Tier 1 Technical Questions and Answers

  1. Q: What size PTAC do you recommend for my room size?  
    1. A: It depends upon a couple of factors including room size, interior or exterior corridor, and insulation values of the room.  However, most standard hotel rooms with interior corridors are fine with a 7,000 or 9,000 BTU unit.  Exterior corridor properties usually require 9,000 or 12,000 BTU units.  (Refer the customer to our handy dandy sizing chart if needed)
  2. Q: Why shouldn’t I just buy the biggest units available (15,000 BTU) to make sure my guests are comfortable?  
    1. A: Air conditioners perform 2 functions – cooling the air and removing humidity.  If the unit is oversized, the result will be cool but damp rooms – the perfect environment for mold growth.  It’s better for the unit to run longer to make the room both cool and dry.
  3. Q: What’s the difference between a heat pump and strip heat unit?  
    1. A: A strip heat unit provides heat by blowing a fan across electric resistance heaters.  These heat strips are basically the same as the wires inside your toaster that glow orange during operation.  The heat is very warm and comfortable but strip heaters use a lot of electricity.  Heat pumps generate electricity by using the same basic technology as air conditioning.  Have you have ever noticed that a window type air conditioner blows hot air out the back while it’s blowing cool air into the room?  In essence, operating a heat pump is the same as turning the unit around in the window so the hot air is blowing into the room and the cold air is blowing outside.  This is accomplished with special controls and a special valve built into the refrigeration circuit called a reversing valve.  It’s important to note that heat pumps are 300% more efficient in the heating mode that electric strip heat units.
  4. Q: My friend told me that heat pumps won’t work when it’s really cold and I will get lots of guest complaints if I install heat pump units.  What’s up with that?
    1. A:  Heat pump units work best on moderately cool days – defined generally as above 32 degrees F.  However, all heat pump units that we sell also include back-up strip heaters and electronic controls that will automatically switch the unit over to back-up electric heat when the outdoor temperature is too cold for proper heat pump operation.  The bottom line is your guests will stay warm with our heat pump units no matter how cold the outdoor temperature reaches.
  5. Q: Can I get a (TV type) remote control for my PTAC unit?
    1. A:  No.  PTAC units do not have this option.
  6. Q: Can I hook up my PTAC unit to a wall thermostat?  
    1. A: Yes.  There are multiple wired and wireless t-stat options for PTAC units.  (I will write a separate document for wall thermostat options and brand interchangeabilities).
  7. Q: Can I get a (TV type) remote control for my TTW unit?
    1. A: Yes.  All the TTW units we sell include a TV type wireless remote control.
  8. Q: Can I hook up my TTW to a wall thermostat?  
    1. A: No.  Most TTW units on the market today cannot be connected to a wall thermostat.
  9. Q: What’s the difference between a TTW unit and a window air conditioner?  They seem to look almost the same.
    1. A:  TTW is an acronym for Through The Wall air conditioning unit.  As the name suggests, these units are designed to be installed through the wall.  The key design feature for TTW (and also PTAC units) is the case has solid sides – no vents on the sides of the case.  Window style a/c units have vents on the sides of the case.  Window units must be installed hanging outside the building so the side vents can draw in the necessary outdoor air for cooling the condenser (outdoor) coil.  TTW units draw the condenser cooling air from the back of the unit.  This feature allows TTW units (and PTAC units) to be installed flush with the outside wall.  When you look at most hotels and other properties that have PTAC units or TTW units, you only see the exterior grilles on the outside of the building.  The wall sleeves are usually installed flush with the outside wall.
  10. Q: How do I determine the voltage/amperage at my property?
    1. A:  PTAC units are generally divided into 2 voltages – 208/230 volts (also known as 220 volts), and 265/277 volts.  The style of receptacle (the outlet where the air conditioner plugs in) will usually indicate everything we need to know to determine volts/amps.  (Refer to our handy dandy chart).  Also, if we have the brand and model number of the existing units, this is also a good indication of what is needed.  And finally, you can look at the breakers in the breaker box that feeds the PTAC units and determine the voltage and breaker amperage.  It is extremely important to never install units with a higher amperage rating than the receptacles or breakers at the property.
  11. Q: My friend told me that 30-amp units will put out more heat than 20-amp units.  Why shouldn’t I just buy the largest amperage available to make sure my guests have plenty of heat?
    1. A: You cannot install units with higher amperage ratings than the building existing circuits or breakers.  If the breakers are 20-amp, you must install 20-amp (or smaller) units.  No exceptions.
  12. Q: My new unit is working great but it is dripping water into the room.  What is the likely cause?  
    1. A: Water dripping into the room is almost always caused by improper sleeve installation.  The sleeves must be installed with a slight outward tilt.  The second leading cause of water dripping is blocked drain holes in the sleeve.  Pull the unit out of the sleeve and make sure the drains are clear.
  13. Q: How often should I clean the PTAC unit filters?  
    1. A: The filters should be checked/cleaned once a month.  Simply remove the filter, rinse it off in the sink, shake dry and re-install.
  14. Q: How often should I clean the PTAC unit?
    1. A: Ideally, you should clean the units (or have them professionally cleaned) once a year.  We can recommend a professional PTAC cleaning company (DGS) if needed.  When cleaning the unit, take care to keep water away from the electronic controls.
  15. Q: I just received my new unit, plugged it in and turned it on and nothing is happening.  What should I check?
    1. A: 1. Make sure the breaker is on and the unit has power.  2. Make sure the EFI switch on the end of the power cord hasn’t been tripped – re-set if necessary. 
  16. Q: What are the primary differences between various PTAC brands?  
    1. A: The honest answer is there are very few differences between brands.  GE has the longest legacy of the major brands and are still one of the top brands.  However, you will pay extra for the GE name.  Amana currently has the highest PTAC market share and also has one of the better control systems on the market with their DigiSmart wireless control system.  Gree, Friedrich, LG and Midea are all very similar with virtually no functional differences.  All of the above noted brands fit standard 16” x 42” wall sleeves.