Washing Electonic cells

[DeltaT]

I purchased a clear plastic storage container the size of the EAC cells from Target or any storage place, put the cells and the pre-filtes in it, fill it with water and Simple Green (an ordinary household cleaner and degreaser) and let it soak until I am finished doing whatever I'm doing. Then I flush until the water is clean, remove them, give them a gentle shake, sit them in the sun if I have the time or I have a high velocity blower, called a hurricane, that I run over them gently which dries them in 5 minutes or less.

Then I recheck the ionization wires and cells, reinstall, check operation and off I go.

[skippedover]

I purchased a clear plastic storage container the size of the EAC cells from Target or any storage place, put the cells and the pre-filtes in it, fill it with water and Simple Green (an ordinary household cleaner and degreaser) and let it soak until I am finished doing whatever I'm doing. Then I flush until the water is clean, remove them, give them a gentle shake, sit them in the sun if I have the time or I have a high velocity blower, called a hurricane, that I run over them gently which dries them in 5 minutes or less.

Then I recheck the ionization wires and cells, reinstall, check operation and off I go.

Right on. Solvent and professional cleaning done right. Now what do you charge a customer to do this monthly?

[DeltaT]

Right on. Solvent and professional cleaning done right. Now what do you charge a customer to do this monthly?

I only clean the cells if I am there for other reasons. So if I know or see that they have EAC's then the first thing I do is pull the cells and let them soak while I doing what I really came there to do.

I don't have an on going maintenance customer base cause I am too busy trouble shooting systems. But I do have a few that rely on me so I do look over their systems when I can.

I have a lot of high income folks cleaning their own EAC's once I show them how to do it. They are simply amazed at the amount of black oil that comes from the cleaning of their EAC's.

[cem-bsee]

in the early 1960s, I cleaned those of my Mom's Honeywell at the U-squirt-'em car wash about ea 6weeks when I visited her [& her car] -- 5+ yr --

but, maybe they don't make 'em like they used to --

[thorton]

in the early 1960s, I cleaned those of my Mom's Honeywell at the U-squirt-'em car wash about ea 6weeks when I visited her [& her car] -- 5+ yr --

but, maybe they don't make 'em like they used to --

Yes, cem-bsee, that's the way I use to clean my EAC's. Take them to the do-it-yourself car wash. I have had eac's on both of my homes hvac systems. Right now, I don't have one, and wouldn't have one again. Too expensive to buy, and break down frequently. I believe they are fairly restrictive, too. Plus they are a pain to keep clean. I much prefer low merv slide in filters, now. Also, I did read somewhere that it isn't a good idea to clean eac's in a dishwasher. Something to do with Legionair's disease, I think it was. Carwash is the best bet, great point!

thorton
_________________
Tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may

[troyorr]

thorton, can you clarify your staement about Legionairs Disease? If you clean the cells and then run an additional clean cycle on the dishwasher, how is there the potential for disease?

[thorton]

thorton, can you clarify your staement about Legionairs Disease? If you clean the cells and then run an additional clean cycle on the dishwasher, how is there the potential for disease?

Hi troyorr. I'm not sure what sort of clarification you are looking for? I read somewhere that washing electronic air cleaner cells in home dishwashers is "NOT" recommended as there is potential for Legionair's Disease! This was a number of years ago and if I can come up with the source, you will be the first to know. But from a simplistic standpoint, I would never, ever wash anything in home dishwasher, other then the dishes that I eat off, period! It doesn't matter how many cycles you run, if the water is not hot enough. But, yes, if I can come up with the scientific evidence you may be looking for, I will get it for you. FYI, I don't make posts on here just for the sake of reading my own reviews. I try to make honest well thought out posts that are helpfull to everyone! I guess you don't believe me and you don't agree with my statement? But I will reiterate, I would not wash anything out of my HVAC system in the dishwasher that I use to wash my own dishes!

thorton
________________________
To succeed, it is necessary to accept the world as it is and rise above it

[kevinmac]

I pull the cells, use Grease Lightning, let it sit. Then rinse with a hose. Do agian if it need it. Let the cells sun dry. Works great. Grease Lightning cuts grease very well.

Dishwasher works well also, dishwaser soap is designed to cut grease. A dishwaser has more spry force then just dumping in hot detergant.
Anyone who compares filter cells to a BBQ grill is pretty inaccurate!
If you let your cells get as dirty as your barbeque grill you have more of a problem than just cleaning the cells, you have a neglect issue.

[troyorr]

First of all, lighten up. I did not say I didn't believe you. I just wondered if you could provide something scientific and not what you thought you might have read. If you chose not to use the dishwasher, that is your choice. The OP ask about cleaning the EAC cells. The manufacturer states that the dishwasher can be used, if desired. No where does the manufacturer state that you shouldn't use the dishwasher because thorton thinks it might result in an outbreak of legionnairs disease. For your information, the bacteria that causes the disease is found in stagnent water. The bacteria enters the body through inhalation. Don't stick your head in the dishwasher and inhale the vapor. Water flowing through a dishwasher isn't stagnent. Running the dishwasher empty after removing the cells would flush the system.

[kevinmac]

My Trane users guide recommends the dishwasher. Dishwashers when used under normal mode dissenfect. So i don't think there is any issue about any disease.

[thorton]

First of all, lighten up. I did not say I didn't believe you. I just wondered if you could provide something scientific and not what you thought you might have read. If you chose not to use the dishwasher, that is your choice. The OP ask about cleaning the EAC cells. The manufacturer states that the dishwasher can be used, if desired. No where does the manufacturer state that you shouldn't use the dishwasher because thorton thinks it might result in an outbreak of legionnairs disease. For your information, the bacteria that causes the disease is found in stagnent water. The bacteria enters the body through inhalation. Don't stick your head in the dishwasher and inhale the vapor. Water flowing through a dishwasher isn't stagnent. Running the dishwasher empty after removing the cells would flush the system.

Well, first of all, you ask me to clarify, and then in the next sentence you tried to answer the question, even before I could answer, myself. Nevetheless, the manufacturer's of EAC are going to tell consumers what they want to hear, and that's putting EAC cells in a dishwasher is a good way to clean them. I believe it was an alert or warning by the Canadian government that initiated this warning or alert, and that was years and years ago. As far as your stagnent water theory, that is one of the reasons not to wash EAC cells or anything else related to HVAC in a consumer dishwasher. "My" dishwasher is a Mele, and if I don't run it for a couple of days the water that is left in the drain system stinks and gets stagnent and that's from just washing dishes and not EAC cells. Common sense tells me stagnent water is a breeding ground for bacteria that is associated with Legionair's Disease from washing EAC cells. So, if you and Kevinmac do wash EAC cells in your own dishwashers, please don't stick your own heads in your dishwasher and inhale the vapour. Better to be safe then sorry.

thorton
______________________
Without passion, all the skill in the world won’t lift you above craft.
Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager, but floundering.
Combining the two is the essence of creative life.

[troyorr]

thorton, thank you.

[skippedover]

Now for those who understand that despite the man's recommendations to wash in the dishwasher, which is tantamount to spitting into the wind, we all know you've got to use powerful chemicals and a good soaking at the least to properly clean the cell. So how do you do that when it's 20-degrees outdoors, there's no garden hose to use and if you dump the tub in the wrong place and the water freezes, you could get sued by the person who slips on it?

We've installed the Dynamic Air Cleaner for years. Even have a couple of their demonstrator machines where cigarette smoke is put into a plastic box. They're pretty impressive when you see them in action. The nicest parts? The fit in a 1" filter rack, when it's time to clean the cell, you take out the entire section, which is comprised of the pre/post filters (fiberglass) and the carbon 'cell' and throw it all away. Vacuum off the bone chaser frame, put in a new media element and for all intents and purposes, you've got a brand new EAC every time. And if you don't think they work, you should see the list of clients we have who have kids with asthma who beseige us regularly for new media 'cause the kids can't live without 'em. Every Dr. we have for a client buys one without hesitation. And families with kids in school report consistently that cold and flu brought home from shool via the rug-rats don't go through the whole family like they did before they had the EAC. Just my words of experience and I've sold them all. Honeywell, Aprilaire, Trane. All suffered from the same problem. How to properly clean them cost effectively.