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Steam Humidifier Injection Location on Carrier Infinity Furnace

eblend
eblend Member Posts: 37
edited February 10 in Gas Heating

Hello guys,

I bought a General Aire GF-5500 steam humidifier and I want to install on my Carrier Infinity system with 4x zone dampers. I want to do the install myself as it's not really rocket science on the hookup side of things. I still have to figure out the actual control wire hookups with this system since it uses communicating thermostats, but I will concentrate on that later. I'm very handy (built my own house, all framing/electrical/gas/plumbing), but the HVAC system was contracted out. This humidifier is the exact one they were trying to sell me, for like $$$$ installed, which is crazy since that's like 4x the cost of the humidifier itself.

My main question is regarding the location of the Steam injection manifold. The humidifier comes with an 8" steam manifold, and I believe it can be installed on return ducting, but wanted to double check with people who might know this better than me.

The instructions say this:

IMPORTANT: Allow 5 feet (1-1/2 M) of straight return duct downstream of the distributor pipe or nozzle for absorption of the steam. Always allow 3 feet (0.9M) of straight supply duct upstream of the distributor pipe or nozzle for evaporation of the steam.

If I am understanding this correctly, I can install this on the return duct. Currently my system looks like this (ignore the mess, house still under bit of construction)

image.png

I want to mount the steam humidifier on the left side where the yellow 12GA wire is hanging on the wall. As you can see, due to the the large amount of hardware above the furnace (rough in for future heat pump for a hybrid system), followed by all the dampers, I don't exactly have the clearance to inject steam upstream from the furnace on the supply side. I am hoping to inject the steam on that tall return air duct, kind of high up, probably at the 7' from the floor mark (room is 10ft high). Anyone see any issues with that? I believe that's what the instructions state is okay, but wanted to hear people's opinions. Steam would be injected before the filter in this case, don't know if that would be a problem or not.

Comments

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,948
    edited February 9

    Steam humidifiers are installed on the supply (hot) side of the furnace.

    Sucking concentrated moisture through your blower being a bad idea.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • eblend
    eblend Member Posts: 37
    edited February 9
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1841418#Comment_1841418

    Interesting. After I read this I started looking more into this and came across this training video for Aprilaire 800 steam humidifier (more common than one I have), and at the 22:37 mark he basically says it can be installed on either side, hot or cold, as long as it's installed properly following the clearances in the instruction, which is what I think that snippet I posted in the first thread was about. Way he explains it is that as long as you have the absorption distance, steam will absorb into the air and will be no different than high humidity air from the outside. Also read on some other forum where the guy (HVAC tech) installs it on return side, so that if it does drip, it isn't dripping all over the furnace heat exchanger ect. Hum…

    They also include this picture in the video. Can you elaborate on your reasoning? I want to make sure I get all the info to make an informed decision.

    image.png
  • eblend
    eblend Member Posts: 37

    Sorry one last thing from the video that goes specifically into zoned systems like mine, and they basically state that it should be in the return.

    image.png

    And show this picture:

    image.png

    So based on that, I think I will do it in the return ductwork. I should have researched more before posting. Sorry!

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,948

    Just keep an eye out for condensation.

    The Dri Steems I've put in go on the supply side.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.

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