Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers - HE360, HE220A, or HE260

Looking for advice on which Humidifier to install in my home. The kids eczema is flaring up, we have dry sinuses and throats in the morning, and the occasional random bloody nose due to the dryness in winter. We have a 4900 sq ft home with dual zone hvac. One located in the attic and one in the basement.

Do I need to purchase one for each unit? If not which unit do I install it on (basement unit feeds lower level and basement, and attic unit feeds upstairs)?

The layout of the house is pretty open upstairs. There is a 2 story family room and foyer area with a bridge type hallway between rooms upstairs.

I was leaning toward the HE360 due to the power flow-through design. Which would be better? Do I need to get the kit for it?

we have dry sinuses and throats in the morning, and the occasional random bloody nose due to the dryness in winter.
How dry is the home?



We have a 4900 sq ft home with dual zone hvac. One located in the attic and one in the basement.

Do I need to purchase one for each unit? If not which unit do I install it on.
Not a good ideal to put this in the attic.. Risk of the water and drain line freezing up.

You are best to put it on the furnace down stairs.


I was leaning toward the HE360 due to the power flow-through design. Which would be better? Do I need to get the kit for it?
The 260, or 360 will work. I perfer the bypass over the powered unit.. Just less things to go wrong.

If you don't have room on the return duct for the bypass unit, and do have room on the supply, then go for the powered unit.

Depends on what model you get, and also what you have for furnace, I"ll let you know if the kit is needed or not.

I don't have anything to gauge the humidity level other than my kids skin and noses :)... But I can tell you we aren't that comfortable right now.

I ended up getting the HE360 today with the kit (just in case I need it). I don't know the model number of my furnace and can't look right now cuz im at work, but im trying to post a pic of the basement unit.http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr56/amostacc/118_1872.jpg

I can try to find it when I get home.

Only concern I had now was whether or not we will get enough humidity on the upper level where we sleep. The downstairs furnace feeds only the 1st floor and basement (don't need any moisture down there)... Thanks!

Humidity travels towards dry air. Also with your open floor plan, the heat will rise and the humidity will go with it.

Looks like you got plenty of room to mount the 360 on the supply duct above the A/C coil.

A couple things I am seeing.

-The 6" pipe from teh return drop, hope that is not the only return?

-Water line on the water heater, is that CPVC? (Not Copper)

This is actually a pic of one of my neighbors house when it was just finished. Mine is the exact model, exact unit, etc. That 6" for the return is the finished basement return, there is a MUCH larger one directly upstairs from it. Mine is basically the same just routed a little differently. But I had planned to put the unit on the left side where you see that orange gas line.

Yes it is CPVC, I was planning on using the hot water pipe to tap into. Also, ill need to install an outlet, and im planning on running an 18awg wire next to the thermostat on the main level for the humidistat (or should it go to the top level?).

Wiring is a whole other story. I bought the Install kit and im going to go out and return it tonight and just buy what I need. Hopefully get it wired in so I don't need that sail switch...

Were you planning on using a saddle on the pvc or putting in a fitting? If you are going with a fitting, be very careful about how much glue you get around and clean off all filings well and flush out the supply to the humidifier.

I can't imagine the solenoid on the humidifier will like debris any better than irrigation ones.

Was planning on using the saddle...

I returned the install kit and picked up the supplies separately minus the sail...

Im thinking I might have needed the sail after all since the HE360 has a built in transformer?

Anyway, few more pix...

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr56/amostacc/169_6958.jpg

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr56/amostacc/169_6960.jpg

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr56/amostacc/169_6961.jpg

I was going to put the unit where the 15 is on the ductwork...

Model of the furnace is: GY8S100B16UH11B

Any idea if this can be direct wired or if i will need the sail?

Where would the best place for the humidistat be? (Labor is not an issue, just want the job done right)

No, you won't need the sail switch.

The HUM is 120 volt and powers up when heat is called for. so, buy a female electrical spade, and tap on to the HUM, and common side on to the far right.

Run that wire over to the side of the furnace to wire an outlet to and plug the humidifier into that.

Then the the two yellow wires goes right to the humidistat.

As for the saddle valve, I have never see or used CPVC around here. So I don't know how well it holds up.

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr56/amostacc/Untitled.jpg

Hey thanks for all your help Jay. Just want to make sure I understand completely before I go blowing things out. Does this look right?

Correct.


Have a great thanksgiving!

CPVC is a slightly different size than regular pvc. Its been my experience that it can take a saddle, but I have only used them on larger sizes of pressurized pipe.... 1.5" and up.

He is probably using the needle "piercing" type. Just tighten it slowly by hand with the water on. Too tight and you will crack that CPVC. Do finger tight, pierce with the saddle, then tighten if you have leaks.


BTW, what did you use to make that drawing with?

Capt. made a good point about how to put the saddle valve on the CPVC.

If you see that you are not having luck with that, Home Depot carries "Shark Bite" fittings, and you can use that to put on a regular shut off valve.

What I don't understand about bypass humidifiers is the fact that air is drawn from the supply and across the humidifier. Then the moist air is put into the return line which, in my situation (highboy installation with the humidifier on the supply and the damper on the return), then has to flow across the filter element, into the furnace where it is heated up. Doesn't this reduce the humidity in the supply flow??

Doesn't this reduce the humidity in the supply flow??

It may drop some what, but not enough to make "not worth" it.

The air is already heat coming over the pad, and humidity level stays the same when it's heated up. Now if the air was cooled down and reheated, then yes the humidity will be less in the air flow.

I don't have any room to mount a unit above the AC coil. I have plenty of room on the cold air return. Can I mount the Honeywell 360 on the return? Is this even a good idea?

Thanks!

:USAF:

I don't have any room to mount a unit above the AC coil. I have plenty of room on the cold air return. Can I mount the Honeywell 360 on the return? Is this even a good idea?

You could, but it's going to have to run longer to get the humidity up since the air flow in the return is not hot to help with the water evaporation. So, more water is wasted to get the job done.

You are best to go with a bypass unit.

Thanks Jay11J. I appreciate the advice