Brand Findings
Kinghome Dolphin 40 Inverter is Illegal and Non-Compliant
Failure to be listed in the NRCan Searchable Product List
In Canada, all air-conditioning and heat-pump systems must be listed in the NRCan database. In fact, it is illegal to import or sell a unit that is not listed. At the time of this publication, March 16, 2026, the Kinghome Dolphin 40 cannot be located in the NRCan Searchable Product List.
Failure to meet NRCan Minimum Efficiency Requirements
Kinghome Dolphin 40 manufactured by Zymbo. It is the same model that Zymbo sells directly as the Zymbo Dolphin 40. It is worth noting that, unlike the other brands, Kinghome appears to use the exact specifications supplied by Zymbo without altering any published values. Unfortunately for Kinghome, they rely on Zymbo, a low-cost manufacturer that, in addition to manufacturing heat pumps, also manufactures the specifications.
Kinghome claims the Dolphin 40 has a nominal cooling capacity of 12,000 BTU. Under federal law (Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 + AHRI 210/240), any 12,000-BTU heat pump in this class must meet a minimum SEER2 rating of 13.4 to be legally sold, installed, or used in Canada. Kinghome does not publish a SEER2 value because the unit cannot meet the required 13.4 SEER2 when tested in a certified lab. This alone renders the units illegal.
Illegal Rating
Kinghome uses the wrong rating metric: EER instead of SEER2, COP instead of HSPF2. Kinghome publishes only an EER for cooling and a COP for heating. Neither EER nor COP is a legal rating for this product category. For a heat pump, federal law requires:
- SEER2 and HSPF2
- Rated under AHRI 210/240
Kinghome simply copied the specs from their fake spec manufacturer, Zymbo, which deliberately avoids publishing SEER2 because the unit would fail to meet it. This alone renders the units illegal.
Illegal Misclassification
By using an EER instead of SEER2, Kinghome is classifying Dolphin 40 as a PTHP, but Kinghome Dolphin 40 does not meet the PTHP definition under Energy Efficiency Regulations. A lawful PTHP must have a wall sleeve, a separate unencased chassis, and through-the-wall mounting.
Kinghome Dolphin 40 units lack these traits. Misclassifying the Dolphin 40 as PTHP by using EER is a direct violation of NRCan rules and is illegal.
Miscalculated Performance Numbers
Kinghome misrepresents even the fake numbers it publishes for Dolphin 40 in both heating and cooling. Kinghome simply copies the numbers it received from Zymbo. They should have at least checked the math…
In Cooling
- Cooling Capacity: 12,000 BTU
- Power Input: 1,209 W
Using their own watt input: 12,000 ÷ 1,209 = EER 9.93. Yet, Kinghome publishes 10.5 EER. Fraudulently lists the cooling capacity as 12,000 BTU with an EER of 10.5. When calculating the numbers, the EER2 is really 9.93, which is illegal.
In Heating
- Heating Capacity: 11,970 BTU
- Power Input: 947 W
Using their own watt input: 11,970 ÷ 3.412 (BTU to W) ÷ 947 = COP 3.7. Yet, Kinghome publishes 3.5 COP. They publish a higher COP than the math! Perhaps the fake numbers looked too good, so instead of raising the power input to create a more realistic-looking fake COP, they just listed a lower COP. Fraudulently manufacturing testing data is illegal.
Fraudulent and Fake Numbers
The 12,000-BTU capacity they claim, along with the 10.5 EER rating, is fraudulent. When tested in a lab, this unit will not produce 12,000 BTU and a 10.5 EER. So, even ignoring the misclassification and wrong ratings, the actual numbers they claim are fake.
Regulatory Violation Summary: Kinghome — Dolphin 40
This product is illegal to distribute, specify, install, or use in the United States and Canada. Kinghome's published efficiency numbers are fabricated, mathematically impossible, and use illegal EER rating metrics instead of the legally required SEER2 or CEER metrics that have not been legally acceptable since January 1, 2023. The Dolphin 40 fails to meet DOE and NRCan minimum efficiency requirements under every applicable classification.
Minimum Efficiency Requirements Not Met | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Classification | Metric | Legal Minimum Required | Kinghome's Status | Result |
Heat Pump (12,000 BTU cooling) | SEER2 | ≥ 13.4 | Publishes an illegal EER metric with fabricated data | ❌ Fails |
Heat Pump (12,000 BTU heating / Canada) | HSPF2 | ≥ 5.4 | Numbers fabricated — no valid rating exists | ❌ Fails |
Heat Pump (12,000 BTU heating / US) | HSPF2 | ≥ 6.7 | Numbers fabricated — no valid rating exists | ❌ Fails |
Room Air Conditioner | CEER | NRCan minimum | Publishes illegal EER metric — not listed on NRCan database | ❌ Fails |
These ratings cannot simply be invented. They must be established through testing in a genuine laboratory under correct DOE and NRCan test procedures. Kinghome has not done this, and the data it publishes makes clear why.
Illegal Rating Metrics Used | ||
|---|---|---|
Required Metric | Metric Kinghome Publishes Instead | Legal Status |
SEER2 or CEER | EER | ❌ Illegal — EER is not an acceptable substitute for SEER2 or CEER under any applicable standard and has not been legally acceptable since January 1, 2023 |
Publishing a retired and inapplicable metric is not a technicality or an oversight. EER was replaced by mandatory legal requirements in 2023. Its continued use constitutes a deliberate misrepresentation of compliance status to customers, dealers, and regulators.
Faking Test Results | ||
|---|---|---|
Violation | US Law Violated | Canadian Law Violated |
Kinghome fabricated Dolphin 40 laboratory test data rather than conducting legitimate testing under the required industry methods, AHRI 210/240, and ASHRAE 37 | 10 CFR Part 429 | Energy Efficiency Act; Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Published cooling efficiency numbers are fabricated and mathematically impossible, and could not result from any legitimate test | 10 CFR Part 430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Published heating efficiency numbers are fabricated and mathematically impossible, and could not result from any legitimate test | 10 CFR Part 430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Published efficiency numbers contradict basic mathematics — the stated heating and cooling values are physically impossible | 10 CFR Part 430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Kinghome publishes illegal EER metrics instead of the legally required SEER2 (US) or CEER (Canada), mandatory since January 1, 2023 | 10 CFR Part 430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Kinghome derived published performance ratings from non-compliant test conditions and failed to use the correct AHRI 210/240 and ASHRAE 37 test methods, rendering every efficiency rating ever published legally invalid | 10 CFR Part 429/430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Selling a Product That Should Not Be on the Market | ||
|---|---|---|
Violation | US Law Violated | Canadian Law Violated |
Dolphin 40 does not meet minimum efficiency standards under any applicable product classification, exposing every distributor and dealer carrying the product to joint legal liability | 10 CFR Part 430 | MEPS under Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
The product fails the mandatory SEER2 minimum cooling efficiency thresholds at 12,000 BTU because published numbers are falsified | SEER2 under 10 CFR Part 430 | CEER under Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
The product fails the mandatory HSPF2 minimum heating efficiency thresholds at 12,000 BTU because published numbers are falsified | HSPF2 under 10 CFR Part 430 | Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Kinghome never registered the Dolphin 40 in the DOE's Compliance Certification Management System (CCMS) or filed required certification reports before distribution | DOE CCMS — fines up to $575/model/day under 10 C.F.R. § 429.120 | — |
Kinghome never listed the Dolphin 40 on NRCan's searchable product database, meaning the product was never legally cleared for import or interprovincial sale in Canada. | — | NRCan Searchable Product Database; Energy Efficiency Act |
Dolphin 40 was never certified by an accredited certification body and does not carry the mandatory compliance mark | DOE Certification under 10 CFR Part 429 | Standards Council of Canada Energy Efficiency Verification Mark |
Kinghome violated product classification rules, affecting which efficiency standards and test procedures apply | DOE Product Classification Rules under 10 CFR Part 430 | NRCan Product Classification Rules under Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Lying to Customers and Regulators | ||
|---|---|---|
Violation | US Law Violated | Canadian Law Violated |
Dolphin 40 efficiency and capacity ratings directly conflict with what government-certified testing would produce, and false information was filed with regulators | 10 CFR Part 429.12; 18 U.S.C. § 1001 — federal criminal offence | Energy Efficiency Act — fines up to $10,000 per violation |
Nameplates, product literature, and marketing materials display fabricated efficiency ratings using illegal and retired EER metrics in violation of US and Canadian labeling requirements | FTC Energy Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 305; DOE Labeling Requirements under 10 CFR Part 430 | NRCan Product Classification and EnerGuide Labeling Requirements under Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 |
Kinghome misrepresented the Dolphin 40 certification and compliance status to customers, dealers, regulators, and certification bodies | 18 U.S.C. § 1001 — federal criminal offense | Energy Efficiency Act offense |
Breaking Consumer Protection and Competition Laws | ||
|---|---|---|
Violation | US Law Violated | Canadian Law Violated |
False efficiency claims, illegal and retired EER metrics, and misleading energy performance advertising constitute deceptive trade practices, exposing Kinghome to regulatory action and civil lawsuits from competitors, including claims for damages | FTC Act Section 5, 15 U.S.C. § 45; Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a) | Competition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-34 |
Maximum penalties for serious violations or refusal to take corrective action | FTC civil penalties up to $53,088 per violation | Energy Efficiency Act fines $10,000–$200,000 |