Any benefit to adding 5-inch media filter when new system is installed?

[Mr Bill]

Then again, since my name is Robin, I get mistaken for a female often.

Yes he does! Anyone that don't laugh at this, you ain't right!

[Florida Joy]

I am not testing -
_____ You PASS All Tests!

The media (fiber glass or cut-to-fit) I mentioned has Minimal pressure drop (dP).
+ a 5" filter has such a large surface in comparison to 1" filter,
the total dP for the 5" + fiber-glass would be significantly less than the 1" filter.

OK, I see. But I just looked at my filter grill and I wouldn't be able to squeeze a media filter in between the grill and the the 1" slot that holds the pleated filter, be it a 1" or a 5", without pushing the pleated filter out of the slot and into the return cavity. I might be able to slice a media filter vertically into four 4" wide sections that would fit between the verital supports of the grill, but I don't see the point in my case.... no dogs or cats or long-haired residents in my house! LOL

[RoBoTeq]

Yes he does! Anyone that don't laugh at this, you ain't right!

That's sort of how I felt I must have looked like the next day after you took me out honky tonking

[Florida Joy]

The standard 4" filters are cheap enough that prefiltering to extend their life doesn't make much sense. Not sure how much of a premium the special 5" filters that fit in a 1" rack cost. if they are expensive it might make sense to put a 1" cheapo filter in front of them to catch the big particles. Double filter could cause a static pressure problem if there isn't enough filter area.

Here's the brochure on the Honeywell FC40R. Filters Fast sells the 20 x 20 size for $45.00. The RE Michel catalog online lists them for $67.88. Even at the RE Michel list price, changing one every 12 months wouldn't be much more than the cost of four of the Filtrete 1500 Series 90-day filters every 12 months.

http://www.filtersfast.com/FC4-Honeywell-Brochure.pdf

[Florida Joy]

Here's the brochure on the Honeywell FC40R. Filters Fast sells the 20 x 20 size for $45.00. The RE Michel catalog online lists them for $67.88. Even at the RE Michel list price, changing one every 12 months wouldn't be much more than the cost of four of the Filtrete 1500 Series 90-day filters every 12 months.

http://www.filtersfast.com/FC4-Honeywell-Brochure.pdf

I see where Flanders (a Home Depot brand) now makes a 4" filter similar to the Honeywell fc40r.

http://flandersfilters.com/special-ad/

I picked up one of the Honeywell's from Johnstone Supply to try out with my old Rheem, which has only one undersized 20"x20" return filter grill. Unfortunately, I won't be able to use it until I change out my equipment and add another 20"x20" return. Both the Honeywell and the Flanders filters are rated as MERV 10, which is too restrictive for my current setup. I put it in just to try, but the high pressure switch at the condenser tripped after a few hours use. Had to go back to the cheap Flanders MPR 4 (MERV 8) $4 filters I'd been getting from Home Depot.

[SBKold]

I dont see how a restrictive filter can
make a high pressure switch trip. unless you are running heat.

maybe the 1" pleated is actually preventing the heat transfer which causes high head.

[Florida Joy]

I dont see how a restrictive filter can
make a high pressure switch trip. unless you are running heat.

maybe the 1" pleated is actually preventing the heat transfer which causes high head.

Running A/C now, not heat. Won't need heat until maybe January, if then. It's the red button on the outside unit (13 year old Rheem heat pump) that had to be reset to get it to run. I may be mis-informed, but it's been my understanding that the red reset button relates to a high pressure switch, which was tripping about three years ago in heat mode due to a faulty TXV. Since the TXV was replaced, I haven't had to reset the red button again until I tried using the 4" MERV 10 filter earlier this week.

[SBKold]

I'm familiar with the reset. However this may mean the opposite of what you think.

The more restrictive merv 8 actually hinders air flow lowering head pressure outside.

The honeywell could be allowing more heat absorbed inside but then not being released causing high head.

[Florida Joy]

I'm familiar with the reset. However this may mean the opposite of what you think.

The more restrictive merv 8 actually hinders air flow lowering head pressure outside.

The honeywell could be allowing more heat absorbed inside but then not being released causing high head.

What you said is probably above my pay grade.... but are you saying if I took out the air filter alltogether, it would cause high head pressure and trip the switch?

So what could be the cause? FYI, I also tried using a 1" MERV 11 that I had lying around, and it tripped the switch just like the 4" MERV 10 Honeywell did.

[udarrell]

Running A/C now, not heat. Won't need heat until maybe January, if then.

It's the red button on the outside unit (13 year old Rheem heat pump) that had to be reset to get it to run.

I may be mis-informed, but it's been my understanding that the red reset button relates to a high pressure switch, which was tripping about three years ago in heat mode due to a faulty TXV.

Since the TXV was replaced, I haven't had to reset the red button again until I tried using the 4" MERV 10 filter earlier this week.

In the heating mode the outdoor condenser becomes the evaporator trying to absorb heat.

The outdoor check valve would be in closed position, the TXV needs to open; if it won't open & fails closed, the system will pump down & the low pressure switch will open.

Likewise; a very restrictive filter causes a pressure drop in the refrigerant system which could possibly reduce pressure enough to trip the low pressure switch.

It seems to me that the red reset button is probably the low pressure switch, not a high pressure switch.

It is the only way it makes sense to me & others responding to this thread.

[beenthere]

Any chance your heat is coming on at night sometimes?

[Florida Joy]

In the heating mode the outdoor condenser becomes the evaporator trying to absorb heat.

The outdoor check valve would be in closed position, the TXV needs to open; if it won't open & fails closed, the system will pump down & the low pressure switch will open.

Likewise; a very restrictive filter causes a pressure drop in the refrigerant system which could possibly reduce pressure enough to trip the low pressure switch.

It seems to me that the red reset button is probably the low pressure switch, not a high pressure switch.

It is the only way it makes sense to me & others responding to this thread.

Could be, but page 8 of the spec sheet has this button labeled as "high pressure manual reset".

http://www.allreds.net/WS2/docs/rhe/rapb_spec.pdf

[Florida Joy]

Any chance your heat is coming on at night sometimes?

No chance. Tstat is an old, very basic White-Rodgers. Changing functions requires one to manually move the switch from "cool" to "off" and then to "heat" and vice versa.

[energy star]

Does it have an "Emergency Heat" setting on the thermostat

It is a heat pump? It's not an electric furnace, correct?

What is the temp when it trips? Is it cool outside, but warm inside from the days heat gain?

[dan sw fl]

What you said is probably above my pay grade....
So what could be the cause? FYI, I also tried using a 1" MERV 11 that I had lying around, and it tripped the switch just like the 4" MERV 10 Honeywell did.

a 1" MERV 11 could probably ' trip me out' from 200 miles away.

Not sure of the specific impact from a 4" MERV 10.
I would Not use more than a MERV 8 in any case.

If I had health issues, I'd get a portable HEPA unit, that way both me and my equipment can survive.

EITHER HOSPITAL GRADE
http://www.abatement.com/patient-iso...ion-hc600f.htm

or a much more reasonable residential
http://www.aircareonline.com/portable.html

Hunter Fan
_____ replaceable filter
http://www.hunterfan.com/Air-Purifiers/

all the way down to a desk top ( which I have)
+ I did NOT say it is quiet ( some people like -white noise - to sleep by)

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HHT-...d_sim_sbs_hg_1

[udarrell]

Could be, but page 8 of the spec sheet has this button labeled as "high pressure manual reset".

http://www.allreds.net/WS2/docs/rhe/rapb_spec.pdf

Yep, it definitely indicates it is a high pressure reset button; which means something else is happening to trip it...

[Workin4TheMan]

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[Florida Joy]

Does it have an "Emergency Heat" setting on the thermostat

It is a heat pump? It's not an electric furnace, correct?

What is the temp when it trips? Is it cool outside, but warm inside from the days heat gain?

Yes it's a heat pump with emergency heat strips, not an electric furnace. Tstat settings, from left to right = cool, off, heat, emergency heat.

Changed the filter on Oct 1 to the Honeywell 4". I'd had it almost a month, but decided to "use up" the already installed filter. Went to bed, as usual, around midnight. The next morning I woke up early because it was too hot. The portable thermometer by the bed read 78*, the blower fan was running, but the compressor was not.

I don't know what time the switch tripped overnight, but the tstat was set to 75* as usual. I checked accuweather.com and the actual overnight low for Oct 1 was 75*. It rained late in the day and overnight, so the humidity was high.

First thing I tried was resetting the red button. The compressor started and the condenser fan ran normally just long enough for me to go back inside. Then it quit again. I waited a bit and then tried to reset again. It worked a minute or two and then quit again. This time I called my home warranty company and asked for a technician.

While I was waiting for a callback, I took out the Honeywell 4" and replaced it. I was out of the MERV 8 filters, but I had a MERV 11 in the garage that had moved with me from Virginia in 2009. I put it in and waited about 5 minutes before resetting the red button. Everything started up and began running normally. Then I decided to run to Home Depot and pick up some of the MERV 8 filters I'd been using. When I got back, the switch had tripped again. So I took out the MERV 11 filter, installed the MERV 8, and reset the condenser. It started running again.

By the time I returned from Home Depot, there was voicemail from the repair contractor, but I didn't call them back right away. I waited an hour or more, and when it didn't trip again, I cancelled the work order with the home warranty company and have had nice cold air ever since, with no further problems.

[Florida Joy]

Yep, it definitely indicates it is a high pressure reset button; which means something else is happening to trip it...

Like what, for instance?

[Workin4TheMan]

This is the Ask Our Pro's forum, and only Pro members that have been vetted by the AOPC may post advise here. Please apply to the AOPC today, thank you.

You can find the rules for posting and qualifications here.

Further infractions may result in loss of posting privileges.