Humidifier

cleveman

I have a friend with a wife who seemed to be sick a lot, so I suggested we install a humidifier on their furnace.

I have done a couple in the past and it seemed fairly straightforward as I recall.

Now at Home Depot they have 4 different models, all from a sweet substance produced by beeswell. One model on the low end uses a drum. I ruled this out because the drum must go around and around. On the other end of the spectrum, the model didn't use a by-pass from return to supply, because it had its own fan, so I ruled it out as well. This left us with two models, separated only by capacity.

I thought if the furnace is heating the entire house, it ought to be able to humidify the whole house, so what the heck? Anyway, we went with the higher capacity.

Now comes the installation kit. I can't figure out why we can't just buy a starter collar, some 6" tube, and a few elbows, plus some drain hose, doorbell wire, etc. Inside they have this funky "sail switch" to rig up and tell the solenoid when to let water through. I guess they don't want a diy'er getting into the circuit board on the furnace.

So this is up to nearly $200 at this point. We install it, no problem. There was a trafo with the humidifier and another identical trafo with the installation kit.

My thoughts are that the sail switch is just another thing to go bad, and the installation kit is a joke, they should just post another list of stuff you need on the humidifier box. Two trafos?

I bought my previous humidifiers through a supply house, but this was New Year's day and we were just looking for a small project which could be completed with a hang over.

What are others doing for humidifiers?

flashheatingand

The bypass humidifiers are the most popular and effective for the $$.

Dr Heat

need more info what kind of furnace? age model type (gas elec. oil )

cleveman

Thanks for replying, Dr. Heat.

The furnace is a relatively new Amana 90 plus efficient natural gas.

The humidifier isn't doing much of a job, only gets the humidity up to 33%. Water is running, the media is wet. Air is flowing through the by-pass. I think he has the level set for 50%.

I thought the sail switch was pretty cheesy, but it turns on the water flow. Still think hooking into the circuit board would be more simple.

Dr Heat

I like the sail switch but there are several ways to do the same thing pm me if you are interested.

33% is not bad at 10 degrees you will start to get water on the windows if it gets any higher. It takes a long time to raise humidity if there are wood floors wool carpets or other dry things that suck up moisture.

cleveman

Thanks for the input.

Yeah, the sail switch is functioning, but I see it as just another component waiting to fail. Think it is much more simple to come off the circuit board.

I agree that 33% humidity is OK, especially when it is 18 below outside as it currently is. But this seems to be the maximum level that this humidifier will produce, set at the maximum setting.

I can remember setting mine at 60% or whatever max was, and having water rolling off the windows and having to turn it down. Even now, with a mobile humidifier independent of the furnace, I want it around 45% if I can get it there with my furnace running almost non-stop (did I mention it's -18 outside?)

So don't you think that Honeywell is an underperformer, and what causes this? Size of the filter-water disperser gizmo? It doesen't seem to be any smaller than ones I've had in the past. It can't be lack of airflow or waterflow to the water filter gizmo.

Dr Heat

I have a meeting tomorrow with the Honeywell rep. as to them being under performers. I installed 2 12gallon true steam humidifiers in a 5600 square foot dump I mean house. I can only get to 26%

There are many variables ceiling height water temp air flow etc.

Did you connect to the Hot Water Line?

cleveman

Thanks for the input. We're connected to the cold water line.