Weird air intake

[mendozer]

On our house furnace we have one of those electrostatic filters (previous owner installed, my guess 2005). I just decided it's time to add standard filters too. I can't slide them into the housing above the furnace because the slots only allow for 3/8" prefilters. Then of course there's the giant electrostatic filters which are 5" or so. So my only other option is the air return intake. Typically these are on the wall at floor level, also ceilings for upstairs. As is usually for this house and the previous owner's DIY ways, I have two intakes on the same wall, one at about 8 feet up and the other at about 20 feet. So of course it's a pain in the *** to even get to in order to measure. I measured the bottom one and it looks like I'll have to put in a 12x24" hinged grille (cutting the hole bigger from the bottom bc currently its' 12x14, but the venting inside is actually much bigger. He just stopped at a 9x9 square hole in the drywall. The top one I haven't been able to get up there yet but i assume slightly wider. While cleaning inside the bottom vent, I noticed there isn't even ductwork connecting the top and bottom vents, just the space between walls and insulation. WTF. Not sure how much I should care about that.

Any pointers on this? I plan to put the hinged 12x24 and maybe 14x24 hinged grilles with the appropriate filters in there and start changing those out. I'll have to get a big ladder to get to the top one first.

 

[mendozer]

electronic cleaner looks like this https://www.dcne.com/product/16x25-electronic-air-cleaner-p102-14a-d

I suppose I could put this in there too https://www.supplyhouse.com/General...j8DHYl8GJIMcmReGbpSLE8jB95ZL4PNcaAhGcEALw_wcB

but wouldn't electrostatic + filter be better than just filter?

 

[Jim greengo]

Turn off the bug zapper,install a box filter in its place inside housing.

 

[mendozer]

If a box filter is inside the "bug zapper" then do I not need the 1" filters before? That would save me the money retrofitting the air grilles into place as well which is like 50-60 a piece. plus getting on a 20 foot ladder to do this all the time sounds aweful

 

[75gmck25]

I have an old SpaceGuard / Aprilaire system that uses this type of filter, but I don't know if there is a way to retrofit one to your electronic housing. https://shop.aprilaire.com/collecti...94.495237005.1651677494-1505115018.1651677494

I had my house rented out and it confused renters when I told them to not install pre-filters at air return grills because it reduced air flow for A/C (house was in Texas). And they were also skeptical of the 6-12 month life of the big filters.

The only catch with not using a pre-filter on each grill is that you will have more dust in the air returns leading into the big filter. However, that dust never makes it to the supply ducts.

 

[Innovate1]

I recently replaced my failing electrostatic air cleaner with a frame for 4" filters. Overall thickness and size were nearly the same so was a fairly easy swap. Changing inlet filters in those inconvenient locations isn't something I would want to be doing. Put a good filter at the furnace for easy changes.

 

[mendozer]

Aprilaire didn't have sizes no their site, just their model numbers. I went ahead and ordered some 5" filters from Filterbuy. Looks like this cleaner fits the Goodman/Amana style 15 3/8 x 25 1/2 x 5 1/4 size. Found that on a canadian website for my cleaner model. I guess these really **** as electronic cleaners because inside the ducts it was NASTY as well. Hoping this helps.

 

[PoorUB]

I would ditch the electronic air filter. The big deal about electronic air filters is you need to clean them often, like once a month. Nobody does it.

You may have solved it already, but pull out the electric cells and measure them, you need to order a filter that matches this size, maybe 1/4" smaller.

 

[mendozer]

Yup it came real fast. The washable cells aren't even that dirty which tells me it does a **** job. I assume now I never have to turn on the cleaner housing again. These filters has the wire embedded in the filter media but the box being cardboard tells me charging the unit is now useless lol unless I'm missing something

 

[PoorUB]

These filters has the wire embedded in the filter media but the box being cardboard tells me charging the unit is now useless lol unless I'm missing something

There are a couple manufacturers that ad electrostatic to a paper air filter. Does the paper filter have aluminum strips that line up with the contacts in the cabinet?

 

[mendozer]

No the box is plane. It just has wire mesh over the pleated fabric in the "waffle" area

 

[mendozer]

Maybe it's just structural

 

[mendozer]

i do have the mesh prefilters still. I saw I can get carbon versions of them. Do the housings charge those too or just the main filter? Maybe I can get the best of both worlds

 

[PoorUB]

Like the other post, some filters have wire mesh to reinforce the paper.

No. The pre filter is not energized. Just unplug the unit.

 

[rharman]

Almost 30 years ago, we had electronic air cleaners installed (Honeywell) as part of a remodel (2 furnaces). I rebuilt the filters (contacts) a couple of times and then tossed them and the prefilters. We use the 5" thick pleated now. Only need changing about once a year. I disconnected the A/C from the housings and have never looked back. It's been at least 20 years.

 

[mendozer]

I didn't even think about this before. We've been here for several years and thought oh cool this furnace is fancier with electronic. I see the dustiest vents and thought somethings gotta be off.

I ordered another set of prefilter with carbon inside to put in on the "post" side to see if it helps with odors and stuff. why not