CARRIER RAS-14EACV-UL AIR CONDITIONER IMAGE SOURCE: CARRIER

Carrier Corporation gets its name from its founder, inventor of the modern air conditioner, Willis Carrier. With this kind of legacy, Carrier has a heavy responsibility to deliver quality. One of the finest brands on the market, Carrier consistently goes above and beyond to push the boundaries of what we expect from HVAC technology. Today, we will be reviewing the Carrier 38MFC012-1 ductless air conditioner.

Carrier 38MFC012-1 Air Conditioner (Single Zone Ductless Mini Split AC System)

The Carrier 38MFC012-1 is part of a Single Zone Ductless Mini Split air conditioning system. Connected with its partner, the 40MFC012-3 outdoor condensing unit, by only refrigerant tubing and wires, this AC unit provides an effective solution to the problem of maintaining a comfortable living environment. Read our full review below for our analysis of how this unit in particular performs.

What is a Single Zone Ductless Mini Split System?

Zoned cooling/heating is one method used in HVAC technologies, whereby your home is divided into zones. Using a ductless mini split system consisting of an outdoor unit, and an indoor unit connected by refrigerant tubing and wires, allows you to dictate the temperatures in each individual zone with a multi-zone system. However, with a single zone system, there is only one pairing of units (1 Indoor : 1 Outdoor), or one “single” zone catered to by the system.

The Outdoor unit is the compressor/condenser. Basically think of this part as the vent through which air is brought in and out. The Indoor unit is the part you’re probably already thinking of. That grill on the ceiling, or the device on the wall. For this review, we are looking at a wall-mounted air handler (the indoor part of the system).

Note: We will largely be discussing the specifications of the entire system as they affect the environment in your home, and not the technical specifications of the compressor unit specifically.

Cooling Performance

Providing 12,000 BTUs of cooling power, this unit is more than capable of maintaining a comfortable living environment. With a maximum airflow of 1,200 cubic feet per minute, this unit is suitable for larger living spaces, or rooms in a business, such as a medium sized restaurant or office space.

Efficiency / Certifications

With a SEER score of 15, and an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 10.5, the Carrier 38MFC012-1 would be considered to be very efficient when compared to other units of its kind. While no Energy Star certification could be found at the time of this review, you can rest assured that with this as your AC unit, you have made a wise choice with relation to efficiency ratings.

Convenience

As is the case with most Carrier units, the convenience of the Carrier 38MFC012-1 cannot be overstated. Boasting various modes designed to enhance the customer’s experience with the device, you can’t go wrong with a Carrier system.

This modes include, but are not limited to a Sleep mode, Silent mode, and Turbo mode. Sleep mode is designed for comfort at night, gradually allowing temperatures to rise to aid your rest, all the while functioning at a reduced capacity and decibel level in order to conserve energy.  Turbo mode, allows for quick changing of room temperature, enabling the device to work at full power to carry out its role at a faster pace. Silent mode enables the air conditioner to function at a lower noise level, as the fan speed shifts lower.

Furthering the convenience of this product is the inclusion of an auto restart function, which allows the unit to reboot after a power outage, automatically. A stop-start timer also allows the user to program their unit to power-on and off, based on time of day. This means that the unit can function even when you’re not at home.

Washable filters also allow easy maintenance of this product. Finally, with an indoor decibel level of as low as 34dB, this unit will not bother you, or those around you, as you go about your day.

A wireless remote control means you don’t have to make your way across the room on a hot day just to tweak what function the system is operating on. Instead, sit back, relax, and wave goodbye to stuffy heat.

Design

With a total shipping weight of 90lbs, this system is relatively light compared to others of its type. Nonetheless, we still recommend that you hire a professional to install this system.

As ductless systems are designed, this unit and the outdoor compressor are connected by nothing but a refrigerant tube and wires, which is useful in that not a huge amount of renovation work is required during installation.

While it may seem redundant, the visual appearance of this system’s indoor component is well engineered, and sleek to the point where it will sit into most modern home or workplace décor.

Help & Support

Carrier Corporation representatives are contactable via telephone, email, an online ‘Contact Us’ page. The Carrier website also features a thorough FAQs section, as well as a troubleshooting page.

As far as warranty is concerned, this system is backed by a 10-year parts and compressor warranty, which is considered to be quite generous when compared to several other warranties on the market. We advise you to contact Carrier directly if you have any queries regarding warranty, or warranty related policies.

Verdict

All factors taken into consideration, it is safe to say that this system’s addition to the Carrier catalogue further solidifies Carrier’s position as one of the HVAC industry’s leaders. If this system falls within your budget, and the features we have outlined here interest you, we would certainly place our seal of approval on this system.