I'm hoping to install a whole-house humidifier while I'm off for Thanksgiving this week, so I'm trying to get an idea of the different steps needed for a DIY installation. I've been considering the HE260A and HE360A, but I'm leaning towards the HE260A since I have a little bit more room for mounting on the return duct. Does anyone think I have room on the outgoing duct to mount the HE360A, and if so, would you suggest using that instead?

Some specific questions:
1. Does it look like I have room to install the HE360A model (which I believe requires installation on the outgoing air duct)? If so, would anyone recommend this over the HE260A? If so, why?

2. Am I going to run into any problems with FlowGuard Gold CPVC supply lines and standard PVC pipes for drain lines? Are there any special adapters I need to consider here?

3. I'd like to hard wire the humidifier to turn on only when the blower is running. I believe I've found the correct attachment points (basically on the switched side of the pressure switch and the common line) for the line that runs to (I'm guessing) the humidistat, and I've indicated them (twice, actually) on the schematic. It looks like the schematic indicates these are 24v lines; can the humidistat handle this direct connection?

4. If I'm going for the hard wire approach (and thus don't need a sail switch), are there any compelling reasons to get the installation kit? I've seen a few lists of parts in other posts, but would really appreciate it if someone could let me know what each part is needed for, as I don't know HVAC lingo (I'm a software programmer!). Is it cheaper to buy the kit, or individual parts?

5. Does basic operating power for the humidifier come from a standard 110v wall plug, which is left connected all the time (at least, while in season)?

6. I roughly sketched what I thought is needed over top of a picture of my HVAC room. Do I have the basics correct? I've tried to indicate the hot water supply (red lines) from above going to the humidifier, the drain pipe (blue lines) going down to the floor drain, the bypass pipe mounted onto the outgoing/heated vent to pull air into the humidifier, and the 24v line running from the furnace (from the pressure switch) to the humidistat (which I assume I'd mount a couple feet above the humidifier to get readings from the air farther back on the return). I'm also planning on bending the existing gas vent over a little to make more room for the bypass. Does that seem reasonable or are there reasons I should avoid doing that?

I appreciate any responses or suggestions! If it wasn't obvious based on my (possibly stupid) questions, I haven't purchased the actual humidifier yet.

 

I think the 260 will be a better fit due to space you got. Also the 360 is an added noise, and things that could go wrong.

Is the CPVC is what you have in your home for the main water lines? Or is that what you are planning on using to supply the water to the humidifier?

With what the wire diagram is showing, it will only come on with the call of heat, not when the fan running. With the heat only is best. The humidistat can handle this.

When you wire the 260 to the furnace pressure switch, you won't need the "kit", just buy the bypass duct, copper supply lines (ice maker kit) and wires you need.

The 260 won't need 110v. Getting it's 24v from the pressure switch.

Yes.

This how it be wired up.



One wire from the humidistat will go to the pressure switch, and other wire from humidifier goes to C on the board.

 

Thanks for the confirmation on the HE260A. Do you agree that I should mount it roughly where I indicated on the return air?

My house has CPVC FlowGuard Gold pipes for hot and cold water supply. The drain lines coming off of the A/C and hot water heater drain pain appear to be regular PVC. I was going to follow that same pattern, but your question made me stop and think for a second. I then looked at the detailed picture on Amazon of the installation kit, and noticed the pipes appear to be small flexible clear tubing. Is there some sort of adapter/T joint I need to pick up to connect that? Is it possible to connect a CPVC pipe directly to the humidifier, or is that a bad idea?


Just so I'm clear, you're saying if I connect the humidistat to where I had indicated with the yellow arrows, the humidistat will only turn on when the heat is enabled and the humidistat indicates more humidity is needed in the environment. This seems to be precisely what I want, but I just want to be sure.

I'm assuming the bypass duct will just be a standard duct in the length/shape that I need for my particular scenario. You mention copper supply lines; is that the only option for the incoming water line?

Thanks for that clarification. I didn't know the whole unit ran off the 24v line.

Thanks. That's a useful diagram.

 

You are good there.


Wow, that is unheard of around here. It's all copper, or PEX in newer homes.

There's a saddle valve that saddles onto the copper pipes... I am not sure if CPVC will work? I think it can???? otherwise, you can put a CPVC "T" on the line, and then do a 1/2" thread, and thread a shut off valve with 1/4" compression fitting to supply the water to the humidifier.

Yes. The two "screws" on my drawing will be your hook up point on the furnace..


Yes, they are standard 6" duct fittings.

I like the copper line better than the flex/plastic that comes in the kit. I've heard too many leaks from these flex/plastic lines.

 

Here are a few shots of my completed installation. I went with the simple plastic tube since I didn't have a torch/solder handy, but if I notice any leaks I'll swap that out. Comments or suggestions welcomed!

 

Looks good!

Did you put in a damper to close off the air flow in the summer?

 

I put in a baffle on the outgoing air side. I wasn't thinking about the final position of the duct, so I put the lever on the left side of the hole. It's still perfectly usable, but it's not obvious from the pictures that it's actually there (though if you look carefully you can see the shadow of the lever in the first picture).

 

Good. When comes spring, make sure you clean the unit and replace the pad.

 

Good Job.

Flow guard gold as far as I know is not used in NJ anymore. Leaks bad cracks. House pressure usally causes leaks. Pipe cant hadle pressure. The name sound good though I think the inspectors woulf fail this pipe in NJ.

THIS IS A CONCERN

Looks like dryer vent for your funace vent. That is illegal here in NJ. I would think where you are also. Should be b vent. It may be chiminey liner but I dont think its right. I have to go find my code book. Hope you have a co2 detector. Be careful Please. Find out and change asap.

Mike NJ

 

Mike,

From what I can tell it is the right vent, there are flex style B-Vent.

 

Question on this diagram.

I have a Comfortmaker with a 115 VAC Hum and EAC and two N terminals.

So you are saying just to wire the red to the HUM terminal and the white to the EAC? Then wire nut it the rest of the way according to your diagram? I assume it does not matter which wire you connect to which wire at the humidifier, as long as both reds connect to the humidistat.

 

No, wire the transformer to either HUM or EAC. I'd suggest HUM.


Once the transformer is wired up, wire as you see in the drawing.

 

Transformer has two wires, both one white one black, then it has a hot and NEC on it to connect the wires.

Can I just skip the transformer and just wire it to the furnace?

 

NEC?



If the HUM on the board is for sure 24 volts, then yes you can wire it right to the board.

 

The transformer that came with humidifier has two wires, one black and one white. Where the screws are to connect the wires, it reads LOAD above one screw and the letter R is to the left of the screw, and the other screw is labeled NEC and has the letter C to the left of the screw.

Going back to your earlier statement about being sure my HUM is 24 volts, I looked inside and nowhere does it say the HUM is 24 volts. IT does say EAC+HUM 0.8 A max combined, and does say elsewhere 24 VAC, 60 MZ.

Furnace is a Comfortmaker model NUG9075FGB1.

I was going to try and use the supplied wire and wire directly with the red to HUM and the white to N.

 

Put a meter on HUM and ground, and see what it reads. I am not able to find a manual online for this model.

 

I decided to try and wire it directly to the furnace, so I put connectors on the red and white wires, and hooked the red to HUM and the white to N, and wired the rest as you said in your diagram.

Furnace kicked on, I turned the humidistat up, and it clicked and water started to flow. Then it stopped and hasn't flowed since. Furnace is still running, but no humidifier action.

 

I actually have the manual, just found it. It says for humidifier, do not exceed 115V/0.8 amp max current load for both HUM and EAC. For connection of humidifier, break tabs and connect to HUM and N, as I ended up doing.

It worked initially, but no longer works.

 

Your HUM is 115 volts. I'd say you burned the valve up with out checking the HUM as I asked you to do. :-( Time to replace the valve.

 

jstricker, Can you give me a list of parts that you used to go from your CPVC pipe down to the 1/4" tubing for the water feed to the humidifier? I went to home depot and they don't have anything helpful without buying about 4 different parts to transition from 1/2" cpvc and then ultimately to 1/4" barb. Thanks for any help.

 

Looks like he has

1/2" CPVC female end.
1/2" brass male down to 1/4" compression (they are in small bags by brass fittings)
1/4" ice maker supply line (Copper or pex)

I can get the SKU for you if needed.

 

Jay. I am definately a plumbing newb so any more information and exactly where I can get it would be greatly appreciated. The problem with me is I know what I need but I just don't know what they are all called.

When you say 1/2" female CPVC, one end slips on the 1/2" pipe with plumber's glue but what is on the other side? Is it threaded 1/2"? If so I can get that easy enough. Next, when you say 1/2" brass male threaded to 1/4" compression: Is the threaded part on the outside of the 1/2" side? I think this is the part that is most important as I cannot find anything at HD or Lowes that goes 1/2" down to 1/4".

 

This is how it's put together. I did not get the shut off valve. sorry.



These are the parts at Home Depot.

CPVC 1/2" SKU#232-475
Brass fitting #542-261
Water Line #701-873

 

Thanks Jay. I really appreciate all your help. Now that I have the parts I just have to wait for the humidifier to come in! I'm sure I will have more questions for the forum next week.

 

Allright, sounds good! Have a great weekend.

 

Jay,

I am finally done. I ended up installing an Aprilaire 600 in automatic mode. Seems to work good. Calls for fan when it needs to spread humidity through the house even if the heat isn't running. Any way to test to make sure the outdoor temp sensor is definately working?

But the one problem I have is with the pvc to copper transition. I am leaking in the threaded male 1/2" to 1/4" compression fitting where it screws into the transition. Do I need a neoprene gasket that is sold separately? Thanks for the help.

 

You'll see the humidity level lower when it gets colder outside.

On the leak, did you use teflon or pipe dope on the 1/2" male thread?

 

This is what the install looks like. I did use teflon tape as you can see and I have that 1/2" to 1/4" compression fitting tightened up pretty good inside the transition. I am just thinking about getting one of those shutoff valves with 1/4" compression connection that are usually used for underneath sinks.

 

Did you use teflon on the 1/4" side too?

 

Jay11J
Did you use teflon on the 1/4" side too?


No I did not but that area is not leaking. The leak is coming from where the 1/2" male threads to the 1/2" female.

 

Ok, Couldn't tell if you did or not. You don't want it there.

I'd undo the fitting and only do 2 or 3 wrap of the tape.. I find if I did more than 3 wraps, it tends to leak. ONce I gave up on the tape, and use the pipe dope.

 

Jay,

I went out after work and got some plumber's dope. I wrapped the 1/2" male threads about 3 times with teflon tape and coated this with the plumber's dope. I let it dry for about 2 hours. I now have no leaks and the humidifier has been working very nicely.

A few questions:

1. I already noticed calcium deposits that are very brittle developing on the water panel. Is this normal?

2. I have the humidistat set for automatic control with the blow activation set for ON. I noticed the blow is running a A LOT! Will this wind down soon or should I just turn the blow activation OFF?

3. If I have the humidistat wired for automatic, I do not need to take advantage of my furnace's HUM terminal, correct?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Glad to hear.

Yes. that's why pads should be changed once a year.

You can set to only run with heat. I tried it once with forcing the blower on, and it saw the same results. Once I set it to heat only, then it ran less.

Not sure how you have it wired, no need to change anything, just turn the switch to the other setting so the fan isn't forced on.