rnc10 Installation Instructions
rnc10 Installation Instructions
TM
1 - Bag assembly containing: The HRV is equipped with an aluminum core. The device
uses the stale air that is being exhausted to condition the
2 - Drain spout assemblies (HRV units only) fresh air as it is being brought in.
4 - Hanging straps
1 - Installation manual General
Required Tools
These instructions are intended as a general guide and do
Installation Tools not supersede local codes in any way. Consult authorities
• tin snips • large zip ties who have jurisdiction before installation.
• assorted screw drivers • fabric flexible duct
Table of Contents
• electric drill - class I rated
• hammer • mastic tape Shipping and Packaging List ............................................1
• wire strippers • alum. foil duct tape Required Tools .................................................................1
• knife • zip ties
Application ........................................................................1
• caulking gun • 1/2” I.D. drain hose
General .............................................................................1
• smoke pencil
Balancing Tools Engineering Data...........................................................2-4
• Pitot Tube Balancing Kit [Case, 8 ft. vinyl tubing, Pitot RNC95 Specifications and Airflow ....................................5
tube, magnehelic gauge (0 - 0.25”), and mounting plate]
Clearances & Requirements.............................................6
• Pitot Tube with instructions and Digital Manometer (with
resolution of 0 - 0.25” - must read to 1/100ths of an Installation .....................................................................6-9
inch)
Application Illustrations..............................................10-12
Optional Accessories
• 20 Minute Fan Timer Electrical ........................................................................13
• Wall Mounted Dehumidistat Remote Control Devices.................................................14
• Weather hood Kit Wiring the Controls .........................................................15
• Round Diffuser
Operation ........................................................................16
4” (100mm)
Wiring Diagrams .............................................................17
6” (150mm)
8” (200mm) Interlocking HRV to Furnace...........................................18
• Kitchen Grille Air Flow Balancing.....................................................20-21
- may be required by code for kitchen applications Troubleshooting ..............................................................22
- contains removable grease filter
Maintenance ..................................................................23
TM
All units conform to CSA and UL standards.All units conform to CSA and UL standards. 65
WARRANTY
60
Units carry a 15 year warranty on the heat recovery core and a five year replacement
parts warranty.
55
18.5"
(470 mm) Hanging
straps (4)
knockout for Threaded
side mounting of inserts (4)
EXHAUST return port at corners
6" round collar
converted to oval
18.5"
(470 mm)
EXHAUST
Stale Air
SUPPLY
(622 mm)
to outside
Fresh air
24.5"
TM
120
WARRANTY 2
100
Units carry a 15 year warranty on the heat recovery core and a five year replacement
1
parts warranty. 80
60
40
Dimensions HRV inches (mm) 20
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Static Pressure (in w.g.)
FRESH AIR
FROM OUTSIDE
* All Duct Connections 6"(150mm)
DEFROST
DAMPER STALE AIR
TO OUTSIDE
DEFROST
PORT
BLOWERS
(483)
19"
FILTERS *NOTE:
Front clearance of
25 inches (635 mm)
is recommended
for servicing unit.
STALE AIR FRESH AIR
FROM INSIDE TO INSIDE
14 3/4"
33-5/8" (375)
CONDENSATE DRAINS BALANCING DAMPER
3 0107
TM
99-186 Weatherhoods, Two - 6" (150mm) c/w 1/4" (6mm) mesh screen 200
*Manufacturer’s data
99-2040 20/40 ON/OFF Dehumidistat 180
Air Flow (cfm)
160
All units conform to CSA and UL standards.
140
WARRANTY
120
Units carry a 15 year warranty on the heat recovery core and a five year replacement 2
100
parts warranty. 1
80
60
40
FRESH AIR
FROM OUTSIDE
* All Duct Connections 6"(150mm)
DEFROST
DAMPER STALE AIR
TO OUTSIDE
DEFROST
PORT
BLOWERS
(483)
19"
FILTERS *NOTE:
Front clearance of
25 inches (635 mm)
is recommended
for servicing unit.
STALE AIR FRESH AIR
FROM INSIDE TO INSIDE
14 3/4"
33-5/8" (375)
CONDENSATE DRAINS BALANCING DAMPER
0107
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RNC95 Specifications RNC95 Air Flow
The RNC95 Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) has been Stale air enters the FRONT RIGHT side port. The air will
designed to allow the installer to choose between two pos- pass down the front half of the core, then up the back half
sible positions on the cabinet for the INDOOR EXHAUST of the core and out the RIGHT REAR port.
(return from building) port. Illustrations in this manual show Fresh outdoor air will enter the LEFT REAR port and pass
standard (side mounted) port location. The same specifi- down the back half of the core. It will then pass up the
cations apply to both RNC95 setups, regardless of which front half of the core, and out the LEFT FRONT port.
port position is selected.
This unique configuration allows the air to actually travel
through the core twice, making the RNC95 almost as effi-
Variable Port Location
cient as a double core unit.
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Clearances and Requirements
Installation
Attic installations are not normally recommended due to: Exhaust Weatherhood Requirements
• At least 6' (2 m) from the ventilation air intake*
A) the complexity of work to install
• At least 18" (460mm) above ground or above the
B) freezing conditions in the attic
depth of expected snow accumulation*
C) difficulty of access for service and cleaning
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Suspending the Unit using the
CAUTION Provided Hanging Straps
Unit must be installed level to ensure proper
condensate drainage. Due to the broad range of
installation and operational conditions,
consideration must be given for the possibility
WideHeadNails
of condensation forming on the unit or WIDEHEAD
(notsupplied)
NAILS
connecting ducting. Objects below the (notsupplied)
(483)
19"
• At least 3' (1 m) away from the corner of the building*
• At least 3’ away from gas meter, electric meter or a
DETAIL
walkway where fog or ice could create a hazard*
• Not into a garage, workshop or other unheated space *NOTE:
/4
3 )
14 375
"
(
Frontclearanceof
When installing the weatherhood, its outside perimeter 25inches(635mm)
isrecommended
must be sealed with exterior caulking. forservicingunit.
CAUTION
6' (2m) Weatherhood arrangement - requires a minimum of 6'
recommended min.
INTAKE EXHAUST (2m) separation and a minimum of 18" (460mm)
clearance above the higher of the grade or anticipated
snow level.
18" (460mm) min. 18" (460mm) min.
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Air Duct Design and Installation
A well designed and installed ducting system will allow the
HRV to operate at its maximum efficiency.
WARNING
Always try to keep duct runs as short and straight as pos- Include a short length of fabric, flex duct or
sible. See Installation Diagrams for various installation other non-metallic connector in the “Fresh Air to
options. Building” hard ducted line in order to keep the
HRV separately grounded (electrically) from the
The inner and outer liners of the flexible insulated duct air handler. This will avoid a possible shock
must be clamped to the sleeve of the weatherhoods (as hazard to service people if a short to ground
close to the outside as possible) and the appropriate port develops in one of the devices.
on the HRV. It is very important that the fresh air intake
line be given special attention to make sure it is well Grilles that diffuse the air comfortably such as the Round
sealed. A good bead of high quality caulking (preferably Diffuser are recommended.
silicone sealant) will seal the inner flexible duct to both the If the floor is the only option available, then special care
HRV port and the weather hood prior to clamping with a should be taken in locating grilles. Areas such as under
large zip tie. baseboard heaters will help to temper the air. Also option-
To minimize air flow restriction, the flexible insulated duct al inline duct heaters are available for mounting in the
that connects the two outside weather hoods to the HRV supply duct work to add heat if required.
should be stretched tightly and be as short as possible. Direct Connection to Air Handler Duct System
Twisting or folding the duct will severely restrict air flow. Should you wish to hard duct the fresh air from the HRV
See below for the recommended connection of flexible directly into the cold air return of the air handler, remem-
insulated ducts to the the outside weatherhoods and the ber to check the air flow balance of the HRV with the air
HRV. handler fan both "ON" and "OFF" to determine that it does
not imbalance the unit more than 10%.
Installing the Ducting Between the HRV &
Living Areas in the House Indirect Connection to Air Handler Duct System
To maximize airflow in the duct system, all ducts should If permitted by local codes, an indirect connection may be
be kept short and have as few bends or elbows as possi- made between the HRV fresh air duct and the air handler
ble. Forty-five degree elbows are preferred to 90° elbows. return plenum. The fresh air from the unit may be directed
Use “Y” tees instead of 90° elbows whenever possible. at a grille installed in the cold air return duct of the air han-
dler. The fresh air outlet from the HRV should be no closer
All duct joints must be fastened with screws, rivets or duct
than 4 inches (100mm) and no more than 12 inches
sealant and wrapped with mastic or a quality duct tape to
(300mm) from the grille.
prevent leakage. Mastic is preferred but if duct tape is
used, we recommend aluminum foil duct tape.
Galvanized ducting from the HRV to the living areas in the
house is recommended whenever possible, although flexi-
ble duct can be used in moderation if necessary. FRESH AIR
FROM HRV
To avoid possible noise transfer through the duct system,
a short length (approximately 12 inches or 300mm) of non-
4" MINIMUM RETURN AIR
metallic flexible insulated duct should be connected 12" MAXIMUM DUCT FOR
AIR HANDLER
between the HRV and the supply/exhaust duct system. HR
V
The main supply and return lines to/from the HRV must be
6 inches (150mm) minimum. Branch lines to the individual
rooms may be as small as 4 inches (100mm), but 5 inch
(125mm) lines are preferred .
All ducts running through attics and unheated spaces must
be sealed and insulated to code.
Fresh Air Ducting
In applications that do not include an air handler, fresh air
should be supplied to all bedrooms and living areas,
excluding bathrooms, kitchen and utility areas. Grilles
should be located high on a wall or in ceiling locations.
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Stale Air Exhaust System Drain Connection (HRV Only)
The stale air exhaust system draws air from the points in During a defrost cycle, the HRV may produce some con-
the house where the worst air quality problems occur. densation. This water should flow into a nearby drain, or
Stale air ducts should be installed in the bathroom, be taken away by a condensate pump.
kitchen, and laundry room. Applications such as green-
houses, atriums, swimming pools, saunas, etc. have
unique ventilation requirements which should be CAUTION
addressed with an isolated ventilation system. Also, the air
The HRV and all condensate lines must be
handler return duct may be used to exhaust from. In this installed in a space where the temperature is
method, the exhaust air is not ducted back to the HRV maintained above the freezing point or freeze
with "dedicated lines" from bathrooms, kitchens, etc. protection must be provided.
Instead, the exhaust air is drawn out of the cold air return
of the air handler. The air handler blower must be run- The HRV cabinet has prepunched holes for the drain (see
ning when the unit is operating for this system to be below). Insert the drain spout through the hole in the drain
effective. pan. Do not forget the “O ring” which seals each spout to
the pan. REMEMBER TO HAND TIGHTEN ONLY the
CAUTION washer and lock nut which hold the drain spout in place.
Construct a P-Trap using the plastic tee connector. Cut
two lengths of hose and connect each piece to an end of
the “T” fitting, then connect the other ends to the two drain
spouts. Position the "T" fitting to point upward, andconnect
the drain line. Tape or fasten base to avoid any kinks. This
Balancing Dampers and Grilles creates a “trap” which will hold some condensate and pre-
Balancing dampers and/or adjustable grilles should be vent odors from being drawn up the hose and into the
used to balance the flow rates into and out of various fresh air supply of the HRV.
rooms.
Grilles or diffusers should be positioned high on the wall or
"P" Trap (HRV only)
in the ceiling. Kitchen exhaust grilles must never be con-
nected to a range hood. They should be installed at least 4 DRAIN HOSE PLUMBING
feet (1.2m) horizontally away from the stove. A hinged PRE-PUNCHED HOLES (2)
6”X10” (150 X 250mm) rectangular kitchen exhaust grille DRAIN PAN DRAIN PAN
4" (100mm)
6" (150mm)
8" (200mm)
Note: Secondary drain pan may be required to
Round protect from condensate leakage.
Diffusers
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Application Illustrations HRV
DIRECT CONNECTION of the SUPPLY AIR STREAM to the AIR HANDLER COLD AIR RETURN
(Stale air drawn from key areas of home)
Outdoors
3’ min.
recommended
Cool Air
Return
WARNING
Defrost air port needs to be drawn from clean
area without combustion appliances. To avoid
backdrafting of combustion products, never
CAUTION
draw defrost air from a room with a naturally Weather hood arrangement - requires a minimum
aspirated appliance, i.e. furnace, hot water of 6’ (2m) separation and a minimum of 18" (460mm)
heater, gas dryer, stove, fire place etc. clearance above grade or anticipated snow level.
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Simplified Installation for HRV
(Return/Return Method)
Cool Air
Return
WARNING
Defrost air port needs to be drawn from clean
area without combustion appliances. To avoid
backdrafting of combustion products, never
CAUTION
draw defrost air from a room with a naturally Weather hood arrangement - requires a minimum
aspirated appliance, i.e. furnace, hot water of 6' (2m) separation and a minimum of 18" (460mm)
heater, gas dryer, stove, fire place etc. clearance above grade or anticipated snow level.
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Fully Dedicated System for HRV
Outdoors
NOTES:
1. Weather hood arrangement is for drawing purposes only. 6' (2m) minimum separation required.
18" (460mm) above grade minimum or above anticipated snow level .
2. The HRV air flow must be confirmed on site, using the balancing procedure found in the installation manual.
WARNING
Defrost air port needs to be drawn from clean
area without combustion appliances. To avoid
backdrafting of combustion products, never
CAUTION
draw defrost air from a room with a naturally Weather hood arrangement - requires a minimum
aspirated appliance, i.e. furnace, hot water of 6' (2m) separation and a minimum of 18" (460mm)
heater, gas dryer, stove, fire place etc. clearance above grade or anticipated snow level.
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Electrical
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Remote Control Devices
Optional Main Controls the circuit board DIP Switches (Refer to "Mode DIP Switch
The amount of ventilation required in your home will fluctuate Settings").
according to the activity level in the house. Higher activity levels The Dehumidstat Dial
require more ventilation. Main controls feature a dehumidistat dial. The dehumidistat is
Main controls can be mounted in a central location of the home used to reduce high winter humidity levels. The dehumidistat
(i.e. beside the furnace thermostat) which will provide the user activates high speed ventilation when the indoor humidity level
with complete control over their ventilation system from a conve- exceeds selected setting.
nient location.
The ON/OFF Switch
The ON/OFF Switch will turn the HRV ON or OFF. Controls with
ATTENTION
an ON/OFF switch can be modified to ON/Standby by adjusting Only one main control can be installed on your
system.
20/40 Dehumidistat
Switch Dial
ON/OFF
Switch
Optional Timers Timer is the best selection, however, the crank timer will be nec-
Timers should be present when the HRV is exhausting from essary if only 2 lead low voltage wires are present.
specific locations i.e bathrooms, laundry rooms. The 20 Minute
(LED drive) terminals. Use a minimum of nals. Use a two 18 gauge low 60
30
three 20 gauge low voltage wire. Connect voltage wire. Mounts in a 2 x 4 box. 50 40
up to 4 on 100 ft (91 m) wire max. Mounts in The crank timer provides a solution
a 2 x 4 box. to installing a system where only 2
wires are present for the timers. Crank Dial
20 Minute Status Lights Touch Pad Rotate the dial for up to 60
The 20 Minute Status Light indicates The Touch Pad initi- minutes high speed opera-
high speed operation is activated. ates high speed tion.
operation.
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Wiring the Controls
Low Fan
to Blue
Recirculate
to Blue
20 Minute Timer
(shown in a Decora Cover Plate)*** Crank Timer
ATTENTION
Controls will use 2, 3 or 4 lead 20 gauge wire. Note
the number of leads required for each control (refer
to the above illustrations).
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Operation
Self Test For most installations the HRV will normally be set to oper-
The ventilator will automatically initiate a self test ate continuously on low speed. To suit various lifestyles,
sequence when power is applied. Fan motor is cycled and the HRV offers a selection of operating modes.
then damper motor is cycled. Duration: Approximately 1.5 Method of Operation
mins. Good - intermittent operation at all times
How much ventilation do I need? Better - continuous operation during day or occupied
During seasons when your windows and doors are closed conditions, intermittent at night or unoccupied
(winter and summer if air conditioned) the HRV should Best - recommended continuous operation of both
operate continuously when the dwelling is occupied, and HRV and furnace/air handler blower
either continuously or intermittently when not occupied.
Figure 1 - Factory DIP Switch Settings Figure 2-DIP Switch Settings for Standby (When
The factory setting of the DIP switches (located on the cir- using a Remote Control Device that has an
cuit board) provides continuous low speed ventilation. ON/OFF Switch)
Optional Remote Controls will initiate high speed ventila- This DIP Switch Setting can be adjusted when using a
tion. system control that has an ON/OFF switch (refer to
Remote controls with an ON/OFF switch (refer to "Remote "Remote Control Devices" in this manual). "STANDBY" is
Control Devices" in this manual) will shut the entire sys- achieved when the Remote Control Switch is in the "OFF"
tem down when the remote control is in the OFF position. position. The Dehumidistat and Timers will initiate high
Changing the remote control from OFF to STANDBY can speed ventilation regardless of the "ON/OFF" switch posi-
be achieved by Setting the DIP Switch as per Figure 2. tion when this DIP switch configuration is used.
Figure 2 ON
Figure 1 ON HS
REMOTE
HS
DFR2
REMOTE
DFR3
DFR2
DFR3
ATTENTION
Figure 2 may not meet building code conformance
in certain geographical areas. Check with your
local building authority.
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Wiring Diagrams
RNC3WIRINGDIAGRAM
LEGEND
HIGHVOLTAGE
12VLOWVOLTAGE
AUTO
FIELDINSTALLED TRANSFORMER INTERFACE
12VLOWVOLTAGE RELAYCONTACTS
RED
BLACK
BLACK
120V
FANMOTORDETAILS POWER
SUPPLY WHITE
BLUE
WHITE
TO
GREEN MOTOR
T9
T6
BLACK
GREEN
AUTOTRANS
T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9
ITE N/C COMMON N/O
WH
ORANGE
CAPACITOR RE
D
+12V
INSTALLED ORANGE
JUMPER OBCS
DEFROSTDETAILS VDR1
BLACK
DEHUMIDISTAT
ModelRNC5(Only) PCBPLUG-IN
- + GREEN
LEDDRIVE
1 2 C1 RECIRCULATE
CR1 NON-
P1
ON LOWFAN
PLUGIN
12VAC FUNCTIONAL
CONNECTOR
P4 HS GREEN
GROUND
FUTURE USE
BLACK 3 4 REMOTE
BLACK TERMINALS
DFR2
ORANGE ORANGE BLUE COMMS
DFR3
PIN1-RED RED
RED RED
PIN2-ORANGE
1 P5
PIN3-BLACK P3 SW1
BI-DIRECTIONAL P2
DAMPERMOTOR PIN4-SPARE THERMISTOR
DEHUMIDISTAT
PCBPLUG-IN
1 2
P1
PLUGIN
CONNECTOR
BLACK BLACK 3 4
TAT
DEHUMIDIS RedtoRed(12V)
BlacktoBlack(Dehumidistat)
distat
Dehumi to
Relative
Setting
Outside
Conditio
ns
RedtoRed(12V)
:
WINTER at
BlacktoBlack(Dehumidistat)
idist
Setdehum to40%.
between
30%
Ifhomei
stoodry, .
tting
BlacktoBlack(Dehumidistat) RedtoRed(12V)
higherse id,
adjustto
stoohum .
Ifhomei tting
lowerse
adjustto
GreentoGreen(LEDDrive) OrangetoOrange(OBCS)
:
SUMMER at
idist
Setdehum
toOFF.
98-RNC3-001INSHRV
0104
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Interlocking HRV Operation to an Airhandler/Furnace Blower
When using the Interface relay contacts to initiate blower operation on a fur-
nace, certain thermostats will initiate the outdoor cooling condenser when
R and G are closed.
Use this wiring configuration to prevent the Interface relay contacts from initializing
the condenser unit. This problem can occur at the thermostat because the Y termi-
nal is connected to the G terminal internal to the stat. When R and G are closed at
the furnace (by dehumidistat or relay) 24 Volts is sent to G at thermostat. 24 Volts is
then sent through Y which will initiate outdoor condenser.
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Dehumidistat Operation (HRV only)
The optional HRV remote controls include a dehumidistat The dehumidistat switches the ventilator to high speed
which controls humidity levels during the heating season. when the moisture level in the building exceeds the
The control has a selector knob with set points ranging desired setpoint. The dehumidistat switches the HRV back
from 20% to 80% relative humidity (RH). Most people are to low speed ventilation when the humidity has been
comfortable when indoor relative humidity levels are in a reduced below the setpoint. The dehumidistat should
range from 30 to 45%. only be used during the heating season. It must be set
to OFF position throughout the rest of the year.
Defrost Operation
Damper Defrost
The damper defrost HRV has an electronically controlled CAUTION
damper defrost mechanism. The defrost timer is activated
when the outside temperature drops below 27°F (-3°C). A Lengthening the run time may result in ice
motor driven damper door mechanism closes off the sup- buildup on the core.
ply air from ouside allowing the exhaust air to recirculate
through the unit. After the defrost period, the damper oper-
ates in the opposite direction to reopen the fresh air port.
Defrost cycle repeats until the temperature again rises
above 27°F (-3°C).
HS HS HS
REMOTE REMOTE REMOTE
DFR2 DFR2 DFR2 OFF
DFR3 OFF DFR3 ON DFR3
ON
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Air Flow Balancing
It is necessary to have balanced air flow in an HRV. The vol- The first step is to operate all mechanical systems on high
ume of air brought in from the outside must equal the volume speed, which have an influence on the ventilation system, i.e.
of air exhausted by the unit. If the air flow is not properly bal- the HRV itself and the air handler, if applicable. This will pro-
anced, then: vide the maximum pressure that the HRV will need to
• The HRV may not operate at its maximum efficiency overcome, and allow for a more accurate balance of the unit.
• A negative or positive air pressure may occur in the house Drill a small hole in the duct (about 3/16"), three feet down-
• The unit may not defrost properly stream of any elbows or bends, and one foot upstream of any
• Failure to balance HRV properly may void warranty elbows or bends. These are recommended distances but the
actual installation may limit the amount of straight duct.
The Pitot tube should be connected to a magnehelic gauge or
CAUTION digital manometer capable of reading from 0 to 0.25 in. (0-62
Pa) of water, preferably to 3 digits of resolution. The tube
Ensure balanced air flow in HRV. Excessive coming out of the end of the Pitot is connected to the high
pressure side of the gauge. The tube coming out of the
positive pressure may drive moist indoor air into
branch of the Pitot is connected to the low pressure or refer-
the external walls of the building where it may ence side of the gauge.
condense (in cold weather) and degrade
Insert the Pitot tube into the duct; pointing the tip into the air
structural components. May also cause key
flow.
holes to freeze up.
For general balancing it is sufficient to move the Pitot tube
around in the duct and take an average or typical reading.
Repeat this procedure in the other (supply or return) duct.
Excessive negative pressure may have several undesirable
Determine which duct has the highest air flow (highest read-
effects. In some geographic locations, soil gases such as
ing on the gauge). Then damper that air flow back to match
methane and radon gas may be drawn into the home through
the lower reading from the other duct. The flow should now
basement/ground contact areas.
be balanced.
Actual air flow can be determined from the gauge reading.
WARNING The value read on the gauge is called the velocity pressure.
The Pitot tube comes with a chart that will give the air flow
Ensure balanced air flow in HRV/ERV. Excessive velocity based on the velocity pressure indicated by the
negative pressure may also cause the back- gauge. This velocity will be in either feet per minute or meters
drafting of vented combustion equipment. per second. To determine the actual air flow, the velocity is
multiplied by the cross sectional area of the duct being mea-
sured.
Read the Application Warning in Clearances & Requirements sec-
tion of this manual! This is an example for determining the air flow in a 6" duct.
Prior to balancing, ensure that: The Pitot tube reading was 0.025 inches of water.
1. All sealing of the duct system has been completed. From the chart, this is 640 feet per minute.
2. All of the HRV’s components are in place and The 6" duct has a cross sectional area of
functioning properly. = [3.14 x (6"÷12)2]÷4
3. Balancing dampers are fully open. = 0.2 square feet
4. Unit is on HIGH speed. The air flow is then:
5. Air flow in branch lines to specific areas of the house 640 ft./min. x 0.2 square feet = 128 cfm
should be adjusted first prior to balancing the unit. A For your convenience, the cross sectional area of some com-
smoke pencil used at the grilles is a good indicator of mon round duct is listed below:
each branch line's relative air flow.
DUCT DIAM. (inches) CROSS SECTION AREA (sq. ft.)
6. After taking readings of both the stale air to the HRV duct
and fresh air to the house duct, the duct with the lower 5 0.14
CFM ([L/s] velocity) reading should be left alone, while the 6 0.20
duct with the higher reading should be dampered back to 7 0.27
match the lower reading.
The accuracy of the air flow reading will be affected by how
7. Return unit to appropriate fan speed for normal operation close to any elbows or bends the readings are taken.
8. A field-supplied balancing damper for the stale air side Accuracy can be increased by taking an average of multiple
is required for system balancing. readings as outlined in the literature supplied with the Pitot
tube.
Balancing Procedure
The following is a method of field balancing an HRV using a
Pitot tube, which is advantageous in situations when flow sta-
tions are not installed in the duct system. Procedure should
be performed with the HRV on high speed.
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Pitot Tube and Gauge
FLOW
Pitot tube
Magnehelic gauge
Pitot Pitot
tube tube
Field-supplied Balancing Magnehelic
Balancing Damper Damper gauge
(optional)
Magnehelic
MAGNEHELIC MAGNEHELIC
gauge
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Troubleshooting
Supply air feels cold • poor location of supply grilles, the air flow may irritate • locate the grilles high on the walls or under the baseboards,
the occupant install ceiling mounted diffuser or grilles so as not to directly
spill the supply air on the occupant (eg. over a sofa)
• outdoor temperature extremely cold • turn down the HRV supply speed. A small duct heater (1kw)
could be used to temper the supply air
• placement of furniture or closed doors is restricting themove-
ment of air in the home
• if supply air is ducted into air handler return, the air handler fan
may need to run continuously to distribute ventilation air com-
fortably
Dehumidistat is not Operating • improper connection to ventilator • check that the correct terminals have been used
• external low voltage is shortened out by a staple or nail • check external wiring for a short
• check dehumidistat setting it may be on OFF • set the dehumidistat at the desired setting
Humidity Levels are too High in Winter • dehumidistat is set too high • set dehumidistat lower
Condensation is appearing on the .• lifestyle of the occupants • avoid hanging clothes to dry, storing wood and venting clothes
windows dryer inside. Heating wood may have to be moved outside
• moisture coming into the home from an unvented or • vent crawl space and place a vapor barrier on the floor of the
unheated crawl space crawl space
• moisture is remaining in the washroom/bathroom and • ducts from the washroom/bathroom should be sized to remove
kitchen areas moist air as effectively as possible, use of a washroom/bath-
room fan for short periods will remove additional moisture
• timer or fan can be added to washroom/bathroom exhaust
• condensation seems to form in the spring and fall • on humid days, as the seasons change, some condensation
may appear but the home’s air quality will remain high with
some HRV use
• HRV is set at too low a speed • increase speed of the HRV
Humidity Levels are too Low • dehumidistat control set too low • set dehumidistat higher
• blower speed of HRV is too high • decrease HRV blower speed
• lifestyle of occupants • humidity may have to be added through the use of humidifiers
• HRV air flow may be improperly balanced • have a contractor balance HRV air flow
HRV and / or Ducts Frosting up • Note: minimal frost build-up is expected on cores before
unit initiates defrost cycle functions
• HRV air flow is improperly balanced • have HVAC contractor balance the HRV
• malfunction of the HRV defrost system • ensure working properly.
Condensation or Ice Build Up in • incomplete vapor barrier around insulated duct • tape and seal all joints
Insulated Duct to the Outside • a hole or tear in outer duct covering • tape any holes or tears made in the outer duct covering
• ensure that the vapor barrier is completely sealed
Water in the bottom of the HRV • drain pans plugged • ensure O-Ring on drain nozzle sits properly
• improper connection of HRV drain lines • look for kinks in line
• HRV is not level • check water drain connections
• drain lines are obstructed • make sure water drains properly from pan
• HRV heat exchange core is not properly installed
20 Minute Timer Not Working • Wiring • disconnect external controls and run unit through self test. If
• Faulty control the unit runs through self test successfully, then the circuit
• Faulty circuit board board is okay.
• check wiring connection.
• make sure wires are connected to proper terminals.
• test 20 Minute Timer, press and hold the button for 10 seconds
then release. The unit should run on high speed and then return
to normal operation when the button is released.
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Maintenance HRV
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