FAQ's |
ATC Electrical and Mechanical wants to ensure that our customers have a clear understanding of our products, what they can do and the best practice for their installation and use. Below are answers to the more common queries we receive on a regular basis.
If you require further information or have an additional query please do not hestitate to contact our office on:
Sales Direct Tel: +353 1 467 8301
Technical Direct Tel: +353 1 467 8302
Email: sales@atc.ie
Keep checking back for additions to this section.
ATC Blade hand dryers |
What does the flashing “E” number on the display of my blade dryer mean?
There are a number of different codes than can flash on the display of the ATC Blade Dryer, these codes are there to help you identify what is causing a problem with your unit.
Please note for many of these codes a qualified electrician is required to repair the hand dryer. Please contact ATC for advice.
If you experience any of the above please contact ATC technical for advice.
Sales Direct Tel: +353 1 467 8301
Technical Direct Tel: +353 1 467 8302
Email: sales@atc.ie
HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION |
Does my house need to be airtight?
Yes the more airtight and better insulated your home then a higher percentage of the house air and heat can be passed through the heat exchanger. Giving the best performance and a control ventilation system.
Do I need any wall/window vents with heat recovery ventilation?
No the disc valves of the heat recovery ventilation system becomes the ventilation opening required in building regulations for each room.
The exception to this is if you have a boiler, fire place, stove or other device consuming air from the dwelling; then you need a separate air supply to this device.
Best practice is that each stove/boiler etc has its own dedicated air supply straight to the unit.
Gas fired devices should have a permanently open vent to supply make up air to the system.
Can I have an open fire place?
Open fire places are not advised as they are inefficient and they have a lot of heat and air lost up the chimney. The amount of air and heat loss can be greatly reduced by fitting a stove or insert to the chimney to limit the air and heat lost up the chimney/flu.
This will also improve your Building Energy Rating and mean less fuel needs to be burnt.
Any stove or fire place that is not room sealed requires a dedicated air supply.
Can I use my standard cooker hood?
With heat recovery your cooker fan can’t be extracted straight outside. There are 3 options how to treat the kitchen:
1) No cooker hood and the system handles the steam and grease.
2) A standard cooker hood set on re circulate, so the grease and smells are taken out by the grease and carbon filters respectively and the steam is put back into the kitchen for the unit to extract.
3) A dummy cooker hood connected to the unit, the grease filters on the unit handle the grease and the unit extracts the steam and hot air.
Option 2 & 3 are preferable to option 1, there usually isn’t much grease in a domestic situation but it doesn’t hurt to have grease filters over the cooking area.
If you extract straight outside with the cooker hood, you are wasting energy and unbalancing the house and could cause drafts in the house. Options 2 or 3 are our recommended solutions and option 2 using the re circulating cooker hood is the most used.
What is the best type of clothes dryer to use?
Drying clothes naturally outside in good weather is the most efficient method.
With the reduced and controlled humidity within a house with heat recovery ventilation then clothes should dry quicker.
If an electric clothes dryer is to be used then a condensing dryer is the preferred option as no warm air is dumped outside. A dryer that exhausts warm air to the outside means that energy is being lost and make up air is required to replaced the exhausted air. The make up air can’t be supplied by the heat recovery system.
Can I install a HRV system in my existing home?
Generally not advised as an existing home may not be as airtight or well insulated as required for the system to work at its optimum.
Also fitting ducting to an existing dwelling is destructive as ceilings and some other surfaces may have to be destroyed to run ducting to every room.
If the system is fitted as part of a comprehensive energy upgrade of the dwelling where both the insulation and air tightness are address then that is when you would consider installing the system.
Can I not just block up my wall or window vents to save energy?
No ventilation is important for both the occupants and the houses well being. Without air exchange between inside and outside then humidity, carbon dioxide and other pollutants from furnishings etc will build up.
Ventilation is necessary to give a healthy living environment for both you and the house. Heat recovery ventilation gives you controlled and energy efficient ventilation. The system greatly reduces your ventilation heat loss and improves air quality inside the dwelling at the same time.
What is SAP Appendix Q Eligible?
The SAP Appendix Q is a listing of all the energy efficient heat recovery ventilation units that have been independently tested in the UK.
If the unit is listed on the SAP Appendix Q website then the unit is referred to as SAP Appendix Q Eligible and your energy assessor can use the test figures to improve your BER energy rating.
Can I use flexible ducting as it is cheaper?
Simple answer is no of the majority of the installation; the majority must be rigid ducting. Rigid ducting is best practice and is required with SAP Appendix Q Eligible unit to improve the energy rating of the house.
Flexible ducting is more restrictive to airflow and can change shape over time and affect the airflows.
Rigid duct is more expensive to buy but gives better performance straight away and over time. Suitably size rigid duct will also mean the fans can run slower than with the equivalent flexible ducting and so less electricity is consumed for the same airflow.
Do I need to commission my system?
Yes the speed and airflow of the system must be set and balance to the appropriate level for your house. Without having a system commissioned then you won’t know that the system is operating at it optimum efficiency and working as designed.
The system needs to be commissioned as per TGD Part F 2009 section of the building regulations. The system needs to be commissioned using an airflow meter fitted with a cone.
Do I need the Pre-Heater Box to run my unit?
No you don’t need to fit the Pre-Heater box but it allows the system to keep operating during extreme cold weather where other units may shut down to protect themselves from freezing conditions.
The unit has frost protection features, but the better the system is commissioned and the better the houses air tightness and insulation levels then the system can keep going down to normal Irish conditions. The pre-heater keeps the system running in extremely cold conditions.
Do I need the external antennae?
No you should only require the external antennae where there is foil backed insulation between the unit and the occupied part of the dwelling. If you have a poor mobile phone signal inside the house then you will probably need the antennae to boost the signal quality for communicating with the unit.
Do I need the filter box?
No the unit comes with high specification F5 filters (HR400, HR200 has G3 filters) as standard.
If you are concerned about having the best filtration then yes you would opt for the larger external filter as it gives year round filtration and a longer filter clean/replacement schedule for the filter.
hr400 hEAT RECOVERY UNIT - ERROR CODES EXPLAINED |
Please click here for manual with full explanations, operations and maintenance
The ER codes and other warnings are there to alert you possible attention required for the unit or the system. You will know if there is a problem with the system.
If your Prometeo HR400 heat recovery unit gives an ER code then the below is the explanation as to what they mean and what you should do.
First step is to clear the code by pressing the following buttons:
ER Codes
ER01: By-pass or defrosting valve are blocked
ER02: Drop in airflow has been detected of the fresh air supply fan. Please check for blockages, especially around the external vent.
ER03: Drop in airflow has been detected of the extract fan. Please check for blockages, especially around the external vent.
ER04: The remote control and unit can’t communicate.
Signal is being blocked, check if foil backed insulation is present.
The batteries on the remote are getting low, replace batteries.
The unit and remote are not paired, turn power off to the unit for 3 minutes; restart and within 1 minute of starting the unit press and hold the enter button on the remote control until it beeps. This beeps means the unit and remote are paired.
ER05: The remote control is not transmitting a signal.
ER06: Temperature sensor in the fresh air intake is not functioning.
ER07: Temperature sensor in the fresh air intake downstream from the heat exchanger is not functioning.
ER08: Temperature sensor in the stale air outlet is not functioning.
ER09: The relative humidity sensor is not operational or is detecting levels outside normal range.
Can also occur where the condensate trap is not fitted correctly.
ER10: The carbon dioxide sensor is not operational or is detecting levels outside normal range.
Can also occur where the condensate trap is not fitted correctly.
ER11: The fresh air being received is colder than the system can accept.
ER12: The fresh air being received is hotter than the system can accept.
ER13: The air being received from the house is lower than 9 Degrees Celsius.
The insulation on the ducting is allowing the system have a high heat loss, increase the level of insulation.
There is little or no heat from the house, the house has no active heating system.
There is a disconnected duct allowing cold air into the system.
ER14: The air being received from the house is higher than it should be.
The insulation on the ducting is allowing the system have a high heat gain from the attic, increase the level of insulation.
There is a lot of heat coming from the house.
There is a disconnected duct allowing air into the system.
Please note ER13 and ER14 are interchangeable.
Electric Under Floor Heating |
What is ATC under floor heating cable?
ATC under floor cable heating mats are manufactured from twin conductor, thin profile (3mm), double insulated and earth braided heating cables attached to a 500mm open weave mat backing 70mm centres to produce a standard 160 watts square metre (w/m2) output.
When would you use a heated cable instead of a heated cable mat?
For small or complicated areas like bathrooms a single heating cable is the answer but where larger areas are concerned under floor cable heating mats is the advised solution. A single heating cable will require an even spacing (by using the template provided). The cable is taped down onto the heating insulation or sub-floor to hold in place prior to tiling. ATC under floor cable heating mats for use in open areas are pre-spaced and easy to install. Tiling can commence straight away after the cable mat has been tested in situ.
What if I have a large area to heat?
Installations larger than 16.25M2 will require 2 heating mats or cables wired in parallel up to a maximum of 22.1M2. It is advisable to contact a qualified electrician for this type of installation.
How do I work out what under floor heating cable length or mat size I need for my project?
From the free area you plan to heat deduct approximately 10%. Select the nearest ATC heating mat down from that m2 in the range. Then select the correct thermostat to control the temperature of the mat depending if it is to be controlled by the floor sensor or the air sensor.
Can ATC under floor heating cables be cut to length if floor too long?
Under no circumstances can under floor heating cables be cut to length. For single heating cables the floor spacing pitch can be adjusted closer together down to a minimum of 30mm, this will result in a higher wattage output per M2.
How quickly can I expect my tiled floor to get warm with ATC heating mats?
This depends on a number of factors like the sub-floor type and insulation: a cement sub-floor will be slow to warm without a thermal insulation barrier, creating a significant drag on the performance of the floor heating. A layer of high quality insulation (F-Board) will have a dramatic effect in these circumstances, speeding up the initial warm up time to within 15-20 minutes. We recommend the use of F-Board under floor heating insulation.
Will under floor cable heating also warm my room?
This will depend on the “u value” of your room. This is an industry term for the total measure of resistance of each component that make up the fabric of the building. Simply put, this means that old buildings will lose heat faster than modern buildings where the latest materials are incorporated. Under floor heating insulation will go a long way to
offsetting these drawbacks, helping to retain the heat within the room. Under floor cable heating acts like a large low level radiator gently heating the room from the floor up. It requires approximately 15% less energy to feel the same level of comfort experienced using convection heating.
Will under floor heating provide enough heat for my conservatory or bathroom?
With a good level of floor insulation and the correct choice of under floor heating cable to get the maximum coverage and output, then in most circumstances under floor heating will provide the required room temperature. Most conservatories are not required to pass any building regulations u value, so depending on the type of glass structure you have, supplemental heating may be required for odd occasions like cold winter nights.
Can I adjust the temperature of the floor heating mat?
Each under floor heating installation is controlled by programmable, digital thermostat. This will maintain your floor temperature and on/off times at a precise setting according to your own individual taste.
How can I control the under floor heating to come on and go off?
Each installation is controlled by a programmable, digital thermostat. This will look after your day to day, on and off requirements to your own individual settings.
Are there any special tools required for the under floor heating installation?
Tiling over under floor heating cables should always be done using a plastic trowel. Any damage by the sharp edge of a traditional steel trowel mat result in damage to the outer, protective jacket of the under tile heating cable, this could eventually result in a future failure of the under floor heating cable. The under floor heating system should be tested as per the warranty form enclosed with each mat to ensure it is correctly installed. This warranty form should be completed and returned to ATC.
Will I need an electrician to connect the under floor heating mat installation?
We always recommend a fully qualified electrician to install your under floor cable heating system.
Is there any special adhesive I need to use when fitting an under floor cable heating system?
Yes, a flexible floor tile adhesive will be required. The special polymers added to flexible adhesives will make allowances for any tile floor movements through heat expansion and contraction. Don’t forget to also add a flexible grout to your list.
Can I tile straight on top of the cable heating mats?
For heated cable mats, the heating cables are secure within the heating mat backing, the Tiller can commence with the flexible floor tile adhesive and tiling operation as soon as the under floor cable heating system is fitted and tested.
What extra height will the under floor cable heating mat add to my floor?
This will depend on the size of the cable heating mat and if insulation board is used but an allowance of an extra 4mm for cable mat and 6-10mm for insulation board, to your planned finished height is a reasonable figure.
What guarantee comes with the under floor cable heating mats?
All ATC under floor heating systems come with a 10 year manufacturer’s guarantee.
Can I install under floor cable heating mats under wood laminate flooring?
This is possible but we recommend using under floor heating film. Ask our technical department for more information. Please note these answers are very general please contact our Technical Department for more detailed information.
Electric Underfloor Heating - Thermal Insulation Board |
Can I install the under floor cable heating mats without insulation?
Yes this is entirely possible but the laws of science state that heat will always be attracted towards cold: heat energy will dissipate in to the sub-floor, requiring more heat energy to bring the heated floor up to temperature.
How will insulation improve performance of my under floor cable heating?
A high quality thermal barrier will slow the process of heat loss into the sub-floor, significantly improving the performance, speeding the initial warm up times and reducing the electricity costs. We recommend F-Board under floor heating insulation.
What type of under floor heating insulation will give me the best all round performance?
Extruded polystyrene foams will give the best all round performance. Polystyrene has high thermal insulation properties, high compressive strength capable of supporting normal foot impact loading, waterproof, rot resistant, light weight, easy to handle, easily cut and shaped with a sharp knife, available in two depths, 6mm and 10mm and low cost. We recommend F-Board under floor heating insulation.
What is F-Board under floor heating insulation?
Fast warm under floor heating insulation boards are manufactured from extruded polystyrene foam, designed to meet the very specific needs of the under floor heating industry.
How strong are fast warm under floor heating insulation boards?
F-Board under floor heating insulation boards are designed to meet the very rigorous needs to be both high thermal value and high compressive strength, capable of normal foot traffic point loading.
What depth of under floor heating insulation do I need?
A simple rule of thumb is to incorporate as much heating insulation wherever possible. For new build projects this is easy to plan in a typical refurbish situation this is not always possible where the finished heated floor height may restrict the depth available to add the heating insulation. F-Board under floor heating insulation boards are available in 6mm and 10mm.
How do I fix fast warm under floor heating insulation boards to the sub-floor?
For cement sub-floors F-Board under floor heating insulation boards will readily bond to any good quality flexible, water based (solvent free) floor adhesive. For heated wood floors care must be taken to ensure that the floor is firmly fixed to the joists, following the recommended 300mm screwed centres as a guide, prior to applying the flexible floor tile adhesive and bonding the fast warm insulation boards.
Electric Under Floor Heating-THERMOSTATS |
Which thermostat to I need to use?
We offer 2 different types of thermostat for use with our underfloor heating; these are the OTN-1991H Analogue thermostat and the OCC2-1991H Digital thermostat. The analogue thermostat is used where there is no need to turn the underfloor heating system off during the day. It is a simple thermostat with an on/off switch and a dial for adjusting the temperature.
When you need to turn the heating system off during the day, the Digital thermostat is used to set the underfloor heating system to come on and off by using a built in time-clock. Up to 2 “on/off” settings per day can be programmed e.g. morning and afternoon.
The OCC2-comes pre programmed to the following times:
Day 1-5 |
Event |
Time |
Temperature |
|
On Off On Off |
0600-0800 0800-1600 1600-2230 2230-0600 |
22oC 15oC 22oC 15oC |
Day 6-7 |
Event |
Time |
Temperature |
|
On Off |
0800-2300 2300-0800 |
22oC 15oC |
Why do I need a Floor Sensor?
All of the thermostats that ATC offer measure the floor temperature to turn the underfloor heating system on and off. Because the thermostat measures the floor temperature is it much more accurate than measuring the air temperature. This means the system is more efficient and uses less electricity.
Both the OTN-1991H and the OCC2-1991H come complete with the ETF199 universal floor sensor. The floor sensor is installed in a 16mm flexible conduit under the floor tiles or laminate floor; this enables the sensor to be replaced in the unusual event of a failure or damage.
The OCC2-1991H thermostat features a built in diagnostic mode to help you find out what is wrong with your underfloor heating system in the event of a failure. There are 3 codes that the thermostat will show “E0”, “E1” and “E2”.
E0: This means that the internal circuit board has failed and the thermostat needs to be replaced.
E1: This means that the built in sensor has failed, the OCC2-1991H does not feature an internal sensor, if you see this on the display of the thermostat please contact the ATC technical department.
E2: This means that the external Floor Sensor is disconnected or has failed. This is the most often seen issue with the OCC2-1991H thermostat. It is usually caused by the incorrect connection of the heating mat and sensor cables. This error can be easily fixed by your installer by checking to make sure the sensor cable is wired into the last 2 terminals on the back to the thermostat and that the heating mat is connected into terminals 3 and 4. Your installer can also check the floor sensor and heating mat resistance in the table below to identify what the cables are.
Code |
Mat Size (m2) |
Output (W) |
Current Draw(A) ±10% |
Resistance (Ω) ±10% |
||||||
LDTS160/0.5 |
0.5 |
80 |
0.35 |
661 |
||||||
LDTS160/1 |
1 |
160 |
0.70 |
331 |
||||||
LDTS160/1.5 |
1.5 |
240 |
1.04 |
220 |
||||||
LDTS160/2 |
2 |
320 |
1.39 |
165 |
||||||
LDTS160/2.5 |
2.5 |
400 |
1.74 |
132 |
||||||
LDTS160/3 |
3 |
500 |
2.17 |
106 |
||||||
LDTS160/3.5 |
3.5 |
560 |
2.43 |
95 |
||||||
LDTS160/4 |
4 |
640 |
2.78 |
83 |
||||||
LDTS160/5 |
5 |
800 |
3.47 |
66 |
||||||
LDTS160/6 |
6 |
960 |
4.17 |
55 |
||||||
LDTS121210 |
7.6 |
1210 |
5.26 |
44 |
||||||
LDTS121400 |
8.8 |
1400 |
6.09 |
38 |
||||||
LDTS121800 |
11 |
1740 |
7.57 |
30 |
||||||
LDTS122150 |
13.3 |
2150 |
9.35 |
25 |
||||||
LDTS122600 |
16.25 |
2600 |
11.30 |
20 |
||||||
ETF-199 Floor sensor N.T.C 12k resistance table |
||||||||||
-20°C = 112246Ω |
11°C = 22300Ω |
16°C = 17750Ω |
21°C = 14238Ω |
26°C = 11506Ω |
35°C = 7978Ω |
60°C = 3201Ω |
||||
-10°C = 63929Ω |
12°C = 21292Ω |
17°C = 16974Ω |
22°C = 13636Ω |
27°C = 11035Ω |
40°C = 6569Ω |
70°C = 2306Ω |
||||
0°C = 37942Ω |
13°C = 20335Ω |
18°C = 16237Ω |
23°C = 13064Ω |
28°C = 10587Ω |
45°C = 5442Ω |
80°C = 1692Ω |
||||
5°C = 29645Ω |
14°C = 19428Ω |
19°C = 15537Ω |
24°C = 12519Ω |
29°C = 10159Ω |
50°C = 4535Ω |
90°C = 1263Ω |
||||
10°C = 23364Ω |
15°C = 18567Ω |
20°C = 14871Ω |
25°C = 12000Ω |
30°C = 9752Ω |
55°C = 3800Ω |
100°C = 958Ω |
||||
What is IP Rating? |
The resistance offered by the fixture to the penetration of solids and liquids is indicated by the IP (Ingress Protection) rating. This is a 2 digit number, the first number identifies the degree of protection against the ingress of solids and the second number against liquids e.g. IP65 indicates total protection against dust and protection against low jets of water.
Bathroom Zoning |
What is Bathroom Zoning and what are the required IP Ratings?
Zone 0: Is the area inside the bath or shower. A minimum of IP67 is required (protected against immersion in water) and only SELV (max 12) fittings may be used.
Zone 1: Is the area directly above the bath or shower tray and to a height of 2.25m. A minimum rating of IP65 is required.
Zone 2: Is the area over the bathtub or shower tray above the sides of Zone 1 up to a distance of 60cm. This is external to Zone 1 and extends vertically 0.6M to a height of 3M. An IP rating of 64 is required.
Zone 3: Is the area external to Zones 0, 1 & 2, to a distance of 2.4M from Zone 2 and a height above the floor of 3M. The protection required for luminaries in this zone for normal domestic use is IP20.
Note: The above are guidelines only. Where water jets are being used for cleaning a minimum of IP65 applies.
What does CE Approval mean?
The CE mark is the manufacturer’s declaration to enforcement authorities that the product complies with all relevant European Directives, such as Low Voltage Directive for Safety, and the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive for radio interference.
All products come with installation instructions. Each product is designed with ease of installation as a pre-requisite. Our in-house technical support department is available to take any technical queries or referral to installation instructions and diagrams.
The ATC Group is not responsible for failure of products due to installations incorrectly made, or not made by a competent person or not in accordance with relevant regulations, an inappropriate environment, improper working practice, misuse, negligent storage or accidental damage.
RoHs and WEEE Directives |
The ATC Group is committed to supporting its customers through the implementation of EU regulations with relevant information, products and technical support. Below is an overview of WEEE and RoHS Directives
Why are directives like WEEE and RoHS being introduced?
Hazardous Substances are a Global Concern. There is a rapidly increasing waste stream of electrical and electronic equipment which impacts upon landfill and waste incineration measures. To minimise waste, equipment producers will be responsible for recycling electric and electronic equipment and must consider waste management when designing new equipment. Producers must find substitutes for the use of the most toxic heavy metals and flame retardants for new electric and electronic equipment brought to market.
Payment Terms |
Credit Terms available and all major Credit Cards accepted.
Delivery |
Orders placed by 3pm for any stock item shall ship same day for overnight delivery.
Opening & Closing Times |
| Sales Office | |
| Monday–Thursday | 8.30am – 5.30pm (open throughout lunch) |
| Friday | 8.30am – 4.30pm (open throughout lunch) |
| Trade Counter | |
| Monday–Thursday | 8.30am – 5.30pm (open throughout lunch) |
| Friday | 8.30am – 4.00pm (open throughout lunch) |
