On this page

• Read this first
• General warnings
• Heat & burn hazards
• Electrical safety
• Minimum clearances
• Clearance rules
• Installation & use
• When to stop and call Focal

Read this first

Read these instructions carefully before installing or operating. Improper installation, use, or maintenance may result in serious injury or property damage — use only as directed.

Focal heaters are for covered outdoor areas only, protected from direct rain, water spray, and standing water. They also carry an indoor rating, but must never be where water can reach the unit.

General warnings

• Read all instructions before installing or operating.
• Use the heater only as described in this documentation. Any other use may cause fire, electric shock, or injury.
• Focal heaters and rails must only be used in the allowable configurations Focal specifies. Never exceed the maximum number of heaters per rail.

Heat & burn hazards

• Do not tamper with or open the interior of the heater.
• Do not keep combustible materials (e.g. furniture, awnings, fabric, paper, decorations) near the heaters.
• Do not hang any objects from the heater or its mounting brackets.
• Do not operate near flammable vapors or liquids such as gasoline or solvents.

Electrical safety

• The heater runs on 120VAC, 60 Hz. Connect only to a properly installed, GFCI-protected, dedicated outlet.
• Do not use the heater if the power cord or plug is damaged.
• Do not use an extension cord or power strip. Plug directly into a dedicated outdoor outlet.
• Do not run the cord under flooring, decking, or coverings where it can be pinched or damaged.
• Outdoors, always use a weather-protected outlet with an in-use weatherproof cover.
• Unplug the heater before relocating it, or before any cleaning or maintenance, or when not in use long-term.

Minimum clearances

Every install must meet these distances, measured from the heater and rail to the nearest surface.

Note: each round heating spot is 8” in diameter on either side of the rail. Two rails mounted end to end must keep at least 4” of space between them.

Clearance rules

• Never install heaters or place objects near them without meeting the required clearances.
• Never block or obstruct the front of the heater.
• Keep curtains, awnings, umbrellas, and fabric roofs at least 20 in from the heater, and never hang or drape anything on the rail or heaters.

Installation & use

• Install only on solid surfaces capable of holding 300 lb.
• Keep the power cord away from hot surfaces and the heated air from the front of the heater.
• Do not power on the heater until installation is complete, clearances are verified, and mounting is secure.

When to stop and call Focal

Discontinue use immediately and contact Focal Support if you notice any of these:

• Physical damage to the housing or grille
• Burned, frayed, or damaged power cord or plug
• Unusual odors or sounds during operation
• Heater won't turn on or respond to controls
• Any other visible or suspected electrical or heating damage

The heater has no user-serviceable parts. All service beyond basic cleaning must be done by Focal-authorized personnel.

On this page

• Before you start
• Where to mount it
• Steps
• Final checks

Before you start

The Focal Hub is the heaters’ link to the internet. It lets guests turn on heat with the QR code, lets staff control heaters from the Focal Control app, and runs schedules. If it loses its signal, all of that stops working, so placement matters.

Some Hubs arrive already configured for the restaurant’s WiFi. Others you configure on site, which takes a couple of minutes from your phone. Once it’s plugged in, you’ll check which one you have.

You need:

• The Focal Hub and its power cord
• The site plan, which marks the Hub Location
• A phone, plus the restaurant’s WiFi network name and password (from Focal or the restaurant), in case the Hub isn’t configured yet

The restaurant should already have checked that their WiFi meets the WiFi Requirements where the Hub goes.

Where to mount it

If the site plan marks a Hub Location, mount the Hub there. If that spot won’t work, mount it as close to it as you can, since that’s where the restaurant tested their WiFi.

If there’s no Hub Location, or nothing workable nearby, follow the location guidelines in WiFi Requirements: covered, near a standard outlet, in line of sight and within 50 ft of the heaters.

The Hub talks wirelessly to the heaters and, unless there’s a network cable, to the restaurant’s WiFi. Wherever you mount it:

• The Hub needs a clear line of sight to every heater, with no walls in between.
• Between the Hub and the restaurant’s router, the fewer walls the better. WiFi passes through clear glass. Brick, concrete, stone, metal and tinted or energy-efficient (low-E) glass block it.

Steps

Final checks

• Hub is mounted at the Hub Location, or as close to it as you could get
• Hub is plugged into an outlet that isn't on a light switch
• Network cable, if any, is plugged in with a drip loop
• No network cable: the Hub's sign-in page shows it's connected

If you used a network cable, you can’t see from the Hub whether it’s online yet. You’ll find out when you assign heaters: if heaters won’t assign or don’t respond, check the Hub first.

On this page

• Before you start
• About the rails
• What’s in the mounting kit
• Rail placement over the table
• Watch the video
• Mount the rail
• Different mounting methods
• Post-mount checks
• Plug in the rail

Before you start

Read Safety & Clearances before you begin. It covers the minimum clearances this install has to meet.

The site plan specifies where each rail goes and how long it is. Confirm the exact location against the plan before you mount anything.

Heaters slide on and off only at the opening end of the rail, the end opposite the cord-exit end. Leave at least 4” past the opening end to slide a heater on, clear of walls, posts and beams.

About the rails

The rail holds the individual Focal heaters, which can be installed after the rail is up. Rails come in three lengths:

Each rail has a T-slot running its length for T-nuts, and an 8-foot built-in power cable. Focal offers mounting hardware but off-the-shelf hardware also works utilizing the T-slot.

What’s in the mounting kit

Every rail ships with the same kit: two pre-built rail blocks, two of each overhead bracket, plus fastener options for whichever mount and fastening method suit your structure.

Rail blocks

Two per rail, pre-built. These slide into the rail’s T-slot, and the dropdown pipes seat into them.

Overhead brackets and pipe

The brackets fasten to the structure and hold the top of each dropdown pipe. Pick one type, parallel or perpendicular, and use two per rail. See Mount the rail.

Through-mount fasteners

Nut on the far side. Pick the screw length for your material thickness.

Wood screws

For solid wood where you can’t reach the far side.

Tools

One of each.

Rail placement over the table

Ideally the rail runs down the center of the table, so heat hits the middle of each guest’s chest, not the top of their head. If the rail has to be off-center, Focal can angle the heaters toward the guests. Contact Focal to arrange it.

Watch the video

Watch the full video once before you start. Refer to the step-by-step written instructions below.

Watch this step at https://support.focalheat.co/rail-installation/#mount-video

Mount the rail

1

Slide the rail blocks onto the rail

Keep the T-nut screws on top loose so the blocks can slide, and make sure the set screws are backed out enough for the pipe to fit.

Ceiling mount

Use the parallel bracket where you can fasten to the underside of an overhead member.

Repeat for the second mount, matching the drop length so the rail hangs level.

Beam or joist mount

Use the perpendicular bracket where the only solid surface is a vertical face, such as the side of a beam or joist.

Repeat for the second mount, matching the drop length so the rail hangs level.

3

Attach the rail to the pipes

Make sure the pipes hang straight down and give the rail a shake to confirm it's solid.

Different mounting methods

Any mounting hardware must connect to the rail through T-nuts, but some sites need a different approach:

• A threaded rod as a drop-down
• A U-bolt to attach unistrut to a pipe
• Mounting directly through a wood beam without a drop-down, using the longer 1/4-20 flat-head screws with SAE washers and nylon lock nuts
• An L-bracket to unistrut when rails run perpendicular to a wall

Post-mount checks

• Set screws fully tightened on every mount
• All other fasteners fully tightened
• Pipes plumb and rail level
• Rail height and location match the site plan
• All clearances in Safety & Clearances are met
• Rail swings no more than 1/4" from rest in either direction

Plug in the rail

Run the cable along the rail, up the mounting hardware, or along parklet features so it stays out of sight from diners and the street. Plug into the outlet, then turn on the rail switch. It’s on the cord-exit end, underneath the rail. Secure any slack so nothing hangs below the bottom of the rail.

On this page

• Before you start
• Watch the video
• Open the rail end
• Install each heater
• Close up the rail
• Final checks

Before you start

The rail should already be mounted, plugged in, and switched on. Heaters slide onto the rail from the opening end, opposite the cord-exit end. Each Focal heater (Duo) has two heating spots and gets its power from the rail when it locks into a slot, so there is no separate cable to connect. After this, you’ll assign each heater to its slot in the Focal Control app.

You need:

• A 2 mm hex wrench for the bumper and end cap screws
• The heaters for this rail, per the site plan

Watch the video

Watch the full video once before you start. Refer to the step-by-step written instructions below.

Watch this step at https://support.focalheat.co/install-heaters/#install-video

Open the rail end

1

Find the opening end

Work at the opening end of the rail, opposite the cord-exit end. This is the end with the removable end cap (orange).

2

Loosen and slide the bumper

Look up at the underside of the rail.

3

Remove the end cap

4

Remove the bumper and spacer(s)

Slide the bumper and the spacer(s) off the opening end of the rail. The spacers go back in between the heaters as you install them, and the bumper goes back on last.

Install each heater

2

Orient the heater

Heaters slide on from the opening end of the rail. The heater only fits one way: hold it with the pull string on the trailing side, away from the rail.

3

Confirm the lug is down

The lug (the round power connector on top of the riser) must be down for the heater to slide onto the rail. A new heater ships with a small plastic clip holding the lug down. It slides off by itself as the heater goes onto the rail. If there's no clip and the lug is up, pull the pull string down until the lug drops.

4

Slide on and move to the desired slot

Any heater can go in any slot. Fill the one farthest from the opening end first. Slide the heater onto the rail and remove the rest of the packaging. Pull the string down firmly to release the heater, slide it to its slot, and let go. It locks in and its LEDs light.

5

Insert a spacer and repeat

Insert a spacer after the heater. Repeat for each heater, adding spacers between heaters. There should be one spacer in between every pair of heaters.

Close up the rail

1

Reinstall the bumper and end cap

Final checks

• Every heater is seated in a slot and LEDs lit
• There is a spacer between each pair of heaters
• Bumper back on the rail, end cap screwed on, and bumper screw tightened

On this page

• Before you start
• Assign each heater to its slot
• Confirm every assignment
• Final checks
• Install complete

Before you start

Assigning heaters allows staff to control heaters individually in the Focal Control app.

You need:

• A mobile phone with internet and a camera.
• The restaurant’s Focal Control app link and password from Focal.
• Every heater already seated in its rail slot and powered on.
• About 30 minutes.

Assign each heater to its slot

1

Open the Focal Control app and review the map

Sign in with the link and password from Focal. The restaurant map shows how the zones are laid out relative to the street and the patio entrance. Get oriented here before you start scanning, so you know which zone you are standing in.

2

Open Assign Devices

Tap the menu icon in the top left and choose Assign Devices.

3

Tap the empty slot you are standing under

Assign Devices shows every zone, rail, and slot already created for this restaurant. Each heater shows on the map as two squares, one per heating spot. A slot marked with an X has no heater assigned yet. Tap either square of the slot you're standing under. The panel below reads No Heater Assigned to Rail, with a field for the QR link, serial number, or MAC address.

4

Scan that heater's QR code

Tap the camera icon and allow camera access if your phone asks. Point the camera at the QR code on the heater in that slot: the round SCAN TO HEAT tag on the end of its pull string. The field fills in with the heater's code once it reads.

5

Tap Save Heater Assignment

Tap Save Heater Assignment. The heater isn't assigned to the slot until you save, so don't skip this. Once it saves, the X on that slot clears.

Confirm every assignment

After assigning every heater, it’s critical to confirm each heater was assigned to the correct slot so that the right heater turns on when commanded.

1

Go to Heater Control

Open the menu in the top left and choose Heater Control.

2

Tap the first slot

Tap the first slot on the zone map. It highlights, and the heater's serial number and status appear below with heat level controls at 0.

3

Set a non-zero heat level

Tap 1, 2, or 3 for either spot. Look up at the heater in that slot: its LEDs should change to match the level you picked, and it should start putting out heat. If a different heater responds, the wrong heater was assigned to the slot. Go back to Assign Devices and correct the assignment.

Final checks

• No slot in any zone still shows an X
• Each heater is assigned to the slot it physically sits in
• Every heater responded at a non-zero level with LEDs matching
• Every heater set back to 0 before leaving site

Install complete

That’s the last step of the install. Walk the restaurant through System Setup & Control before you go, so staff can run the system themselves.

If anything won’t come online or behaves oddly, see Troubleshooting. For service, replacements, or full specifications, see Warranty & Service.

On this page

• Troubleshoot Now
• Issues
• Still stuck?

Troubleshoot Now

Follow the prompts to fix the issue, or we’ll send an email to Focal Support with the details.

Need help now?Troubleshoot now→

Issues

Can’t control the heater

Covers offline, app, or QR code control. First give the pull string a short pull. Flashing yellow lights mean Schedule Mode is active outside its scheduled hours, not a fault — see System Setup & Control. Otherwise it’s a connectivity problem: check the affected heater has power, and if all heaters are offline, check your Focal Hub (or networking box on older systems) is plugged in and has internet — see WiFi Requirements.

Watch this step at https://support.focalheat.co/troubleshooting/#cant-control-video

No power or lights

Re-seat the heater first (pull the string down, slide it off and back on). If other heaters on the same rail are also dark, check the rail switch (on the cord-exit end, underneath the rail) and the breaker, then test the outlet on a known-good circuit. If Focal sends a replacement heater, see Replace a Heater.

Watch this step at https://support.focalheat.co/troubleshooting/#no-power-video

Heater isn’t heating

Confirm it has power and isn’t in Schedule Mode (see above), then try a short pull to change the heat level.

Watch this step at https://support.focalheat.co/troubleshooting/#not-heating-video

Heater is hard to move

Pull the string all the way down before sliding it; a partial pull won’t release it.

Heater is physically damaged

Move it off the slot and secure any loose parts so nothing falls.

Still stuck?

Run through the troubleshooting tool to send Focal Support a full report, or email support@focalheat.co directly with a photo of the heater’s QR code or serial number and what you’ve already tried.