Frequently Asked Questions

ID	ITEM	QUESTION	ANSWER
37	USP 797	What specifications are necessary to make a USP 797 compliant pass thru?	To comply with USP 797 you need stainless steel material and an interlock system.
35	Softwall Cleanroom	Is the class of the softwall cleanroom guaranteed?	Classes or ISO Levels can not be guaranteed because we do not know the environment where the softwall cleanroom will be set up. In most classes the class quoted will hold; but the only way to guarantee a particular classs is to get certified through particle counts; which Halco can provide.
46	pass_thru	how does the mechanical interlock function as opposed to the electrical interlock?	For the electric interlock, there is a power supply and two proximity sensors with an electric strike interlocked to prevent both doors from opening at the same time. The mechanical interlocking pass thru has a mechanical rod with spring return action to prevent both doors from opening at the same time.
31	pass_thru	Can you have an ultra violet light installed in the Pass Thru?	Yes.
98	pass_thru	What are the different finishes available for a pass thru?
36	pass_thru	Do you make Fire Rated Pass Thru (Drawers)	We don't make fire rated drawers (e.g. Banks, cashiers, ect. Applications but can provide a quote on stainless steel drawers.
93	pass_thru	How long is the fire rating on a fire rated pass thru?
90	pass_thru	Can I put a window next to the pass thru?	The pass thru opening is framed with 2 x 4's. The pass thru is inserted in. The angle brackets provided by Halco are then drilled into the pass thru and into the 2 x 4 studs. For a window next to it, the only recommendation is a 2 x 4 inbetween the pass thru and the window.
40	pass_thru	Does the interlock system have a keyed entry?	No. But it can be provided.
41	pass_thru	What is the standard pass thru handle hardware?	Quarter turn handle is standard but a paddle latch or grab bar or standard knob can be provided.
42	pass_thru	What are the electrical Specification for an electrical interlock on a pass thru?	120 volt is standard but it can be made to customer spec.
28	pass_thru	How do you mount pass thru if it is not centered in the wall and projects to one side or another?	If the unit projects to one side or another you must install angle brackets or supports. These are not included unless asked for
45	pass_thru	are there any moving parts or anything associated with the different interlocks that would change the amount of interior space with either option?	The interior of the pass thru is the same for both pass thru's,
39	pass_thru	What is the pro's and con's of Mechanical vs. Electrical Interlock on a pass thru.?	Purely preference.
77	pass_thru	Does the fire rated Pass Thru have positive latching?	Yes.
74	pass_thru	What happens if the electrical interlock fails with the pass thru will the door still open?	The system is fail safe on power loss, the doors will open.
72	pass_thru	Can you flush the pass thru with one side of the wall?	Yes, you can mount the pass thru however you would like in the wall. If you flush the pass thru to one side of the wall you will need support brackets for the other side, which can be supplied at customer request.
69	pass_thru	Can you make the interlock clearance less to increase the inner dimensions.?	No. It is not recommended to reduce those clearances.
68	pass_thru	Why is there a large dimension required between the outer and inner dimensions of the width of the pass thru?	The interlock of the pass thru needs 4" of clearance.
67	pass_thru	Will the trim add to the outer dimension of the pass thru?	Trim is provided as a courtesy to close of the opening and provide a more aesthetic appearance. The trim is no fastened to the pass thru and does not have to be used, if you prefer.
66	pass_thru	Do you provide safety glass inside the pass thru windows?	Yes. At customers request.
52	pass_thru	Do Pass Thru's Come preassembled?	Yes.
55	pass_thru	What thickness of sheetrock wall does the pass thru fit into?	The pass thru can fit into anywall thickness up to the width of the pass thru. If it’s a thin wall it will need angle brackets or support brackets which are not included in a standard quote. If it is drywall is to thin the contractor must rough in an internal steel opening frame reinforcement to support the pass thru.
60	pass_thru	Is the glass provided for the pass thru windows?	Yes the glass inside the pass thru windows is provided for all pass thru's
43	pass_thru	Does the fire door on a fire rated pass thru have a positive latch?	Yes, by law and code fire rated pass thru's have to have a positive latch.
111	pass_thru	When I mount the bracket to the pass is it correct that I drill into the pass thru?	The pass thru is a double wall construction, so you will only be drill into the out layer.
101	pass_thru	I have a broken pass thru handle, if I buy a new pass thru nandle will it loose?	Even a brand new pass thru handle will have a will have a small amount of wiggle to it, similar to a handle on a standard door?
10	pass_thru	Are both Pass Thru doors able to open at the same time?	Units with Interlock System will not allow other door to open until the first door is closed.
20	pass_thru	Do you provide plastic pass thru's?	Yes. Polypropylene.
9	pass_thru	Do you have a Pass Thru cut sheet?	Pass thru cut sheets are supplied with a Purchase Order. Sample spec sheets are available on the website.
21	pass_thru	What type of particleboard is the Laminated Particleboard material for the pass thru?	3/4" Thick High Density particleboard - Wood core with Polypro core Liner and Laminated Melamine Exterior
8	pass_thru	Does a fire rated pass thru have a window?	Yes - 10" x 10" wire glass window
22	pass_thru	How large should the rough opening be for the pass thru?	Generally, For Standard Pass Thru's the rough opening should be 1/4" - For Fire Rated Pass Thru's the rough opening should be 1/2".
110	pass_thru	Can you provide seismic restraints for the pass thru?	Yes.
104	pass_thru	Can the pass thru be installed prior to drywalling?	Yes it can be installed prior to drywalling, but it must be sealed with plastic to prevent it from be contaminated from dust and debris.
27	pass_thru	How do you mount the pass thru?	Cut hole in wall 1/4" larger than outside dimensions. Insert pass thru, caulk, seal or fire stop. Install provided wall trim.
25	pass_thru	Is the entire pass thru fire rated?	Only the door is fire rated, No one in the industry make a completely fire rate unit. The door is flush mounted with a fire rated wall essentially creating a unit which is completely fire rated.
7	pass_thru	How long is the fire rating for a fire rated pass thru?	1 1/2 Hour Fire Rating - Minimum 1 hour - Maximum 2 hours.
6	pass_thru	How Do I mount the pass thru?	Mounting angles can be provided for an extra cost but are not standard. Pass Thru mounting is left to the discretion of the contractor.
109	pass_thru	What kind of security options are available?	One way glass, Hasps for padlocks, 3rd party switches.
38	Pass Thru	What are the different doors available for a cart pass thru	Swinging, Sliding, vertical roll.
106	Minette	What are the different air flow configurations?
12	Lighting	If lighting fixtures are mounted to a hard ceiling is a flange kit required?	Lighting Fixtures come ready to be mounted to a standard T-Grid drop ceiling. If you would like a flange mounting please specify.
2	Lighting	Does the lighting fixture need to be sealed or is it bolted into place?	Normally the fixture will sit on top of the T-Grid.
1	Lighting	How does the lighting fixture sit in the ceiling?	A standard light fixture for T-Grid mounting will sit on the Grid. If your light fixture are being mounted to a hard ceiling you will need a flange mounted which must be specified.
79	Lighting	Do you ship bulbs for the light fixtures at customers request?
51	Lighting	Do you provide paper work that the light fixtures are certified to a certain?	If requested certification can be provided.
11	Lighting	Do the sealed troffers have a gasket between the door and the door frame?	Lighting Troffers are Triple Gasketed.
50	Lighting	Are there different options for the lens?	There are different options in thickness available. The .125 Acrylic Prismatic Lens is the standard.
49	Lighting	Doesn't the .125 Acrylic Prismatic lens attract dust?	Any plastic will attract dust. If you put a drain to ground it will discharge the fixture. Provide a braided wire between fixture and door frame. On the plastic. (RFI Shielded lens available) anistatic cleaner is also available
85	Lighting	What does ULC & CSA Stand for?	UL = Underwriters laboratories. CSA = Canadian standards association.
107	Lighting	Do you have alternatives to the acrylic lens?	Yes
58	Lighting	What is the difference between a hinged and gasketed light fixture and a bolted light fixture?	There is not difference in cleanliness, the hinged frame has easier access for maintenance.
48	Lighting	What makes the light fixture clean room rated?	It is tested by a cleanroom testing company and rated to class 100 .
44	Lighting	Do the tear drop fixtures have a universal Ballast	Yes.
78	Lighting	What is the lumen output for a K5-244?
76	Lighting	Can the light fixture be clamped on to the T-Grid?	The standard troffer sits on top of the T-Grid and does not have any clamps.
47	Lighting	Where are the gaskets located within the light fixture?	There is a Gasket on the grid ,around lens, & around door.
86	Light Fixtures	Are your ballast rated for UL & CSA?	Yes. All ballasts are UL & CSA Rated.
23	Humidifier	Why Does the humidifier cylinder leak?	The O Ring is missing from the cylinder.
19	hepa_blower	Can the AT2000 Unit be wired to reverse the air flow?	No, the unit is not capable of reverse flow, but the FT unit is capable of reverse air flow.
17	hepa_blower	Whats the difference between AT2000 & FT Blower Unit?	The FT Hepa blower unit has a 1/2 h.p. horse power motor with a centrifigul blower and is capable of reverse air flow - The AT2000 has a 1/4 h.p. backward inclined fan motor and is not capable of reverse air flow.
65	hepa_blower	What is the difference between the AT2000-1 & AT200-3?	The AT2000-3 Has a replaceable filter where the AT2000-1 does not have this ability.
54	hepa_blower	What is the difference between the FT Unit and the FTE Hepa blower unit?	The FT is a removable core hepa which give the customer the ability to change the hepa filter. FTE, the hepa is bolted into the unit and is unreplaceable.
15	hepa_blower	Is there a cord that is included on the blower units?	Cords are not standard because most units are hard wired, if you would like a cord please specify, a fee may apply.
56	hepa_blower	What efficiences are available for the unit?	Standard is 99.99%, but other efficiencies are available at customers request.
73	hepa_blower	Can you build smaller Hepa Blower Units (8" x 8" or 12" x 12") with a motor inside of them?	Yes. We can, but it is suggested to go with the FT2424 Unit because of pricing.
57	hepa_blower	What is the size of the hepa filter in a verti flow for replacement purposes.	It is roughly 2' x 4'
94	hepa_blower	How often should I change the filter in the hepa blower unit?	Filter changing is partially based on the cleaniless of the cleanroom but some general signs are when you feel a drop in velocity of the hepa blower or in filter pressure.
63	hepa_blower	What is the difference between the T-Mod and The Vertiflow Series?	The Vertiflow has a replaceable HEPA core, while the T-Mod HEPA can not be replaced.
116	hepa_blower	Are Halco Units CSA or ULC Approved	Yes, Halco uses all U/L & CSA Components
81	hepa_blower	Can any of the blower units be built for reverse flow?	All FT Units can be built for reverse flow, AT2000 Units can not.
118	hepa_blower	How do I wire up my blower unit?
100	hepa_blower	What is the difference between the FT 6M & 3M Unit?	The 3m has a 3 1/2" Filter available in gasket or gel seal, 6m model has a 5 7/8" filter available in gasket only.
71	hepa_blower	How do I know how many hepa blowers I need in my cleanroom application?	IT IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON YOUR REQUIRED CLASS AND ROOM CONFIGURATION. SEE BELOW FOR GENERAL EXAMPLE OF HOW TO CALCULATE BASED ON A SAMPLE SOFTWALL CLEAN ROOM [10,000 ENVIRONMENT] = ISO 7 OF 6' X 12' X 12' H. - BARE MININUM FOR CLEANROOM (10,000) AIR FLOW IS 20 AIR CHANGES PER HOUR (ACH) - 864 CUBIC FEET X 20 (ACH)= 17,280 CUBIC FEET PER HOUR (CFH) / 60 MINUTES = 288 CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE (CFM) - ONE PASS JOB (SOFTWALL APPLICATION) - TRIPLE AIR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS (288 X 3 = 864 C.F.M.) IS NECESSARY FOR THE ROOM = 2 HEPA BLOWER UNITS - CLOSED RECIRCULATED HARD WALL SYSTEM (HARD WALL APPLICATION) (288 X 1.25) = 400 C.F.M.) = 1 HEPA BLOWER UNIT
70	hepa_blower	Does the verti-flo unit come with the filter?	Yes.
126	hepa_blower	How do I achieve positive pressure in my clean room?	There are many variables in a cleanroom environment and systems have to anaylzed to achieve the required pressure based on all the design criteria and variables. There is no one single answer. Every job is unique.
64	hepa_blower	when do you need a prefilter and when do you need a duct connection?
62	hepa_blower	Can I achieve 3-5 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) with an AT2000?	Yes. Our unit will provide up 20 (ACH) comfortably.
61	hepa_blower	Can I achieve +0.04 Inches of water(H2O) with an AT2000?	Yes. However we recommend the FT Series Hepa Blower Units which use a larger centrifugal blower and is only slightly more money.
59	hepa_blower	Do you have a static pressure graph for the FT units?	There is no SP chart available for this unit. Customer needs to supply what SP you need to deliver the 600 CFM we rate the unit for & then we supply the correct blower & motor to deliver that SP. The stand unit is only rated with a SP of 0.25” WG added external. The 2 x 2, due to the size restriction of the blower box is only good for an external SP of 0.15” WG. customer needs to know the “system” that these are to be used in to properly size them.
80	hepa_blower	Do I still need a prefilter if I get a duct connection on the AT2000?	If you get a duct connection the prefilter will be located somewhere in your ductwork system and you will not need one in your unit. If your unit is not ducted you are recirculating air within the room and will need a prefilter.
26	Edwards Parts	I have multiple leaks in the bonnet?	try to replace the seal, but if there are too many leaks it is best to replace the whole bonnet.
87	clean_room	What are the regulations/ rules for pharmaceutical clean room design?	Refer to USP 797.
88	clean_room	What are the basic requirements for cleanroom operations?	Refer to ISO 14644-5:2004
89	clean_room	What are the specific test methods for cleanroom testing and validation?	Refer to ISO 14644-3:2005
108	clean_phone	What is the max distance you can put the power supply from the phone?	1000 feet.
119	clean_phone	I can hear the people on the other side of the phone, but they can not hear me?
120	clean_phone	Can I run the electrial thru the 24 gauge phone line?	Yes you can .
121	clean_phone	Are the phones duplex?	The clean phones are not full duplex, they are half duplex .
124	clean_phone	Is the phone compatible with an intercom system?	No, It can only be used as a phone.
123	clean_phone	Is the phone loud enough for noisy environments?	The phone is meant for cleanroom environments where it is relatively quiet.
122	clean_phone	Can annunciator be added to the phone	No, Nothing can be added on, it has a standard ringer.
75	clean_phone	Do you have a list of chemical that you are able to wash down the clean phone with?	Some suitable chemicals are: Isopropanol, Methanol, Bezanene, Acetone, Hydroogen Peroxide, Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid, & Nitric Acid.
114	clean_bench	What is the difference between the SFE & PDE clean bench models?	The SFE model has a peforated table top which allows air to flow thur the table while the PDE model has a solid top. These units are single pass units.
115	clean_bench	What is the difference between the CAT Series clean benches with model extensions of PR, PE, & PVE?	The PR is recirculating clean bench model which sucks air in the front and recirculates thru the perforated work surface, The PE model is a peforated work surface that exhausts thru a fan and duct work provoded by others. The PVE model is a variable exhaust model. Detailed information is available in the brochure.
34	clean_bench	What difference between a horizontal and a vertical flow clean bench?	The horizontal flow bench the air is sucked in the bottom and out the work surface face horizontally at the technician. The vertical flow sucks air in from the top and discharges it vertically downward toward the work surface.
95	clean_bench	Can I get a larger work surface for my clean bench?	Yes. Please specify the size which would like we will try to adapt one of our standard models to your size if possible.
92	clean_bench	Is there a weight limit for clean benches?
91	clean_bench	What are my options for the work surface area of the clean bench?
3	clean_bench	How do you remove stains from the Laminate on the Clean Bench?	If soap & water will not clean it, then they can try lacquer thinner or some other solvent. Worst case is to use a powdered cleaner like Comet & try to “polish” the stain out
83	clean_bench	What are the general main differences between the different clean bench series (e.g. Absolute, CAT, Economy, Tabletop)?
96	clean_bench	How much weight can I put on the clean bench surface?
29	Chiller	What is a RS232 Adapter?	It’s a cord to operator the chiller from you computer.
14	AIR_SHOWER	How long does it take to install a broken down design air shower to fit through a standard door way?	Broken down air showers take approximately three men two days to install using a lift truck.
13	AIR_SHOWER	How long does it take to install an Air Shower?	Standard air showers take three men one day using a lift truck to install.
117	AIR_SHOWER	How many people can I put thru an air shower.	FOR REGULAR AIR SHOWERS. it depends on size of the air shower, a good rule of thumb is 1 person per nine (9) sqft of effective air shower floor space. Example = Our model AS337 = 9 SQFT of floor space = 1 person AS 457 = 20SQFT = 2 People, possibly 3. For AIR SHOWER TUNNELS thru put is continous, but the speed of thru put is limited by tunnel lenght.
113	AIR_SHOWER	What is the basic operation procedure of an air shower?
112	AIR_SHOWER	Are the air shower fairly easy to put together?
24	AIR_SHOWER	Which side is the access panel on?
103	AIR_SHOWER	Where does all the dust go after it is blown off the person inside the air shower?
102	AIR_SHOWER	Is the air ionized to take out dust or just because of the velocity?	Ionization Bar reduces the static cling of dust making it easier to remove the dust and has nothing to do with velocity.
99	AIR_SHOWER	Do you make misting showers?	Yes, we can make a mist shower from any of our air shower models
32	AIR_SHOWER	What is the difference between 304 and 316 Stainless Steel?	304 contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 316 contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum.
33	AIR_SHOWER	Is Stainless Steel Magnetic?	There are several "types" of stainless steel. The 300 series (which contains nickel) is NOT magnetic.
84	AIR_SHOWER	My ceiling is to high for the standard air shower?	Halco makes an air shower where the blower box normally on top is mounted on the side to lessen the height of the overall unit.
127	AIR_SHOWER	When do I change my hepa filter in my air shower?	When the static pressure gauge is 3 times the intitial static pressure.
30	AIR_SHOWER	Can you have an ultra violet light installed in the air shower?	Yes. But it is not recommended for a person to walk thru an ultra violet light.