Washing Electonic cells

[zozz2000]

I have a Honeywell Air Cleaner. I was wondering if it is OK to wash the cells?

[second opinion]

Dishwasher works great!

[karsthuntr]

Dishwasher works great!

Don't use the heat dry though, it will bake on anything that didn't come off in the wash, air dry only.

[pacnw]

carefull using dishwasher not to break any of the small wires or cause any of the fins to get bent and touch each other. If your dishwasher tines fold down that is best.
You can also wash them outside with a hose and cleaner.

There are better filtration methods than the cells now available.

[seatonheating]

Dishwasher works great!

That's the worst advice you could give. Simpy rinse with your garden hose, let dry and re-install.

[troyorr]

Honeywell recommends using the dishwasher. Go to their web site and download the homeowners booklet.

[SJProwler]

My Dealer recommended soaking mine in hot water with laundry soap for at least 30 min, shake them around some, use a cloth and carefully wipe down the wires. Then rinse well with hot water. Shake as dry as you can and put back in unit. Let the blower run for 30 min before powering unit back on.

I'm a smoker and clean my cells at least every 30 days. The detergent pulls all of the residue off the collector plates. I have a cheap fiberglas type filter between the EAC and Furnace just to be sure the Secondary HX stays nice and clean. By Cleaning the cells on this schedule the extra filter very rarely gets dirty.

[dash]

My Dealer recommended soaking mine in hot water with laundry soap for at least 30 min, shake them around some, use a cloth and carefully wipe down the wires. Then rinse well with hot water. Shake as dry as you can and put back in unit. Let the blower run for 30 min before powering unit back on.

I'm a smoker and clean my cells at least every 30 days. The detergent pulls all of the residue off the collector plates. I have a cheap fiberglas type filter between the EAC and Furnace just to be sure the Secondary HX stays nice and clean. By Cleaning the cells on this schedule the extra filter very rarely gets dirty.

After EAC,there theroretically no particulates large enough for that filter to catch.

[SJProwler]

After EAC,there theroreticlyy no particulates large enough for that filter to catch.

After having to replace the 3 primary HX's due to the secondary being plugged up from the origingal homebuilder running the furnace while drywalling....

I'm not taking any chances on a plugged secondary or A-coil. Filters are CHEAP insurance.

[skippedover]

Honeywell recommends using the dishwasher. Go to their web site and download the homeowners booklet.

Honeywell wants to sell electronic air cleaners. Here's the real scoop.

If you've ever tried to clean an oven or bar-b-que grill with soap and water, then you'll see why it doesn't work. So why would Honeywell tell you to use the dishwasher? Because if they told the HO that they'll need to have the cells professionally cleaned with solvents, rinsed, dried and then reinstalled every month, the cost would be prohibitive and they wouldn't sell any EAC's. So they tell them to wash them in hot soapy water. Go ahead, next time you clean your grill, just use hot soapy water. Bet you can't budge the baked on black stuff. Right? Get a good grease solvent and you can do the job. The EPA has tested EACs and their conclusion is that they take out 99% of pollutants down to 3-microns in size for approximately 30-days. After that, their efficiency drops precipitously no near zero after about 90-days. So if you want to get great efficiency from an EAC, it needs to cleaned every 30-days with a grease solvent approved by the manufacturer. Or you can get an EAC with a disposable element and cell and not do anything but vacuum the frame when you change the element.

[dash]

After having to replace the 3 primary HX's due to the secondary being plugged up from the origingal homebuilder running the furnace while drywalling....

I'm not taking any chances on a plugged secondary or A-coil. Filters are CHEAP insurance.

I understand your concern,but:

Cheap filters don't prevent clogging,your EAC does.The extra filter is a restriction,that could reduce air flow,and damage the heat exchanger.Testing the air flow is the only way to know.

[NeTech]

Use coil cleaner and spray off with garden hose.

[dash]

For a homeowner,hot water with dishwasher detergent,soak for 2 hours,then rinse and let dry.

Dishwasher works well too.