Aprilaire 800 + Carrier Infinity

[Soobs]

Hey gang,

I'm looking at adding an Aprilaire 800 to my home HVAC. This week I received several quotes and believe I've decided on the HVAC company. I have an electrical box for 240v and pex water lines running right next to the furnace so it should be a fairly straight forward install. I am hoping to have the humidifier controlled by my Carrier Infinity thermostat which is this model https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/ ... ccitc01-b/. There's a whole menu for the humidifier in this thermostat. Does this require running a new line from the thermostat down to the furnace? Anyone else with this setup with any concerns? Should I just go with the controller the Aprilaire comes with?

Thanks

[lazydavid]

My Aprilaire 600 is wired directly to the control board of our Lenox modulating furnace. No independent power or additional wiring to thermostat required. I assume the 800, being a steam humidifier, will require the power for the heating element, but it would surprise me if any additional control wiring was necessary.

[zlandar]

I have an Aprilaire 700 with the separate controller. I turn it on in the winter and turn it off the rest of the year.

I would rather have a separate controller. That way I’m not obligated to buy a future furnace that supports your 800.

[suemarkp]

Carrier Infinity thermostats are 4 wires only and don't work like classic thermostats. I would expect there is a humidifier provision in the air handler that the Aprilair connects to. Worst case there may be some interface box required to translate carrier commands to wire controls for the humidifier.

[BuddyJet]

Page 12 of the carrier install manual shows the wiring for their humidifier. I’d assume the Aprilaire would install the same way. No other parts needed.

https://www.shareddocs.com/hvac/docs/10 ... STM-02.pdf

Personally, I’d install to the existing thermostat and only move to the dedicated controller if there is an issue.

[Chuckles960]

I have an electrical box for 240v

If you have anything else on that line, it may not be adequate. If memory serves, the Aprilaire 800 needs a dedicated 25 amp circuit breaker and the corresponding gauge wires.

Also, watch out for condensation in the ducts. There are very specific requirements for air velocity and straight section---our installer was not aware. I had to read the manual and advocate for myself, including cutting two holes in the ducts and covering them with plexiglass so I could shine a flashlight through one and look through the other.

[Soobs]

I have an electrical box for 240v

If you have anything else on that line, it may not be adequate. If memory serves, the Aprilaire 800 needs a dedicated 25 amp circuit breaker and the corresponding gauge wires.

Also, watch out for condensation in the ducts. There are very specific requirements for air velocity and straight section---our installer was not aware. I had to read the manual and advocate for myself, including cutting two holes in the ducts and covering them with plexiglass so I could shine a flashlight through one and look through the other.

The installer asked how many open spots were in the panel because he needed at least two. He said he’d be running new line to it just for the Aprilaire.

Interesting about airflow requirements. This is a variable speed furnace and tbh I have no idea about that stuff. Is this in a manual available in pdf I can view online?

**edit**

I think I found it. So was the extra hole and plexiglass necessary? Which one of these in the chart did you determine applied to you? I guess I need to find the CFM range for my variable speed furnace…

https://imgur.com/a/F4v6tqf

[Soobs]

My Aprilaire 600 is wired directly to the control board of our Lenox modulating furnace. No independent power or additional wiring to thermostat required. I assume the 800, being a steam humidifier, will require the power for the heating element, but it would surprise me if any additional control wiring was necessary.

I had looked at the 600, but was concerned it may not quite fit the bill for my utility setup and sq. footage. I’ve got a tankless gas hot water heater and was concerned about that getting worn-out from the demand. Have you been getting good results?

[Soobs]

I have an Aprilaire 700 with the separate controller. I turn it on in the winter and turn it off the rest of the year.

I would rather have a separate controller. That way I’m not obligated to buy a future furnace that supports your 800.

I’m not sure I completely understand? An 800 can be installed on most any furnace using its included controls.

[lazydavid]

I had looked at the 600, but was concerned it may not quite fit the bill for my utility setup and sq. footage. I’ve got a tankless gas hot water heater and was concerned about that getting worn-out from the demand. Have you been getting good results?

Yeah it's been working well for 15+ years. Replace the honeycomb filter once a year ($8 or so), and put in a new frame/hose/orifice ($40-ish) once.

But your concern about running the tankless all the time is probably valid. If I were in that situation and sticking with an evaporative model like I have, I'd probably put in one of those little 2 or 4 gallon "point of use" water heaters to keep it fed.

[edge]

Almost all modern furnaces outside of the cheapest lower end models have a connector for a humidifier on the control board.

I have an Aprilaire 700 with the separate controller. I turn it on in the winter and turn it off the rest of the year.

I would rather have a separate controller. That way I’m not obligated to buy a future furnace that supports your 800.

[Chuckles960]

The installer asked how many open spots were in the panel because he needed at least two. He said he’d be running new line to it just for the Aprilaire.


Interesting about airflow requirements. This is a variable speed furnace and tbh I have no idea about that stuff. Is this in a manual available in pdf I can view online?
I think I found it. So was the extra hole and plexiglass necessary? Which one of these in the chart did you determine applied to you? I guess I need to find the CFM range for my variable speed furnace…

New power line dedicated to Aprilaire is good.

My system is quite different so the specifics are not useful. But after they installed everything and left, I found water dripping from the seams in the ducts. The holes-and-plexiglass system showed me that the ducts were wet, and had rusted on the inside after two weeks. Standard duct material is not intended to be rustproof, although stainless is available at a higher price.

Of course, if you are sending the steam into supply (hot) air, the charts may not apply. For some reason the tables are for 65-70F air, which assumes return air.

Still, a steam humidifier is a good buy---those passive (wet wick) humidifier thingys are just placebos. Cartridges are a major cost---I found the web-approved vinegar treatment destroys the cartridges rather than renewing them. You will also notice a significant increase in the electricity bill during the months when added humidity is needed.

[lazydavid]

Still, a steam humidifier is a good buy---those passive (wet wick) humidifier thingys are just placebos. Cartridges are a major cost---I found the web-approved vinegar treatment destroys the cartridges rather than renewing them. You will also notice a significant increase in the electricity bill during the months when added humidity is needed.

If you are referring to a traditional bypass humidifier such as the Aprilaire 600, then this makes no sense.

• Water pads (which I think is what you mean by cartridge) cost $12, and I replace it once a year. Definitely the largest cost, but not a major one by any stretch.
• Humidity in the home increases substantially if the unit is on, vs. if it is not. Ergo, not a placebo.
• The only power it consumes is a 24v trigger (from the furnace's control board) to open/close the water valve when there is a call for humidity. If this costs 50 cents/year I'd be amazed

[Chuckles960]

Still, a steam humidifier is a good buy---those passive (wet wick) humidifier thingys are just placebos. Cartridges are a major cost---I found the web-approved vinegar treatment destroys the cartridges rather than renewing them. You will also notice a significant increase in the electricity bill during the months when added humidity is needed.

If you are referring to a traditional bypass humidifier such as the Aprilaire 600, then this makes no sense.

• Water pads (which I think is what you mean by cartridge) cost $12, and I replace it once a year. Definitely the largest cost, but not a major one by any stretch.
• Humidity in the home increases substantially if the unit is on, vs. if it is not. Ergo, not a placebo.
• The only power it consumes is a 24v trigger (from the furnace's control board) to open/close the water valve when there is a call for humidity. If this costs 50 cents/year I'd be amazed

This thread is about steam humidifiers, and I was taking about steam humidifiers. (The comparison to "passive" humidifiers was merely an aside.)

[Soobs]

The installer asked how many open spots were in the panel because he needed at least two. He said he’d be running new line to it just for the Aprilaire.


Interesting about airflow requirements. This is a variable speed furnace and tbh I have no idea about that stuff. Is this in a manual available in pdf I can view online?
I think I found it. So was the extra hole and plexiglass necessary? Which one of these in the chart did you determine applied to you? I guess I need to find the CFM range for my variable speed furnace…

New power line dedicated to Aprilaire is good.

My system is quite different so the specifics are not useful. But after they installed everything and left, I found water dripping from the seams in the ducts. The holes-and-plexiglass system showed me that the ducts were wet, and had rusted on the inside after two weeks. Standard duct material is not intended to be rustproof, although stainless is available at a higher price.

Of course, if you are sending the steam into supply (hot) air, the charts may not apply. For some reason the tables are for 65-70F air, which assumes return air.

Still, a steam humidifier is a good buy---those passive (wet wick) humidifier thingys are just placebos. Cartridges are a major cost---I found the web-approved vinegar treatment destroys the cartridges rather than renewing them. You will also notice a significant increase in the electricity bill during the months when added humidity is needed.

Thanks. Should be okay on electricity as our solar already overproduces every month. Worst case I think we just start owing a little.