Whole-House Electrostatic Filters

[Brad]

Anybody know anything about these? I'm trying to get some real experiences instead of the general sales pitches on the web.

[sts324]

We have a Honeywell unit. Inline with the HVAC forced air. Works beautifully. I collect and display antiques in my home that require a lot of dusting. When we run the HVAC a lot, we notice no dust build up. During the recent fires we ran it to help clear the smoke smell from the house....it worked. The attractor element is easy to slide out and clean.....put it in the dishwasher. I am always amazed at the gunk it collects from the air.

I think consumers reports did a write up on these whole house electrostatics a few years ago and even very recently to.

[Brad]

What is the product name and what did it cost you? Is it just a replacement for the regular filter?

I'll take a look at their site as I have a friend who workds for them and can get me the subscriber-only info.

Thanks for the response, Brad

[C G]

I can get "subscriber-only info" from Consumer Reports without having a friend there. It's called subscribing. Stop being a leach and give them some money for the service they provide.

Chuck

[sts324]

It was expensive $450 or so as I recall . No it does not replace an existing filter. This is not one of those passive filters that use static to built up a charge. It has to have AC power too to run the high voltage charge plates. You have to retrofit it somehere near the intake of the HVAC fan. In my case I had the F300 Honeywell unit installed when the new HVAC system was put in.BTW my wife also turns it on when she has allergy problems like with pollen and it clears that up to.

It was an F300 i think......you can view it at the like below.

electrostatics

[Arthur Shapiro]

--> Anybody know anything about these? I'm trying to get some real

--> experiences instead of the general sales pitches on the web.

I've had the Honeywell for a few years, and to be honest I've been underwhelmed. When it failed a couple years back and I had to have the main circuit board replaced at about 2/3 - 3/4 the cost of a new unit, I had to really think twice about it. I think any subsequent failure will cause me to revert to good old high-quality traditional filters.

It does what it's supposed to, but I never sensed that it was doing anything that a normal filter wouldn't do. Maybe it would be different if I ran it

24x7, but it's on when the furnace or sporadically used central AC is on, and that's it. The house still gets quite dusty and the cat hair is still all over the place and so forth.

Art

[Tony Hwang]

That is so called electronic air filter. My Honeywell one with Lenox name plate has been working since '94. I wash them in the dish washer once per season. I don't have any other filter. And house is pretty dust free. Make sure the high tension wires don't break. Tony

[CBHvac]

Thats NOT an electrostatic unit... Thats an electronic unit, and they are not as good as a pleated element unit, such as Airbear, or even the Honeywell pleated media units. The industry likes to sell them, for profit, but for $400 you can get a whole house true HEPA, and get twice the filtration.

[CBHvac]

Are you talking about a true electrostatic filter, or an electronic filter, or a powered electrostatic filter?

Electrostatic filters, ones that actually use static electricity to filter the air, tend to work great for a very short period of time, and then start to reduce filtration. As the media starts to clog, the filtration rate goes up again, as with ANY filter, but true electronic ones. Electrostatic filters also tend to have a very high resistance, and if your air duct system is not designed to handle the added resistance, you may find that you have things like freezing AC coils later.

True electronic filters, use transformers to generate a high voltage across a grid, using in most cases, a cheaper metal pre-filter to stop the larger things from damaging the fine grid. Static resistance in the airstream is lower than most, and they are not that efficient. They also generate ozone as the particles are blasted, and as we all know, O3 is not good in the home.

The electronicly charged electrostatic filters, use the 24VAC transformer in the furnace, or air handler to charge the grid, generate no ozone and generally work better than both the above mentioned filters.

Your best filter is a pleated paper type..like Honeywell, or AirBear.

[klm]

The science behind both an electrostatic and an electronic filter I assume is to impart an electrical charge on the dust particle just before it transits the e-filter. This enables the charged dust particle to be attracted to the filter element that presumably carries the opposite charge.

Therefore in what way is a electrostatic filter different from an electronic one? Aka how do they work?

[sts324]

there isnt....that other knows not what he speaks...you are right on.

[Rob]

You seem to be knowledgable on this subject. I have a few questions that I wanted to post about this topic. I might as well ask them here:

1) Can you use 3M filters in a heat pump system? I heard that you should not. If this is wrong, which one of the 3M filters should I use? They have 3 different filters and MERV ratings. I was thinking of using the least restrictive one which also happens to be the least expensive. 2) My house uses Trion electronic air clearners with those metal pre-filters. Two units attached to the return duct just before it enters the heat pump. They are a pain in the ass to clean especially the one in the attic. Can I just turn the units off via their on/off switch on the unit's front panel and install a 3M filter in the return air grates in the ceiling? Biggest waste of money I ever spent. I should have spent the money on upgraded compressors.

[CBHvac]

Exactly....however, some of the electronic ones, tend to arc, and vaporize some of the particles..thus, creating ozone.

The electrostatic filter, simply uses static electricity from the flow of air over the grids. The electronic ones, use transformers to create the charge.

I am not a big fan of either.

[CBHvac]

Its also overpriced.

3M I have never been an advocate of. While the filters are good, for the most part, they are also retrictive as hell. We have taken dozens out of otherwise dead systems, and suddenly, they go back to working normally. You can get a filter, at WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes, or anywhere else that will work as well and not be as restrictive for about $2.

Sure can, and I know many that have done just that.

[Chris Lewis]

According to CBHvac :

The ozone is simply from the arc (in air). The dust particles are just "promoting" arcing. You don't need dust to create ozone.

I believe the electrostatic ones _can_ arc too under the right conditions.

Electricity is, um, electricity. The difference is degree.

[CBHvac]

Nope...you dont...however, the arcing is much more noticable when you have a few particles that make it past. If you have ever seen one, in a plexiglass duct for demonstration purposes, you can see what I mean.. Normally around here, we get to see one like that at a trade show about once a year, ...and if you wanna see the sales guy crap his pants, (seriously) toss a little talcum into the intake..:)