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(More customer reviews)I installed the HE360A onto a new Ruud 95%+ high-efficiency dual-stage heating and cooling system and I'm controlling the unit with a Ritetemp 6080 thermostat. The humidifier works beautifully, and based upon my research with heating and cooling specialists, this unit is optimally-designed to conserve power and to protect the heating and cooling system. Bypass units (that use a piece of ducting connecting the return and supply sides of the system) rob the heating system's efficiency and will push moist air through the system. Installing this unit on the supply side of the ductwork ensures that all of the humidified air will be moved into the home, not back into the system. While this design does use more water than some other units, the savings in power and the increased efficiency of the unit will minimize its financial impact. By the way, I attached the unit to a hot water supply, not cold, as this helps the moisture to be absorbed into the heated air.
The newer Honeywell humidifiers create steam to humidify the air. While this is probably optimal for humidification purposes and should minimize the amount of water used, the amount of electricity these systems use to create the steam will definitely impact your pocketbook. From a "green" perspective, I find that water is a cheaper and more renewable resource than electrical power. The old-fashioned drum humidifier units will save water, but use a holding tray of water to soak a pad that the air travels through. If not cleaned thoroughly and often, they develop mold and mildew and that will get circulated through your house... a very dangerous and unhealthy option.
Installing this unit did prove a bit of a challenge because of it's combination with the Ritetemp 6080 electronic thermostat, which includes a humidistat. Most online "experts" say that the HE360 units won't work with this kind of thermostat/humidistat because of incompatible electrical design of the two systems. However, I'm a firm believer that anything is possible with enough research and who doesn't like a challenge? To make this work, I purchased a small 24VAC SPDT relay from Grainger, part number 4A708 (about $15) and did NOT use the installation kit recommended for the humidifier or the humidistat that was provided with the unit. Since my air handler provides 24VAC to the thermostat and the thermostat interally provides settings to determine when the humidifier will run, I used the relay to control power to the 120VAC side of the system which acts as a switch to turn the entire humidifier on and off. To accomplish this, I installed a new electrical circuit and outlet to be used solely by the humidifer. I installed the relay inside an electrical box to control the power to this outlet. Using low voltage wiring I connected the relay to the "C"ommon contact on the air handler and to the "H"umidifier wire from the thermostat. I then used a wire nut to connect the two yellow wires on the HE360, which basically sets the unit "on" any time it has power. When the air handler is running in heat mode and the thermostat determines that humidification is required, the relay is powered and provides 120VAC power to the outlet and the humidifier is turned on. When the relay loses power, the 120VAC is turned off that the HE360 shuts off. The thermostat can be set to work two ways: to run the humidifier and the air handler's blower anytime when the humidistat says that humidity is required, or to run the humidifier only when the air handler is in heat mode and the blower is running and humidity is required. I could have directly wired this unit to the air handler's power, but I chose to use the outlet so that I could unplug the unit in an emergency or for service.
I strongly recommend this unit... I've tried several of whole house units over the last 20 years and this is the first that really works. I've already helped others to install these units on their HVAC systems and all of them work great, none have had any problems and all are amazed at the difference the humidifier makes in their homes.
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Honeywell HE360A Whole House Powered HumidifierFan powered flow-thru, whole house humidification. Low maintenance. Includes PerfectFlo water distribution tray. Low water usage. Compact to allow mounting in more applications. Mounts on supply plenum. Air enters humidifier and is forced through the pad by the fan. Humidifies up to 4200 sq. ft. Uses Vista model No. 714 filter pad.
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