For anyone who has purchased one of these units. I just received a recall notice for these if you have a specific shaped electrode connector. See the details at www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Research-Products-Recalls-Steam-Humidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard
Hi, Vincent: My unit Fill light is red now. What do you think it was caused? Do I have to change the canister? I was waiting for the trouble shooting part.😂
@@hongyuguo5505 The canisters are intended to be replaced every year. But if your water is harder or has a lot of iron in it that might not even last a full year.
I installed the same Aprilaire 800 a few years ago. It's been a fantastic unit with very little maintance. Finally had to put a new canister in it after 3 years. I try to take the canister out every month or two during the winter to clean out some of the mineral build up with white vinegar and shaking/agitation. Pull the black screen out of the bottom of canister so chunks of mineral deposits can get out easier. At the end of the winter season I give the canister a more vigorous vinegar cleaning. I tried using CLR the first time. I do not recommend CLR. No amount of rinsing will get it all out and when it goes back into unit and gets hot it starts sending CLR vapors through HVAC. A few forced canister drains and refills letting the canister get hot between drains got it all out. Have not tried the included model 62 controller. I have it wired up to an Ecobee thermostat. I've been curious how well the model 62 controller decreases humidity target as outdoor ambient temp drops. Ecobee handles this for me using weather data from internet. I tried to run it off 120v at first but could not get enough current and kept tripping a fault code. Changed to 240v 11.5 amps and has been working great since. I added a Nortec 2548732 On/Off Humidistat a few feet downstream that will cut power to the humidifier if something goes haywire and water starts condensing inside the hvac ducts. It has an digital adjustable trip limit. Watched ebay for a while and found a new unit for a good price. As a test I even set unit to 240v 16amps with blower motor only, no heat and could not get humidity high enough in the duct work to be a concern. Currently have Nortec humidistat set to cut power if duct humidity rises above 85%. I would have to check my numbers again but I think it was only up to 60-65% inside the duct under this max output with no heat condition.
Hey Kevin, thanks for the tips. Especially about cleaning out the canister. I'll put that on my PM calendar. You asked about the RH drop with temp. I made sure to monitor that and should have talked about it in the video. We had a night that went down to the upper 20's and the 62 control board was measuring 31% when it was at 41% the previous day in the 40's. So it seems to be working. Our house was built in 88 without house wrap, so I want to make sure we don't get condensation inside the exterior walls.
Good Tip. Let me confirm when you remove the canister, can you open the canister and scrape the mineral deposits or do you have to clean this though the small inlet hole at the top
The reason they don't use a wiring diagram like you suggest at 31:55 is because if a field technician is told to connect 240v to it but sees a diagram indicating terminals for L1/L2 and neutral, they may assume it's not compatible with 240v. The slash indicates either/or, never both. Any qualified tech should know not to connect a leg to neutral. Likewise, on your diagram, I'd know better than to connect both legs to the same terminal, but I'd be very apprehensive about connecting a leg to a terminal strictly marked neutral. The factory diagram tells me that it's compatible with both voltages, but I'd still use some critical thinking to check for any configuration differences and see if there's a transformer that needs different taps connected. Otherwise, great video.. definitely helped me out as an HVAC tech
@@VincentSmith1776I watched again, realized I wasn't fully paying attention. I need to turn my brain on lol. You suggested that there should be two distinct diagrams, which would be the best way to avoid confusion. Now that I actually listened to what you said, I agree 100%
Great video! One question, though. Since there's no trap in the 3/4" PVC drain line, and presumably no trap in the vent pipe (or the vent pipe is on the sewer side of whatever trap is there), have you noticed any sewer gas smell coming back through the canister and into the conditioned air ducts?
That caught my eye as well as I think even just draining into a vent may be prohibited or at least not advised. We also have the untrapped sewer line you mention as well. These issues aside a really helpful video.
In thinking about it more, though, the water in the canister is going to block any sewer gases from getting into the airstream. I went ahead and put my drain in the same way. @@DaveNieweg
Incredible video! I have a couple of questions if you can help: 1). We have a basement unit and an attic unit and scissor type stairs connecting the two floors (so about 15x12 open space where first floor air can mix with second floor). If I install it in the basement unit, will humidity also reach the second floor? 2. The downstairs unit only runs for an hour a day according to ecobee. Can the ecobee separately run the humidifier with just fan in between heat cycles? 3. It’s a tight space between my hvac unit and wall but I can squeeze the steam humidifier inside with an inch on each side to spare. Or I can install it recessed in between the studs. Anything wrong with doing it this way? Thanks!
1- very unlikely to even be minimally effective. 2- well maybe you could, you would significantly risk condensation inside your ductwork. You should not do this. The humidifier should only run when the heat is running. If you need to add humidity to the house without the heat running, I would recommend a different type of humidifier. 3- as I recall, there is a minimum clearance on each side of the unit that was more than an inch. You should download the manual and see what it says. While it might fit physically components like this frequently need room for ventilation and heat dispersion.
Great video. I'm having a house built with two separate HVAC systems, so builder is recommending two of these units at $2800 each, including installation. I'm considering installing them myself to save some cash. I installed an Aprilaire 760 on a previous house, which was not too difficult, so this one doesn't seem like a big climb. Your video is great, although I wish you had also included the steps for connecting the humidistat and all of the electrical connections. Thank you.
You're welcome, glad I could be of some help. If you're building new, make sure they put in a water supply and a drain trap specifically for your units.
I have a honeywell similar unit and at end of season I remove boiler and add hot water and sulfamic acid for cleaning distiller Let it soak for a day and rinse real well a lot of rust etc out and reinstall got two seasons so far but keep a new unit on hand
Thank you for this very informative video! Answered a lot of questions for me. I have a houseful of neotropic exotic birds that require humidity and use the small hot mist units by Vicks. Nothing else has been as good but it gets tedious maintaining them and they only last about a year or two before they crack or need replacement. Have you noticed a hike in your water / energy bills? I am on the fence for installing because I’m unsure about generating an additional 1000 gallons of water/ month for this… we’re pretty conservative & see it would a luxury for the whole house to have humidity. It doesn’t sound very energy efficient having to run the fan blower around the clock. Right now the personal humidifiers only take up 2 gallons per day but I have to keep refilling them and then cleaning them out with vinegar mix once a week.
We didn't see a "holy crap" change in our water use or electric use. Can't say they didn't go up, but not enough to notice. As for the blower, it doesn't use enough electricity to worry about. 90% of your electric bill is from resistive elements (stove, dryer, etc.) and compressors (AC, heat pump, refrigerator, etc.) Glad I can help.
The breaker panel only allows a certain number of total circuits due to NEC. In older versions of the code the max number was 42 circuits which included the main. The size of the enclosure also affected the number of wires, wire fill, etc. So to make a long story short, the enclosure that your breaker panel is in is UL listed for approximately 30 circuits, hence the limit on mini breakers. Also, the nomenclature on the circuit board in the unit indicating L1 and L2/N is very common. They assume an electrician understands. About the controller tying into the existing t-stat wires, I assume the humidifier is only allowed to run when the AHU fan is running?
#electrospeak 👆 I get that about the schematic, but as a frequent technical writer it just comes off as lazy when they have separate schematics for each voltage to not change each schematic to match the requirements of that voltage. Just me being picky lol. And yeah, the 62 Controller won't run the humidifier call without running the fan and also has a cool-down cycle to clear any steam remaining in the ductwork.
I suppose you could choose to bypass it. But that could result in condensation forming in the house and inside the walls of your house. I strongly recommend using it per the instructions.
@Vincent Smith Thanks for the great video! I am having one installed this week. The passive humidfiers (like the AprilAire 600) just don't cut it. (And honestly, the design is like a glorified whole house swamp cooler. Lol). And you are right about the standing water and moist filters. I drew the line when I found crawdads and bass in my ductwork. Lol. Do you think AprilAire have fixed the flaws you found in the wiring diagram in the manual? Or should I just show that part of your video to my installers?
Thanks for the compliments CC. Unfortunately I have no way to know if the manual was updated. I'd show that part of the video to your tech unless they've installed several of these before.
Hi there, thank you for this video it was very informative! I’m building a house in NW South Carolina and decided on this steam unit. The house is about 6000 sf with 4 HVAC units. My question might be silly but do I only need 1 aprilaire 800 for the whole house or 1 for each unit? Thank you
It should not run without the heat going or you risk the moisture condensing on the inside of the duct work if your duct work is in an unconditioned attic space like mine.
This is a great install Vincent. I just installed the same unit. I pretty sure the amperage 'pull' is determined by the mineral content of your water. I'm using the 240 VAC setting and pulling any where from 4.8A to 6.7A. nothing higher. I know you said you you didn't have an amprobe. This is acceptable power consumption. IMO.
Do you think the dispersion tube can be installed on the return duct? My supply duct just doesn’t have much room for the absorption distance between the furnace and the branches to different zones….
No, you'd be injecting steam into the furnace affecting its operation. Plus, the air in the return is cooler thus risking condensation in the duct and HVAC
Super helpful, thank you for this. Made me laugh when you mention your 32% humidity was too dry - my house is @18% at the moment... got to love Canadian winders! Looking forward to getting this thing running!
Great Info， Vincent. , why did you need to modify the breaker panel? I was thinking i can just simply plug it into the 110v socket and it is done? ( just like any appliances), am I misunderstanding anything?
I won't say that wouldn't physically work, but I suspect it won't meet code (may depend on your location and governing electrical codes). The manual does require a disconnect switch be installed between power line source and the humidifier. Also, the unit is not built for a power cord, it has electrical access knock-outs. As is typical with appliances like this, little electrical installation guidance is able to be included from the mfr because of varying electrical codes in areas where this could be installed.
On Cuter Hammer, Siemens, Eaton, and Square D Homeline residential style 2 in 1 piggyback breakers, the only thing stopping you from installing the breaker anywhere you want in the panel is a little bit of extra plastic on the breaker itself. Just compare it to a regular breaker and you will spot the difference. With that plastic there, you won't be able to push the breaker all the way down into the slot on a space that isn't designed for it. When I need to install a piggyback in a slot that won't support it, I just break that part off with a screw driver. On a GE style panel like you have that only accepts the half size breakers instead of the standard piggyback, your just out of luck and have to install them only where you can. I believe GE is the only brand still in production that does the skinny breakers.
I need to have my air handler on high speed when the Aprilaire 800 is set on "blower" mode to humidity the air when heat isn't needed. My basement is cold, and without the blower on high speed, the humidity collects in the metal ducts and drips onto the floor. I've had three carrier-certified technicians come out an no one can figure out how to do this. I'm fine if the blower is always on high speed for heating and separately controlled humidification. Please advise if you know how this can be done. Thank you
First I'd say to contact Aprilaire. But my engineer brain says this system is not intended to run without the heat running as the heated air in the duct is needed to evaporate the steam.
This is the benefit, I believe, of a steam humidifier. My issue is that I don’t run my heater enough to get my humidity to 35% or so. I have the Aprilaire 700 hooked up to heated water but it doesn’t cut it. The steam will run on just fan without a call for heat.
@@taylorhudson166 that could be a benefit. I don't know what climate you're in but I'm in a zone where it occasionally freezes but coastal, so nobody here has basements. Thus most of our hvac equipment is in unheated attic spaces. So the only type of humidifier that can be used is a steam unit. A drum, etc type unit in the attic would freeze up. But with the steam unit in conditioned space that's not a risk.
@@VincentSmith1776 yeah I’m in Colorado fortunately for me my install will be a half day job (fingers crossed) instead of three. Redoing my basement, going to add a floor drain right at my furnace so I can ditch my condensate pump and a 100 amp sub panel for added sump pump, radon pump, humidifier, and a couple of branch circuits for bathroom etc. I’m sure you know this, but I’d ditch that saddle valve and solder in an actual valve. Those saddle valves are prone to failure. The 1/4 turns are nice but for the humidifier I think I’d do a full turn style to control flow a bit and maybe cut down on water hammer. Just a thought.
@@taylorhudson166 I do agree regarding the saddle valve. Typically I don't use them. But I did on this installation for three reasons. First I was a little pressed for time. Second I had very little space to the wall and doing any other type of connection would have meant cutting into the drywall. And lastly I wanted to actually show the installation the way Aprilaire intended.
Great video, i have just installed mine but im stuck on the wire connection, my thermostat has an R i+ i- C connection, and the 800 calls to connect on G and fan on the thermostat..?? how was in your case?? i have a Lennox heat pump.
Sorry, I can't help you with that. I have also changed my thermostat since then and don't remember how that affected the wiring. I wouldn't want to give you the wrong info.
Vincent..I am considering installing the Aprilaire 800 Steam Humidifier. I noticed you ran the drain from the humidifier to a vertical vent stack instead of exiting outside. Is it ok to do so....Marcus
I just had one installed last week, it was installed wrong by a company here in VA. What was the run of copper pipe? I’m trying figure out how to get this fixed. Tjx
Not sure I understand your question - the run? If you mean the maximum length the stem pipe can be the thing to consider is the longer the pipe the more reduced the capacity is. Look over pages 12-13 at assets.sylvane.com/media/documents/products/aprilaire-800-865-humidifier-installation-guide.pdf
I know very little about them, and I'm not an HVAC guy. I do know Aprilaire makes one and I've had good luck with my Aprilair humidifier. But I would really direct you towards the HVAC community
Just an FYI... The unit can run off 110v OR 220v. That's why the mains connection is labeled L2/N. If using 220v then that terminal is L2, but if you're using 110v, then that terminal is neutral.
I have one just like this one you have installed in the downstairs bedroom and the biggest issues I have is every time it calls for water you can hear it makes a loud racket in the plumbing system throughout the entire house I can hear it upstairs in my master bedroom as well in the plumbing that’s the biggest issue I have with the system draws water from the laundry room across the hallway which is no big deal except for the noise it makes when it turns on and off it rattles the plumbing system I need to change the tank now I’ve owned my system now it’s about five years old I run soft water in it as well as a whole house water filter system from Culligan and I think that help make this tank on the humidifier last so long but I need to figure out the plumbing issue so it doesn’t rattle the plumbing system so much when turning on and off on water demand that’s my only issue with other than that it workers perfect. I also need to change the tank inside the unit now the red light is on on the bottom indicating that it’s time to change the tank I don’t think they can be cleaned and put back in service so I think they have to be changed
In general, you did great installation of the humidifier. There is a small issue, the steam pipe is too long. This humidifier is a kind of pressureless steam generator, the steam output pressure is less than 1000 pa, so, generally, the steam pipe is limited to 6 feet. If the pipe is too long, it may cause water to leak above from the water filling cup. If it is necessary to use a long steam pipe, for example, more than 6 feet, it is recommended to raise the water filling cup (the round cup connected to the water inlet solenoid valve at top right corner of the humidifier) by more than 4 inches. However, if you raise the cup, you need to lengthen all the pipes connected to it.....
No, it's worked to its spec. But I don't like the inconvenience of having to climb up in the attic to adjust it. I've been meaning to look into how to control it (or if it can be controlled) by our Wyze thermostat. Pretty sure it can be, but too many other things pulling on my time right now.
I'm not much of a chemist, but I think the minerals in your water combined with the length of your heating season and where you set your control will play big factors. Our season here in Virginia Beach is moderate in length but we like a bit more humidity than average. I clean my canister with vinegar mid-winter and at the end of the first season and am able to get a second season out of it.
@@VincentSmith1776 I hear ya.We're just down the road in Williamsburg, so we have the same weather. I just installed this last year, so I'm trying to get at least 2 years out of the canister. I'll try cleaning it using vinegar to see if I can extend it's life. I've also heard of people using CLR to clean it, but vinegar sounds safer. Thanks!
I've installed my probe and it's caused a leak on my hvac unit. Apparently the water runs down the outside of my probe and down the fiberglass return box. Instead of the drip tray catching it. It ends up dripping out on to the plywood sheet that's under the hvac unit. Any ideas why this is happening? The probe is in the proper orientation.
How big is your house that you were able to rise the humidity from 33% to 44% in an hour? I have a 2800SF house running at 11.5 amp 240v and it took forever to rise from 37% to 42%
great video, I had a few questions, does the steamer have to be installed above the humidifier so the excess will drain back to it? does it have to be hot or cold side for water supply? if applicable, can you wire your humidifier into the furnace high voltage 110v? (if so wouldn't you wire L1 to L1 (black) then L2 (white) and ground wire to ground terminal in furnace. in my situation everything will be withing 5 ft of furnace except outdoor temp sensor (furnace horizontal 6in off floor)
Thanks! The steam line from the humidifier must be routed uphill from the humidifier to the manifold that you place in the duct downstream of the furnace for 2 reasons. First so it disperses the steam into the heated air to avoid condensation in the ductwork. Second, so that condensation in the steam line runs back into the humidifier by gravity. You feed the unit from a cold water supply. You cannot wire the electrical supply to the humidifier from the furnace. It needs a dedicated circuit from your panel box.
You need to change the drip leg on your furnace. Gas comes in the top of the t then to the furnace, the flow hits the cap and that’s what collects the sediment m
Vincent: Do you know what could have caused the electrode wire to melt off of the steam cannister? The Aprilaire 800 was in the house when we bought it. It has worked flawlessly for the last three years. I change the steam cannisters yearly. The one that had the melted electrode wire on it was less than two months old. It had a small amount of minerals in the bottom of it.
Thank you! But noy, the control is designed to be installed in the duct. There is a sensor in the back of the control that senses the humidity inside the return duct upstream of the humidifier's steam manifold.
@@VincentSmith1776 thx for the response. Does your whole house steam humidifier run itself automatically according to the temperature outside, or do you have to manually change the settings? Also, does it operate equally well in summer and winter?
@@michaelkiese7794 we only run ours thru the winter months as the humidity in tidewater VA in the summer is adequate. There is a temp probe you have to run outside of the house connected to the controller. That limits the humidity level of the humidifier. But, proportional to where you set it. So it's still possible to over-humidity. Another commenter below mentioned using a humidity sensor in the downstream air as a cutoff to the humidifier. That is a great way to ensure you don't exceed the controlled air's ability to carry the water input. We don't have a need to set ours high enough to worry about it.
@@VincentSmith1776 I live in Virginia as well. I have a 2 story house with two separate HVAC units. I suppose I would have to have an air humidifier on each unit. Is that correct?
I think it's likely to underperform if you only used one. But it would depend on your needs and how much humidity you want to introduce. And are your zones physically separated by doors and walls.
Great video. Very helpful to see the install process. Does the humidifier maintain hot water all the time, or only when the furnace is running? How long does it take the water to heat after the furnace comes on?
Thank you, glad I could help. Humidifier is activated to heat the water by the controller mounted on the duct. Only takes maybe 60-60 seconds to heat. But that's really dependent on how it's wired. There are a few options for voltage and amperage input.
@@VincentSmith1776 Thanks. One more thing - the drain water is cooled to 140 degrees or less. Is the standard PVC working okay? CPVC is good to 180 degrees, but its more expensive...
Thank you for the kind words. As I remember I located it so that a couple of the mounting screws hit a stud. That's why it's off-center in the space. And yes, it does an excellent job - as long as you clean and replace the canister when needed.
@@VincentSmith1776 Great to hear that! Looking forward to having mine installed. How much more % humidity does this one get over the bypass ones? I was worried that the steam would condensate inside the duct..
@@tubetube6217 in theory either type of unit can raise the humidity to the same level in your home, but this unit delivers the moisture to the air much faster than an evaporative unit. The unit delays delivering steam long enough for your furnace to be delivering heated air into the duct, thus significantly reducing the chances of condensation. I have heard of people installing a limiting humidistat in the duct downstream of the manifold to eliminate that possibility.
Thank you for posting this video, is there a big difference between wiring the machine to 240v rather than 120v ? And for the 240v wiring did you need to pass a 12awg or is 14awg good enough
Hey, thank you. And yes, each step up in voltage and/or amperage yields an increase in steam per minute generation. As for what AWG is required - you have to go by your local building code requirements. Most,if not all, refer to theNEC, but I can't tell you what is required where you are, sorry.
Hey Vincent, nice job on the unboxing and review. Now that you've had the Aprilaire 800 for a few months, did you notice an increase in your electric bill? Also, why did you decide to go with the 11.5 AMP option instead of 16? And finally, do you have any operational tips for new owners? Thanks again for posting this video.
Hey Kelly - thanks! We used if for the entire 2020-2021 heating season. Checking back to our electric bills I can see no noticeable increase. But that's also not a heating/cooling day analysis based on outside temperatures by day. A couple months were slightly higher, a couple slightly lower. I also have no way to check our gas bill (gas furnace) as were on a yearly budget plan and they only read the meter once a year. It's possible our gas usage lowered as we likely had the thermostat set lower on average. Complicating that we do run a gas fireplace occasionally for the ambiance. I don't 'feel' like our utilities increased in any noticeable amount though if that helps. I chose the 11.5a hookup based on the age (tightness) of our home and its size. The installation manual has a chart to help you choose. You don't want to choose too high of an output for the same reason you don't install a 4 ton heat pump in a 1,000 sf house - you don't want it to short cycle. You're looking for longer periods of run time spreading the humidity out in the house more during the fan cycles. Now, I may not be phrasing all this correctly in HCAV terminology (not an HVAC expert) but I hope you get the idea. Operational tips - -Don't make big adjustments to the control. make an adjustment and wait a couple heat cycles. Only make adjustments based on the controller humidity readings while it is mid-cycle if your ductwork is in unconditioned space (attic, basement, crawlspace) as it is not reading the humidity level in your conditioned space. It reads the humidity inside the duct at the controller location. So the unit needs to be running the fan to be cycling air from the conditioned space to read that air's humidity. -Clean the canister with white vinegar every couple of months. Take it out, put your hand over the bottom drain, pour in about a cup of vinegar and shake until the cathode/anode deposits are dissolved. I was surprised how muddy it looks after a few week's operation. Do this one more time at the end of the season. Credit to another viewer who left this in another comment here. I recommend looking for that comment and reading his take. It was great info. -Make sure you don't get the humidity level in your home too high. That can be quite detrimental to your home and promote the growth of mold. That's all I have for now. I still strongly recommend this system. My wife is very happy! LOL
@@VincentSmith1776 Wow! This is really good info. Thanks for taking the time to post it! I got a killer deal on one of these units from Amazon a few weeks ago and I just had it installed today by my HVAC company using a temporary 120V power supply. My electrician is going to wire it with 240V sometime next week. I'm looking forward to trying it out next winter. Thanks again for all of your help and advice.
@@idealynx Many people believe that the use of steam humidifiers will greatly increase electricity bills. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. Regardless of whether a steam humidifier or an evaporative humidifier is used, essentially the process of turning water into steam consumes energy. The difference is that the energy comes from electricity (steam humidifier) or gas (evaporative humidifier). Steam humidifiers use electricity to directly heat water into steam. Evaporative humidifiers allow water to absorb heat from the air and evaporate into steam. The heat of the air actually comes from gas. So, no matter what humidifier you use, energy consumed will be added to your bill. BTW, an evaporative humidifier may also greatly increase your water bill. Hahaha......
Good catch Kelly. I'm no plumber but from my perspective as long as it's in operation or the valve is shut there is no outlet for any gas to escape and I don't believe it would need a trap. In many ways the steam chamber is a trap.
This particular model should install the same way on a ducted hvac system. If your system is radiant or otherwise not ducted they have another version of the same humidifier that does not require ducts. It has its own fan. Here's a link to that model - amzn.to/3aez36c
@@VincentSmith1776 At the very end, you mention an outdoor sensor. At no time during the installation is there an outdoor sensor installed. Does this come with the kit? Is it necessary? Please expand. Thanks Greg
Hey Vincent, I hope you are well. I took your advice and cleaned out the Aprilaire canister with vinegar. It seems like it's working great. However, this year I noticed an increase in electricity use, which is probably weather related. My January bill went from 1352 kWh to 1598 kWh, which is nearly a 20% increase. Have you experienced the same? I'm also looking for ways to curb my energy costs, both gas and electric. Last week, Sunrun, a leading solar company, gave me a proposal to install 31 solar panels on my home, which would have reduced my electric bill from $230/mo. to $70/mo., but the out-of-pocket costs were around $50,000. That's after an estimated $20,000 in solar energy tax credits. To me, it just didn't make sense-financially speaking. Have you done anything to reduce your utility bills? Thanks!
I didn't notice an increase in my electric use. Could be I'm not taxing my humidifier as much as you. As for solar, I've looked into it a few times in the past. Solar panels have just now reached a positive ROI. But our lot has enough shade from Neighbors trees to not make it an intelligent investment yet. My purpose for solar panels would not be specifically for reducing my electric bill but to ensure I have access to keep the refrigerator and a minimal number of outlets running during an extended outage. So I would have to include a storage device.
@@VincentSmith1776 That's actually a really good idea. Right now, we use a portable gasoline generator that we plug in to our master panel, but our power rarely goes out. One surprising thing about the solar quote we received is it didn't include batteries, which kind of sucked. So, basically, we wouldn't have been totally off the grid, which is what I was hoping for. Batteries were available, but that would have been an extra $16K.
Reviews say the power use is very high, and this really increases your electric bill. In your video you skimmed over that, but I think it's a bigger deal than you mentioned.
@@VincentSmith1776 I would certainly be interested in knowing what this did to the power bills. My HVAC contractor is pointing me in this direction over the cool water pad models. I absolutely agree with you about the crawdads and bass growing in there. So, sounds legit, but cost of operation is certainly a factor for me.
@DurtyMax_AT4 - I looked up my power bills and come to find out Dominion doesn't keep records over 15 months on my account website. So unfortunately I don't have the data. But I can tell you my bills for the 3 months after installation were $77 (Feb), $81 (Mar) & $71 (Apr) for each prior month's usage. With gas heat, I would have a hard time believing the bill would ever be under $40-50. My current bill, for the month of Oct, 2021 is $39 but I just turned the humidifier on about halfway thru Oct. If you remind me in a month or two I can update but I do not have the data prior to installation. However - The cartridge type humidifiers are just a M&M Farm IMHO (Mold and Mildew Farm). While this unit created steam which at atmospheric pressure is much too hot to promote growth of anything. Assuming you ensure it is not creating condensation in the ductwork. Another viewer mentioned using a humidity sensor downstream of the manifold to cut off the humidifier if the humidity breached an acceptable level. I have had a cartridge type humidifier in the past and will never go back to it after using this unit.
@@VincentSmith1776 adding a UV light should take care of the mold & bacteria problem, and I'm seeing people use those in conjunction with the evaporative pad humidifiers.
Hey - I found my winter electric bills in a spreadsheet where I had been keeping track. 2019 Feb - $44 Mar - $44 2020 Feb - $59 Mar - $47 Apr - $45 Installed humidifier Dec 2020 2021 Feb - $77 Mar - $81 Apr - $71 So from this, while it is around a 65% increase the percentage is only so high because our winter elec bill is small with gas heat and cooking. The fridge and clothes dryer use the majority of the elec energy in the winter. Looking at sole dollars cost it looks to average around $1/day. Now, this is certainly not definitive data based on one year's records post-installation. But it certainly shows the energy cost is not exorbitant. Hope this helps!
youre wrong about the wiring diagram. the 208v portion of the diagram is showing connections for a high leg in a 3-phase system. phase B to neutral would deliver 208v as L1 and N. it could also be wired phase A to phase C as L1 and L2 for 208v, hence the “/.”
Sorry you're actually wrong as well.. there is no 3-phase option for this humidifier model. It is meant for residential systems which are almost always single phase L1-L2-N setups. The wiring diagram is correct as drawn by manufacturer. L1-L2 is for 208/240v installations and disregard N... While in 120v installations you are hooking up L1-N and disregarding L2.
Trying to understand why you feel $3000 was expensive when it included the unit and materials. As you mentioned the unit was $700 and you spent $300+ on materials and it took you 24 hours (3 days) to complete. It seems like paying the $2000 to a licensed plumber and licensed electrician with apprentices is fair for it to be complete in a half of a day. I get it that you feel "qualified" but remember the old adage of Good/Fast/Cheap you can only pick two. You chose Good and Cheap so it won't be Fast . So I guess you feel that your time is worth about $80 per hour which would have been about the same as hiring the pros to have it done faster. The $300 bid obviously didn't understand the scope of work. LOL BTW did you get it inspected by the AHJ? Not trying to be negative here just a different opinion of expensive I guess. Good video and look forward to more. Thanks!
Well, first ... you aren't wrong lol. Primarily, it was just too much for me to pay knowing it really wasn't that difficult. My OCD is what cost the 3rd day. I likely could have done a less OCD job and finished in 2 days. But, if I were a professional, outfitted with a work utility body truck, properly stocked for the job, no trips to the store would have been necessary. An experienced pro could have finished this in less than a shift as you said. I suspect the price was inflated due to CoVid and them being the only folks in town willing to take the job. Just my suspicion, bolstered by my experience having installed it. i was a Class A contractor at one time (still a licensed Qualified Individual in VA) and know materials have a burden applied. So I'd be paying a premium on the materials, as the contractor would be getting a better rate on them than I would - total likely $1,000 ish. Leaving $2,000 for labor. That was too high for me. I decided I could install over 4 of these for less than the $3,000 quote. Quite possible that's what the going rate is, but was just more than I was willing to let go of for my time. I saved $2,000 for a long weekend's work and gained the education to know intimately how the device is installed, that it's installed right, and how it operates. To address the quotes around you saying I feel "qualified", I am a licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia working on my own home. I've plumbed and wired new homes under construction. I've built homes from the ground up (with family contractor) as learning experiences. So, I'm not offended, and I get it, a lot of folks would say the same "I'm qualified", but I am. No offense taken. And from the way you write, and use of AHJ, I suspect you are as well and really appreciate your points. In my AHJ, as long as I'm under 600v & 800a & 3 stories, I'm exempt. To sum up - my OCD's fault! LOL! Glad to have you here man!
$3000 is expensive. This is a 4 hour job at the most for a qualified person who knows what they are doing. Unfortunately there not enough qualified labor to fill the gap between outrageous price and reasonable prices.
your supply line for the cold water is behind a valve, so you have no way to maintain that unless you shut down the whole house water supply at the main. I get it though, you didn't have much room to decide otherwise.
All the houses in my neighborhood were plumbed weird. The main cutoff is in the hall bath under the sink. Which does actually make it easier to shut off the house at the meter.
@@konnorwillison5361 yes it would. I believe the unit is max 16A at 240. 12/2 with a 20 Amp circuit breaker is the right size, but, consult your local codes and hire a licensed electrician
I agree with both of you regarding consulting an electrician. Most people are neither qualified or comfortable and should not attempt this installation without hiring necessary professionals.
You don't show the connections and the thermostat wires..you jumps to many steps, connections the copper, thermostat, connections of the wires in furnace.
Because all of those connections will be specific to what type and brand of furnace you have. Anyone without the knowledge and training to understand those connections, I strongly recommend they hire a licensed professional.
For anyone who has purchased one of these units. I just received a recall notice for these if you have a specific shaped electrode connector. See the details at www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Research-Products-Recalls-Steam-Humidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard
Hi, Vincent:
My unit Fill light is red now. What do you think it was caused? Do I have to change the canister? I was waiting for the trouble shooting part.😂
@@hongyuguo5505 The canisters are intended to be replaced every year. But if your water is harder or has a lot of iron in it that might not even last a full year.
The tips at the end made this a breeze installing! And you saved me some money on wire! You sir, are THE man!
Glad I could help!
One of the greatest unboxing/ install videos I've seen in a long time. Answered a lot of the same questions I had. Installing mine this weekend!
Thank you! 🇺🇸
Glad I could help
I installed the same Aprilaire 800 a few years ago. It's been a fantastic unit with very little maintance.
Finally had to put a new canister in it after 3 years.
I try to take the canister out every month or two during the winter to clean out some of the mineral build up with white vinegar and shaking/agitation. Pull the black screen out of the bottom of canister so chunks of mineral deposits can get out easier.
At the end of the winter season I give the canister a more vigorous vinegar cleaning.
I tried using CLR the first time. I do not recommend CLR. No amount of rinsing will get it all out and when it goes back into unit and gets hot it starts sending CLR vapors through HVAC. A few forced canister drains and refills letting the canister get hot between drains got it all out.
Have not tried the included model 62 controller. I have it wired up to an Ecobee thermostat.
I've been curious how well the model 62 controller decreases humidity target as outdoor ambient temp drops.
Ecobee handles this for me using weather data from internet.
I tried to run it off 120v at first but could not get enough current and kept tripping a fault code. Changed to 240v 11.5 amps and has been working great since.
I added a Nortec 2548732 On/Off Humidistat a few feet downstream that will cut power to the humidifier if something goes haywire and water starts condensing inside the hvac ducts. It has an digital adjustable trip limit. Watched ebay for a while and found a new unit for a good price.
As a test I even set unit to 240v 16amps with blower motor only, no heat and could not get humidity high enough in the duct work to be a concern. Currently have Nortec humidistat set to cut power if duct humidity rises above 85%. I would have to check my numbers again but I think it was only up to 60-65% inside the duct under this max output with no heat condition.
Hey Kevin, thanks for the tips. Especially about cleaning out the canister. I'll put that on my PM calendar.
You asked about the RH drop with temp. I made sure to monitor that and should have talked about it in the video. We had a night that went down to the upper 20's and the 62 control board was measuring 31% when it was at 41% the previous day in the 40's. So it seems to be working. Our house was built in 88 without house wrap, so I want to make sure we don't get condensation inside the exterior walls.
Good Tip. Let me confirm when you remove the canister, can you open the canister and scrape the mineral deposits or do you have to clean this though the small inlet hole at the top
The reason they don't use a wiring diagram like you suggest at 31:55 is because if a field technician is told to connect 240v to it but sees a diagram indicating terminals for L1/L2 and neutral, they may assume it's not compatible with 240v. The slash indicates either/or, never both. Any qualified tech should know not to connect a leg to neutral. Likewise, on your diagram, I'd know better than to connect both legs to the same terminal, but I'd be very apprehensive about connecting a leg to a terminal strictly marked neutral. The factory diagram tells me that it's compatible with both voltages, but I'd still use some critical thinking to check for any configuration differences and see if there's a transformer that needs different taps connected. Otherwise, great video.. definitely helped me out as an HVAC tech
Glad I could help!
@@VincentSmith1776I watched again, realized I wasn't fully paying attention. I need to turn my brain on lol. You suggested that there should be two distinct diagrams, which would be the best way to avoid confusion. Now that I actually listened to what you said, I agree 100%
@@redmanaaron97 We engineers tend to overthink things a little bit. Nothing. We love more than a good spreadsheet or a better diagram 😂
Great video! One question, though. Since there's no trap in the 3/4" PVC drain line, and presumably no trap in the vent pipe (or the vent pipe is on the sewer side of whatever trap is there), have you noticed any sewer gas smell coming back through the canister and into the conditioned air ducts?
That caught my eye as well as I think even just draining into a vent may be prohibited or at least not advised. We also have the untrapped sewer line you mention as well. These issues aside a really helpful video.
In thinking about it more, though, the water in the canister is going to block any sewer gases from getting into the airstream. I went ahead and put my drain in the same way.
@@DaveNieweg
Incredible video! I have a couple of questions if you can help:
1). We have a basement unit and an attic unit and scissor type stairs connecting the two floors (so about 15x12 open space where first floor air can mix with second floor). If I install it in the basement unit, will humidity also reach the second floor?
2. The downstairs unit only runs for an hour a day according to ecobee. Can the ecobee separately run the humidifier with just fan in between heat cycles?
3. It’s a tight space between my hvac unit and wall but I can squeeze the steam humidifier inside with an inch on each side to spare. Or I can install it recessed in between the studs. Anything wrong with doing it this way?
Thanks!
1- very unlikely to even be minimally effective.
2- well maybe you could, you would significantly risk condensation inside your ductwork. You should not do this. The humidifier should only run when the heat is running. If you need to add humidity to the house without the heat running, I would recommend a different type of humidifier.
3- as I recall, there is a minimum clearance on each side of the unit that was more than an inch. You should download the manual and see what it says. While it might fit physically components like this frequently need room for ventilation and heat dispersion.
Awesome video with tons of critical tips. Crystal clear
Thank you
Thank you. By far the best review and install description for this model humidifier.
Glad to be of help!
Informative video. I was waiting for the electrical and water consumption part.
Very thorough explanation, much appreciated sir!
Glad I could help! 🇺🇸
Great video. I have one of the mold maker type systems that sort of worked. I will be installing one of these after watching your video. Well done.
Hope I was of some help.
Definitely agree, steam is the way to go. No telling what could find a home in room temperature water evaporator.
good vid im installing this exact unit next week Thanks!
Great video. I'm having a house built with two separate HVAC systems, so builder is recommending two of these units at $2800 each, including installation. I'm considering installing them myself to save some cash. I installed an Aprilaire 760 on a previous house, which was not too difficult, so this one doesn't seem like a big climb. Your video is great, although I wish you had also included the steps for connecting the humidistat and all of the electrical connections. Thank you.
You're welcome, glad I could be of some help. If you're building new, make sure they put in a water supply and a drain trap specifically for your units.
What an incredibly clean install. Thanks!
That's the good and the occasionally bad thing about OCD lol
@@VincentSmith1776 the bending of the 1/4 copper and the way the drain blends into the drywall. *chefs kiss*
Good instructions, could the model 62 be mounted next to the humidifier?
It must be mounted on the duct upstream of the furnace as it has a humidity sensor on its back that protrudes into the duct.
I have a honeywell similar unit and at end of season I remove boiler and add hot water and sulfamic acid for cleaning distiller
Let it soak for a day and rinse real well a lot of rust etc out and reinstall
got two seasons so far but keep a new unit on hand
Excellent walkthrough and details.
Thank you, hope it helps you.
Thank you for this very informative video! Answered a lot of questions for me. I have a houseful of neotropic exotic birds that require humidity and use the small hot mist units by Vicks. Nothing else has been as good but it gets tedious maintaining them and they only last about a year or two before they crack or need replacement. Have you noticed a hike in your water / energy bills? I am on the fence for installing because I’m unsure about generating an additional 1000 gallons of water/ month for this… we’re pretty conservative & see it would a luxury for the whole house to have humidity. It doesn’t sound very energy efficient having to run the fan blower around the clock. Right now the personal humidifiers only take up 2 gallons per day but I have to keep refilling them and then cleaning them out with vinegar mix once a week.
We didn't see a "holy crap" change in our water use or electric use. Can't say they didn't go up, but not enough to notice. As for the blower, it doesn't use enough electricity to worry about. 90% of your electric bill is from resistive elements (stove, dryer, etc.) and compressors (AC, heat pump, refrigerator, etc.)
Glad I can help.
The breaker panel only allows a certain number of total circuits due to NEC. In older versions of the code the max number was 42 circuits which included the main. The size of the enclosure also affected the number of wires, wire fill, etc. So to make a long story short, the enclosure that your breaker panel is in is UL listed for approximately 30 circuits, hence the limit on mini breakers.
Also, the nomenclature on the circuit board in the unit indicating L1 and L2/N is very common. They assume an electrician understands.
About the controller tying into the existing t-stat wires, I assume the humidifier is only allowed to run when the AHU fan is running?
#electrospeak 👆
I get that about the schematic, but as a frequent technical writer it just comes off as lazy when they have separate schematics for each voltage to not change each schematic to match the requirements of that voltage. Just me being picky lol.
And yeah, the 62 Controller won't run the humidifier call without running the fan and also has a cool-down cycle to clear any steam remaining in the ductwork.
Ditto the comment about L1 and L2/N...
As an installer & service tech its refreshing to see an engineer call out other engineers for bad designs. 😅
😂 that's what we do lol
Thinking about getting one for my house. Do you smell Amy sewer gas, the way the drain line is connected to your stack i didn't see any trap.
There's a trap downstream from where I connected but you couldn't see it in the video.
@@VincentSmith1776 have you been happy with the unit. I'm leaning towards getting one, honeywell makes one as well.
I'm completely happy with it. As long as it made it about 8 or 10 years. I would replace it with the same unit if it broke.
Does the outdoor sensor optional?
I suppose you could choose to bypass it. But that could result in condensation forming in the house and inside the walls of your house. I strongly recommend using it per the instructions.
@Vincent Smith Thank you🙏
@Vincent Smith Thanks for the great video! I am having one installed this week. The passive humidfiers (like the AprilAire 600) just don't cut it. (And honestly, the design is like a glorified whole house swamp cooler. Lol).
And you are right about the standing water and moist filters. I drew the line when I found crawdads and bass in my ductwork. Lol.
Do you think AprilAire have fixed the flaws you found in the wiring diagram in the manual?
Or should I just show that part of your video to my installers?
Thanks for the compliments CC. Unfortunately I have no way to know if the manual was updated. I'd show that part of the video to your tech unless they've installed several of these before.
Nice video. I enjoyed it.
Thanks Tim. It's still running like a champ and my wife wasn't shocked by static electricity once since I turned it on. Made for a relaxing winter 😂
Hi there, thank you for this video it was very informative! I’m building a house in NW South Carolina and decided on this steam unit. The house is about 6000 sf with 4 HVAC units. My question might be silly but do I only need 1 aprilaire 800 for the whole house or 1 for each unit? Thank you
You'll likely need one on each heating unit. Check the Aprilaire charts for coverage specs.
Great video 🎉. If this humidifier working only with heat on or it’s also working with fan on?
It should not run without the heat going or you risk the moisture condensing on the inside of the duct work if your duct work is in an unconditioned attic space like mine.
This is a great install Vincent. I just installed the same unit. I pretty sure the amperage 'pull' is determined by the mineral content of your water. I'm using the 240 VAC setting and pulling any where from 4.8A to 6.7A. nothing higher. I know you said you you didn't have an amprobe. This is acceptable power consumption. IMO.
Thanks Hazmat, I'm sure more viewers will get good use of your Amp draw info.
Do you think the dispersion tube can be installed on the return duct? My supply duct just doesn’t have much room for the absorption distance between the furnace and the branches to different zones….
No, you'd be injecting steam into the furnace affecting its operation. Plus, the air in the return is cooler thus risking condensation in the duct and HVAC
Aprilaire does allow installation in the return. They have a training video for this on TH-camz
@@xincai951 still a bad idea IMHO
Super helpful, thank you for this. Made me laugh when you mention your 32% humidity was too dry - my house is @18% at the moment... got to love Canadian winders! Looking forward to getting this thing running!
Glad I could help
Great Info， Vincent. , why did you need to modify the breaker panel? I was thinking i can just simply plug it into the 110v socket and it is done? ( just like any appliances), am I misunderstanding anything?
I won't say that wouldn't physically work, but I suspect it won't meet code (may depend on your location and governing electrical codes). The manual does require a disconnect switch be installed between power line source and the humidifier. Also, the unit is not built for a power cord, it has electrical access knock-outs. As is typical with appliances like this, little electrical installation guidance is able to be included from the mfr because of varying electrical codes in areas where this could be installed.
You're not gonna get 240V from a 120 V outlet...
@@cleansebob1 oh yeah I actually added a 240 breaker
On Cuter Hammer, Siemens, Eaton, and Square D Homeline residential style 2 in 1 piggyback breakers, the only thing stopping you from installing the breaker anywhere you want in the panel is a little bit of extra plastic on the breaker itself. Just compare it to a regular breaker and you will spot the difference. With that plastic there, you won't be able to push the breaker all the way down into the slot on a space that isn't designed for it. When I need to install a piggyback in a slot that won't support it, I just break that part off with a screw driver. On a GE style panel like you have that only accepts the half size breakers instead of the standard piggyback, your just out of luck and have to install them only where you can. I believe GE is the only brand still in production that does the skinny breakers.
I need to have my air handler on high speed when the Aprilaire 800 is set on "blower" mode to humidity the air when heat isn't needed. My basement is cold, and without the blower on high speed, the humidity collects in the metal ducts and drips onto the floor. I've had three carrier-certified technicians come out an no one can figure out how to do this. I'm fine if the blower is always on high speed for heating and separately controlled humidification. Please advise if you know how this can be done. Thank you
First I'd say to contact Aprilaire. But my engineer brain says this system is not intended to run without the heat running as the heated air in the duct is needed to evaporate the steam.
This is the benefit, I believe, of a steam humidifier. My issue is that I don’t run my heater enough to get my humidity to 35% or so. I have the Aprilaire 700 hooked up to heated water but it doesn’t cut it. The steam will run on just fan without a call for heat.
@@taylorhudson166 that could be a benefit. I don't know what climate you're in but I'm in a zone where it occasionally freezes but coastal, so nobody here has basements. Thus most of our hvac equipment is in unheated attic spaces. So the only type of humidifier that can be used is a steam unit. A drum, etc type unit in the attic would freeze up. But with the steam unit in conditioned space that's not a risk.
@@VincentSmith1776 yeah I’m in Colorado fortunately for me my install will be a half day job (fingers crossed) instead of three. Redoing my basement, going to add a floor drain right at my furnace so I can ditch my condensate pump and a 100 amp sub panel for added sump pump, radon pump, humidifier, and a couple of branch circuits for bathroom etc. I’m sure you know this, but I’d ditch that saddle valve and solder in an actual valve. Those saddle valves are prone to failure. The 1/4 turns are nice but for the humidifier I think I’d do a full turn style to control flow a bit and maybe cut down on water hammer. Just a thought.
@@taylorhudson166 I do agree regarding the saddle valve. Typically I don't use them. But I did on this installation for three reasons. First I was a little pressed for time. Second I had very little space to the wall and doing any other type of connection would have meant cutting into the drywall. And lastly I wanted to actually show the installation the way Aprilaire intended.
Great video, i have just installed mine but im stuck on the wire connection, my thermostat has an R i+ i- C connection, and the 800 calls to connect on G and fan on the thermostat..?? how was in your case?? i have a Lennox heat pump.
Sorry, I can't help you with that. I have also changed my thermostat since then and don't remember how that affected the wiring. I wouldn't want to give you the wrong info.
Vincent..I am considering installing the Aprilaire 800 Steam Humidifier. I noticed you ran the drain from the humidifier to a vertical vent stack instead of exiting outside. Is it ok to do so....Marcus
Yes, either is acceptable.
Very nice informative video. Thank you
Glad I could help 🇺🇸
I just had one installed last week, it was installed wrong by a company here in VA. What was the run of copper pipe? I’m trying figure out how to get this fixed. Tjx
Not sure I understand your question - the run? If you mean the maximum length the stem pipe can be the thing to consider is the longer the pipe the more reduced the capacity is. Look over pages 12-13 at assets.sylvane.com/media/documents/products/aprilaire-800-865-humidifier-installation-guide.pdf
How much of an increase in electricity cost to use this?
Not a noticeable difference on our electric bill in our climate.
Hey V, do you have any recommendations for a wholehouse energy recovery unit (ERV) of about 150 or 200 MCF capacity?
I know very little about them, and I'm not an HVAC guy. I do know Aprilaire makes one and I've had good luck with my Aprilair humidifier. But I would really direct you towards the HVAC community
Just an FYI... The unit can run off 110v OR 220v. That's why the mains connection is labeled L2/N. If using 220v then that terminal is L2, but if you're using 110v, then that terminal is neutral.
I have one just like this one you have installed in the downstairs bedroom and the biggest issues I have is every time it calls for water you can hear it makes a loud racket in the plumbing system throughout the entire house I can hear it upstairs in my master bedroom as well in the plumbing that’s the biggest issue I have with the system draws water from the laundry room across the hallway which is no big deal except for the noise it makes when it turns on and off it rattles the plumbing system I need to change the tank now I’ve owned my system now it’s about five years old I run soft water in it as well as a whole house water filter system from Culligan and I think that help make this tank on the humidifier last so long but I need to figure out the plumbing issue so it doesn’t rattle the plumbing system so much when turning on and off on water demand that’s my only issue with other than that it workers perfect. I also need to change the tank inside the unit now the red light is on on the bottom indicating that it’s time to change the tank I don’t think they can be cleaned and put back in service so I think they have to be changed
Sounds like you have a water hammer issue Jerry en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hammer have a plumber address it, they have solutions.
I had the Honeywell steam humidifier installed. The HVAC guy advised running the fan continuously.
In general, you did great installation of the humidifier. There is a small issue, the steam pipe is too long. This humidifier is a kind of pressureless steam generator, the steam output pressure is less than 1000 pa, so, generally, the steam pipe is limited to 6 feet. If the pipe is too long, it may cause water to leak above from the water filling cup. If it is necessary to use a long steam pipe, for example, more than 6 feet, it is recommended to raise the water filling cup (the round cup connected to the water inlet solenoid valve at top right corner of the humidifier) by more than 4 inches. However, if you raise the cup, you need to lengthen all the pipes connected to it.....
You could be correct. But I followed the installation manual's requirements for the extended pipe and stayed within the limits of the specs.
Have you had any problems with the model 62 humidistat?
No, it's worked to its spec. But I don't like the inconvenience of having to climb up in the attic to adjust it. I've been meaning to look into how to control it (or if it can be controlled) by our Wyze thermostat. Pretty sure it can be, but too many other things pulling on my time right now.
Hey Vincent, I hope you are well. Quick question. How often do you replace your canister?
I'm not much of a chemist, but I think the minerals in your water combined with the length of your heating season and where you set your control will play big factors. Our season here in Virginia Beach is moderate in length but we like a bit more humidity than average. I clean my canister with vinegar mid-winter and at the end of the first season and am able to get a second season out of it.
@@VincentSmith1776 I hear ya.We're just down the road in Williamsburg, so we have the same weather. I just installed this last year, so I'm trying to get at least 2 years out of the canister. I'll try cleaning it using vinegar to see if I can extend it's life. I've also heard of people using CLR to clean it, but vinegar sounds safer. Thanks!
I've installed my probe and it's caused a leak on my hvac unit. Apparently the water runs down the outside of my probe and down the fiberglass return box. Instead of the drip tray catching it. It ends up dripping out on to the plywood sheet that's under the hvac unit. Any ideas why this is happening? The probe is in the proper orientation.
Can you send me a few pictures? Vbfor2a@gmail.com
Dispersion unit should be mounted in supply plenum, not return...
How big is your house that you were able to rise the humidity from 33% to 44% in an hour? I have a 2800SF house running at 11.5 amp 240v and it took forever to rise from 37% to 42%
1550sf
great video, I had a few questions, does the steamer have to be installed above the humidifier so the excess will drain back to it?
does it have to be hot or cold side for water supply?
if applicable, can you wire your humidifier into the furnace high voltage 110v?
(if so wouldn't you wire L1 to L1 (black) then L2 (white) and ground wire to ground terminal in furnace.
in my situation everything will be withing 5 ft of furnace except outdoor temp sensor
(furnace horizontal 6in off floor)
Thanks!
The steam line from the humidifier must be routed uphill from the humidifier to the manifold that you place in the duct downstream of the furnace for 2 reasons. First so it disperses the steam into the heated air to avoid condensation in the ductwork. Second, so that condensation in the steam line runs back into the humidifier by gravity.
You feed the unit from a cold water supply.
You cannot wire the electrical supply to the humidifier from the furnace. It needs a dedicated circuit from your panel box.
You need to change the drip leg on your furnace. Gas comes in the top of the t then to the furnace, the flow hits the cap and that’s what collects the sediment m
Vincent:
Do you know what could have caused the electrode wire to melt off of the steam cannister? The Aprilaire 800 was in the house when we bought it. It has worked flawlessly for the last three years. I change the steam cannisters yearly. The one that had the melted electrode wire on it was less than two months old. It had a small amount of minerals in the bottom of it.
It is on 240V power supply.
My best guess, the connection was loose causing it to heat up?
Great informative video. Isn't the humidifier control supposed to be installed in the living area? You answered every other question I had.
Thank you!
But noy, the control is designed to be installed in the duct. There is a sensor in the back of the control that senses the humidity inside the return duct upstream of the humidifier's steam manifold.
Do these steam humidifiers leave a chalky residue on everything?
We don't have that issue with ours. Do you mean on your furniture and walls? If so I would look into filtering your waterline going to the humidifier.
@@VincentSmith1776 thx for the response. Does your whole house steam humidifier run itself automatically according to the temperature outside, or do you have to manually change the settings? Also, does it operate equally well in summer and winter?
@@michaelkiese7794 we only run ours thru the winter months as the humidity in tidewater VA in the summer is adequate. There is a temp probe you have to run outside of the house connected to the controller. That limits the humidity level of the humidifier. But, proportional to where you set it. So it's still possible to over-humidity. Another commenter below mentioned using a humidity sensor in the downstream air as a cutoff to the humidifier. That is a great way to ensure you don't exceed the controlled air's ability to carry the water input. We don't have a need to set ours high enough to worry about it.
@@VincentSmith1776 I live in Virginia as well. I have a 2 story house with two separate HVAC units. I suppose I would have to have an air humidifier on each unit. Is that correct?
I think it's likely to underperform if you only used one. But it would depend on your needs and how much humidity you want to introduce. And are your zones physically separated by doors and walls.
No pea trap?
And not trying to be mean or anything. Just curious what the thought process was
That's the vertical stack from the washing machine, so there's a trap at the bottom of the run and a vent above.
And there's no peas to be trapped...:-)
Great video. Very helpful to see the install process. Does the humidifier maintain hot water all the time, or only when the furnace is running? How long does it take the water to heat after the furnace comes on?
Thank you, glad I could help. Humidifier is activated to heat the water by the controller mounted on the duct. Only takes maybe 60-60 seconds to heat. But that's really dependent on how it's wired. There are a few options for voltage and amperage input.
@@VincentSmith1776 Thanks. One more thing - the drain water is cooled to 140 degrees or less. Is the standard PVC working okay? CPVC is good to 180 degrees, but its more expensive...
@@samg545 I used standard pvc and it's holding up fine almost a full heating season later
Nice video! Do you mount the unit on dry wall? Do you need to mount it on studs? Also curious how effective it is in imcreasing the humidity!
Thank you for the kind words. As I remember I located it so that a couple of the mounting screws hit a stud. That's why it's off-center in the space. And yes, it does an excellent job - as long as you clean and replace the canister when needed.
@@VincentSmith1776 Great to hear that! Looking forward to having mine installed. How much more % humidity does this one get over the bypass ones? I was worried that the steam would condensate inside the duct..
@@tubetube6217 in theory either type of unit can raise the humidity to the same level in your home, but this unit delivers the moisture to the air much faster than an evaporative unit. The unit delays delivering steam long enough for your furnace to be delivering heated air into the duct, thus significantly reducing the chances of condensation. I have heard of people installing a limiting humidistat in the duct downstream of the manifold to eliminate that possibility.
Thank you for posting this video, is there a big difference between wiring the machine to 240v rather than 120v ? And for the 240v wiring did you need to pass a 12awg or is 14awg good enough
Hey, thank you. And yes, each step up in voltage and/or amperage yields an increase in steam per minute generation. As for what AWG is required - you have to go by your local building code requirements. Most,if not all, refer to theNEC, but I can't tell you what is required where you are, sorry.
Hey Vincent, nice job on the unboxing and review. Now that you've had the Aprilaire 800 for a few months, did you notice an increase in your electric bill? Also, why did you decide to go with the 11.5 AMP option instead of 16? And finally, do you have any operational tips for new owners? Thanks again for posting this video.
Hey Kelly - thanks!
We used if for the entire 2020-2021 heating season. Checking back to our electric bills I can see no noticeable increase. But that's also not a heating/cooling day analysis based on outside temperatures by day. A couple months were slightly higher, a couple slightly lower. I also have no way to check our gas bill (gas furnace) as were on a yearly budget plan and they only read the meter once a year. It's possible our gas usage lowered as we likely had the thermostat set lower on average. Complicating that we do run a gas fireplace occasionally for the ambiance. I don't 'feel' like our utilities increased in any noticeable amount though if that helps.
I chose the 11.5a hookup based on the age (tightness) of our home and its size. The installation manual has a chart to help you choose. You don't want to choose too high of an output for the same reason you don't install a 4 ton heat pump in a 1,000 sf house - you don't want it to short cycle. You're looking for longer periods of run time spreading the humidity out in the house more during the fan cycles. Now, I may not be phrasing all this correctly in HCAV terminology (not an HVAC expert) but I hope you get the idea.
Operational tips -
-Don't make big adjustments to the control. make an adjustment and wait a couple heat cycles. Only make adjustments based on the controller humidity readings while it is mid-cycle if your ductwork is in unconditioned space (attic, basement, crawlspace) as it is not reading the humidity level in your conditioned space. It reads the humidity inside the duct at the controller location. So the unit needs to be running the fan to be cycling air from the conditioned space to read that air's humidity.
-Clean the canister with white vinegar every couple of months. Take it out, put your hand over the bottom drain, pour in about a cup of vinegar and shake until the cathode/anode deposits are dissolved. I was surprised how muddy it looks after a few week's operation. Do this one more time at the end of the season. Credit to another viewer who left this in another comment here. I recommend looking for that comment and reading his take. It was great info.
-Make sure you don't get the humidity level in your home too high. That can be quite detrimental to your home and promote the growth of mold.
That's all I have for now. I still strongly recommend this system. My wife is very happy! LOL
@@VincentSmith1776 Wow! This is really good info. Thanks for taking the time to post it! I got a killer deal on one of these units from Amazon a few weeks ago and I just had it installed today by my HVAC company using a temporary 120V power supply. My electrician is going to wire it with 240V sometime next week. I'm looking forward to trying it out next winter. Thanks again for all of your help and advice.
@@idealynx Many people believe that the use of steam humidifiers will greatly increase electricity bills. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. Regardless of whether a steam humidifier or an evaporative humidifier is used, essentially the process of turning water into steam consumes energy. The difference is that the energy comes from electricity (steam humidifier) or gas (evaporative humidifier). Steam humidifiers use electricity to directly heat water into steam. Evaporative humidifiers allow water to absorb heat from the air and evaporate into steam. The heat of the air actually comes from gas. So, no matter what humidifier you use, energy consumed will be added to your bill. BTW, an evaporative humidifier may also greatly increase your water bill. Hahaha......
I didn't notice a trap on the drain, any sewer gas smells?
Good catch Kelly. I'm no plumber but from my perspective as long as it's in operation or the valve is shut there is no outlet for any gas to escape and I don't believe it would need a trap. In many ways the steam chamber is a trap.
Hygienic yes, but the amount of energy it uses when the element is boiling…?
It may have increased our electric bill, but not a noticeable amount. The benefits, to us, are much greater than the minimal cost to operate.
How to install on a modular home system?
This particular model should install the same way on a ducted hvac system. If your system is radiant or otherwise not ducted they have another version of the same humidifier that does not require ducts. It has its own fan. Here's a link to that model - amzn.to/3aez36c
@@VincentSmith1776 Thank you.
@@VincentSmith1776 At the very end, you mention an outdoor sensor. At no time during the installation is there an outdoor sensor installed. Does this come with the kit? Is it necessary? Please expand. Thanks Greg
Yes, it's included and required.
@@VincentSmith1776 Thanks , and great video. Ordering the 800 today
Hey Vincent, I hope you are well. I took your advice and cleaned out the Aprilaire canister with vinegar. It seems like it's working great. However, this year I noticed an increase in electricity use, which is probably weather related. My January bill went from 1352 kWh to 1598 kWh, which is nearly a 20% increase. Have you experienced the same?
I'm also looking for ways to curb my energy costs, both gas and electric. Last week, Sunrun, a leading solar company, gave me a proposal to install 31 solar panels on my home, which would have reduced my electric bill from $230/mo. to $70/mo., but the out-of-pocket costs were around $50,000. That's after an estimated $20,000 in solar energy tax credits. To me, it just didn't make sense-financially speaking. Have you done anything to reduce your utility bills? Thanks!
I didn't notice an increase in my electric use. Could be I'm not taxing my humidifier as much as you.
As for solar, I've looked into it a few times in the past. Solar panels have just now reached a positive ROI. But our lot has enough shade from Neighbors trees to not make it an intelligent investment yet. My purpose for solar panels would not be specifically for reducing my electric bill but to ensure I have access to keep the refrigerator and a minimal number of outlets running during an extended outage. So I would have to include a storage device.
@@VincentSmith1776 That's actually a really good idea. Right now, we use a portable gasoline generator that we plug in to our master panel, but our power rarely goes out. One surprising thing about the solar quote we received is it didn't include batteries, which kind of sucked. So, basically, we wouldn't have been totally off the grid, which is what I was hoping for. Batteries were available, but that would have been an extra $16K.
You are right that’s the best humidifier , but saddle valve i don’t like , its good to put compression t with valve
Absolutely agree, and I have that on my to-do list.
Reviews say the power use is very high, and this really increases your electric bill. In your video you skimmed over that, but I think it's a bigger deal than you mentioned.
I'd have to review my winter electrical bills, but I can assure you it's worth it to keep my wife happy! 😂
@@VincentSmith1776 I would certainly be interested in knowing what this did to the power bills. My HVAC contractor is pointing me in this direction over the cool water pad models. I absolutely agree with you about the crawdads and bass growing in there. So, sounds legit, but cost of operation is certainly a factor for me.
@DurtyMax_AT4 - I looked up my power bills and come to find out Dominion doesn't keep records over 15 months on my account website. So unfortunately I don't have the data. But I can tell you my bills for the 3 months after installation were $77 (Feb), $81 (Mar) & $71 (Apr) for each prior month's usage. With gas heat, I would have a hard time believing the bill would ever be under $40-50. My current bill, for the month of Oct, 2021 is $39 but I just turned the humidifier on about halfway thru Oct. If you remind me in a month or two I can update but I do not have the data prior to installation.
However - The cartridge type humidifiers are just a M&M Farm IMHO (Mold and Mildew Farm). While this unit created steam which at atmospheric pressure is much too hot to promote growth of anything. Assuming you ensure it is not creating condensation in the ductwork. Another viewer mentioned using a humidity sensor downstream of the manifold to cut off the humidifier if the humidity breached an acceptable level.
I have had a cartridge type humidifier in the past and will never go back to it after using this unit.
@@VincentSmith1776 adding a UV light should take care of the mold & bacteria problem, and I'm seeing people use those in conjunction with the evaporative pad humidifiers.
Hey - I found my winter electric bills in a spreadsheet where I had been keeping track.
2019
Feb - $44
Mar - $44
2020
Feb - $59
Mar - $47
Apr - $45
Installed humidifier Dec 2020
2021
Feb - $77
Mar - $81
Apr - $71
So from this, while it is around a 65% increase the percentage is only so high because our winter elec bill is small with gas heat and cooking. The fridge and clothes dryer use the majority of the elec energy in the winter. Looking at sole dollars cost it looks to average around $1/day.
Now, this is certainly not definitive data based on one year's records post-installation. But it certainly shows the energy cost is not exorbitant. Hope this helps!
youre wrong about the wiring diagram. the 208v portion of the diagram is showing connections for a high leg in a 3-phase system. phase B to neutral would deliver 208v as L1 and N. it could also be wired phase A to phase C as L1 and L2 for 208v, hence the “/.”
Sorry you're actually wrong as well.. there is no 3-phase option for this humidifier model. It is meant for residential systems which are almost always single phase L1-L2-N setups.
The wiring diagram is correct as drawn by manufacturer. L1-L2 is for 208/240v installations and disregard N... While in 120v installations you are hooking up L1-N and disregarding L2.
@@45_18_9 208v is 3 phase, 240v is single phase. how can that be an option if there is no option for 3 phase, only single phase?
Humidistat device does not run accurately, you have to offset 10 points lower in order to humidifier to kicked in.
Trying to understand why you feel $3000 was expensive when it included the unit and materials. As you mentioned the unit was $700 and you spent $300+ on materials and it took you 24 hours (3 days) to complete. It seems like paying the $2000 to a licensed plumber and licensed electrician with apprentices is fair for it to be complete in a half of a day. I get it that you feel "qualified" but remember the old adage of Good/Fast/Cheap you can only pick two. You chose Good and Cheap so it won't be Fast . So I guess you feel that your time is worth about $80 per hour which would have been about the same as hiring the pros to have it done faster.
The $300 bid obviously didn't understand the scope of work. LOL
BTW did you get it inspected by the AHJ?
Not trying to be negative here just a different opinion of expensive I guess. Good video and look forward to more. Thanks!
Well, first ... you aren't wrong lol.
Primarily, it was just too much for me to pay knowing it really wasn't that difficult. My OCD is what cost the 3rd day. I likely could have done a less OCD job and finished in 2 days. But, if I were a professional, outfitted with a work utility body truck, properly stocked for the job, no trips to the store would have been necessary. An experienced pro could have finished this in less than a shift as you said. I suspect the price was inflated due to CoVid and them being the only folks in town willing to take the job. Just my suspicion, bolstered by my experience having installed it. i was a Class A contractor at one time (still a licensed Qualified Individual in VA) and know materials have a burden applied. So I'd be paying a premium on the materials, as the contractor would be getting a better rate on them than I would - total likely $1,000 ish. Leaving $2,000 for labor. That was too high for me. I decided I could install over 4 of these for less than the $3,000 quote. Quite possible that's what the going rate is, but was just more than I was willing to let go of for my time. I saved $2,000 for a long weekend's work and gained the education to know intimately how the device is installed, that it's installed right, and how it operates.
To address the quotes around you saying I feel "qualified", I am a licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia working on my own home. I've plumbed and wired new homes under construction. I've built homes from the ground up (with family contractor) as learning experiences. So, I'm not offended, and I get it, a lot of folks would say the same "I'm qualified", but I am. No offense taken. And from the way you write, and use of AHJ, I suspect you are as well and really appreciate your points. In my AHJ, as long as I'm under 600v & 800a & 3 stories, I'm exempt.
To sum up - my OCD's fault! LOL! Glad to have you here man!
I paid $2,000 for everything! Professionally installed.
@@davedobbs5269 at $2k I probably would have farmed it out. Good deal.
2k for someone to run a few wires and water tubes? Are you out of your mind? Those are some OJ Simpson lawyer hourly rates. No thank you.
$3000 is expensive. This is a 4 hour job at the most for a qualified person who knows what they are doing. Unfortunately there not enough qualified labor to fill the gap between outrageous price and reasonable prices.
your supply line for the cold water is behind a valve, so you have no way to maintain that unless you shut down the whole house water supply at the main. I get it though, you didn't have much room to decide otherwise.
All the houses in my neighborhood were plumbed weird. The main cutoff is in the hall bath under the sink. Which does actually make it easier to shut off the house at the meter.
I think you only need 12/2
Correct. Just make sure wired for 240 and not 120 (if you want 240 that is)
I should also add always consult an electrician. And that 12/2 on a double pole 20amp breaker would typically not pass inspection.
@@konnorwillison5361 yes it would. I believe the unit is max 16A at 240. 12/2 with a 20 Amp circuit breaker is the right size, but, consult your local codes and hire a licensed electrician
I agree with both of you regarding consulting an electrician. Most people are neither qualified or comfortable and should not attempt this installation without hiring necessary professionals.
@@konnorwillison5361 why would it not pass inspection???
You don't show the connections and the thermostat wires..you jumps to many steps, connections the copper, thermostat, connections of the wires in furnace.
Because all of those connections will be specific to what type and brand of furnace you have. Anyone without the knowledge and training to understand those connections, I strongly recommend they hire a licensed professional.