Thermolec AcuSteam User Manual
User and Maintenance Manual
for the Homeowner
and
Installation Instructions
for the Contractor
ACU-STEAM™ Humidifi er
by Thermolec
ACU STEAM
!
Please read this manual carefully before beginning installation.
Important Notice to the Contractor :
Once the installation is complete, please leave this manual with the customer for future reference.
April 2014 V2.1
1. Warnings and Disclaimer – Installation Precautions and Recommendations
Please read and understand the warnings and provided instructions fully before you begin this installation and
keep them handy for future reference.
The manufacturer will assume no responsibility and the warranty will be void if the installer or the user does not
adhere to the following precautions/recommendations :
1.1 Water quality and hardness can signifi cantly affect the maintenance frequency of your Acu-Steam
humidifi er. If the cold water supply exceeds 180 mg/L, the water is classifi ed as hard and excessive
scaling inside the tank reservoir is possible. If the water supply exceeds 180 mg/L, a water conditioner/
softner is recommended to minimize the maintenance frequency (see section 8.). Other known benefi ts
of whole house water conditioners/softeners are improved operation and longevity of plumbing
appliances and fi xtures.
1.2 This humidifi er will be connected to and used under water pressure and it must be installed in such
a way that if a leak occurs, the water will not cause any damage to the property. Make sure all water
connections are properly installed or a water leak could occur.
1.3 This humidifi er is intended for use on ducted forced air furnaces and heat pumps as well as multi-
fuel furnaces, which have at least one supply duct connected to the furnace and where a positive air
pressure can be measured.
1.4 Do not install a humidifi er where the surrounding temperature may be 32ºF (0ºC) or colder. Freezing
water will damage the humidifi er.
1.5 Do not install the humidifi er directly on the furnace housing.
1.6 Always check that you are not about to cut or drill into an air conditioning coil or electrical accessory
during installation.
1.7 Do not install a humidifi er if the city water pressure exceeds 90 psi. Check the local codes related to
pressure reduction.
1.8 Do not install the diffuser in the supply duct if the pressure exceeds 0.5” Water Column (0.125 kPa).
1.9 The installation, wiring and plumbing of the humidifi er must comply with national and local electrical,
plumbing and building codes.
1.10 Electrical wiring and water tubes must not come in contact with sharp edges or hot surfaces.
1.11 Make certain an appropriate drain system is installed and there is no resistance to the fl ow of the
discharged water.
1.12 Do not set the humidity level higher than that recommended or condensation damage could occur.
1.13 Please beware of sharp edges when you cut into a metal duct.
1.14 Always shut the power off before you start the installation or when doing maintenance. An electric
shock from 120 or 240 volts could cause serious injury or death.
1.15 Caution: when you perform maintenance, please be careful because the unit can be extremely hot.
Always allow enough time for the unit to cool down.
1.16 To prevent electric shock or injuries, never operate the humidifi er without the covers as there are high
voltage and hot components inside.
1.17 This humidifi er will only work with non demineralized water. The maximum water supply temperature is
86 ºF (30 ºC)
HOME OWNERHOME OWNER
CONTRACTOR
Page 1
Instructions and User Manual for the Homeowner
2. View of the unit
2.1 External view of the humidifi er. Fig. 2a
ACU STEAM
HOME OWNERHOME OWNER
!
2.2 Water Tank Top View. Please see Fig. 2b.
2.3 Water tank Side View. Please see Fig. 2c.
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*
Fig. 2b
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/CPWCN6JGTOCN%WVÄ1WV
*
9CVGT.GXGN5GPUQTU
5VGCO1WVNGV
*GCVKPI'NGOGPV
6CPM%QXGT
6CPM.CVEJ
+PVGTPCN&TCKP1WVNGV
(CEVQT[KPUVCNNGFYKVJJQUG
*Acu-15 model has
two steam outlets
9CVGT6CPM
Fig. 2c
Page 2
3. Startup
3.1 The startup of the humidifi er is done as follows :
Adjust the knob on the humidistat to the humidity level (percentage) desired.
Confi rm that the water supply valve is open.
Put the main power ON at the electrical panel. The green pilot light comes ON on the LED panel. The
humidifi er is ready to work.
Working Principle :
3.2 Unlike other types of humidifi ers which produce humidity by passing warm air through a moist pad, Acu-
Steam produces humidity from steam dispersed directly into the supply duct.
3.3 A humidistat (installed either on the wall or the air return duct) controls the unit. You set the knob of the
humidistat according to your desired level of humidity (35-45% recommended). Please read the next section
about the Acu-Steam humidity control.
3.4 When the humidistat senses a need for humidity, it starts the humidifi cation process.
3.5 The tank fi lls with water.
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3.6 The electronic control starts the blower fan in the furnace to move the air as the humidifi er starts boiling
water and producing steam. If the fan cannot start (i.e. there is no air movement to transport the steam or
insuffi cient air pressure), the humidifi er stops itself. Please note that it may take a few minutes to bring the
water to a boil. The steam exits the water tank through the steam hose, moves through the steam diffuser
installed in the warm air duct and is released into the duct where it mixes with the moving air.
3.7 As water evaporates, the electric valve opens as needed to replenish the water in the tank.
3.8 When the humidity reaches the desired level, the humidifi er stops producing steam. In order to remove
scale and keep the tank as clean as possible, the humidifi er drains after a certain number of steam producing
cycles (see section 18.5 on page 24 of install manual for more details).If there is still a demand from the
humidistat after draining, the tank refi lls and starts to produce steam again. This process is part of the self-
cleaning feature.
3.9 When the humidistat is satisfi ed, the fan continues to run for a short period of time in order to eliminate
the steam from the ducts and the unit goes to ready mode, waiting for the next call from the humidistat.
Page 3
4. How to Control the Humidity
4.1 Humidity level and comfort are personal matters but it is generally acknowledged that a Relative
Humidity of 35-45% is desirable. However, you should take the outside temperature into consideration
before setting the humidity level in order to avoid condensation on the windows. Usually, a narrow strip of
condensation around or at the bottom of the window is considered as normal.
4.2 If you installed an ACU-STEAM humidistat and an outdoor sensor, this adjustment will be done
automatically through a function called outdoor reset. The outdoor sensor automatically reduces the humidistat
setting according to the outdoor temperature during cold days; it does the opposite during mild days. Please
see Fig. 4b for the percentage of relative humidity on the electronic humidistat label. The middle of the scale
corresponds to the middle of the comfort zone, approximately 35% RH (Relative Humidity).
Note: There are no numbers printed on the Humidistat itself.
4.3 If you are using a humidistat by others, the humidity adjustment according to the outside temperature
might have to be done manually. For your information, the following table shows the recommended setting of
the humidistat according to the outside temperature. Please see Fig. 4a.
.
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Outside Temprature Recommended Setting
-22ºF (-30ºC) 15%
-13ºF (-25ºC) 20%
30
35
40
!
-4ºF (-20ºC) 25%
+5ºF (-15ºC) 30%
+14ºF (-10ºC) 35%
above
23ºF (-5ºC) 40%
20
50
Fig. 4a
Fig. 4b
4.4 No matter which humidifi cation system you are using, please do not forget that the humidity level
cannot adjust quickly. It may take some time to build up the humidity to your comfort level. Depending on the
dryness of the house, carpets, furniture, drapes and wood will absorb moisture before you can feel the change.
4.5 If the house remains unoccupied during the winter season, set the humidistat to the minimum set point
in order to prevent condensation.
Page 4
5. Functions of the Electronic Circuit
5.1 The electronic board located inside the unit controls all the humidifi er functions. The front LED panel is
equipped with pilot lights indicating the status of the humidifi er. Please see Fig.5a.
Please refer to Article 5.2 for the description of the functions.
The red pilot light, which is a warning light, can either glow all the time or fl ash when activated.
In case of error, the humidifi er enters standby mode. The fl ashing of the pilot lights indicates which error
happened. The error recognition sequence is as follows :
The green pilot light near the power button blinks once;
The red light fl ashes a certain number of times, this is the error code;
A pause with no light at all;
Another blink of the green light, once;
Another series of fl ashing of the red light;
And so on until the condition is reset or service is performed.
Shutting the power OFF at the breaker in the main panel or depressing the power button until the
green light is fully on will reset the error code.
Mode
On/Standby - Green
Fan
!
Warning
Steam
Fill
Drain
- White
- Red
- White
- Blue
- Yellow
Fig. 5a
5.2 The ACU-STEAM humidistat also has two pilot lights to indicate the current status.
The green light is lit when the humidistat is demanding for humidity, thus activating the boiling cycle. The red
light indicates a warning and reproduces the same warning code as the red light on the humidifi er control
panel. If ever the red light is lit or fl ashing on the humidistat, you know immediately that the humidifi er needs
attention.
Display Status Description
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On/Standby
Green light OFF The humidifi er has no power – Breaker is OFF.
Blinking The humidifi er has power, but is in standby mode.
ON The humidifi er has power and is functional.
White button Press to put the humidifi er in standby mode.
The green light is blinking.
Press and keep depressed 3 seconds to power
or reset the humidifi er. The green light is ON.
Fan
White light ON The fan control is activated.
Page 5
Warning
Red light ON An abnormal condition occurred.
!
Please refer to the error code table in Section 7.
Steam
White light ON The humidifi er is heating water to produce steam.
Filling cycle
Blue light ON The electric water valve is open thus fi lling the
humidifi er.
Draining cycle
Yellow light ON The humidifi er is in draining mode.
White button Not active on residential models.
HOME OWNERHOME OWNER
Page 6
6. What To Do if a Malfunction Occurs
6.1 Shut the main power OFF and restart the humidifi er to see if the error code (fl ashing red light)
disappears.
6.2 If you see a water leak, follow the water supply tube and close the valve installed on the water pipe
located near the humidifi er.
6.3 Please refer to the error code table to identify the possible cause of the malfunction and the actions that
you can take.
6.4 Should the problem persist, please call your service company for they are the best qualifi ed to help you.
Describe the problem to them and mention the error code you observed on the front panel. They may be able
to help you solve the problem over the phone. If not, they can call our technical service department.
6.5 Should you attempt to look at the unit yourself, please apply all appropriate safety measures. - Shut the
main power OFF and wait for the unit to cool before you open it.
7. Description of Error Codes
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Number of
fl ashes of
the red light
OFF
Countinuous
ON
1
3
4
5
Error Description Humidifi er Status
No error The humidifi er is working fi ne None
The fl ood sensor under the
tank senses water in the pan.
The two water level sensors
are miswired or do not read
the water level properly.
Inadequate water supply. The
supply valve was open for
more than 6 minutes.
Inadequate drainage. The
tank did not drain or the
draining cycle is too long.
The air pressure switch
does not detect enough air
pressure OR the high limit
HSTAT (optional) senses
extremely high humidity in
the duct.
Humidifi er immediately suspends the ongoing
operation. Heating elements and supply valve
are switched off. The power green light is
blinking.
Humidifi er attempts to operate, then stops
because of wrong information from water level
sensors. The power green light is blinking.
Humidifi er immediately suspends the ongo-
ing operation. Heating elements and supply
valve are switched off. The power green light is
blinking.
Humidifi er immediately suspends the ongoing
operation. Heating elements and supply valve
are switched off. The power green light is
blinking.
Humidifi er immediately suspends the ongoing
operation. The unit goes back to normal
operation as soon as the error condition
disappears. The power green light is blinking.
Actions to be Taken
by the Technician
Turn power off. Check for leaks around the
tank clamp, SW valve and drain tube. Make
sure tank arrows align and gasket is sealing
properly.
Turn power off. Clean or replace HLS or LLS
water sensors. Check for proper wiring of HLS
and LLS sensors.
Turn power off. Check SW valve circuit for
24V DC at the valve. Refer to manual (p. 20)
and check for proper drain installation. Make
sure SW shut-off valve is open, SW valve is
responding and SW tube is clear of debris.
Turn power off. Check for proper drain setup
by referring to manual (p. 20). Check and clean
tank, SS siphon tube and silicon drain tube if
necessary.
Check if the FF motor is running. If not, turn
FF to continuous operation. Check fl ow sensor
(pitot tube) in duct for blockage, then make
sure plastic tube is connected properly from
fl ow sensor to PD switch under PC board in
unit (see manual). Change furnace fi lter if
needed.
Reset
Automatic Reset
when
Overfl ow pan dries
up.
Automatic Reset
when switching
main power ON
Automatic Reset
after 5 min or after
switching power off
and on.
Automatic Reset
when switching
main power ON
Automatic
Reset when
error conditions
disappear
Temperature inside the
6
tank exceeded the high
temperature cut-out setting.
The high temperature cut-out has tripped. The
humidifi er immediately suspends the ongoing
operation. Heating elements and supply valve
are switched off. The power green light is
blinking.
Turn power off. This is a serious condition and
will likely require assistance from a service
technician. Call 1-800-336-9130.
After pushing on
the thermal cut-out
button, automatic
reset when
switching main
power ON
Legend: SS = stainless steel, FF = furnace fan, SW = supply water, HLS = high level sensor, LLS = low level sensor
Page 7
8. Maintenance
WARNING : The water tank and its contents can become extremely hot. Please be careful before proceding.
As with any evaporative water device , some minerals normally dissolve in the tank water will create varying
degrees of deposits inside the tank. Even though the unit drains and cleans itself during normal operation,
it will require a minimum annual maintenance check (see sections 8.5 through 8.8) to assure all humidifi er
functions and components are operating properly.
8.1 Drain the water from the tank. Most of the time there will be water in the tank even when the humidifi er
is in standby mode since it only drains once per set amount of steam cycles (see section 18.5 for drain cycle
settings). First turn down the humidistat to avoid a steam cycle. Please note that when using an ACU-STEAM
electronic humidistat, if the relative humidity is extremely low the humidifi er may still run with the knob at
the minimum setting because of a range limiter inside the cover. If this occurs you will need to remove the
humidistat cover by pulling it off and turning the knob completely counter-clockwise. The main power to the
humidifi er (the breaker at the main panel, not the power button on the unit) needs to be turned off and then
back on. Once the power is reset the unit will start fi lling with water (blue LED will light) and keep fi lling until
draining starts (yellow LED). This process can take a number of minutes. Once draining has completed, turn
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the main power off. There should be approximately one inch of water in the tank. Wait a few minutes or until
the unit has cooled before proceeding with the following steps.
8.2 After draining the tank, TURN THE MAIN POWER OFF.
8.3 Remove the cover by turning the 1/4 turn screw to the left.
8.4 Unplug the white quick connect wire connected on the overfl ow pan at the bottom of the unit. This wire
is connected to the overfl ow sensor. Please see Fig. 8a.
White Wire
2. Pull
1. Lift
Overflow Pan
Main drain Tube
Overflow Sensor
Overflow Tube
Fig. 8a
Page 8
Rigid Drain Pipe
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