Humidifier - incorrect installation?

[streel]

Hi,

I just got a new Carrier oil furnace and humidifier installed. I notice that the humidifier is attached to the cold air return. Now the duct comes out of the humidifer on it's (the humidiifer's) left side. The duct then makes a u-turn and goes across the humidifier and attaches to the warm air plenum, on the oppositite side of the humidifier's duct openning. I hope this makes sense.

Does this curve in the duct hamper the flow of moisture to the warm air plenum a concern? It seems like the humidifier could simply been turned upside down then installed, with the duct just going across and attaching to the plenum.

Do I need to be concerned?

[brentplumb]

It sounds like the humidifier is hooked up properly. The duct is going to the supply like it should. Some units are reversible to make ducting easier. Your unit should work fine as installed.

[oilman52]

Do yourself a favor and buy a standing unit for the house and put it in your living room. The heat will dry that moisture out as fast as it can go in. The only time you are adding humidity is on a call for heat. What if the house is dry and not calling for heat? Opinions vary on these humidifiers,but I don't believe in them.

[nutshell]

They call them bypass humidifiers, sounds like it is installed correctly

[beenthere]

Depending on the brand of humidifier, you can turn the piece around so it doesn't run the pipe across the face of the humidifier.

But other then that, they have the general hook up correct.

[docholiday]

Originally posted by oilman52
Do yourself a favor and buy a standing unit for the house and put it in your living room. The heat will dry that moisture out as fast as it can go in. The only time you are adding humidity is on a call for heat. What if the house is dry and not calling for heat? Opinions vary on these humidifiers,but I don't believe in them.

Now now... if the water is turning into vapor and going into the air it is humidifying the air. It is because warm air has alot more allowance for moisture than does cold air that these things work. Lets experment...

If you take 70 degree air at 30% relative humidity and heat it up to 120 degrees you now have a relative humidity of 6.42%, this will certainly absorb any moisture in the air stream (humidifier pad). Lets say we increase that 120 degree air to 15% rh. that goes into the room and cools. (Now there is mixture of air going on but for arguments sake we are trying to see if moisture is picked up) that same air cooled to 70 degrees now has an RH of 77%. They do work, it just takes a little imagination for understanding to take place. See your psycrometric chart.

Yes this isntallation is fine. Just remember to close the damper before cooling season and turn the humidistat back to the lowest setting.

[streel]

I don't see a damper. Is it suppose to be where the duct connects to the plenum? Is it bad if there isn't one? I was told just to set the humidstat to zero, if using AC.

[whitepoundog]

Doc Holiday is 100% correct. The homeowner should buy a room humisity sensor to accuratley set his humidistat. All techs should have a pocket psychrometer this will verify the operation of humidifiers and the settings of humidistats.