Architect and Engineering Manual

51
Many times poor or non-existent caulking around the
exterior of the wall sleeve results in air infiltration, causing
the unit to run excessively. One way to check for air
infiltration is to look under and around the unit to the
outdoors. If you can see light, there is air infiltration.
The first floor of a building is where this problem most
frequently occurs since caulking the bottom of the wall
sleeve may require lying outside in the dirt while working.
This has been the cause of many complaints about the
“short cycling” of the unit.
Curtains, furniture or other obstructions interfering with
the discharge air circulation will make the unit cycle/turn
off too soon since the cooled (or heated) discharge air is
pulled back into the unit. This results in a room that is not
adequately heated or cooled.
Blocking the discharge air on the unit during the heating
operation can result in the unit overheating or shutting off
prematurely. In some sleeves it is recommend that a “tent
card” be used advising room occupants not to put
anything on the unit.
ELECTRICAL WIRING INSTALLATION
Do not allow the installer to drill a hole in the wall sleeve to
run the electrical wiring. If this is done, the wiring will have to
be run between the chassis and the edge of the wall sleeve
so it can be connected to the unit wiring on the room side
of the wall sleeve. When the chassis is removed for servicing
or cleaning, the insulation on the wires can be cut and can
create a safety hazard.
If the electrical connection on a 230-volt or 208-volt
installation is to be made by the line cord plugged into
a wall-mounted receptacle, the receptacle should be
located in the wall under the sleeve or close to the side
of the wall sleeve. This installation makes a much neater
appearance than a line cord running a foot or more across
the floor.
The electrician may want to place the receptacle as far from
the unit as possible to save a few feet of wiring without
considering how the installation may appear.
CENTRAL DESK CONTROL AND REMOTE
THERMOSTAT WIRING
Do not allow the installer to drill a hole in the wall sleeve to
run Central Desk Control (CDC) wiring or remote thermostat
wiring to the unit terminals. CDC and remote thermostat
wiring is classified as low-voltage wiring and does not have
to be run in conduit unless required by local code. CDC and
remote thermostat wiring should be run in the walls and exit
the wall under the wall sleeve about 2" from the right-hand
side. The base pan is designed with a clearance for
the line cord and the low-voltage wiring can also be run
to the chassis in this area. Wire molding can be used to
hold the wiring close to the bottom of the wall sleeve.
If a sub-base is used, the wiring can be run through the
sub-base, entering the rear and exiting through one of the
front panels. When the room cabinet is in place, the CDC or
remote thermostat wiring is usually not visible to someone
standing or sitting in the room.
Do not run the low-voltage wiring in conduits with
line-voltage wiring or near uninsulated line-voltage wiring
since induced current can interrupt the low-voltage
controls.
Consult the electrical inspector early in the project,
especially if the power to the air conditioner is to be 265
volts, to understand what is required to comply with local
electrical codes.
WALL SLEEVE/EXTERIOR GRILLE
When making an installation where the exterior grille is
flush with the exterior wall, or part of a custom window/
louver section, make sure the installer caulks the wall
sleeve to the exterior wall, especially the bottom of the
sleeve. Many times the air conditioners are run during
construction and the building is not closed. This can
result in excessive humidity from the warm humid air
entering the building, or from the “drying out” of the
building materials. Many problems have been caused
by condensate water or rainwater running back into the
building where proper caulking has not been done.
EXTERIOR GRILLES
When replacing an older unit, the existing outdoor grille
may need to be changed or modified. Outdoor airflow
patterns have changed and this may dictate the need for
outdoor grille replacement or modification.
If using an existing non-GE exterior grille, special attention
must be paid to ensuring the air deflectors are in the
proper locations on the exterior grille. Otherwise they
should be removed and replaced with new RAK40
deflectors on the back of the chassis.
NOTE: Heater wattages are reduced in duct mode (see
page 39).
DUCTED INSTALLATION COMMENTS
Anytime a duct extension is used, it is required to go into
the auxiliary controls and turn on the duct mode feature.
This will boost the fan speeds to allow for proper air
circulation for ducted applications.
NOTE: Heater wattages are reduced in duct mode
(see page 39).
NEW INSTALLATIONS
The GE Zoneline® AZ45 and AZ65 Series are approved
for ducted installation using the GE Duct Adapter model
RAK6053 and the GE Duct Extension RAK601B. A
field-fabricated duct extension with the same interior
measurements as the RAK601B may be used with the
RAK6053 duct adapter. GE does not allow ducting in
more than one direction.
The use of a duct adapter other than the RAK6053 is not
approved by GE Appliances and may cause problems
such as inadequate airflow to the secondary room or the
unit shutting off on one of the overload devices.
Failure to allow for adequate air return from the
secondary room is often the cause of less than
satisfactory performance of a ducted installation.
GENERAL INSTALLATION SUGGESTIONS
ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS DATA MANUAL AZ45/AZ65 SERIES