Repair Honeywell Electrotronic Air Cleaner
#1
03-26-08, 02:38 PM
Repair Honeywell Electrotronic Air Cleaner
I have a Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner model Type F 50 E 1273 that has gone bad. One on the modules seems to have a short (crackles when powered up). I have cleaned the elements and contacts. Is it possible to repair it?
#3
01-04-10, 07:10 PM
This air cleaner is repairable, but a few furnace techs I contacted on the web forums won't repair them. Apparently they don't want to trouble shoot the unit because is can be expensive and this type of filter has fallen out of favor compared to the newer media filters.
Instead they replace the cells with a 20 x 25 x 4 inch media filter like I did when I first had the problem. Except I originally did this as a temporary fix until I could fix the air cleaner, which is looking less likely now. You can get the filter at a Home Depot or Lowes for $30. The air filter housing will fit this filter exactly, it is the same housing as a media filter but with the power box according to Honeywell. If you do this replacement make sure you shut off and tape over the air cleaner power switch. Better yet remove the power box completely to prevent a possible fire caused by the high voltage at the cell contacts. Remove the screws and unplug it from the junction box.
When the cell contacts/plates are worn one symptom is the arcing (crackling). You can repair them using the Trane contact repair kit for about $15 but you should have some electrical knowledge to do this. You can get rebuilt or new cells but they are pricey. I did this repair on both cells, tested the continuity and the air cleaner did work correctly, but then quit shortly after. I found no there was no power to the junction box. I think the circuit in the integrated furnace control board died, so I would have to get a whole new circuit board. I this point I stopped and left the media filter in place. The furnace techs may be right about working on this air cleaner.
Instead they replace the cells with a 20 x 25 x 4 inch media filter like I did when I first had the problem. Except I originally did this as a temporary fix until I could fix the air cleaner, which is looking less likely now. You can get the filter at a Home Depot or Lowes for $30. The air filter housing will fit this filter exactly, it is the same housing as a media filter but with the power box according to Honeywell. If you do this replacement make sure you shut off and tape over the air cleaner power switch. Better yet remove the power box completely to prevent a possible fire caused by the high voltage at the cell contacts. Remove the screws and unplug it from the junction box.
When the cell contacts/plates are worn one symptom is the arcing (crackling). You can repair them using the Trane contact repair kit for about $15 but you should have some electrical knowledge to do this. You can get rebuilt or new cells but they are pricey. I did this repair on both cells, tested the continuity and the air cleaner did work correctly, but then quit shortly after. I found no there was no power to the junction box. I think the circuit in the integrated furnace control board died, so I would have to get a whole new circuit board. I this point I stopped and left the media filter in place. The furnace techs may be right about working on this air cleaner.
