassis electrical heater keeps the outdoor base pan clear. The manufacturer rates heating down to -25°C (-13°F) and cooling up to 52°C (125°F).

Each zone gets a 16 ft insulated copper line set and 13 ft of communication wire, plus a 6.5 ft drain hose. That is the material most quotes list separately.

The outdoor unit runs on 208-230V~60Hz, single phase. 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.

Wifi app plus a remote with a digital display for each zone, and a 24 hour timer.

The indoor filters pull out, rinse under a tap and go back in. Clean filters are the cheapest way to keep airflow and running cost where they should be.

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.

All three units are 12,000 BTU, so this suits three comparable spaces of roughly 480 to 600 sq ft each: bedrooms, a home office, a finished basement room.

Older houses, additions, attic conversions and finished basements rarely have ducts where they are needed. Three zones from one outdoor unit avoids opening up ceilings.

This is a heat pump, not a cooling-only air conditioner. It carries an HSPF2 heating rating of 10 and a chassis heater for winter operation.

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 zone are in the box

How much space will each indoor unit 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. Each 12,000 BTU unit suits roughly 480 to 600 sq ft. Poor insulation, big west-facing windows or a 9 ft ceiling all push that figure up.

Can all three zones run at full output at once?

The indoor units here add up to exactly the 36,000 BTU the outdoor unit is rated for, so this is the balanced combination in the range. In normal use the compressor modulates and the zones share capacity as they call for it, rather than all sitting at maximum together.

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 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?

Plan on a licensed installer. In Ontario, for example, the province states that by law 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 the refrigerant certificate. Other provinces have their own halocarbon rules. The federal Code of Practice says the same thing in plainer terms: the technician doing work that could release refrigerant must hold the proper environmental certification. The 208-230V~60Hz, single phase power supply also means an electrician and a dedicated circuit.