Carrier model numbers pack the tier, staging, efficiency, capacity and cabinet size of the unit into one string. Once you know where to split it, a Carrier model number tells you almost everything except the unit's age. This guide decodes Carrier furnace and air-conditioner model numbers position by position, using the key Carrier prints on its own product data sheets.
Carrier, Bryant and Payne are built by the same company and use parallel model-number logic. If your unit is a Bryant, see the Bryant model number guide.
Where to Find the Carrier Model Number
On a furnace, the rating plate is inside the front door or on the side of the cabinet, usually a foil or paper label with the model (M/N) and serial (S/N) side by side. On an outdoor AC or heat pump it is on the side of the condenser near the refrigerant line connections. Copy the model number exactly as printed, including dashes: the position of each character is what carries the meaning.
Carrier Furnace Model Number Format
A typical Carrier furnace model number looks like: 59TP6A080E1716. Use the table to split it up:
| Position | Characters | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product family | 59 | 59 = current gas furnace families (older 80% units used 58, e.g. 58STA) | 59 |
| Heating stages | T | S = single-stage; T = two-stage; M = modulating | T (two-stage) |
| Tier | P | C = Comfort; P = Performance; N = Infinity | P (Performance) |
| Base efficiency | 6 | 0 = 90+ AFUE; 2 = 92+; 3 = 93+; 5 = 95+; 6 = 96+; 7 = 97+ | 96% AFUE |
| Major series | A | Design generation letter | A |
| Heating input | 080 | Thousands of BTU/h: 040, 060, 080, 100, 120, 140 | 80,000 BTU/h |
| Blower motor | E | S = standard; E = energy-efficient; V = variable-speed | E |
| Cabinet width | 17 | 14 = 14.2 in.; 17 = 17.5 in.; 21 = 21 in.; 24 = 24.5 in. | 17.5 in. wide |
| Airflow | 16 | Nominal cooling airflow in hundreds of CFM: 08 = 800 up to 22 = 2,200 | 1,600 CFM (about 4 tons) |
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Common Carrier Furnace Families
The first few characters identify the family, and the family tells you the tier, staging and blower before you read a single digit of capacity.
| Model prefix | Family | Stages | Blower | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59MN7 | Infinity 98 | Modulating | Variable-speed | Up to 98.5% AFUE |
| 59TN6 | Infinity 96 | Two-stage | Variable-speed | 96% AFUE |
| 59TP6 | Performance 96 | Two-stage | Variable-speed | 96% AFUE |
| 59SP5 | Performance 95 | Single-stage | Multi-speed | 95% AFUE |
| 59SC5 | Comfort 95 | Single-stage | Multi-speed | 95% AFUE |
| 58SB0 / 58STA | 80% families | Single-stage | Varies | 80% AFUE |
Carrier AC and Heat Pump Model Numbers
Outdoor units use a different string. A typical Carrier air conditioner model number looks like: 24ACC636A003.
| Position | Characters | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product series | 24 | 24 = air conditioner; 25 = heat pump | 24 (AC) |
| Product family | A | A = residential split system | A |
| Tier | C | B = Comfort; C = Performance; N = Infinity | C (Performance) |
| Major series | C | C = Puron (R-410A) generation | C |
| SEER | 6 | Last digit of the nominal SEER: 4 = 14, 6 = 16, 7 = 17, 1 = 21, 0 = 20 (older 13 SEER units used 3) | 16 SEER |
| Cooling capacity | 36 | Thousands of BTU/h; divide by 12 for tons | 36,000 BTU/h = 3 tons |
| Variations | A | A = standard | A |
| Open | 00 | Not defined on current residential models | 00 |
| Voltage | 3 | 3 = 208/230 V single-phase | 208/230-1 |
| Series | 0 | 0 = original series | 0 |
Carrier Tonnage by Model Number
Every Carrier outdoor unit carries its cooling capacity as a two- or three-digit BTU code. Divide by 12 to get tons (1 ton = 12,000 BTU/h). Furnace numbers carry the gas input instead, so a "080" on a furnace means 80,000 BTU/h of heating, not 80,000 BTU/h of cooling.
| Model code | Size | Cooling capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 018 | 1.5 ton | 18,000 BTU/h |
| 024 | 2 ton | 24,000 BTU/h |
| 030 | 2.5 ton | 30,000 BTU/h |
| 036 | 3 ton | 36,000 BTU/h |
| 042 | 3.5 ton | 42,000 BTU/h |
| 048 | 4 ton | 48,000 BTU/h |
| 060 | 5 ton | 60,000 BTU/h |
Common Carrier outdoor families and where they sit:
| Model prefix | Family | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| 24ACC6 | Performance 16 | 16 SEER |
| 24ABC6 | Comfort 16 | 16 SEER |
| 24ANB1 / 24VNA0 | Infinity 21 / Infinity 20 variable-speed | 20-21 SEER |
| 25HCC5 / 25HPB6 | Performance heat pumps | 15-16 SEER |
What the Carrier Model Number Does Not Tell You
The model number says nothing about the unit's age. That is in the serial number, and Carrier has changed its serial date format more than once. Use the Carrier serial number lookup to turn a serial into a manufacture date, or the HVAC serial number decoder hub for any other brand. The model number also does not tell you whether the unit was installed and charged correctly, which matters as much as the SEER digit for what it actually costs to run.
Decoded Your Carrier? Here Is What to Do With It
If the unit is under 10 years old and the model number shows a mid- or high-efficiency family, it is usually worth repairing. If the serial dates it past 12 to 15 years for an AC or 15 to 20 years for a furnace, the capacity and cabinet width you just decoded are exactly what you need to size a replacement. A new system at the same tonnage and input will drop straight into the same duct and gas connections.
Related: Goodman vs Carrier AC comparison · how to read any furnace data label · Goodman model number decoder.
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