SAWOTEC ARI3 Series Round Aries Heater Instruction Manual

July 31, 2024
SAWOTEC

SAWOTEC ARI3 Series Round Aries Heater

Specifications

  • Product Name: Aries Heater
  • Model Variants: ARI3-45NB, ARI3-60NB, ARI3-75NB, ARI3-90NB, etc.
  • Type: Electric Sauna Heater
  • Heating Element : Heizelement
  • Timer: Zeitschalter
  • Thermostat: Termostat

Product Usage Instructions

Description
Congratulations on your purchase of SAWOTEC sauna heater! Please read the manual carefully before using the heater.

Safety Instructions:
Please read the safety precautions before using or installing the sauna heater. Make sure to follow all guidelines provided in the manual to prevent any hazards. Please take note of these safety precautions before using the sauna or when installing the heater.

For user:

  • This product is not designed to be used by persons (including children) with limited physical or mental abilities and limited experience and knowledge except under close supervision by a responsible person with knowledge and experience or having been advised by such person.
  • Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children without supervision.
  • Under no circumstances should children be allowed to play with the device.
  • Do not use the heater as a grill.
  • Do not put wood of any kind on the electric heater.
  • Do not cover the heater. It may cause a fire.
  • Do not use the heater as clothes dryer. It may cause fire.
  • Never sit on the heater. It is really hot and can cause serious burns.
  • Do not use chlorinated water (e.g) . From the swimming pool or jacuzzi) or seawater. It can destroy the heater.
  • Do not use any flammable liquids or oils on the heater as it might cause fire and damage to the heating elements.
  • When installing a new heater, switch the heater on for 30mins. Do not stay inside the sauna room while performing the operation. See page 17
  • Make sure that no flammable objects have been placed on the heater before activating the preset time function or the stand-by mode for the remote operation.

For technicians:

  • Wiring and repairs must be done by a certified electrician.
  • Follow the Minimum Safety Distances when mounting the heater (See page 9).
  • The electronic sensor and electronic heating system should be mounted in a way so that incoming air will not interfere with it. If using separate control, the control unit and control panel must be mounted outside the sauna cabin.
  • If this sauna heater is used for public saunas or saunas that may be switched on by a separate remote-control system, the door of the sauna room must be fitted with an interlock such that the stand-by mode setting for remote operation is disabled if the sauna door is opened when the stand-by mode setting for remote operation is set.
  • Observe the specifications on volumes of the sauna cabin (See page 28).
  • Observe the specifications on ventilation of the sauna cabin (See page 21).

INSTALLATION

NOTE!
Remove the carton from the heating elements before installing the heater as it is only intended to protect them during shipment.

NOTE!
Heater must be fixed to the wall that is strong enough to support the heater.

Heater Installation:
The heater can be placed wherever in the sauna, but for safety and convenience, follow the minimum safety distances as provided below (See page 9). Follow the cubic volumes given in the Technical Data (See page 28). Do not install the heater to the floor or wall niche. Do not install more than one heater in a sauna room unless you follow the special instructions for twin- heater installations. In most countries, there is a law that requires heaters to be screwed to the floor. The heater gets very hot. To avoid the risk of accidental contact with the heater, it is recommended that a heater guard be provided. The cable used for sauna wiring must be HO7RN-F type or its equivalent. A certified electrician must do the installation of the heater to ensure safety and reliability. Improper electrical connection can cause electric shock or fire. Refer to the electrical diagram (See page 16).

Minimum safety distances (mm)

HEATER STONES
The main purpose of the stones in the heater unit is to store enough energy to efficiently vaporize the water thrown on top of the stones to maintain correct humidity in the sauna room. The stones must be removed at least once a year or every 500 hours which ever occurs first. All stone crumbles must be removed from the heater unit and replaced with new ones as described in the heater manual. When placing the stones, recommended to use cut resistant gloves. The required amount of stones is listed in the manual provided (See page 28 Technical Data).

NOTE! Never use the heater without stones as it may cause fire. Use only manufacturer recommended SaWo-stones. Using unsuitable stones may lead to heating element damage and will void the warranty. Never use eramic stones or other artificial stones of any type!

LOADING STONES INTO THE HEATER
It is recommended that all stones should be rinsed to remove any stains or dust that can cause unpleasant odor during the first few times of using the heater. It is important that the stones are loaded carefully in a way that they do not block air circulation through the heater. Load the stones to the heater so that the heating elements are not visible from any angle. Larger stones that won’t fit between the heating elements must not be forced in place instead they must be completely removed. Small crumble or stone pieces smaller than 35mm in diameter must not be loaded into the heater because they will block the air circulation and will cause overheating and possible heating element damage. Load the stones to the heater so that the heating elements are not visible from any angle. If heating elements touch each others, it will significantly reduce the life span of heating element.

NOTE! Heating element damage due to overheating caused by wrong kind of stones or stones which were wrongly loaded into the heater is not covered by the factory warranty. Before the heater is filled with stones, electrician should test that the heater works. Testing can be done by turning on the heater for a short time without any stones and verifying that all heating elements are heating up.

CONTROL SETTINGS (NB-MODELS)

THERMOSTAT
Adjust the temperature of the sauna by simply turning the operating knob. Thermostat support automatically the choosen temperature. In case the heater overheats, the safety sensor will automatically stop the heater even if the timer is on. Find out for what reason the heater overheated. The reason for this could be too tightly or too loosely placed sauna stones, heater´s location or inappropriate ventilation. Exposure of the sensor to the glowing heating element may cause sensor to overheat. Find out the reason for overheating and fix the problem before resetting the safety sensor. The reset button hole is located near the thermostat knob.

TIMER
The timer has 1-6 (white) hours presetting time and 1-4 (pink) hours operating time. To start the heater at once, turn the knob to anywhere between 1-4 on the operating time scale. The heater will start and remain on for the time selected. To preset the timer, simply turn the knob to anywhere between 1-6. When the specific number of hours is reached, the heater will start running and stay on for up to 4 hours if you don’t turn it off earlier.

SENSOR LOCATION (NS-MODELS)

NOTE!
When using a separate control with the heater the temperature sensor with safety fuse, (which prevents the heater from overheating) must always be installed in the ceiling directly above the center of the Aries heater even if the control unit’s manual states otherwise. Installing the sensor above the Aries heater on the wall may cause over heating of the sauna heater. Do not install the temperature sensor with fuse closer than 1 meter from the ventilation louvers. Do not place the sensors under 1 m from nondirectional air ventilation or not under 0,5 m from a directional air ventilation, which is directed away from sensors.

Installation vomLufteinlass

NOTE!
Please refer to the control unit manual for maximum power rating. Check control’s maximum capacity if additional contactor unit is needed.

REVERSIBLE TIMER AND THERMOSTAT

  1. Remove both knobs and Rings
  2. Unscrew both timer & thermostat
  3. Make sure to align reset button hole
  4. Return the screw and thermostat knob
  5. Return the screw and this time use the (timer ring) provided before inserting knob.

NOTE! Do not remove or detach wiring and sensor connection.

ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM

Additional Notes:
Remove the carton from the heating elements before installing the heater. Ensure that the energy supply for the sauna meets the required standards specified in the manual. For twin-heater installations, follow the special instructions provided.

RESETTING OVER HEATED THERMOSTAT

Applicable only for built-in control models

Sensor location for NB-models

NOTE!
In case the heater overheats, the safety sensor will automatically stop the heater even if the timer is on. Find out for what reason the heater overheated. The reason for this could be too tightly or too loosely placed sauna stones, heater´s location or inappropriate ventilation. Exposure of the sensor to the glowing heating element may cause sensor to overheat. If this occurs, find out the cause and fix the problem before resetting the safety sensor. The reset button is located below the temperature knob.

NOTE!
Insert assigned sensor cover kit when converting from 4,5 kW to 6,0/7,5/9,0 kW.

NOTE!
Safety Sensor is shorter than regulating sensor. Pull out the sensor to compare but be sure to return it back to their original place.

Sensor cover kit:
(Applicable for 4,5kW – 9,0kW)

AIR VENTILATION
To have a soothing sauna, there should be a proper mixing of hot and cold air inside the sauna room. Another reason for ventilation is to draw air around the heater and move the heat to the farthest part of the sauna. The positioning of the inlet and outlet vents may vary depending on the design of the sauna room or preference of the owner. The inlet vent may be installed on the wall directly below the heater (Fig. A). When using the mechanical ventilation, the inlet vent may be placed at least 60cm above the heater (Fig B) or on the ceiling above the heater (Fig. C). Through these positions, the heavy cold air that is blown into the sauna is mixed with the light hot air from the heater, bringing fresh air for the bathers to breathe. The inlet and the outlet vent must have a diameter of 10cm. The outlet vent should be placed diagonally opposite to the inlet. It is recommended that the outlet vent be placed under the platform in a sauna as far as possible from the fresh air vent. It may be installed near the floor, or led outside through a pipe from the floor going to a vent to the sauna ceiling, or under the door (to the washroom). In this case, the sill slot must be at least 5cm and it is recommended that there is mechanical ventilation in the washroom. The size of the exhaust should be twice that of the inlet.

INSULATION
The sauna must have proper insulation on the walls, ceiling and door. One square meter (m²) of uninsulated surface increases the cubic volume by approximately 1,2m³ when determining the power requirement of the heater. See page 28 (Technical Data). Ensure that moisture proofing is appropriate in the sauna room. The purpose of this is to prevent spreading of moisture to the other rooms or wall structure. Moisture proofing must be placed between heating insulation and panel.

Thermal and moisture proofing need to be installed according to the following order from outside to inside:

  • The recommended minimum thickness of the thermal insulation in the walls is 50 mm and in the ceiling 100 mm.
  • It is possible to use carton or aluminum foil laminate as a vapor barrier, which is affixed over the insulation aluminum foil inwards.
  • Leave at least 20 mm air slot between vapor barrier and inside.
  • To prevent gathering of the moisture behind the panel, leave the slot between wall panel and ceiling.

HEATING OF THE SAUNA ROOM

CAUTION!
Smoke and odor formation when heating up for the first time. Work materials from the manufacturing process will be present on the new heating elements. These evaporate when the sauna heater is heated up for the first time. This produces smoke and an unpleasant odor. Breathing in the fumes or smoke can be harmful to your health. Perform the following steps when operating the sauna heater for the first time and if the heating elements for the sauna heater have been changed. In this way you will prevent damage to health due to the fumes and smoke produced when heating up for the first time.

  1. Select the highest possible temperature in the sauna control.
  2. Heat up the sauna heater for half an hour. Do NOT stay in the sauna cabin during this period.
  3. Allow the sauna cabin to ventilate thoroughly after heating up for the first time.
  4. If no smoke or odor is produced the next time the sauna heater is heated up, you can start to use the sauna. If smoke or odor is produced again, leave the sauna cabin immediately and repeat the initial heating up process followed by ventilation.

Always check the sauna room before switching sauna heater on (to be sure that there is no combustible things within the safety distances of the heater or on the heater). Make sure that sauna room has been efficiently ventilated. If the output of the heater is proper it will take about an hour to reach suitable temperature (See page 28). The temperature in sauna room should be between +60 – +90 °C. Temperature is individual in every sauna room depending on e.g. heater model, size of heater room, air ventilation and bathers preference. Too powerful heater will heat sauna room too quickly and the stones won’t have enough time to warm. The water poured on the stones will not evaporate, but flow into the stone holder. An underpowered heater, on the other hand, would lead to an undesirably long heating period.

SAUNA MAINTENANCE

AFTER EVERY SAUNA SESSION:

  • It is recommended to use bench towels during sauna session to prevent sauna benches getting dirty.
  • After sauna session, leave heater on for 30 minutes so sauna will dry faster. After that, open air vents or sauna door.
  • Empty pail from water.

AT LEAST 1 -4 TIMES PER YEAR:

  • Remove heater stones. Clean stone dust and crumbs from bottom of the heater. Repile stones and replace disintegrated ones.
  • Check heating elements. If there is any cracks or elements are bent, replace all elements. Do not replace only one.
  • Wash sauna surfaces with warm water and multi-purpose detergent. Use soft brush. Wash sauna benches, ceiling, floor and walls. Do not use detergent which includes ammonia or chlorine. Rinse surfaces with cold water and ventilate sauna room well. If needed, protect wood surfaces with wood treatment oil. Read carefully the instructions of wood treatment oil from product packaging.
  • If sauna benches are not getting clean after washing, sand the benches with sandpaper. Protect benches with wood oil. Do not heat the sauna room straight after treatment.
  • If there is calcium stains or other dirt on the heater cover, clean it with mild soap water. You can also use SAWO Decalcifying solution for washing the stains. Dry after wash.
  • Clean glass surfaces with window cleaning agent or dish soap. Rinse well and dry with a squeegee or a dry cloth.
  • Check screws (door, sauna benches, railings). Tighten up if necessary.
  • Clean the floor drain.

DIAGNOSTIC TABLE
If heater is not heating up or sauna room is heating up slowly:

NB-MODELS:

  • Is timer set to the operating range?
  • Is the timer On? Is timer knob stuck? (Suitable gab is 1 – 2mm between knob and heater body) If necessary, pull out the knob couple of millimeters.
  • Is the thermostat set to higher than temperature inside the sauna room?
  • Is the temperature fuse defective? Find out the reason before turning on your heater again.
  • Are all heating elements glowing red when the heater is ON?
  • Is the heater’s heating power enough for the sauna room? (See page 28)
  • Are the sauna stones laid properly? Is there enough space for air circulation and stones are in good condition? If stones are laid loosely, sauna will warm up faster.
  • Is the air circulation enough in the sauna room? (See page 21)

NS- AND NI-MODELS:

  • Is the control unit ON?
    • Is the set temperature higher than the temperature inside the sauna room?
  • Is the main switch ON?
    • In Ni-models, main switch is located at the bottom of the heater, and in NS-models it is on the power control.
  • Are the switchboard fuses ON and unbroken?
    • If broken, find out the reason before turning ON your heater.
  • Are all heating elements glowing red when the heater is ON?
    • Is the heater’s heating power enough for the sauna room? (See page 28)
  • Are the sauna stones laid properly?
    • Is there enough space for air circulation and stones are in good condition? ? If stones are laid loosely, sauna will warm up faster.
  • Is the air circulation enough in the sauna room? (See page 21)

IF THE SURFACES DARKEN AROUND THE HEATER:

  • Is the heater installed following the safety distances? (See page 9)
  • Have you laid the sauna stones correctly and there is enough space between the stones for air circulation? If air circulation is blocked constructions around the heater might over heat.
  • Are the heating elements visible behind the stones? Rearrange stones if necessary.
  • If you cannot find the reason, contact your retailer.

MALFUNCTIONS
Check the instructions for the separate control unit.

TECHNICAL DATA

SPARE PARTS:

  1. Heating Element
  2. Heating Element Lock w/ O-ring, screw and washer
  3. Cable Holder
  4. Terminal Blocks
  5. Leveling Bolt
  6. Grommet
  7. Timer Knob
  8. Thermo Knob
  9. Timer Switch
  10. Thermostat Switch
  11. Frame
  12. Heating Element Holder
  13. Sensor Cover Kit
  14. Heating Element Spacer
  15. Wire Set

FAQ

Q: What should I do if the heater is not heating up?
A: Check the power supply and ensure all connections are secure. If the issue persists, contact customer support for assistance.

Q: Can I install more than one heater in a sauna room?
A: Generally, it is not recommended to install more than one heater unless following specific instructions for twin-heater installations to ensure safety and proper operation.

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