Common Questions
Contractor / Installer
Yes. Contractors are our main wholesale customers. Need pricing on a project? Either call us on the phone 800-748-2678 or use our project bids page.
No. Heaters should never be located in a ceiling recess or soffit. If your ceiling to floor distance is less than 8ft, these types of heaters will not work. Electric infrared is a better option.
Sometimes. Adequate space around each heater is required even when the materials surrounding the heater are non-combustible to provide adequate combustion air and ventilation of exhaust gases. Don’t take a chance, contact us first.
For a single heater, any brand transformer with the following specs will work: 24 VAC – 20VA (minimum) Each heater requires 20VA, if two heaters are used, the transformer will need to be 40VA. Five heaters would require 100VA and so on.
We supply a 24V – 40VA transformer with every heater. TSR units are 120V supplied with DC transformer built into the wall plug.
Yes. Unless you specifically don’t require the mounting kit and trans we always include them.
Yes. It isn’t difficult. Contact us for details on which parts you need and how this is done.
Yes. You will need to setup and account with us and fill out a credit application. Contact us for more information.
Yes. We have the largest inventory in the United States.
Yes. We typically ship 1-3 units UPS ground. Everything is double packed for safety. Anything over 4 units will go on a truck.
Absolutely. Your customers are our customers. Even if you bought the units someplace else, give us call. We can help solve warranty problems from other dealers.
Restaurant or Commercial Applications
Absolutely. We supply many national restaurant chains across the country. Restaurants automatically qualify for commercial discounts. Contact us for a quote or advice on coverage.
No. You will need to hire an honest hard working contractor experienced with gas piping and electrical. We are happy to work with you or your contractor on design.
Sunpak units are available in both propane and natural gas configurations.
The biggest advantage is that they are up out of the way. Restaurant owners tell us “floor space equals money”. Many mushroom style heaters rely on a standing pilot for operation. The Sunpaks can be wired to a wall switch and simply turned on when needed.
Stainless steel not only looks good but is very corrosion resistant. If you are located next to water, we recommend using the stainless Sunpak versions.
If possible, place the units on the side with the greatest heat loss. When possible locate the units so that a 30 degree angle may be used. Heaters should never be located in a ceiling recess or soffit.
We recommend either a wall switch, timer or TSH controller for the two-stage units. Most restaurants will zone the heaters in groups of two or three and control them from a single switch.
Generally an HVAC contractor or service tech is a good bet. Sunpak units are easy to get working and parts are readily available. In extreme cases you can send the unit directly to us for repairs. We charge labor plus parts. We stock all the parts and can fix any unit the same day it comes in. Contact us for details.
We stock a large inventory of repair parts. Contact us if you need help getting the right part.
Home Owner
We recommend all service and repair be done by professionals. Generally, you would need to call an HVAC or Plumbing repair service. If you need help in determining what might be wrong with your heater, feel free to reach out to us.
Yes, in some circumstances this is possible. In general we prefer to work with your contractor or installer. Either way we are not high pressure sales and won’t try to sell you something that won’t work for your application.
Yes! This is not a project for the weekend do-it-yourself person. Safety is always our first concern. We recommend that you find a licensed, bonded HVAC contractor to do the installation. These units require plumbing and electrical skills to be installed correctly.
As a general rule of thumb, each Sunpak heater will heat approx. 10 x 10 ft of area. A 10 x 20 ft patio would use two heaters. Remember that with infrared, the heater will only heat things it can shine on. Heaters should be positioned so they “shine” where the people will be.
Coverage is relative to climate. Our experience has been that in warm climates (Southern California, Arizona, Florida, Texas) an S34 mounted between 8-9 feet, will cover a 10’x10′ area and the S25 a 9’x 9′ area. In cooler climates such as (Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Michigan) the coverages are more like 9’x 9′ for an S34 and 8’x 8′ for the S25. Wind is a big factor in any outdoor heating project. A continual breeze (20+ mph) will make heating any patio very difficult. We encourage patio owners to use natural wind breaks were possible.
Depending on where you live, not likely. These heaters are not designed to melt snow and ice. Sunpak heaters generally increase the comfort level 5° to 10° Fahrenheit outdoors.
Yes, as long as the clearances to combustibles are maintained. Additional clearance may be required for glass, painted surfaces, vinyl siding or other materials which may be damaged by radiant or convection heat.
Building materials with a low heat tolerance (such as plastic, vinyl siding, canvas, tri-ply, etc.) may be subject to degradation (melting) at lower temperatures. Contact us if you have questions.
No. Heaters should never be located in a ceiling recess or soffit. What about a different manufacturer? There are no gas fired heaters with ceramic burners like the Sunpak that can be recessed.
No. The SUNPAK units are approved for OUTDOOR residential use. We carry a great residential tube heater designed for low ceilings, call us for details.
All Sunpak models are available in black or stainless steel finish. In addition, face trims are available in black, stainless or bronze color.
A Sunpak mounting kit (part # 12006 Black or 12006-6 Stainless) and a 24 Volt transformer.
The Sunpak series does use gas (natural or propane) as fuel for combustion. Electricity is needed to power the electronic ignition system. The Sunpak units operate on 24 Volts AC power only. A small step down transformer is needed to reduce line voltage ( 120 VAC) down to 24 VAC. The size of the transformer has nothing to do with the radiant output of the heater.
TSR units are 7.5VDC and the transformer is built into the wall plug.
Standard models (S25, S34) are only “on/off”. The newer S34-TSH and TSR units have two heat output settings.
Thermostats operate on air temperature. Sunpak heaters heat up objects rather than the air, and the thermostat may not ever turn the heaters off. We recommend using a wall switch, timer or TSH controller.
Sunpak Infrared Heaters ordered from us carry a 1 year warranty. All heaters are stamped with the date of manufacture. Warranty is limited to repair of heaters at the factory or replacement parts. Any work or repair on a Sunpak heater must be performed by qualified service personnel.
Beware of online retailers offering “lifetime warranty”. Sunpak heaters like all mechanical devices require maintenance, replacement parts and eventually wear out completely.
