GE VTAC Series: Whisper-Quiet Reliability

GE has been a popular brand of home appliances for over a hundred years. Among their hundreds of product lines are Vertical Terminal Air Conditioners, or VTACs.

In this guide, we discuss GE’s Zoneline VTAC series to help you make an informed decision on your next VTAC purchase for your home or accommodations.

About GE

When it comes to appliances, GE almost needs no introduction. The brand has become synonymous with home appliances as Ford has to automobiles, and with good reason. 

Just like Ford, GE is a proud American company and has also been around for over 100 years. It got its start in 1907 as a subsidiary of General Electric for cooking appliances, selling heating and cooking equipment for residential homes.

In the 1950’s, the growing market for home appliances caused GE to create Appliance Park, a sprawling 750-acre manufacturing facility in Louisville, KY, which it continues to occupy today. Since then, it has expanded to four other states, with its refrigerators, PTACs and VTACs being made in Selmer, Tennessee. 

GE Appliances was the first US manufacturer to offer its appliances that work with Amazon Echo and Google Home in 2017, for which it earned the title of “Smart Appliance Company of the Year” in the 2019 IoT Breakthrough Awards Program. While GE Appliances is now owned by Haier, all GE Zoneline VTAC units are designed and assembled in the United States. 

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GE’s Zoneline VTAC Series

GE’s line of Vertical PTACs (or VTACs) are grouped under the Zoneline series of commercial air conditioners. They can be ducted into multiple rooms, making them ideal for small apartments, hotel rooms, or even multi-room hotel suites. The VTACs offer the cost benefits of a PTAC unit, combined with the quieter operation, aesthetics and flexibility of a central air system.

GE’s Zoneline Vertical units are available from 9,000 to 24,000 BTUs of cooling capacity, and come with resistance heat, or heat pump with resistance heat backup. The universal heater can be adapted to provide 2.55, 3.45, or 5.0 KW heat based on the cord kit. All have a 24″ x 24″ footprint, and are installed in a corner enclosure as a hidden through-the-wall unit.

Standout features of the Zoneline VTAC series include:

✅ Simple to install and service

A unique sleeve design makes installation a breeze compared to competitor units. The VTACs also use a three-way, slide-out chassis to make them easier to maintain and service.

✅ Insta-Platform

GE’s unique platform design makes these by far the easiest units to install, service, or replace. The platform allows for variable height installations with the simple addition of 2”x4” legs. Once lined up with the plenum, the unit slides onto the platform and aligns itself up against the gasket. The platform includes a primary and secondary drain, so there is no need to touch drain connections when servicing or replacing the unit. 

✅ Designed for comfort and convenience

Ducting allows a VTAC single unit to serve multiple rooms. Zoneline units are compatible with GE wall-mounted thermostats, allowing for easy control of the temperature. The units are also compatible with GE’s SmartHQ management system for large installations where you need to remotely control and monitor the units. 

✅ Smart features

All Zoneline units are compatible with central desk ON/OFF controls, including many computerized control systems. Units also support infrared sensors and door switch capabilities.

✅ Advanced protection

An electronic temperature limiting feature guards against both overheating and overcooling. For colder areas, GE offers a Freeze Sentinel™ kit that protects against damage caused by freezing temperatures in unoccupied rooms, regardless of the unit setting.

All VTAC units get full corrosion treatment on the outdoor coil and other components for improved corrosion and weather resistance.

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GE Zoneline VTAC Lineup

GE offers three main lines within the VTAC category. All units use modern R454b refrigerant with a GWP of only 466. 

Vertical Zoneline V10 Electric Heat

This is the entry level option offering fixed speed compressors and electric heat. These units offer a cost effective entry point into the world of GE Zoneline VTAC units with many of the same features as the more premium units. Available in 9,000, 12,000, and 18,000 BTU options, there is a unit available for most room sizes. 

AVES09DCXXA: 8,900 BTUs of cooling and electric resistive heat

AVES12DCXXA: 12,500 BTUs of cooling and electric resistive heat

AVES18DCXXA: 17,300 BTUs of cooling and electric resistive heat

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Vertical Zoneline V11 Inverter Heat Pump

The next generation of air conditioners are inverter driven. This allows the units to scale heating and cooling production up and down depending on the needs of the space. This results in quieter, more energy efficient units that keep a more consistent and comfortable temperature in the space. Not only that, but the reverse cycle defrost allows these units to operate in heat pump mode down to an outside temperature of 0°F, significantly better than the competition. The energy efficiency features of this unit can result in significant savings over time. The inverters make it so that only two models can cover most room sizes, making it easy for larger properties to keep spares on site.

AVVS12DCXWA: 4,500 – 13,000 BTUs

AVVS24DCXWA: 5,000 – 24,000 BTUs

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Vertical Zoneline V12 Inverter Heat Pump

Like the units above, these units include inverter heat pump operation, but also add on the ability to bring in conditioned makeup air from outside. They have a customizable variable speed fan that provides precise airflow for specific applications. For energy savings, makeup air delivery can be cycled based on occupancy, using a compatible occupancy detecting thermostat.

AVVL12DMXWA: 4,500 – 13,000 BTUs

AVVL24DMXWA: 5,000 – 23,000 BTUs

265/277 volt units are also available for each option above. 

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Wall Plenum and Adapter Options

GE knows that ease of installation is a major deciding factor for building owners, so they have created a flexible lineup of wall plenums and adapters that can be used to make upgrading a breeze. 

Standard Wall Plenum for New Installation

RAVWPT9: 5″ – 9″ Telescoping Wall Plenum

RAVWPT15: 8″ – 15″ Telescoping Wall Plenum

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Transition Plenums

Changing from another brand or an older GE unit? We have you covered for that too.

RAVTRANS2 Transition Plenum for Zoneline AZ75/AZ85 – Works for upgrading from certain older GE units.

RAVTRANS3 Transition Plenum for Zoneline AZ90/AZ91 or Friedrich VHA – Works when upgrading from certain older GE units or any Friedrich VHA series Vert-I-Pak unit, for wall thicknesses of 8” or less.

RAVTRANS4 Transition Plenum for Zoneline AZ90/AZ91 or Friedrich VHA – Works when upgrading from certain older GE units or any Friedrich VHA series Vert-I-Pak unit, for wall thicknesses of 8” or more.

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GE VTACs at Total Home Supply

At Total Home Supply, we offer a wide selection of Zoneline VTAC units from GE Appliances. These range from 9,000 all the way to 24,000 BTUs, in both heat pump and electric resistance versions. All GE VTAC units purchased from THS include a Insta-Platform and direct connect wire kit at no extra charge so when you get your new unit, it is ready to install. 

Shop our GE VTAC selection today and get the time-honored reliability and innovation that GE offers!