Almost Heaven Saunas Virta HL6U1 Operating instructions

Virta Heater Installation
& Owner’s Manual
This guide should be used in conjunction with the manufacturer’s heater manual found inside
the heater box. Please be sure you and your electrician review both before installation.
Revised 8.10.22

Read this entire manual through to the end before proceeding with the installation.
VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 2
This guide should be used in conjunction with the manufacturer’s heater manual found inside the heater box. Please be
sure you and your electrician review both before installation
Your Almost Heaven Sauna is paired with a genuine Finnish heater manufactured by Harvia Oy, the world leader in
sauna heaters. Refer to this guide for installation and operation instructions. Please note, a licensed electrician
should perform all electrical work. Almost Heaven Saunas sta is available to assist with any questions you or your
electrician may have. Please call us at 888-355-3050 for technical assistance.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION
Properly installed, you should expect your Harvia Virta heater to consistently heat to 180-190 degrees fahrenheit.
YOUR HEATER’S WARRANTY
In a residential setting, your Harvia heater comes with a 1 year warranty on the heating elements, and a 5 year warranty on the
other components. In a commercial setting, your heater comes with a 1 year warranty on all components in the heater.
Our warranty does not cover general wear and tear caused by the elements, neglect, or faulty electrical connections.
6  HL6U1  240  1  1  10/2   25   30  CX30-U1-U3   16x13x33
8  HL8U1  240  1  1  8/2   33.4  40  CX45-U1-U3   16x13x33
9  HL9U1  240  1  1  8/2   37.5  45  CX45-U1-U3   16x13x33
  HL11U1   240  1  1  6/2   43.75 50  CX45-U1-U3   16x16x33
Heater Size
(kw) Standard
Virta
Model
Number
Voltage (V) Group Phase
Recommended
Wire Size
Amperes
Drawn
Recommended
Breaker Size
Heater Dimension (wxdxh)
Power Unit Required
10.5
VIRTA HEATER POWER REQUIREMENTS
Note: per the manufacturer’s recommendation, a GFI breaker should NOT be used.

POSITIONING YOUR HEATER, POWER UNIT, AND TOUCHPAD
You should have received two boxes with all the necessary components for your Virta heater. The rst is the heater box itself.
Remove the heater from the box and clip the zip tie from the stone grates. Next, open the Xenio control box - this box will contain
the power unit, the digital touchpad, hardware, and temperature sensor.
Note: It is possible you will receive two temperature sensors - one in the heater box and one in the Xenio control box. They are the same
sensor - set one aside as a spare for possible later use.
The Virta heater is a oor mounted unit. It should sit on a level surface, but the feet can be adjusted to accommodate a slight
gradient. Position the heater in the designated heater location in your sauna.
POSITIONING THE HEATER COMPONENTS
Indoor Saunas
For indoor sauna applications, mount the power unit on or near the sauna. It can be mounted on the exterior of the sauna, or on
an adjacent wall. The main power for your heater will connect here rst, and then relay onto your heater. Next, consider where
you’d like to mount your touchpad. You can mount the touchpad wherever it’s most convenient for you. We do not recommend
mounting the touchpad in the sauna itself.
Outdoor Saunas
Neither of these components are waterproof, so proper precautions should be taken for outdoor sauna applications. Please
consider the following:
Power Unit
• Thepowerunitshouldbemountedinadrylocation.Ifitcannotbemountedina
dry location, then it should be mounted in a ventilated weatherproof enclosure.
• Pleasenotethatthetemperaturesensorthatcomeswiththesaunakithasa15’
reach - the sensor is mounted in the sauna and connects to the power unit. If
the sauna is located greater than this distance away from where the power unit
is installed, then the power unit should be mounted nearer to the sauna in a
weatherproof enclosure with proper ventilation. The image on the left is an example
of an enclosure. Alternatively, you can purchase a longer temperature sensor wire
directly from Almost Heaven Saunas.
VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 3
Touchpad
Temperature sensor
Power Unit

VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 4
Touchpad
• Thetouchpadshouldbemountedindoorsinadryarea.
• Thetouchpadconnectstothepowerunitwiththeprovided20’datacable.Ifyouneedalongerdatacableforyourapplication,
you may purchase one directly from Almost Heaven Saunas.
CONNECTING YOUR HEATER TO POWER
Please note, the power unit provided with your sauna is rated for single-group connection. The instructions below are for single-
group connections only.
Incoming Power
First, you will need to bring power to your power unit. Remove the power unit’s cover and pry out the appropriate knockouts that
will allow the wiring to enter and exit the unit.
Note: for visual purposes the wiring images you will see in this manual do not utilize the knockouts.
Connect the power cord to the appropriate terminals, with the two hot lines connecting to the left-most L1 and L2 terminals, and
the ground connecting to the ground terminal. A neutral line is not needed - this is only required if a light or ventilation fan is
connected to the power unit, an application that is not available in the U.S. market.
Power Unit Wiring

VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 5
Outgoing Power
Next, you’ll want to relay power to the heater itself.
Remove the front cover of the heater by forcing the two tabs under the heater towards the center of the heater and lifting out.
Next, remove the screws holding the terminal-block tray in place. Slide out the tray to gain access to the terminal-block. Also, cut
out the center of one of the rubber gaskets under the heater - this is where the wire will enter the heater.
Using the same gauge wire you used to bring power to the power unit, connect the left-most outgoing L1 and L2 power unit
terminals to L11and L21on the heater. Next, connect L11and L12together with the provided copper jumpers. Do the same with
L21and L22. Finally, connect the ground terminal at the power unit to the ground terminal at the heater.
Now, connect A1 on the power unit to A1 on the heater. Repeat for A2. This completes the high-limit safety circuit. It is ok to use a
12 gauge wire for this circuit.
Heater Wiring

VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 6
Temperature Sensor
The temperature sensor mounts in your sauna and provides feedback to the power unit regarding the temperature in your sauna.
We advise mounting this sensor approximately 18” to the side of the heater, and approximately 18” below the highest point of the
sauna. Use the provided hardware to mount the sensor.
Next, feed the sensor wire out of your sauna in order to connect to the power unit.
Secure the wiring to the circuit board mini-terminal. Starting on the outside and moving in, the wires should connect in the
following order: blue - white - red - yellow.
Touchpad
The touchpad should be mounted indoors in a dry location, preferably in your home. Once you’ve determined this location, use a
athead screwdriver to gently pry the screen of the touchpad from the mounting bracket. Feed the data cable through the hole
in the mounting bracket, and mount the bracket to the location you selected. Push the data cable connector into the port on the
back of the screen and snap the screen back into the bracket.
Next, connect the other cable to the port closest to the power unit’s mini-terminal block that is connected to the temperature sensor.
Replace the unit’s cover and turn the power switch to the on position.
Temperature Sensor
Touchpad data cable

VIRTA HEATER INSTALLATION MANUAL |PAGE 7
Placing the Stones
You should have received 4 boxes of stones with your Virta heater - you might not use all of them. Gently place the stones
around and on top of the heating element grates. Do not “play Tetris” with the stones to t as many in the heater as possible -
this will compromise heating eciency. Once you set a base layer of stones in the heater, gently drop the stones and let them
rest where they land. Fill the heater with stones until the top of the stones are 1-2” below the top edge of the heater.
It is recommended that you remove the stones once a year, and replace any that have cracked or
corroded. It is a good idea to rinse these stones at this time, too. If you need more stones, you may
purchase them from Almost Heaven Saunas.
OPERATING YOUR HEATER
Note: Your touchpad’s default settings are compatible with your heater. No changes
are necessary.
Immediate Start
Turn your breaker on. If everything is connected correctly, the buttons at the bottom of the
screen should illuminate. The bottom left button is the main power unit - press it, and you
should hear a loud “clunk”from the power unit, which is the contactors engaging. If you do
nothing, it will begin heating immediately; the display will show the current temperature in the
sauna, as well as the time remaining on the heat cycle.
Delayed Start
Turn the power button on the touchpad. Press“menu” until the clock icon is ashing. Adjust the
preset time by pressing + or - until you get to the desired preset time. You are able to preset your
heater in 10 minute increments for up to 12 hours. The time remaining before your heater begins
heating should appear below the brackets at the top of the touchpad.
Setting the Temperature
The temperature displayed on the screen is the temperature inside the sauna where the temperature sensor is mounted. To set
your desired sauna temperature, press the power button on the touchpad. Press “menu”until the thermometer icon ashes.
Adjust the temperature with the + or - until your desired temperature is displayed. The sauna will heat to and hover around this
temperature.

Virta Heater Installation & Owner’s Manual
almostheaven.com
GENERAL OPERATION INFORMATION
• YourVirtaheaterisULcertied.Becauseofthis,itisrequiredtoshutoafteronehourofuse.Ifyouwishtocontinueyour
sauna session, you will have to restart the heater if the heating period times out.
• Ifyourheaterisn’theating,trypressingtheresetbuttonundertheheaterasthehigh-limitsafetycircuitmayhavebeen
tripped. If this continues to happen, your sensor may be too high or too close to the heater.
• Thisisatraditionalsaunaheaterwithsaunastones.Assuch,youmaypourwaterontothestonesaccordingtoyourhumidity
level preference. Please note, however, it often only takes a ladle-full to achieve the desired eect.
• Ifthereisanerrorcodedisplayedonthetouchpad,pleaserefertotheerrorcodelistfoundinthemanufacturer’smanual.