HVAC Decoder

Amana Tonnage From Model Number

Where Amana puts the capacity code, what each code means, and the readings that look like capacity but are not. Read out of 4 documents Amana publishes itself, named further down with the date each was fetched.

Field brief
ASX140361KAis 3 tons (36,000 BTU/h). Capacity code 036, read at characters 6-8.3 ton
Where it sitspositions 6-8, the 3 digit group after the SEER digits.3 layouts
Divide by 12works on most codes but not all: Amana prints 019, 025, 031, 037, 043 where the division is wrong.5 off-ladder
SourceAmana's own SS-ALZS5B-R32 and SS-ASX14 and SS-ASXS6 and SS-ALXS5B-R32, fetched 2026-07-24 and 2026-08-27.4 docs

Starting the decoder. The capacity tables below this box are already loaded, so you can read your code off them now.

Nominal capacity from a model number is a nameplate convention, not a measurement. Actual delivered capacity depends on the matched indoor unit, line set, airflow and conditions. Confirm against the data plate's BTU/h rating and the AHRI certificate for the matched system.


Amana Capacity Codes and Tonnage

R-410A ASX and ASZ generation

Capacity sits at positions 6-8, the 3 digit group after the SEER digits. Example: ASX140361KA.

Transcribed from the manufacturer's own capacity legend for the Goodman / Amana scheme. The capacity, not just the position, is printed in a document this tool holds.

The 12 capacity codes SS-ASX14 prints for this generation, each decoded here by the same engine the calculator above runs on.
CodeNominal BTU/hTonsCode / 12
01818,0001.5same answer
01918,0001.51.58, so the division is wrong here
02424,0002same answer
02524,00022.08, so the division is wrong here
03030,0002.5same answer
03130,0002.52.58, so the division is wrong here
03636,0003same answer
03736,00033.08, so the division is wrong here
04242,0003.5same answer
04342,0003.53.58, so the division is wrong here
04848,0004same answer
06060,0005same answer

Table transcribed from Product Specifications SS-ASX14 (SS-ASX14, 2/20), published by amana-hac.com, fetched 2026-07-24.

Current R-410A ASXS S-series

Capacity sits at positions 7-8, which is a different place from the equivalent Goodman generation, and one position further along than the older Amana layout. Example: ASXS6S3610A.

The tonnage is the one the maker's own document prints for this capacity code; any BTU/h shown beside it is converted from that tonnage.

The 7 capacity codes SS-ASXS6 prints for this generation, each decoded here by the same engine the calculator above runs on.
CodeNominal BTU/hTonsCode / 12
1818,0001.5same answer
2424,0002same answer
3030,0002.5same answer
3636,0003same answer
4242,0003.5same answer
4848,0004same answer
6060,0005same answer

Table transcribed from Product Specifications SS-ASXS6 (SS-ASXS6, 09/24), published by amana-hac.com, fetched 2026-07-24.

R-32 ALXS and ALZS scroll line

Capacity sits at positions 8-9, the same place as the Goodman R-32 line, because the two brands share this document template. Position 2 is L for the R-32 split system line. Example: ALXS5BA3610AA.

The tonnage is the one the maker's own document prints for this capacity code; any BTU/h shown beside it is converted from that tonnage.

The 7 capacity codes SS-ALXS5B-R32 prints for this generation, each decoded here by the same engine the calculator above runs on.
CodeNominal BTU/hTonsCode / 12
1818,0001.5same answer
2424,0002same answer
3030,0002.5same answer
3636,0003same answer
4242,0003.5same answer
4848,0004same answer
6060,0005same answer

Table transcribed from Product Specifications SS-ALXS5B-R32 (SS-ALXS5B-R32, 01/26), published by amana-hac.com, fetched 2026-07-24.


The Amana codes that dividing by 12 gets wrong

The usual shortcut is that a capacity code is the nominal BTU/h divided by 1,000, so dividing it by 12 gives the tonnage. Amana prints 5 codes where that arithmetic disagrees with Amana's own table, and the table is what the equipment is sold against:

CodeAmana printsCode / 12 gives
0191.5 tons1.58
0252 tons2.08
0312.5 tons2.58
0373 tons3.08
0433.5 tons3.58

These are not derivable, only transcribable, which is why this decoder carries Amana's printed table rather than a formula. If you meet one of these codes in the field, arithmetic will land you between two real sizes, and the printed table is the only thing that resolves it.


Worked example: Amana ASX140361KA

ASX140361KAAmana3 tons

Capacity code 036 at characters 6-8 of ASX140361KA: 36,000 BTU/h, which is 3 tons at 12,000 BTU/h per ton. The capacity code in the Goodman/Amana split layout. SS-ASX14 rates ASX140361** at 36,000 BTU/h in the row it heads "Nominal Cooling (BTU/h)", so both figures are transcribed rather than calculated from the code.

  • Efficiency: 14 SEER. SS-ASX14 prints 14 as "14 SEER" under "Efficiency" for the digits in the ASX14 prefix: the series' nominal SEER, not this unit's rating.
  • Refrigerant: R-410A. Amana position 3 "X Condenser R-410A" per SS-ASX14.
  • Product type: AC condenser. Position 3 unit type X.

Amana has 3 documented layouts: R-410A ASX and ASZ generation reads capacity at positions 6-8; Current R-410A ASXS S-series reads capacity at positions 7-8; R-32 ALXS and ALZS scroll line reads capacity at positions 8-9. They put the capacity in different places, so a rule written for one and applied to the other is how a right-looking number ends up under the wrong heading.


What is specific to Amana


Amana equipment in the decoder

The decoder reads or identifies these Amana lines; each one says what it rests on. Open an example to see the decoder's full answer for it.

Each line is identified from the maker document in its Document column. The example is a model in that line's layout, and the reading is what the decoder returns for it.
LineExample modelWhat the decoder readsDocument
Goodman/Amana ASPT air handlerASPT49D14ACAn air handler: 4 tons (48,000 BTU/h)SS-AASPT
Amana VTACAVH093H25AXXXAn Amana VTAC single package vertical unit: 0.75 tons (9,000 BTU/h)MC-VTAC 10-20

CPSC recall notices naming Amana

Recall 24-286 · 2024-06-27

Hazard, in the notice's words: “A power interruption in the heat pump can result in the product providing heat when the power resumes, despite the thermostat being in cooling mode, posing a risk of excessive heat exposure to consumers.”

Recall 18-115 · 2018-03-05

Hazard, in the notice's words: “The labels found on the serial plate have incorrect electrical information that could result in installers and servicers using undersized wiring or incorrect fuse/circuit breaker parts, posing a fire hazard.”

Recall 17-145 · 2017-05-02

Hazard, in the notice's words: “The blower motor is not grounded, posing an electrical shock hazard to individuals servicing the units”

Recall 13-715 · 2013-01-04

Hazard, in the notice's words: “The serial plates on the units have inaccurate information that could result in installers and servicers using undersized wiring, posing a fire hazard.”

Whether a particular unit is inside a recall depends on the models and serials the notice lists. The Amana serial number lookup checks a unit against the notices.

Goodman, same family as Amana

Goodman is in Amana's family. These are Goodman's lines; each one says what it rests on.

Each line is identified from the maker document in its Document column. The example is a model in that line's layout, and the reading is what the decoder returns for it.
LineExample modelWhat the decoder readsDocument
Goodman GSC13/GSH13 R-22 split systemGSC130361AA3 tons (36,000 BTU/h)SS-GSC13
Goodman/Amana ASPT air handlerASPT49D14ACAn air handler: 4 tons (48,000 BTU/h)SS-GASPT
Goodman AWUF/AWUT wall-mount air handlerAWUF180516BAn air handler: 1.5 tons (18,000 BTU/h)SS-GAWUF
Goodman GPGM3 packaged gas/electric unit (R-410A)GPGM34808041A packaged unit: 4 tons (48,000 BTU/h)SS-GPGM3
Goodman GPGM3/GPDM3/GPUM3 packaged unit (R-32)GPGM33608031AAA packaged unit: 3 tons (36,000 BTU/h)SS-GPGM3_GPUM3-R32
Goodman GR9S/GD9S gas furnaceGR9S800603BNA gas furnace: its size field is heating input, so no cooling tonnage is readSS-GR9S80_GD9S80-R32
Goodman PHKJ package heat pumpPHKJ024-1AA packaged unit: identified; its maker's document prints no model number legend, so no size is readRP - 234J
  • Goodman GMVC96 gas furnace: identified as a gas furnace by its maker's form; its size field is heating input, not cooling capacity, so no tonnage is read.

Other CPSC recall notices naming Goodman

Notices that also name Amana are listed above.

Recall 17-103 · 2017-03-02

Hazard, in the notice's words: “The pull-out disconnects may not disable power to the air handler, posing an electrical shock hazard to individuals servicing the units.”

Recall 08-555 · 2008-04-03

Hazard, in the notice's words: “The serial plates on the units contain inaccurate information that could result in the use of undersized installation wiring, posing a fire hazard.”

Recall 97-012 · 1996-10-29

Hazard, in the notice's words: “Heat exchangers in the furnace can crack.”

Whether a particular unit is inside a recall depends on the models and serials the notice lists. The Goodman serial number lookup checks a unit against the notices.


Models this decoder refuses rather than guesses

An undocumented code publishes nothing. Each of these would produce a plausible number by general arithmetic, and the decoder returns no match instead, because no Amana document supports it.

ModelWhat the decoder returnsWhy
ASX140091KAno match009 is on the universal ladder but is in no Amana capacity table.
ASXS6S0910Ano matchThe mini-split classes 09, 12 and 15 sit on the tool's shared ladder but appear in no Amana ducted capacity table, so they publish nothing on a ducted Amana model.

The Amana documents behind this page

SS-ALZS5B-R32 · 10/25
Product Specifications SS-ALZS5B-R32

Published by amana-hac.com. Fetched 2026-08-27. Covers the Amana R-32 HEAT PUMP sibling, cited for one thing: its Nominal Capacity legend prints "030 - 2½ tons", the fifth of the independent readings that refute SS-GLXS4B-R32's "30 - 2 Tons". Its legend writes that code with three digits while the worked model beside it and every model it lists use two. It sources no position claim and no capacity this tool publishes.

SS-ASX14 · 2/20
Product Specifications SS-ASX14

Published by amana-hac.com. Fetched 2026-07-24. Covers the R-410A ASX generation, independently of any Goodman document, corroborated inside itself by its Product Specifications rated-BTU/h table.

SS-ASXS6 · 09/24
Product Specifications SS-ASXS6

Published by amana-hac.com. Fetched 2026-07-24. Covers the current R-410A ASXS layout, whose worked model is numbered positions 1 to 12, whose Tonnage Nominal sits at positions 7-8, and whose position 2 reads Split System R-410A.

SS-ALXS5B-R32 · 01/26
Product Specifications SS-ALXS5B-R32

Published by amana-hac.com. Fetched 2026-07-24. Covers the R-32 ALXS and ALZS layout: a worked model numbered across positions 1 to 13, position 1 A for Amana Brand, position 2 L for R-32 Splits System, and Nominal Capacity at positions 8-9..


Frequently asked questions

How do I find the tonnage of an Amana unit from the model number?

Read the capacity code: on Amana it sits at positions 6-8, the 3 digit group after the SEER digits. On ASX140361KA that code is 036, which is 36,000 BTU/h, or 3 tons, because one ton of cooling is 12,000 BTU/h. Use the OUTDOOR unit's model number for system cooling capacity; the indoor air handler or coil carries its own number. This position comes from Amana's own SS-ALZS5B-R32, not from a third-party chart.

Can I just divide the Amana capacity code by 12?

Not on every code. Amana prints 5 capacity codes where that division gives the wrong answer: 019 is 1.5 tons where dividing gives 1.58, 025 is 2 tons where dividing gives 2.08, 031 is 2.5 tons where dividing gives 2.58, 037 is 3 tons where dividing gives 3.08, 043 is 3.5 tons where dividing gives 3.58. Those values come from Amana's own printed table rather than from arithmetic, which is the whole reason the table exists. On every other code in the table the division does work.

Where is the model number on an Amana unit?

On the data plate on the outdoor unit. On the current side-discharge cabinets it faces the same way as the service panel. It is labeled M/N, MODEL or MODEL NO., usually printed directly above or beside the serial number. The model number describes what the unit is, including its capacity. The serial number describes when it was built and carries no capacity information at all.

Which Amana document is this based on?

Product Specifications SS-ALZS5B-R32 (SS-ALZS5B-R32, 10/25), published by amana-hac.com and fetched 2026-08-27, which covers the Amana R-32 HEAT PUMP sibling, cited for one thing: its Nominal Capacity legend prints "030 - 2½ tons", the fifth of the independent readings that refute SS-GLXS4B-R32's "30 - 2 Tons". Its legend writes that code with three digits while the worked model beside it and every model it lists use two. It sources no position claim and no capacity this tool publishes. Product Specifications SS-ASX14 (SS-ASX14, 2/20), published by amana-hac.com and fetched 2026-07-24, which covers the R-410A ASX generation, independently of any Goodman document, corroborated inside itself by its Product Specifications rated-BTU/h table. Product Specifications SS-ASXS6 (SS-ASXS6, 09/24), published by amana-hac.com and fetched 2026-07-24, which covers the current R-410A ASXS layout, whose worked model is numbered positions 1 to 12, whose Tonnage Nominal sits at positions 7-8, and whose position 2 reads Split System R-410A. Product Specifications SS-ALXS5B-R32 (SS-ALXS5B-R32, 01/26), published by amana-hac.com and fetched 2026-07-24, which covers the R-32 ALXS and ALZS layout: a worked model numbered across positions 1 to 13, position 1 A for Amana Brand, position 2 L for R-32 Splits System, and Nominal Capacity at positions 8-9.. Every capacity value in the capacity tables above traces to one of those documents, and each is named with the date it was fetched so you can pull it yourself. The sizes in the equipment table are read from the document named in its Document column, listed on this page's source receipt.

Is the decoded tonnage the size I should install?

No. Nominal tonnage is what the unit was built to deliver, not what the building needs, and the old unit may have been oversized or sized before insulation and window changes. Treat it as a starting clue and run a load calculation before matching a replacement. Actual delivered capacity also depends on the matched indoor unit, line set, airflow and conditions.


Related tools

Other brands with their own manufacturer nomenclature document: Carrier tonnage by model number, Trane tonnage by model number, American Standard tonnage by model number, Lennox tonnage by model number, Goodman tonnage by model number.

Got a central system's tonnage? Check it against the house's load.

The old unit's nominal size is a clue, not a load calculation. Oversized systems short-cycle and dehumidify poorly. For central equipment that conditions the whole house, run the numbers before you match a replacement. A PTAC, a single package vertical unit, a room air conditioner or one unit of a VRF system conditions a room or a zone, which this load calculator does not size.