How to Use HRV Control Panel
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- Опубліковано 23 лип 2024
- This video is for LIFEBREATH HRV(Heat Recovery Ventilation) System Wall Control Panel Model# 99-DXPL02 - How to Use and Program.
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0:00 - Intro
1:08 - Power ON/OFF & Service Reset Button
2:06 - Fan Speed Button
2:48 - 20/40/60 Minutes High Speed Button
3:31 - Ventilation Cycle Mode Button-Intro
4:47 - Recommended Humidity Levels
6:21 - Ventilation Cycle Mode Button- Full Detail
11:27 - De-Humidistat Button
14:28 - Reset Button
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#HomeMaintenance #HRV #Lifebreath
Hello Everyone,
I did some research after being asked many times, why Dehumidistat automatically goes OFF.
Reason is Dehumidistat automatically disables if outside temperature is above 15 C ( 59 F) for more than full 24 hour period.
This information is available in Life breath HRV Manual page 4 under Dehumidistat Notes.
Thank you so much. I did change the dehumidistat as well but same issue so now after your research I got the answer. Few other questions to make things clear on my end.
1). In summer time as outside humidity is very high here usually around 80 percent on most of days, is it reasonable to put HRV on circulation only with fan speed 2 so it circulates the AC air to keep humidity still to below 50 percent inside. Any thoughts on it
2). In genereal regarding the operation of HRV, If I set the relative humidity to 55 % what does that mean? the HRV will turn on when inside humidity goes above 55 and will lower it to 55 ? e.g now my relative humidity is set to 55 and inside humidity usually it shows 45 to 49 and temperatures now a days are usually 25-35 celsius so my understading is HRV will run only if the inside humidity goes above 55 ? is that right
@@887toronto
1. HRV will not bring down any humidity, as outside humidity is high and the HRV De-humidistat option will not work as it is designed for Winter when the outside humidity is low. You may need to use a separate De-humidistat Unit.
But yes, HRV can be used to keep Air AC air going around the house.
You can also watch below video I made for Recommended HRV Settings with AC, watch ua-cam.com/video/xSwSSG6MsrI/v-deo.html
2. When you set RH (Relative Humidity) at 55%, that means you would like to keep your house RH to 55. HRV runs the De-humidistat option in winter to reduce the interior humidity by ventilating house air and bringing outside dry air.
The running of HRV depends on your Washroom 20/40/60 minute timer and HRV Ventilation cycle mode settings.
FYI, I have tested it once; that if you set RH value for example about 50% in summer and outside humidity is high, let's say 60, due to some error in HRV Panel, it will show interior humidity closer to the number you set number, but if you keep a separate Humidity reader, it will show a different number. I am not sure, if this happened due to an error in the unit I tested or it happens will all of them.
Hope this answers your questions.
Please guide me with screen shoot which position is good for summer
@@shujahussainpeople547
Hello,
I cannot put pictures in comments.
Please switch your humidifier to Summer mode in basement and then on your HRV do below-
1. Fan to 3
2. 10/50 minutes cycle
Thanks
Thanks for this comment, that’s what I wanted to ask 😂
Thank you for this! Great video. 👍
Great walk through!! Thanks so much!!
Thank you for this video, now I know how this works. Never had one before...awesome job😊👍
Hello Darlene,
Thanks for your review.
Highly appreciated 😊
Thanks so much for this- nice presentation!
I was wondering how this worked, and why my windows were foggy. Great video. Super clear. Thank you
Amazing, that this video helped.
Hope windows are clear now.
That's the information I needed 2 years ago when I bought my house.
Especially the humidity level reference card.
Thanks for the video
Thank you for the video. Explains so much.
You're welcome, Noma Sigidi
very well explained. thank you for making this video.
You're welcome.
Thanks for your comment
Thank you for this video. Well explained 👍🏻
Thanks for your review.
Much appreciated
Excellent information,thanks
Very helpful. Thanks
Excellent video with clear explanations. Just moved into newly-home with this system. Thanks!
Thanks for your comment.
And congratulations for your new home.
Same here! Just moved in, never had such a system before, previous owner didn't leave instructions nor a manual. Read online manual but your explanation is much simpler. I have a simplified and less intuitive control panel compared to yours (LCD). I might bypass it and let home assistant run the whole thing. I'll see. Thank you!
Great video, thanks!
Thanks for your review.
Appreciated 😊
Amazing thank you!
Thank you!
You're welcome. Happy to help.
Please subscribe to the channel for more helpful videos.
Hi - really helpful video! We have a new family 'cabin' (well, a modern structure with in-floor heat) in far northern Minnesota that is rarely used other than June - September. What would you recommended for the HRV setting when the cabin is not in use? Thank you!
Hello,
When Cabin is not in use and the Temperature is below minus 10 C, I would recommend below-
1. Fan speed at 2 or 3
2. Auto Ventilation settings as 20 Minutes ON/ 40 Minutes Stand-by. But if you are having an issue with condensation, then 20 Minutes on ventilation and 40 minutes on inner Circulation.
3. If you have a Dehumidistat option on the HRV controller (same as in the video)- then set it to a minimum which is 25. But in Mechanical Room, please set Humidistat on Humidifier to be between 20 to 25 as well.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
very well done.
Thank you for your comment.
@@How2 i was actually able to walk my wife through the settings from 2 hours away over the phone thanks to your video
A very nice video and hopefully you can answer my questions.Why there is an ice buildup on my hrv box?
This happens when moisture is high in the Outgoing air and it freezes while passing through HRV, as Incoming cold air (lets say -25 C Outside) makes the HRV metal exchage box supercold.
This usually automatically fixed by HRV using Defrost Mode.
Such a helpful video. Thanks. Just curious what to do with system on smoky days. I’m in BC. Thank you
Hello,
Thanks for your comment.
To keep outside smoke to minimum but still ventilate the house, best is 10 minutes ON and 50 minutes standby.
If more time is used for ventilation then you may get more smoke at the same time 10 minutes ventilation bring air from outside.
I hope this helps but there is not much that can be done to keep smoke out and house well ventilated.
I hope you and your family are doing good.
Great video. I have RH set at 45 for winter. Still getting quite a bit of condensation on windows. Is there another setting that would help reduce condensation?
Hello,
RH at 45 is very high for winter.
Please watch this video at 4:47 for detailed information on humidity control and levels.
Thanks
Thanks for the video. I have the exact model you are showing and have a question. Sometimes I see a square box with 3 vertical arrows going up through it just under the %RH and to the right of the wrench icon. Does this mean the HRV is auto-defrosting?
Yes. That sign is for Defrosting Mode.
Thanks a lot it is very helpful. The way u explain is wonderful. I have one question when I set up to to 35 RH outside is minus six I got the reading is sometimes below 20.is that ok.
Thanks
Hello Tsegaye,
Setting RH number higher than the reading RH on HRV won't makr difference.
In simple words, HRV panel only can dehumidify your house and Humidifier on Furnace can add moisture as per set.
So now if you set RH at 35 and you getting 20 ready, that means your house is dry and your Humidifier is not adding any moisture.
Please note, this " your house is dry" is used to explain the situation in reference to your question, doesnt mean add moisture.
Please follow the chart of Weather vs Humidity for reference.
Hope this answers your question.
Hi, very nice detailed video on how to run HRV to get the best results. Well addressed answers to questions as well. I have a question. It is almost summer here and mostly temp outside is 25 degrees. My HRV settings are 20 vent and 40 stand by and humidity level I set to 55. The indoor humidity shows the reading mostly 45-50 nowadays with AC running. Sometimes my set humidity of 55 shows off written there by itself and then changes to 55 at intervals. I don't know why it goes off when I set the humidity to 55. Thanks
Hello I A,
Thanks for your positive review, I really appreciate it.
Regarding your question, I have experienced Set Humidity going OFF automatically and coming back few times in Winter; but have not find any specific reason behind it. Plus, as per my experience this does not have any affect HRV Functioning.
What I recommend and did myself is-
1. Remove HRV Control Panel (As shown in last minutes of the video)
2. Check wiring connection and make sure wires are secure
3. Clean/dust off the Control unit with dry cloth. Softly brush off dust from sensor on the back side on control panel. This will clear off any build up which may interfere with sensors.
These steps fixed the error for me. I am not sure if they are co-related to Humidity setting going OFF, but it worked.
Hope this works for you as well.
Please let me know, if this occur again after performing above steps, I will be able to look further into this.
Thanks :)
@@How2 Hi, Thank you for the reply. I did all these steps but still same issue like humidity set shows off but when i touch any button the dehumidistat lights on and it shows my set humidity of 40 percent. Also I dont see relative humidity going to 40 from 45 .
@@887toronto I looked into further but couldn't find any specific thing that might cause this.
I assume it is sensor issue, Please call Life Breath and see if they can send you new HRV Wall control panel.
Thanks
@@How2 Thanks. Any info that how could we call them directly as my understanding is we have to go through installer
@@887toronto Yes, If System still under warranty, then you will need to contact Installer or Builder.
If not, you can visit this link www.lifebreath.com/homeowners-2/warranty/
Good video. Soon I’ll be powering mine on. I wonder if anyone has one with no furnace. My basement gets hot in the winter with radiant floors so I’d like the incoming cooler air to be there. Just wondering with temps that hit -10f, how cold are my vents going to feel?? Is the air going to be freezing? It may be ok in the basement, but the fresh air vents on the first floor could be to cold and create moisture.
Hello,
Please see below-
1. Is there thermostat you can use to control the radiant heat?
2. As you said you will be powering yours soon? I am confused by this.
Don't you use the HRV in Winters? As its very important.
3. If outside air is cold,
A. HRV is recovering heat and will be using the heat to warm the cold air.
B. As soon as inner temperature drops below the set number, it will start heating.
4. There is always ventilation system required in the house. HRV is one, second can be direct ventilation and it is connected with your furnace.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks
@@How2 1. yes I have a thermostat. It’s set to 65 and the basement gets hot so it’ll be nice to feel some cooler air that gets blown in. Just worried about upstairs as it’s cooler and feeling cold blowing air will suck.
2. It’s not in use yet because I just installed it. Still need to run some duct work. We are also still building the house so we don’t live in it yet. Humidity is controlled around 50% with the house being closed up and a dehumidifier set to 50%.
3. I know it recovers heat, just not sure how much heat. I think someone said 80%. So if it’s zero outside, and 65 inside, the vents are going to be blowing 52 then which is pretty cold. If my vents are 52 and it’s 65 inside, I hope I don’t created condensation around the vents specially if the temp outside drops lower. -10 would mean the vents will be blowing 44 degrees and that’s really cold air!! I hope it recovers more than 80%.
I’m not sure what you mean by when it drops below the set number it’ll start heating? Which number? How will it heat since it’s not a heater?
I am having a lot of ice build up in my HRV unit during the winter. It gets so bad that water actually leaks outside the corner of the unit (as the drain plug freezes) - I run it at 20 ventilation/40 recirculation. Do you know why this happens or how to prevent it?
Also, do you know what balancing the air flow is? Is the air that enters the house equal the air that leaves the house?
I know the vent that sucks air into my house feels stronger than the vent that expels air out of the house. I am not sure if that's normal or not.
Also, is it a concern if my humidity is 50-65% in the summer? Is there anything I can do to lower it? The dehumidifier stat at 45% doesn't seem to solve it.
Hello Brandon,
Sorry for late reply.
Please see below-
1. For ice Build-up and HRV balancing, i would recommend this to be inspected by professional.
As to make any comment without me personally inspecting it will not be appropriate.
2. Humidity in summer can be high due to rain and high humidity outside.
This shouldn't worry you.
Only when you are using AC, you should control humidity. As AC makes your house humidity go up and down.
So you can treat your house same as winter as its sealed and keep humidity in check.
Dehumidistat option only works in winter as when Outside temperature is higher than 15 RH, Dehumidistat option automatically shuts down.
Thanks
Hi,
What’s the best way to control humidity in the summer. I have a HE forced air furnace with central air conditioning.
I’m having an issue with setting the HRV. My issue is the RH humidity outside is high. I’m running my ac lots to try and bring the humidity down inside but struggle to keep it at my 34% set point. What would be the best way to run my HRV and at what settings. Currently running at 5 fan speed, 34% set point, 10m/hr run and 50m/hr stand by.
Humidity outside right now is 46% @ 21c.
Additionally, with the control panel going to 25% only, how do you bring it down to 15% in the winter? What would the setting be like for that? Or would you just open your doors and windows intermittently?
Thanks
Hello,
Please see the below responses in the same order as your questions-
1. As you mentioned, the Outside RH is very high due to which you cannot do much to bring down the inside RH, other than using a Dehumidifier. But as your system, while running will bring more humid air in, using Dehumidifier will be a waste.
2. You can lower your humidistat for the humidifier to the lowest number possible. Also, you can turn Humidifier to Summer Setting, So your humidifier is not adding any humidity into the system when inside RH% drops.
3. I am not sure your reason for dropping the humidity in summer below 35%? Can you explain?
As in summer humidity doesn't affect your house structure much as it does in Winter.
4. In terms of HRV control settings, you can run HRV at 3 or 4 Fan Speed at 20 min Ventilation and 40 min Standby.
If you don't want to use a ceiling or standing fan (as commonly used with AC), you can use the HRV setting as 20 min Ventilation and 40 min Recirculating, in this indoor air will stay in motion, keeping your house COOL even if the AC is Off.
Real-time RH will be as a live number (as you mentioned 34%)and the right top RH% must be OFF as it is a dehumidistat option only useful and works in winter when outside RH is low. This normally goes OFF automatically when the outside temperature is above 15C for 24 hours straight.
5. HRV dehumidistat option only goes as low as 25%, but to go lower, you can drop down the dial on your Humidistat in the basement. But keep in mind that the number of people living in the house will add up to the moisture in the house in winter.
It is hard to bring RH to 15% even more than 2 adults are living in the house, but you can do your best to bring it as down as possible and closer to 15%. In my video or normal recommendation of 15% Rh is mentioned in a well-controllable environment but adjustments are to be considered when the house is occupied, as now indoor Humidity will not only be affected by Humidistat but no. of people living, cooking, showering, and breathing in the house.
Before I explain to you the number of steps, please make sure your house DO NOT go below 10 to 15% RH in winter otherwise it will dry up and might shrink drywall and cause cracks, make floors squeak, etc.
Few steps to lower Humidity-
a. Lower Humidistat dial
b. Run Continuous ventilation on HRV, this will bring down outside dry air and lower the inside RH. This may need to run for more than 24 hours
c. in normal use, ventilate the house as much as possible while cooking and showering.
d. Use dehumidistat, only if needed.
Also, opening windows and doors in winter will have more harm than benefits. So please don't do that other than you can open windows on bit warm days and naturally ventilate your house in winter.
Hope this will help you to understand the humidity and ventilation better.
Fantastic video and excellent explanation. What does it indicate when the rh button shows two lines and no number?(- -) I have turned the unit off and on and it still does not indicate a number. Thank you
Hello Maria,
This usually happens when sensor is not taking a reading, there can be multiple reasons-
1. Wall Control unit got the sensor that reads the room humidity, if its covered with Dust, it may not give the humidity reading or correct reading. Please remove the unit, as shown in end of this video, clean the dust off with soft duster or brush and reinstall.
2. Also, please check the wiring connection. by remove unit as step 1, checking connection at the back of unit. OR also check wiring on HRV Unit in basement.
3. When weather change from Winter to spring/summer, I have noticed this as well. It may happen due to sudden change in weather, also during this period when weather go above 15C or 59 F for more than 24 Hours, De-Humidistat option turns off, But as experienced in this Spring, weather is fluctuating a lot, which can cause this error as well.
Hope this answers your question.
ty for the video.....would anyone really want 18-20% humidity in their house at -30 degrees celsius? wouldnt that start to shrink/split casings, baseboards and hardwoods?
Hi! Quick question, my humidity control is great. I’m just experiencing a gurgling noise that’s quite loud in my new system. I can see one of the hose has water in it (assuming it’s accumulated water from humidity) and air bubbles pass through. How can I fix this and stop the loud noises? Are they normal?
Hello Lydia,
You hear Gurgling from the HRV? Or fron Furnace drain?
Is there Loop on HRV condensate line with?
If you can email some pictures at howto2yt@gmail.com , i will be able to assist you better.
Thanks
Hi, can you please help me with my query? I dont know how to use this. What should be the fan speed for september october november month. I feel theres lot of humidity in my apartment. And it always shows 48-49% RH. And the other setting is 20mins per hour and other is 40mins per hour and with circle inside the second one.
Hello Abhinav,
Please watch the full video, in this, I have explained the functions of each setting such as auto ventilation settings, when and how to use which settings.
Fan speed is good between 3 to 5
Humidity in summer will be high due to outside RH being high due to rain.
Please watch the full video, and let me know if you get any questions.
Also, I have few videos for humidity and condensation during the winter season, please them as well.
Thanks
Help! I just moved into a renovated house that has this lifebreath installed in it. Ive read the manual, researched and watched your videos. Im in winnipeg, so current temp is around 20 degress. The inside RH is 60% and abive at times. According to your chart, humidity shiuld not exceed 40%. What settings are recommended to decrease the RH in my house.
Hello Brandey,
Recommended number are for Winters.
In Summer humidity cannot be controlled much unless dehumidifier is used because outside humidity is high as well.
If you have AC installed, then you can control it through Humidifier.
But to reach lower numbers, it will be hard.
So you don't have to worry about it much.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Hi there, could you please show the settings to turn on the 20/40 for 20 min and off for 40 min. Must the unit be set in the off position. It goes on and off when in the RH is set to off BUT when i set the RH .....say to 40 or 50 RH .....it runs all the time. Thank you for any help you can suggest!
Hello Larry,
Please use the following settings for best results at current weather-
1. Set Fan between 2 to 4
2. Set Auro ventilation to 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes Stand-by/OFF
3. Set RH Higher than house RH%
Please note, above settings are for early winter. they must be changed depending on the weather.
So why your HRV runs all the time is, when you set RH below the House RH%, it turns ON the Dehumidisat Setting, which means HRV tries to bring down the humidity, so it can match your settings. Also, now if your HUmidistat in Basement set at HIGHER RH, then your HRV is trying to dry your house to bring down the RH, but at the same time, your Humidifier in Basement is increasing it to match its set setting. so these two systems need to be coordinated. Also, the Dehumidistat option is good for Winter when the weather gets COLD to let's say below -15 C or so.
If your weather is above that (as we have now +-5 C, then just reducing the Humidistat setting will help.
To get more information on how much humidity you should have with respect to weather, please watch this video at 4:47 - Recommended Humidity Levels.
I have also posted another video for How to Control Condensation ( ua-cam.com/video/ToDHAUwcvTs/v-deo.html ), which explains Humidity and Humidity settings in detail.
Hope this answers your question.
please let me know if you have any other questions.
Nice video! I was wondering if we can use the HRV system to increase the humidity of the house during winter time when the humidity inside is too low.
Hello,
Thanks for the comment.
HRV system itself cannot be used to increase the Humidity.
But there are below methods-
1. Raise the Humidistat RH% on Furnace Humidifier and keep higher setting on Dehumidistat on HRV wall controller. So when Humidifier adds moisture HRV system doesn't remove it.
2. If you dont have Humidifier as it happens in some houses, then keep water open container and air will pick it up but again make sure HRV control panel dehumidistat is set to higher so it doesn't remove.
FYI, i am not sure how low your humidity go, how old is the house, what kind of windows you have and more factor, but usually higher humidity raise the chances of condensation on windows and colder areas. So keep that in mind as well while raising the humidity.
Hope this answers your question. Please let me know if you have any questions.
thanks for the video it helps! but i have another problem that i can't find how to fix, i live in canada (cold) and my hymidity level indicate 0 and it doesnt change, is it possible because theres moisture in my pipes??
Hello Timon,
Humidity sensor is on the HRV wall control unit. This has nothing to do with the system in basement or mechanical room.
You can remove the wall unit by pulling and clean the dust off and install back same way and see if it fixes the reading.
This happens due to malfunctioning in the Humidity sensor which can be due to dust or some other reason.
Hope this solves your problem.
Thanks
Great video, thanks. I am a bit confused though, what should it be set at in the spring summer in Quebec. My ventilation guy told me to turn the humidification off in spring on each thermostat in the house and then turn off the lifebreath, is that right? If I turn it off by pressing the button on the left, does that mean I won’t get any fresh air in the house? What is a good setting for spring and summer in Quebec? I am not using AC yet and the temperature is currently set at 20.
Hello Julie,
Please see attached link for Spring Settings-
ua-cam.com/users/shorts9JtilsvYoEA?feature=share
Yes, please switch the Humidifier from Winter to Summer. On HRV controller, you can set the top right number to OFF. This only turn off the dehumidifier, your ventilation still runs.
Hi my window is frozen already there’s ice. My settings is 20/40 ( 1st house is at 20 and 2nd house is empty which is 40) my humidity is at 37 and my dehumidistat is at 50%.
So which settings should I use now that my window have condensation/ ice already?
Also if HrV run does furnace run too?
Hello Kryz,
Please set De-humidistat setting to 25% RH, this will start your HRV to ventilate your house and in one or two days, Humidity level will fall. In this mode, you may experience your HRV is running whole time and air vents are bringing in fresh air which may seem cool. this experience is normal.
If you already have ice on windows, please use Hair dryer to melt of the excess ice build-up and clean it with cloth.
As at - 30C, air circulation will not be able to melt all ice away.
Also, keep the blinds open during the days and even at night keep them 6 inch high from bottom sill of window, to keep air circulation on windows. Usually closing the blinds or curtains completely cuts off the Warm air circulation to windows, which cause air moisture to freeze on Colder Surface.
After RH% is down, then please run setting as 20 Minutes ON and 40 Minutes Re-circulation mode ( 1st House at 20 minutes ventilating and 2nd House at 40 with circulation). This will keep your house air in circulation and reduce chances of ice formation.
Yes, when HRV runs, your furnace is running too. This is for 2 reasons, one to heat up the fresh air coming-in and two to supply air through air-vents.
I really appreciate your questions.
Again, I hope, I answered all your questions. If you still have any question, please don't hesitate to ask
I need help! Its summer time and very very humid here, our system keeps showing 60% + humidity and my RH is Set to 40 but just shows OFF(im assuming because its over 15 degrees outside). It gets very humid outside in ottawa Ontario. What settings do I put it on, im so confused. It seems like no matter what setting we put it on the humidity doesn't go down. Currently We have AC running at 20 degrees, HRV fan 5, fresh air for 10 minutes every 50 minutes.
Hello Mia,
Yes, as you assume, HRV Dehumidifier option automatically goes OFF above 15C for 24 hours straight.
When house has AC, lets say you are using at 20C, this cools down the house which results high humidity. as Air at Higher Temperature can carry more Humidity and vice versa, simplest will be to raise temperature high to 21 or 22 C if you feel comfortable. If not, you can follow below.
Also, when outside Air is humid, which can be due to a lot of Rain as we are having this year, Outside air will be at high RH, so when your house ventilates, that same humidity comes in.
To reduce humidity, you can try below-
1. Easiest and Best way is separate Dehumidifier Unit though its useful in small area only and may take longer to remove the humidity. Please make sure not to over-dry your house
2. Check AC condensate line- Usually AC removes moisture from the house as well. Please inspect and clean if its blocked due to build-up. This will be in your Mechanical Room where AC coils are installed
3. Check Humidifier- you can turn it OFF, so it doesn't supply any excess moisture and set Humidistat to lower setting.
4. Exhaust Fan must be ON, during cooking and Shower, and let it run for extra 15 to 20 minutes after as well.
5. If you have a lot of indoor plants, that can raise interior RH as well, as its summer, you can may be move few outside.
Hope this information helps.
This is a very handy video. I feel my hrv system fan is always on. I keep it to the 20/40 setting and 5 as the fan speed. Does this mean the fan is always on regardless of the 20/40?
Yes if you have , 20 minutes ventilation and 40 minutes air circulation, then it will be running all the time.
You can do 20 minutes ventilation and 40 minutes standby to fix it.
Great video. I just purchased that exact unit. I was wondering how accurate is the live value humidity reading supposed to be?
Thank you for the comment.
It is very close to being accurate but reason for not being 100% is because it takes reading from the area where it is installed i.e. on main floor. So 2nd floor humidity can be little higher.
Another way to find humidity is by going to Humidistat on your Humidifier and when you rotate the dial around, you'll hear a click sound. That click sound is the humidity in the air when passing through the duct.
I have seen some homes with multiple humidity readers on different floors and areas, so you can average them to see the humidity level.
Would you know how to fix it if the RH I set always goes back to “OFF”? I keep changing it and it shows the new number and then a few seconds later goes back to “OFF”
Reason is Dehumidistat automatically disables if outside temperature is above 15 C ( 59 F) for more than full 24 hour period.
This information is available in Life breath HRV Manual page 4 under Dehumidistat Notes.
Great and clear explanation many thanks! I have an issue and cant seem to find a solution! I was told to hold the two middle buttons to reset and manually enter the RH %. I could only increase it and now is stuck at 99%. I tried to remove panel and put it back but didnt work. Any suggestion?! Many thanks for your help
Hello Jad,
After your comment, I tried the instructions, and mine is stuck at 99% as well :D
I am trying few options, if something works, I will update you.
Hello Jad,
After trying few times, the solution is to press the middle buttons again and press the Fan button to reduce the humidity number down.
Please try this and let me know if it works for you.
@@How2 Hi there, I just found your video, great instructions btw. my control panel shows 99 in large fonts as well and I tried pressing the middle buttons (both 20/40/60 and settings button together) and press the fan button, however, it hasn't worked... can you please help? many thanks :)
@@MXG6314 Hello,
Please remove the HRV unit from wall (as shown in the end of video), then after 5 minutes, install again and try the same button combination instructions again.
Let me know if it doesn't work.
@@How2 Hi there, thanks for the reply. I removed it and held down the middle buttons and then the “%RH” started blinking but the 99 is still there… not sure what else I can do 😅, thanks again
Hey mate, I've a question. My hvac screen showing a wrench sign. It's a 1 year old house. What i suppose to do. Is it for changing filters. Can you make a video explaining how to change the filters too. Thx again
Hello Ravi,
Please watch below link to solve your problem as mentioned in your comment-
ua-cam.com/video/Ia00dzgVxrk/v-deo.html
Thanks
what is the ideal difference between outside humidity and inside humidity and is there any intelligent HRV panel available in market ? Nice video
Hello Kisan,
There is no ideal difference between outside and inside Humidity.
As inside Humidity is controlled by Humidifier and Outside depends on weather. For example, Relative Humidity in outside air will be automatically higher during Rain and this moisture will come inside the house with Ventilation system being ON and will raise House Humidity.
But Interior humidity should be controlled with Outside Weather.
Interior Humidity should be lowered as Outside weather gets colder.
Please check video at 4.47 for Recommended Humidity Levels.
Hope this answers your questions.
Do you know what the CO2 level is that these units pull in from outside air? A ppm would be great!
Hello Ckhang,
I couldn't find particular chart or information available for your question.
But average outside CO2 level is about 400 ppm.
So now when HRV runs and bring in fresh air, it will be bringing in on average 400 ppm CO2.
And in occupied space with good ventilation, average CO2 level can be between 400 to 1000 ppm.
I am not sure, if this answers your question.
But if you can provide me more clarification on your question, i may be able to assist.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi there, I have the exact same panel system in our home. We are about to get an extreme weather change from -30ish to -5 in about 3 days. What I just did was turn off the humidity set (it's sitting at 21% now and the outside temperature is about -25) and the ventilation set I have is continuously recirculation only. Is that the right move?
Hello Zijun,
Sorry to say this, but setting Humidity to Zero is not always good, as most cases I have experienced, Homeowner forget to set it back to normal and House starts to dry;
and with setting as Continuous re-circulation, you are not getting any ventilation which mean you inner air is just staying inside the house.
Please do as below-
1. Set HRV to either Continuous ventilation mode OR 20 Minutes ON-40 Minutes Re-circulation. This mode will pick up the moisture from windows as ice build up or condensation is melting due to windows getting warmer due to outside temperature change; and take moisture out of the house.
Also, Please RUN Washroom exhaust fan so any ice build up in exhaust pipe will be thrown out as soon as its melting.
And, as soon as weather is settled around between 0 to -10 and windows ice is gone, and Humidity is as recommended, you can use HRV 20 Minutes ON-40 Minutes Stand-By Mode.
2. Please set Humidity on Mechanical room Humidifier to about 15 to 20%, as this setting will not add any new humidity in house, but at same time, it ill not let HRV system to dry your house.
as if humidity gets too low, your house will start to experience cracks and squeaks.
Hope above information answers your question.
Thanks
@@How2 wow！That’s quick! Thank you!!!
Hi, I'm in Canada and the weather is currently -11C. Im struggling to keep the house warm consistently. I have it on 20 on / 40 minutes off. Fan level 3, RH set to 35. Im constantly feeling cold air come out of the vents even if my ecobee is set to heat, 22.5 degrees. Humidistat is set to abiut 35. House is 1 year old. Thank you in advance
Hello Marco,
You fan might be running because your house live Humidity might be higher than 35 that you have set.
Please check numbers on top tight corner.
If the number 2nd on top right corner is bigger than the number in the right corner, then it means your house humidity is higher than what you want, and dehumidifier system kicks in and thats why you feel cold air.
Also, make your basement humidifier number go atleast 5% less than dehumidifier number, otherwise they will be fighting with each other, one try to add moisture and other try to remove.
We have the exact model however our Hrv is connected to our furnace.
I believed how was installed was to turn on every time the furnace comes on. What mode do you recommend when it is connected to your central furnace?
Hello,
All HRVs are connected with Furnace.
They don't work alone on their own.
If you are looking for best modes for Winter, please watch below UA-cam video -
ua-cam.com/video/2LJBS1BDbRI/v-deo.html
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi, question. So in my apartment the hallways have a/c but not the unit itself, do you think 20 vent and 40 standby or 40 circ is better to have a cooler room? Also what setting would you recommend for the winter?
Hello,
By cooler room, are you intentions to get Hallway cool air into the Apartment? Sorry i am just confused.
If so, that wont be possible using HRV system, as HRV is ventilation system and only connected with exterior.
So it will only bring Air from outside, so if outside is warm, it will bring warm air and if its Cold, it will being cold air but gets warmer up at HRV due to heat recovery and Furnace.
You can use HRV continuous in the morning or late evening to get cool air in, to freshen uo the apartment.
Hope this clears your question.
Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
Thanks
I understand. What settings would you recommend for summer and winter nights?
@@thejanellaramos
Summer nights-
1. If you open windows then 10 minutes Ventilation/50 Minutes Standby
2. If you don't open windows a lot then 20 minutes Ventilation / 40 Minutes Stand-by.
you can also use Continuous ventilation as it will bring cool air from the outside.
Winter nights-
I am not sure how are winters for you but-
1. Extreme cold night such as below -20C, use 20 Minutes Ventilation / 40 minutes Air Circulation. This works best to minimize condensation.
2. If its between 0 to -20 C, then 20 minutes ventilation/40 minutes stand-by works best.
Hope this help. Also, these settings are more of suggestion, you can play around depends on what you want HRV system to do1 like to reduce humidity, run HRV for as long as possible. If you have more plants, or pets then you need more ventilation or ventilation to keep humidity and condensation in check.
What’s a good setting for when the air quality is bad due to forest fires and temps above 25
To keep outside smoke out but still ventilate the house, best is 10 minutes ON and 50 minutes standby.
If more time is used for ventilation then you may get more smoke at the same time 10 minutes ventilation bring oxygen from outside.
I hope this helps but there is not much that can ne done to keep skoke out and house well ventilated.
i hope you and your family are safe during wildfire.
Hi there, not sure if any one is still commenting in this thread. I have this same control panel. It is late spring here. It is mid day and the outside temp is raining and about 12 degrees celcius. The days have usually been above 15 degrees but it cools down closer to 10 overnight and mornings. I have the system set at fan speed #3, 10/50 and humidity shows at 38%. Now the humidistat is showing off in the right top corner all of a sudden, and even if I try to change the percentage or reset, it returns to off. Why is that?
Hello,
The reason is that Dehumidistat automatically disables if the outside temperature is above 15 C ( 59 F) for more than a full 24-hour period and vice versa. As in your case, during the day Temperature stays close to 15 C and only goes lower in the evening or night, that doesn't turn ON the Dehumidistat option again. This is the normal function for HRV.
This information is available in the Life breath HRV Manual on page 4 under Dehumidistat Notes.
👍👍👍👍
Hi there,
The live humidity in my house is 51% and I set it to turn on at 60%. But the HRV doesn’t turn off on it’s on after been running for over an hour.
Hello,
HRV can run for mutliple reason-
1. Please make sure HRV Automatic ventilation is set at either 10 ON/50 Stand by OR 20 ON/40 Standby. for all settings other than this, the HRV fan will run all the time.
2. If house humidity is higher than set humidity.
but in your case, as you mentioned your house humidity is lower than set.
3. If the washroom has a Humidity sensor controller, then HRV will run as long as washroom humidity drops.
4. Also, please check your thermostat, sometimes, if Furnace FAN is set to ON instead of Auto, it runs all the time.
Hope this solves your problem.
Thanks
Hello
Should all vents turn on when washroom timer is turned on? Mine does that and blows cold air throughout the whole house
Yes, HRV is one unit and runs everywhere when its turned on either from washroom or Main Control.
Hi,
I have the same unit in my house and start to blink the screen as well as the washroom hrv switches. I have tried to unplug and plug the controller on wall but it didn’t work.
Hello Ankit,
Please hold the washroom timer button for 30 seconds, this solves the problem for HRV Washroom timers.
But if for all timers and HRV Panel, then maybe a wiring connection to be checked, there might be loose wiring either at HRV System in Mechanical room or on either of the control units.
Please double-check the connections.
steps are easy, Please watch ua-cam.com/video/HFs04fOVMcI/v-deo.html
this explains timer fixing.
Hope this solves your problem, please let me know if you have any questions.
Great video, but I have some questions regarding the fan button, the setting button, and the dehumifier button
1) Which takes precedence? So if the humidity is at 30 and I set relative humidity to 15. But also have it set as 20 min fresh air/40 min recirc. What would happen? Would it keep running until its 15% then go onto the 20/40 or would it run 20/40. Once it hits 15% will it continue to run 20/40?
2) For fan speed, if I set it at 3, will it run 3 for 20/40, will it run at 3 for the dehumidifier setting? What if I put it on 0 (standby), what speed would the fan run at if its triggered? Max speed? 1?
3)If I put fan speed at 0, and 20/40, what would happen for those 20 mins ? Would it run at the 20 mins? Or would it be standby through the whole 60 min?
4) What if i put fan speed 0 with humidity of 30% and setting at 15% would it run until its 15% , if so, what speed?
5) What setting would you use for Winter -30C?
6) At 15:20, I noticed there is a bluetooth symbol, I cannot find anything on the manual that speaks about bluetooth connectivitiy, how would i utilize this
7) This is probably the hardest question I have here. On the bottom right, there is another icon/symbol that pops up. A rough description shows 3 squiggly arrows pointing up towards a rectangle box with dots inside it. What does that mean? Once again, nothing in the manual regarding this.
Sorry for the long question, but i couldnt find anything that clarifies this.
Thanks in advanced!
Hello Mikoal,
Please see below answers for your questions. I hope they clear all your doubts.
1. System will be Ventilating i.e., exchanging air in and out till RH% reached 15 %. Setting RH% to 15% overrides any other setting you may set. Once target RH% is achieved, system goes back to setting i.e., 20/40 in your case.
FYI, achieving 15 RH% is hard and takes long time if you have high humidity in your house. As more occupants adds more moisture into the house via Breathing, cooking, shower, etc. so best way is to keep maintaining the RH regularly like getting it down few % every day as weather starts to cool.
2. If mode setting is running at 20/40, then Fan speed will be 3, but If De-Humidistat starts, then speed will be HIGH at Level 5.
In simple words, any Settings or mode set by you will use set Fan Speed. But if De-humidistat or washroom timer kicks-in, then Automatically it will be at High Speed i.e., 5
3. If you put, Fan to 0, No automatic ventilation mode will work, system will be on Full Stand-by.
4. As soon as Humidity level goes above SET RH%, de-humidistat will start with HIGH FAN SPEED as default i.e. Fan speed 5, till set RH% is reached and it will go back to settings as you set.
In your example, as set RH is 15 and Real Humidity level is at 30, so De-humidistat will start at High Speed.
5. I will use 20 Minutes ON, 40 Minutes Recirculation, if experiencing high humidity levels or if there are visible signs of Condensation and ice formation on windows.
OR I will 20 Minutes ON, 40 Minutes Standby, If Interior humidity is normal, and no signs of condensation on windows.
above both options works well depending on Humidity Level.
6. Yes, that sign is for Bluetooth connectivity but it cannot be used to connect with phone or tab.
It is to connect Life breath Wireless Timer - DET02. Timer and Control panel can be connected wirelessly estimated range of 40'. Also Range can be increased by using 99-RX02 Repeater unit.
7. This sign is for Defrost Mode. During below freezing temperatures, HRV Automatically cycles through this mode to avoid frost built up in the Core unit.
I really appreciate your questions and Thanks for the comment.
Again, I hope, I answered all your questions. If you still have any question, please don't hesitate to ask.
@@How2 Amazing answers, absolutely brilliant.Thank you for taking the time to answer my question
I wonder why they dont make the manual more intuitive. There is no mention of what overrides what, no mention of bluetooth or the defrost mode.
Subscribed! Cheers!
@@mikoal Thanks and I really appreciate you Subscribing.
Also, wanted to update you about your question to set Humidity to 15%RH. I missed that yesterday in answer of your question and prior comment from Tara Carroll brought this to my attention; Please review my reply comment to Tara Carroll Question's for full explanation.
In overview, De-humidistat setting only allows you to go to minimum 25%RH, but if you would need to reduce humidity below that, you will need to reduce it from Humidifier and RUN 20 Minutes ON - 40 Minutes Re-circulating option.
I noticed a Bluetooth symbol on the screen when you reset it. Is there an app that works with it?
Thanks!
Yes, that sign is for Bluetooth connectivity but it cannot be used to connect with phone or tab.
It is to connect Life breath Wireless Timer - DET02. Timer and Control panel can be connected wirelessly estimated range of 40'. Also Range can be increased by using 99-RX02 Repeater unit.
Hope this answers your question.
Please let me know, if you have any other question.
Hello - in my home, the builder installed controller is model DXPL01 (2013 home). Is it possible for me to straight swap the old controller with this new controller without many modifications?
Thanks
Hello Aman,
Yes, it's easy to change and both models need the same type of wire.
Please just make sure the connections are done correctly.
@@How2 thank you! I removed the front of my panel (the way you illustrated in the video) and I can see that the panel is connected and powered via 4 pins. Is it the same with your controller?
@@AmanQuraishi1 I checked and newer model has 3 pins.
LifeBreath made newer models compatible with older models, but i would advise if you can consult local professional about this, so they can double check the wiring and models.
Nice
I saw Bluetooth sign too
Is it manageable on some app on phone?
Yes, that sign is for Bluetooth connectivity but it cannot be used to connect with phone or tab.
It is to connect Life breath Wireless Timer - DET02. Timer and Control panel can be connected wirelessly estimated range of 40'. Also Range can be increased by using 99-RX02 Repeater unit.
Hope this answers your question.
Please let me know, if you have any other question.
Can I use this controller with HRV3-150 (Y2140)? Mine is basic dehumidstat controller. Existing is three wire Red,Black and Green.
Hello,
Sorry I missed your comment before.
You will need to check if your HRV system in basement is compatible with the Controller model you want to put in.
Please check HRV manual.
Thanks
Thanks for your reply, I have incorporated my hrv controls to ecobee thermostat.
I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba , my problem is that, reading on my hrv wall control panel humidity is 0, weather now is -0, I am trying to set the humidity but I couldn't, What is the best thing to do? Inset to 20 but the reading still on 0
Hello,
Controller is not reading the humidity correctly.
May try below-
1. Remove unit (Check end of video for how to remove) and dust off the unit and wall mount.
2. Check all wires to be tight and secure.
3. Install back the wall unit after 1 minute.
4. If this doesn't work, then may be controller unit or Relative Humidity sensor is malfunctioning and need replacement.
Can you help. My house is newly built and I can see the fan is set to 3 and the 20/40 option and then I can see the dehumidifier set to 30. I am in Calgary and from couple last days I feel the dryness. As when I wake up my nose is so dry. My heat temp is set to 20.5 at night time.. not sure what needs to be updated.. could you please help with the setting. We are 5 adults at home and 1 baby and 1 toddler..
Hello,
As per the cold weather in Calgary, your HRV and Temperature settings seems to be good.
30% humidity (RH) is high for weather below -25 or -30.
Plus 5 Adults add extra moisture in air with activities like breathing, shower, cooking.
If you raise more humidity to fix dryness then you may notice condensation on the windows and ice build up.
Recommendation will be using nose lubriand lotions.
But if that doesn't solve the issue, you can raise the humidity but then there might be issues due to high humidity in the house.
Hope this answer's your question.
Thank you for reply. I really appreciate that. Definitely I don’t need condensation on my windows.. I’ll try to stay more hydrated 😀.
What would be the humidity stats now in current Calgary weather? I’ve 2 zones in my home. I can see upstairs I’ve indoor 35% humidity and on main floor 29%. My dehumidifier stat set to 30.. so the Number upstairs 35% passes the number set on the lifebreath control panel. So should I now increase the number on the panel?
Hi, just wanted to ask why my RH % goes blank from time to time? TIA.
Hello Rhei,
This happens randomly.
Please make sure sensors is clean.
You can remove wall unit and use soft brush to dust off any dirt.
And then reinstall it. It's very simple step.
There is no particular reason as RH% sensor is only install in wall unit.
If this doesn't fix the this you can contact HVAC installer and see if they can replace this if this continues.
Hope this solves your problem.
Hi,
I have a question regarding how to get the humidity to 15% when the settings only go down to 25%?
It's-32 outside and our windows are starting to freeze. Our house is a new build. It was at approx 25% when this happened.
Thank you!
Hello Tara,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I missed to explain this.
Brand new houses experience this issue very often as Moisture content is naturally high in new built home due to new concrete pour and wood moisture content.
As Dehumidistat only allows to go to minimum 25 RH%, after that you have to reduce the setting from your Humidifier, which will most probably be install by your Furnace in Mechanical Room.
If you watch "ua-cam.com/video/0nU8E04VqYU/v-deo.html&ab_channel=HowTo", this will give you overview.
Please reduce the Humidity level to approx. 15% on Humidistat and run 20 Minutes ON and 40 Minutes Re-circulation mode on HRV Control panel.
This will reduce Humidity level inside the house, but as its already -30 outside, it will take some time to get low.
But, also remember, this will be making your house dry and you way experience dry skin and dry nose. So, as soon as weather move towards - 20, you can raise back the humidity little bit.
Just in case, if you can make humidity to reach level 15%, keeping HRV ventilation ON, keeps Air Circulating. When air is in continuous flow, moisture in air rarely freezes on cold surfaces. So, chances will be less of any condensation.
If you already have ice on windows, please use Hair dryer to melt of the excess ice build-up and clean it with cloth.
As at - 30 C, air- circulation will not be able to melt all ice away.
Also, keep the blinds open during the days and even at night keep them 6 inch high from bottom sill of window, to keep air circulation on windows. Usually closing the blinds or curtains completely cuts off the Warm air circulation to windows, which cause air moisture to freeze on Colder Surface.
I really appreciate your questions.
Again, I hope, I answered all your questions. If you still have any question, please don't hesitate to ask.
@@How2 thank you for the response. We set the HRV to off and also turned the humidistat off on furnace. We are circulating indoor air only now as the outdoor humidity is at 76% currently. We cannot get below 24% still but the heat is consistent and the ice has melted. I also turned furnace fan to on rather than auto.
@@tc7407 Please Turn ON the Humidifier and let the ventilation run.
As you mentioned Outside humidity is 76%, that is Relative Humidity, which mean How much water Air can carry at certain temperature.
So don't worry about 76%, as winter air is COLD and can carry less moisture as compared to the air at 22 C. So that's why the number is higher. so its more like saturation in the Air
For example, (This is just hypothetical)
If one m2 of Air at 22 C can carry 2 Litre of moisture and then it will be 100% saturated, then at that point it will have 100%RH. But Same Air shrink to 1/2 m2 at -30 C and now it will be only able to carry 1 litre of moisture and will become 100%RH.
So if you Run HRV ventilation, the melted ice moisture and excessive moisture will be vented and fresh air that comes in will be dry.
This is make your house loose excessive moisture.
Hope this clears the confusion.
@@How2 by running humidifier even at a low setting will i still be putting water/ moisture into the air? or does it dehumidify when it is set from 0 to 25 and not in the off position (stat mounted above furnace). So should I set stat that goes from 25 to 60(wall stat) to 25 or set it to off relative humidity.
@@tc7407 No, it doesn't add any water/moisture to the Air if set level is higher than current Humidity in House.. Humidifier must only start as soon as Humidity level falls below setting set on Humidistat on Furnace.
But to remove moisture from house, HRV must ventilate the air.
In regards to De-humidistat setting-
A. If HRV panel shows your House humidity above 25%RH, then you can set De-humidistat setting to 25%RH so system will automatically ventilate and reduce moisture..
B. If HRV panel shows House Humidity as 25 or below, then Set De-humidistat setting to OFF, and Use 20 Minutes ON-40 Minutes Re-circulation mode.
What is best for winter setting 20min 40 ? How about fan speed? ALSO -33 turn off?
Hello Sinwook,
Please use the following settings for best results for Cold Winters-
1. Set Fan between 2 to 4
2. Set Auto ventilation to 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes Stand-by/OFF
3. If you notice condensation build-up on windows OR when the weather is -30 or below, you can use 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes inner air circulation settings. this keeps air inflow and reduces chances of Condensation.
Please note, above settings are for winter between -15 to -30. they must be changed depending on the weather.
Sorry, what do you mean by "ALSO -33 turn off?"
Please explain!
so if you let the air outside -40deg going inside. your furnace keep on running? wasting gas?
Its Ventilation of house which is very important in winter as there is no source of Fresh Air. Recommendation is 20 minutes/ hour.
Other 40 minutes, it can be recirculation to keep air in motion to avoid any condensation.
Inside my house rught now is 66 humidiy. How do i adjust the seyting to make it lower? My doors dont fit in their frames anymore. Im so so annoyed. I cant figure this out
Hello,
In summer, HRV system can fix the Humidity as it depends what is exterior Humidity.
You can use Dehumidifier to remove excess moisture.
If you are using AC, please make sure your humidifier settings are set properly in your Mechanical room system.
Hello
What setting do you recommend to use overnight.
We just bought newly built home and not sure which setting to use over night! Thx
Hello Mel,
There is no specific settings that is required or recommended at night.
HRV must be set depending on the outside temperature and Relative humidity, please use them as recommended in the video under recommended Humidity levels and Ventilation Cycle Mode Button.
But if there is any specific result you are looking from HRV, then please let me know, i might be able to advise.
Hope this answers your questions.
@@How2 thank you!
Hey, what do I do if the humidity number no longer appears on the screen?
Hello,
Try below-
1. Please restart the HRV system
2. Please remove HRV wall controller and reinstall. Please see end me this video on how to remove the controller.
3. Please clean off dust from controller when you remove it.
This normally fix the issue.
Please let me know
Hi , Thanks for the video. I have a question : what are benefits of puting on standby mode [ventilator at 0) . Wouldnt be better just to turn it off?
Hello Igi,
If you power off your HRV, then you won't be able to use HRV Ventilation in washrooms.
Putting it on standby, it turns off the Automatic Operation/Ventilation Modes but keeps HRV available for washrooms.
Hope this answer your question.
If you find the video helpful, please like and subscribe to the channel for more videos.
@@How2 Hi , many thanks for the swift reply but my timers work when its turned off. They just bypass the control panel and make it work for the time i setup. However,Im unable to pair the wirelles timer with this control panel (d002). It says its compatible with it but Im unable to pair it despite following the instructions. Do you have any clue on this? Did you try to pair this controler with wireless timer?
@@igifrka6712 Sorry, by turn off i thought to shut off it whole from main power, but now i understand you meant it as from wall control panel.
Yes, then it will work from washrooms.
Only thing is, Dehumidistat option won't work.
For Wireless Timer, which model do you have?
@@How2 I have lifebreath wireless timer model 99-DET02.
@@igifrka6712
Please check attached link and go to page 15.
www.lifebreath.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/69-RNC-Install-07-27-17.pdf
I guess you might be having issue with range. If you want to use more than 40' ( with no obstruction) then you might need unit called Repeater 99-RX02
Please try above and let me know
It was -35 outside and my hrv is frozen.what should the settings is to eliminate the ice.
Hello,
HRV system has a Defrost Mode. It starts automatic when HRV freezes. It will be shown on Wall Controller on right bottom corner as Box with arrows coming out.
If you see that, it means Defrost mode got ON automatically.
Not sure if its happening in yours!
Hi,
I have same model installed at my place. It keeps turning off RH automatically whenever I try to set it up any percentage, we are in + for temperature though around 74F. But does it suppose to turn itself off automatically?
Yes, as soon as outdoor temperature for more than 24 hours is higher than 59F/15C, the dehumidifier setting will automatically turn off.
It's mainly used by the system in winters.
@@How2 oh that makes sense. Thanks for replying. So having 45% to 50% humidity isn’t harmful for the house in summer times?
Very good video. One question though… in the video why is your humidity level set to OFF ?
What does OFF setting do?
Hello Slavic,
Sorry for late reply.
That OFF in my video is for dehumidistat option.
As this video was made in Summer month, it shows OFF.
HRV system automatically turn Dehumidistat option off when outside weather is above 15 C.
Dehumidistat option is used to reduce humidity in the house during winters.
This option is not quick but if used regularly it helps to reduce humidity in control.
Thanks
Another question. My humidity setting is set to 45% and my option for venting is 10min ON and 50min OFF (stand by). I noticed that system works for long, long hours ( not 10 on 50 off) and RH inside the house dropped 4-5 % below setting.Why is that?
@@How2 Hi do you know why my hrv stay on OFF for humidity thw temperature outside is -5??
@@alexchabot6058 Hello,
That mean your controller is not reading humidity.
Please remove the unit (see end of the video), dust it off and double check wiring connections and install back.
Sometimes sensor collects dust and doesn't read the humidity.
If that doesn't work, then may be controller needs to be replaced.
I live in Canada. What settings should the thermostat be set to get the best results in winter?
Hello,
Please watch this Shorts- ua-cam.com/users/shortsIPCTfQBFvD4?si=H8iqUKWHddcKdj2p
For this season.
I will post another video this weekend explaining the winter settings.
Thanks
ua-cam.com/users/shortskhP5UkCrk2A?si=rzU6VaSIUQv3avEr
This is HRV settinga for Winters
Hi there, when I press the power button on mine and it turns off, my bathroom controls don't work anymore...you mentioned in the beginning that they should still work.mis that a wiring issue?
Hello Jonathan,
Sorry for late reply.
Yes, when timer turned on from washroom it Runs the HRV doesn't matter what settings are on main control, but Main system must be ON.
In past, I have experienced that sometimes when HRC is off from wall control panel, it doesn't allow washroom washroom controls to run the HRV, and found it to be wiring issue.
I would advise you to get wiring checked.
Thanks
@@How2 thank you. I had my electrician check it out and Dd an additional cable at the hrv and now I can override.
Hi There! Very informative video. I live in Alberta. Please advise what would be the suitable setting of HRV wall control unit in winter time. How much relative humidity needs to be set up in winter?
In winter time when I change the furnace humidifier setting 15% to 20 % then my HRV thermostat also drops to 20% to 25%. Please advise what would be the suitable settings for HRV in winter. I would really appreciate for your help.Thanks
Hello Rajiv,
Please use the following settings for best results at current weather Alberta Weather-
1. Set Fan between 2 to 4
2. Set Auto ventilation to 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes Stand-by/OFF
3. If you notice condensation build-up on windows OR when the weather is -30 or below, you can use 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes inner air circulation settings. this keeps air inflow and reduces chances of Condensation.
Please note, above settings are for winter between -15 to -30. they must be changed depending on the weather.
Your humidity setting controls seem good with the weather but To get more information on how much humidity you should have with respect to weather, please watch this video at 4:47 - Recommended Humidity Levels.
I have also posted another video for How to Control Condensation (ua-cam.com/video/ToDHAUwcvTs/v-deo.html ), which explains Humidity and Humidity settings in detail.
Hope this answers your question.
please let me know if you have any other questions
@@How2 Thanks you so much
Very helpful video. I have a question, the temperature started dropping around 5 DegC and no matter what I do, the HRV keeps running. I have to finally unplug it to stop it from running. Do you have any idea on what might be going on?
Reason is Dehumidistat automatically enables if outside temperature is below 15 C for more than full 24 hour period and stay ON for whole winter.
As weather is now colder than 15 C, you might see it coming ON.
For now you can make Dehumidistat setting (smaller top right) number higher than your humidity inside.
It will Shut the Dehumidistat option OFF.
Recommendation when weather gets colder than -10 is to keep it ON so your humidity stays in control.
Also, it can be your Automatic Ventilation Mode.
If that is on Ventilation 24 hours, it can do same.
You can set that as 20 minutes Ventilation/ 40 minutes Stand-by for now.
@@How2 thank you so much!
@@How2 so far I have decided to keep it off for the winter. Does that add to any leakages? Since HRV is connected to the outside. @HowTo
@@raman12312 HRV is the only way to ventilate your house.
My recommendation is not to shut it off.
If shut down then you have have condensation and mold issue during winter which is not safe for you and your family.
Thanks
@@raman12312 why would you shut it off? 🤦♂️🤦♂️quit messing with it unless you want mold
Just finished to watch the video and there is one thing that showed up on my display and I cannot find any reference to it and it's not in this video either.
It's 3 small arrows going up that showed up on my display below the RH. I wonder what is it. Does someone can tell me what is it?
Hello Lukos,
Those arrow are when HRV unit is using dehumidistat option and also when unit freezes inside due to Cold and HRV unit circulates inner warm air to melt the ice build up.
Hope this answers your question.
Thanks
@@How2 thanks
Am I to understand that this video only refers to HRV and will be different if I own a ERV?
If different, do you have a similar video for ERV owners?
Hello,
This video is only for HRV system. I personably haven't used ERV system, so i am not sure how much these controls can be similar. Also, I don't have access to ERV system, but if you can send me information for the ERV model, i can study and assist you further.
@@How2the model of the ERV is the vanEE ERV 70E+ model
What do you recommend for fan speed ?
Hello,
Fan can be set to 3 or 4.
When washroom timer is turned onz it automatically runs at Max speed i.e. 5
Hi there, I have the exact same panel system in my house, but recently there was a little rectangle sign with some small arrow showing at the right of screen bottom, I have no idea what is that means ? Everything is normal before, The issue only happened since February, Does it means I have to clean the filter?
Rectangle box with wavy arrows sign is for Defrost Mode. During below freezing temperatures, HRV Automatically cycles through this mode to avoid frost built up in the Core unit.
To clean filters, there will be a maintenance / wrench sign on bottom right corner. This usually comes after 2 to 3 months of last cleaning.
If defrost mode is continuously ON even when weather gets warmer, Please Shut-off HRV and double check the filters and restart.
Hope this solves your issue.
Please let me know, if you have any question.
@@How2 Thank you for the information!
@@beifu6075 I am glad that I could be of help. I made page solely for purpose to help Homeowners.
I post content every week, if you wish, please subscribe to the Channel.
@@How2 For sure, I already subscribed to your channel. just one more question here, Due to the weather getting warmer outside , Can I set the HRV mode for 20 mins ventilation and 40 mins off with fan speed set as 1?
@@beifu6075 Thanks for Subscribing. Much appreciated.
As soon as weather is stable around 10 C, then you can set its to 20 Ventilation 40 Stand By, Fan speed is better around 2 or 3 as winter just got over and there can be high moisture in the house during winter.
And this gives house proper Ventilation.
Once weather is around +15C and stable, then you can set 10 minutes ON, 50 minutes standby option and Fan can be anything between 1 to 3.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
the current humidity level outside is 68% according to theweathernetwork. Does it make sense to still run the ventilator and let the higher humidity air outside to come in?
Hello Green,
The humidity level you are looking at is actually Relative humidity which is "the amount of moisture in the air at a certain temperature compared to what the air can 'hold' at that temperature". In simple words, when air is warmer if it is at 50% humidity, same air when at cold weather will be at higher humidity ( lets say 90%)
So colder the air gets, the capability of it to carry moisture reduces.
So the air you have outside right now, if brought in which be actually lower humidity as your interior climate is is warmer than outside.
So you can use Ventilation System as normal.
In Addition, ventilation is very important in winter to get fresh air inside the house and also, more ventilation reduces the chances of condensation inside the house.
Hope this answers your question.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
@@How2 thanks very much for your explanation! is there a chart/formula that converts relative humidity from one temperature to another? for instance a 70% humidity at 0 degree equals how much humidity at 20 degree.
@@greenmerino9663 Please follow link- images.app.goo.gl/Xuyp7pWG1bEps83x7
Or you can google RH/ Temperature Chart and there are so many different charts and websites.
Hi there,
Question! I’ve just cleaned my filters and once I reset the panel - it appears the hrv is running a little longer than usual… is that normal if the hrv was unplugged for a while? (Less than 24 hours)
Hello,
There can be multiple reason's -
1. Once HRV is restarted, it runs a full cycle of tests at level 1 to 5 fan speed. But this only last few few minutes
2. Please check if your dehumidistat number (small on top right) is bigger than real time RH (Relative Humidity) next to that. If the dehumidistat is smaller than the Real time then system will keep running to remove moisture.
3. Check Auto ventilation settings, depending on the mode set, HRV will be automatically running.
Hope one of these helps, let me know if you have any questions.
@@How2 oh wow! Thanks so much. The dehumidistat number is currently lower than the real time! So maybe it’s somehow the opposite of the second solution you replied with. Thank you :) I can at last focus in my google searches nown
@@ceileighburns4482 actually my bad.
You are right.
If the dehumidistat is lower than the real time, it will keep it running.
So make it higher and it will stop.
Thanks
Hi, the temperature in my area has been below 0 degrees Celsius for an extended time now. My dehumidistat is set to OFF. The humidity level in my house is TOO high. When I change the number, the screen lights up, but then the setting reverts/remains at OFF... I've tried rest, I've tried taking the cover off... how do I fix this so I can change the dehumidistat setting?
Hello,
It can be due to multiple reasons. But try below
1. Unplug HRV Unit in Mechanical room from power for 30 seconds and restart. This resets the system.
2. Unit is not ready the Temperatures and Humidity correctly. Sensors may be malfunctioning due to dust or broken.
Please remove Unit from wall and dust it off and install back.
In Mechanical room, please check filters if they are clean and check the wiring on units to be properly connected.
Reinstall the wall unit and see if it works.
Please try these steps and see if it work.
If it doesn't, please let me know
@@jiahuili2417 It seems more like wall HRV controller issue. Its malfunctioning.
May be contact Life-breath customer care and see if its in warranty.
@@How2 so this is a very new house and the tech says hrv system is working properly.... anything else you can think of for why the RH won't set to a number? It just stays at OFF now.
@@jiahuili2417 If your house is in warranty, you can ask HVAC contractor to change the unit. HRV might be working well, but de-humidistat option is having issue. If it shows OFF in winter, then the unit is mal-functioning and might be manufacturing issue. Tech won't have any issue replacing as he will get warranty replacement from Life-breath dealer. OR at least ask them to use another Wall Controller to see if it shows the number and functions!
Hi I how can I change the old hrv controller to digital hrv controller?
Hello,
It depends on what model do you have and what model would you like to change to?
As the wiring and system has to ne compatible.
If you can tell me the models, i might be able to assist.
What setting I can use in winter?
Hello Mirza,
Please use the following settings for best results in Winter-
1. Set Fan between 2 to 4
2. Set Auto ventilation to 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes Stand-by/OFF
3. If you notice condensation build-up on windows OR when the weather is -30 or below, you can use 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes inner air circulation settings. this keeps air inflow and reduces chances of Condensation.
4. If you want to reduce humidity, then run Continuous Ventilation setting.
Please note, above settings are for winter between -15 to -30. They must be changed depending on the weather.
To get more information on how much humidity you should have with respect to weather, please watch this video at 4:47 - Recommended Humidity Levels.
I have also posted another video for How to Control Condensation (ua-cam.com/video/ToDHAUwcvTs/v-deo.html ), which explains Humidity and Humidity settings in detail.
Hope this answers your question.
please let me know if you have any other questions
Anyones unit not running like it should? I have it set to 10/50 and it’s sometimes running non stop. Longest I let it go for was 30min then shut it off and back on again. Not sure why it’s running longer than 10min when it’s not suppose to.
Hello,
1. Please reset the unit to see if any settings are causing it.
2. It can be that timer is on from one of the washroom.
3. Fan can also work with A/C, heating or ventilation.
I hope this helps
@@How2 no I don’t have a washroom or AC and anything. It’s a bad relay on the mother board and I’m making Lifebreath sent a replacement.
@@neckofthewoods24 okay i get it.
Hi cooking time witch option or setting should I use.
Hello,
There is no specific HRV setting to use while cooking, as HRV vebts are installed in Washroom and when HRV or Furnace Fan run, it mix the air.
Please use 20/40/60 minutes HRV ventilation cycle. OR you can also run Furnace Fan on ON for 20 or 30 minutes to freshen up the house.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Hi, I wanted to ask what should be the settings for control panel in winters. I am in winnipeg with outside temperature between -15 to -20. What should be the humidity inside the housd be. Please guide me. Thank you
Hello Sukhpreet,
Please use the following settings for best results at your asked temperature-
1. Set Fan between 2 to 4
2. Set Auto ventilation to 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes Stand-by/OFF
3. If you notice condensation build-up on windows OR when the weather is -30 or below, you can use 20 Minutes ON and 40 minutes inner air circulation settings. this keeps air inflow and reduces chances of Condensation.
4. If you want to reduce humidity, then run Continuous Ventilation setting.
Please note, above settings are for winter between -15 to -30. They must be changed depending on the weather.
To get more information on how much humidity you should have with respect to weather, please watch this video at 4:47 - Recommended Humidity Levels.
I have also posted another video for How to Control Condensation (ua-cam.com/video/ToDHAUwcvTs/v-deo.html ), which explains Humidity and Humidity settings in detail.
Hope this answers your question.
please let me know if you have any other questions
Hi! New to the HRV system world, I’m in canada and we’re experiencing rain / freeze during the night. We tend to run long and hot showers so ours humidity was often high. I’ve set it like this:
1. 10m/hr circulating and 50m/hr standby
2. Humidy 38%
3. Fan 3
Do you think this is the best setting?
Hello Lydia,
To experience condensation at 38%RH at this early in Winter is not common.
It starts to condensate but not alot.
You can try below settings for few days and let me know-
1. Run Ventilation for 20m/hr amd 40m/hr standby.
If outside RH, is low ( example about 25 or so), then run Continuous Ventilation for 1 whole day, this will dry your house a bit.
2. Make sure blinds or curtains are open fully during day and at night there is space for Air flow on the windows.
This keeps warm air in circulation by Window and reduces condensation.
3. Make sure Setting on Humidistat in basement are lowered to about 20 or so, this will reduce any new moisture being added to house as you mentioned you run long and hot showers, so lowering humidity from basement will be compensated with long showers.
4. Run fan to 4.
Fan at 3 is good under normal conditions
5. Also, make sure to run washroom timer at 60 Minutes after Shower.
Please try these and let me know.
Sorry can’t remember if I asked this before…you seam to always talk about winter, is the HRV not really a summer time item specially for humidity control? Like would I want to shoot for 40%-50% when it’s 100% outside? Does the HRV work like a dehumidifier or would I want a real dehumidifier for summer?
Hello,
Sorry for late reply.
HRV's Dehumidifier option automatically deactivates when outside temperature is above 15C.
So you wont be able to use HRV for humidity control.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
@@How2 you mean above 15C right?
@@neckofthewoods24 Yes, sorry i meant above.
Corrected in the original comment as well.
Hi, why it says off on humidity settings.? How to get rid of it?
When outside weather gets above 15 C for more than 24 hours , it automatically shuts off the dehumidifier settings.
So even if you change the setting, it may go back to OFF.
What does it mean when the control panel flashes all the time?
There might be some error in controller.
Simplest way is to remove the controller and re-install it.
Please check end of the video.
Also, please check if all wiring are secure.
Thanks
How do I connect this unit to my wifi so I can control it the same way I control my thermostat?
This unit cannot be connected with wifi.
The sign you might see is for Wireless Washroom HRV timers
Hi i have problem in dehumidistat so i have a high humidity 65% then i put the RH to 45 but when panel light is out it will go to OFF instead of staying 45 nonstop its stopin
Hello,
If the outside 24 hours weather is above 15C, dehumidifier function automatically shuts off. Maybe thats why you are seeing OFF as soon as light goes out.
Oh ok but how do i lower the humidity its so high 61
If its raining outside and weather is warmer, there is no way HRV System can be used.
You'll need dehumidifier.
Ok thank you one more quetion when its cool and ita in auto is it suppose to be continues? Coz its not stoping
Sorry, I missed your comment.
Can you explain what you mean by cool?
What does a screen flashing green mean??
It can be loose wiring or loose connection between HRV wall panel and back plate.
Please remove the unit, check wiring connection and reinstall.
This is shown at the end of video if you would like to watch.
Thanks
My display keeps on showing 1% for current humidity levels. Is there a way to fix it? I disconnected and connected wall display , still same.
Controller is not reading the humidity correctly.
May try below-
1. Remove unit and dust off the unit and wall mount.
2. Check all wires to be tight and secure.
3. If this doesn't work, then may be controller unit or Relative Humidity sensor is malfunctioning and need replacement.
@@How2 thank you!! Will try this.
which mode we should activate in summer?
Hello Midhu,
There is no specific mode for summers, but you can use 10 minutes ON and 50 minutes standby.
It will do the minimum ventilation.
Also, you can do Fan speed to 0, so no mode will work from wall controller if you open windows alot.
@@How2 Thank you
Hi how to remove the wrench symbol after cleaning the HRV Thanks
Please Turn off the HRV control panel (button 1) and while turning it ON back hold it for 5 seconds. It will reset.
Please let me know if there is any question.
Just learned how to get that wrench symbol out after it was installed 7 yrs ago. Even the fellow that installed it,couldn’t show me.
Hello brother, can you please tell me why my %RH just went OFF since 3 days ? No matter which number I try to put on, 5 seconds later its on OFF... Everything else is working fine, I don't know what could be the issue
Hello Ismail,
As soon as Outside temperature goes above 15 C for more than 24 Hours, Dehumidistat option shuts off.
So you see OFF on your controller.
Its normal functionality as you dont need Dehumidistat option during warm or summer days.
@@How2 Ohh okay. Great news then, thank you so much for the fast answer by the way, really appreciate !! Yes I juat moved here and didn't know about it lol. Thank you