46 registered models
Carrier split systems, as the register lists them.
2 kW to 9.1 kW, across 7 of the eight capacity classes. Sold as 49 variants once colourways and trim levels are counted, which is why a retailer's catalogue looks bigger than the register does.
Quick answer
46 distinct Carrier wall-mounted single-phase reverse-cycle air conditioners are registered with the Australian Government's GEMS database, ranging from 2 kW to 9.1 kW and covering 7 of the eight capacity classes the Australian market advertises. Across the range the best annual cooling efficiency figure is AEER 4.98 and the best heating efficiency figure is ACOP 5.37, with the lowest declared indoor noise level at 51 dB. Thunderman Electrical and Air Conditioning Services installs split systems across Greater Melbourne under ARCtick certification with electrical work by REC 28523, and advises on selection using the register rather than manufacturer marketing.
What the register says about this range
The honest summary.
Carrier is the American end of the market and registers a mid-sized range covering seven of the eight capacity classes — the gap is the thin 4.5 kW band, which most manufacturers skip. Its efficiency figures sit in the upper-middle of the field for both cooling and heating, without topping either. What that means in practice is a range with no obvious weak spot and no headline number either, so the choice comes down to the specific model against the specific room rather than to anything the brand does distinctively.
Who this range suits
And who it doesn't.
A sensible default rather than a specialist choice. With no headline figure and no obvious weakness, a Carrier unit is rarely the wrong answer and rarely the optimal one, which suits a buyer who wants a competent unit without spending a weekend comparing efficiency ratios. Where it will not help is the two situations that call for a specialist: a bedroom where noise is the deciding factor, and a room being heated through a full Melbourne winter where the ACOP difference between ranges shows up on the bill.
Worth knowing before you settle on the brand: there is no Carrier model registered in the 4.5 kW class. If that is the size your room needs, the choice is another brand or the neighbouring capacity — and which of those is right depends on the room rather than on preference.
Quietest in this range
Ranked by declared indoor noise.
| Model | Cooling | Heating | Indoor noise | AEER | ACOP | Stars | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier42QHB090N8-1 | 9.1 kW | 10.1 kW | 51 dB | 3.51 | 3.48 | 3.5 / 2 | AAC8823 |
| Carrier42QAF020N8 | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | AAC9368 |
| Carrier42QRF020N8 | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | AAC9459 |
| Carrier38QUH020N8PB | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | ZAC0849 |
| Carrier42QAG020N8 | 2 kW | 2.2 kW | 53 dB | 4.42 | 4.75 | 5 / 3 | AAC7704 |
| Carrier42QHG020N8-1 | 2 kW | 2.2 kW | 53 dB | 4.42 | 4.75 | 5 / 3 | AAC6981 |
| Carrier42QRG020N8 | 2 kW | 2.2 kW | 53 dB | 4.42 | 4.75 | 5 / 3 | AAC8014 |
| Carrier42QCE020N8+3 variants | 2.15 kW | 2.45 kW | 55.11 dB | 4.83 | 5.37 | 5 / 3.5 | ZAC0838 |
Cooling and heating are rated capacity. AEER andACOP are the annual efficiency figures for cooling and heating — higher is cheaper to run. Stars are shown as cooling / heating for a mixed climate zone, which is the one Melbourne sits in. Indoor noise is the manufacturer's declared sound level for the indoor unit. Every figure is as registered with the Australian Government's GEMS register, and the registration number is there so you can look it up yourself.
Most efficient — cooling
Ranked by AEER.
| Model | Cooling | Heating | Indoor noise | AEER | ACOP | Stars | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier42QAG026N8 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC7705 |
| Carrier42QHG026N8-1 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC6982 |
| Carrier42QRG026N8 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC8021 |
| Carrier42QCE020N8+3 variants | 2.15 kW | 2.45 kW | 55.11 dB | 4.83 | 5.37 | 5 / 3.5 | ZAC0838 |
| Carrier42QAF020N8 | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | AAC9368 |
| Carrier42QRF020N8 | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | AAC9459 |
| Carrier38QUH020N8PB | 2.05 kW | 2.37 kW | 52.94 dB | 4.63 | 4.63 | 4.5 / 3 | ZAC0849 |
| Carrier42QAF026N8 | 2.5 kW | 2.795 kW | 56.65 dB | 4.61 | 4.87 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC9375 |
Most efficient — heating
Ranked by ACOP, the figure Melbourne runs on.
| Model | Cooling | Heating | Indoor noise | AEER | ACOP | Stars | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier42QCE020N8+3 variants | 2.15 kW | 2.45 kW | 55.11 dB | 4.83 | 5.37 | 5 / 3.5 | ZAC0838 |
| Carrier42QAG026N8 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC7705 |
| Carrier42QHG026N8-1 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC6982 |
| Carrier42QRG026N8 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC8021 |
| Carrier42QAF026N8 | 2.5 kW | 2.795 kW | 56.65 dB | 4.61 | 4.87 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC9375 |
| Carrier42QRF026N8 | 2.5 kW | 2.795 kW | 56.65 dB | 4.61 | 4.87 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC9450 |
| Carrier38QUH026N8PB | 2.5 kW | 2.795 kW | 56.65 dB | 4.61 | 4.87 | 5 / 3.5 | ZAC0853 |
| Carrier42QAG020N8 | 2 kW | 2.2 kW | 53 dB | 4.42 | 4.75 | 5 / 3 | AAC7704 |
Sizes in this range
Where Carrier competes.
Compare with another brand
All figures from the GEMS registration database (Australian Government), covering 380 registered models across 8 brands. Every model above carries its registration number so you can check it atthe register.
Carrier air conditioners — common questions
How many Carrier split systems are sold in Australia?
46 distinct Carrier wall-mounted single-phase reverse-cycle models are registered with the Australian Government's GEMS database, sold as 49 variants once colourways and trim levels are counted separately. They span 2 kW to 9.1 kW and cover 7 of the eight capacity classes the Australian market advertises — the gaps are 4.5 kW.
Is Carrier good for heating in Melbourne?
The best annual heating efficiency figure across the Carrier range on the register is ACOP 5.37, against 4.98 for cooling (AEER). In Melbourne the heating figure carries more weight, because a reverse-cycle system here runs for warmth far more of the year than for cooling. Those are the range's best figures, not typical ones — individual models vary, which is why the tables above list them separately rather than giving the brand a single score.
What is the quietest Carrier air conditioner?
The lowest declared indoor sound level in the Carrier range is 51 dB. Declared figures are measured by the manufacturer at a stated fan speed, so they compare fairly against other brands' declared figures but will not match what you measure in a room — mounting position and the surfaces around the unit change that considerably.
Does Thunderman install Carrier air conditioners?
Yiannis is ARCtick certified, which is what handling refrigerant legally requires, and installs split systems across Greater Melbourne regardless of brand. Which ranges he can supply directly depends on wholesaler arrangements, so the honest answer is to ask — and if a brand you want is one he cannot supply well, he will say so rather than talk you into something else. Electrical work is carried out under REC 28523.
Brand chosen. Now the part that decides whether it works.
Sizing against the actual room, whether the switchboard can carry it, and where the head should go. Yiannis quotes the whole job free of charge — ARCtick certified, REC 28523.