What do I send the client?

The Before You Build guide and the specify-APEX one-pager. Pro accounts can save the project and share a link.

What grille finish should I specify?

Match the millwork or a painted return. Keep the free area at the published value. A grille that restricts airflow reduces cooling capacity.

How much cooling does a glass wine wall need?

More than a closed cellar of the same volume. A glass door adds about 15% to the load; a full glass wall adds more. Enter the glass area in the BTU calculator before selecting the model.

For interior designers

Wine cellar cooling that stays out of the finished room

A specified cellar is a finished room with supply and return grilles. The unit sits in an adjoining conditioned space. Glass walls, millwork, and quiet tasting rooms stay intact.

Licensed HVAC · Wine Cellar Cooling Specialists

Reviewed · September 1, 2026

Panthaire APEX is a fully ducted wine cellar cooling unit installed outside the cellar, in an adjoining conditioned space held at 50–77°F (10–25°C). Inside the cellar, only supply and return grilles are visible, which keeps glass walls, millwork, and tasting rooms intact. A glass door adds about 15% to the cooling load; a glass wall adds more. Three models cover cellars up to 900, 1,200, and 2,000 ft³ (25, 34, and 57 m³) when the envelope is built to R-20 with a warm-side vapor barrier.

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On the job

Takeaways

01Ducted Panthaire APEX keeps the unit outside the cellar. The room shows supply and return grilles only.
02A glass door adds about 15% to the cooling load. A glass wall adds more. Size the unit after the envelope is confirmed.
03The air around the unit must stay between 50°F and 77°F (10°C and 25°C) year-round. Garages and attics do not meet this condition.
04Sequence: the Before You Build checklist, then the BTU calculator, then the specify-APEX one-pager to the general contractor.
05Pro accounts can save projects and request a specification review on an active job.

Wine cellar cooling with a glass wall: grilles, glass load, and concealment

Grilles

Supply and return only. Size from the Panthaire APEX cut sheet, not from a furniture catalog. Painted or millwork surrounds are acceptable when the free area remains open.

Glass load

A glass door adds about 15%. A glass wall adds more. Size the unit to the finished envelope, not to a target price.

Concealment

The unit is mechanical equipment, not furniture. It requires clearances, a condensate drain, and a conditioned room. Conceal the door to that room, not the airflow.

Three things to mark before the millwork is ordered

Glass-fronted wine cellar with a ceiling supply grille, cooled by Panthaire APEX — The room
Grilles only. The unit is not in the glass wall.

Wall controller beside a glass wine cellar cooled by Panthaire APEX — The target
55°F (13°C). Panthaire APEX controls temperature. Humidity is maintained by the envelope.

Panthaire APEX ducted wine cellar cooling unit in a conditioned mechanical space — The unit
Conditioned mechanical space, 50–77°F (10–25°C). Clearances per the cut sheet.

Specification sequence

How to specify Panthaire APEX

For cellars designed to look finished. Panthaire APEX is a factory-charged, fully ducted wine cellar cooling unit installed in an adjoining conditioned space. Only supply and return grilles appear in the room, and the grilles can match the millwork. The drawing set carries the envelope, the load, the placement, the runs, and the electrical.

1. Confirm the envelope. R-20 walls and ceiling, vapor barrier on the warm side, sealed penetrations. A glass door adds about 15% to the cooling load. A glass wall adds more.
2. Size the load. Enter length, width, height, glass area, and insulation in the BTU calculator. APEX 3500, 5000, and 7000 cover up to 900, 1,200, and 2,000 ft³ (25, 34, and 57 m³) when the envelope meets specification.
3. Place the unit. A conditioned mechanical space held at 50–77°F (10–25°C) year-round. Garages, attics, and crawlspaces do not meet this condition. Keep published clearances on all sides.
4. Route ducts and drain. Insulated supply and return, 25 ft maximum per run. Short, straight runs outperform long flex. Slope the condensate line to an approved receptor with no trapped low points.
5. Electrical. Dedicated 115V/60Hz circuit: 15A for APEX 3500 and 5000, 20A for APEX 7000. Do not share the circuit with lighting or a wine refrigerator.
6. Installation. A licensed HVAC contractor. DIY installation voids the warranty. Panthaire can introduce an approved contractor on an active project.

Grilles can match the millwork. The unit stays out of the finished room. Finish and concealment notes are included with the cut sheets in Documentation. 2 years warranty.

Download specify-APEX one-pager

Lunch and learn

Specifying Panthaire APEX

Lunch and learn for design teams

A one-hour session, on site or remote, for interior designers, architects, millwork, and design-build teams specifying wine cellars for residential and hospitality projects. The objective is a drawing set that keeps the unit out of the glass wall.

1. Ducted unit in a conditioned room. Grilles only in the cellar.
2. A glass door adds about 15%. A glass wall adds more. Size after the envelope is confirmed.
3. Ambient at the unit: 50–77°F (10–25°C). Garages and attics do not qualify.
4. Dedicated 115V circuit and a sloped condensate drain.
5. Licensed HVAC installation. DIY installation voids the warranty.

Download lunch-and-learn one-pager

Definitions

Fully ducted wine cellar cooling unit:: A self-contained unit installed outside the cellar and connected by insulated supply and return ducts. Only grilles are visible in the room.
Specify-APEX one-pager:: A one-page document listing the envelope, load, placement, duct, electrical, and installation requirements for a Panthaire APEX unit, written for the general contractor.
Glass load:: The additional cooling load created by glazing. A glass door adds about 15%; a glass wall adds more and is sized from the BTU calculator.

FAQ

Can Panthaire APEX be concealed in a glass-fronted wine cellar?: Yes. The unit is installed in an adjoining conditioned space. Only supply and return grilles appear in the cellar.
What do I send the client?: The Before You Build guide and the specify-APEX one-pager. Pro accounts can save the project and share a link.
What grille finish should I specify?: Match the millwork or a painted return. Keep the free area at the published value. A grille that restricts airflow reduces cooling capacity.
How much cooling does a glass wine wall need?: More than a closed cellar of the same volume. A glass door adds about 15% to the load; a full glass wall adds more. Enter the glass area in the BTU calculator before selecting the model.

Back to Panthaire Pro. Related: Before You Build, BTU calculator, Documentation.

Specification documents support the design team. Final sizing and installation are confirmed by the licensed HVAC contractor on site.