- 806
- 831
- 93
- Location
- W.WA
ERV = Energy Recovery Ventilator, HRV = Heat Recovery Ventilator, CERV = smart ERV that monitors for co2 buildup. ERV's handle moisture.
In short the way these work is to move air from inside at the same time air is pulled from outside. The streams don't meet but move through an exchange that sucks the heat or cold (a/c) from the inside air and passes most of it to the incoming air. Home based models can be in the 95% efficiency range.
If you live in a modern home, you probably have one of these in your utility room. If you have an older house (like me) this might be new to you.
My plan for my conversion is to build from the outside - in. That is, erect the frame, put on the outside panels, install plumbing and wiring in the walls, then use spray foam insulation everything to seal the room eliminating the need for a vapor barrier. However, moisture will come from just breathing or tracking it in on rainy/snowy days. Also, such a tight structure will see co2 rise, possibly to fatal levels.
I'm writing this wondering if anyone has already used and can recommend a unit?
I have searched the web for a small unit and come up with 3 possibilities - these can get expensive, but I can afford it. If you think it's a waste of money and just want to open a window, good for you, you do you. Most are overkill, but bigger units tend to come with more capabilities. Also, some of these units can filter incoming air for particulates which could be useful for health reasons or if the outside air is particularly smokey. If the perfect unit cost more than any of these, I would consider it depending how much more.
The Pioneer EcoAsis150. This is a CERV. $735
The Mini. This is a HRV $850
The Climate. This is a ERV $500
There's also the EcoAsis 50. $335 You can find this type of model made by many different companies. I don't feel it would be best for my situation just because I have 3" walls, and its minimum installation calls for 15". I also don't know if it has the same capabilities of the 150 in terms of co2 monitoring and moisture removal.
I hope I'm not reading it wrong, but the Climate and Mini appear to run on 12v.
Dometic makes a unit, available only in Europe that mounts on the ceiling, for RV's. Unfortunately, my roof is spoken for - this is where my solar panels will live.
A smart ERV might not be so special as all of these units tend to run 24/7 in intervals of X seconds, for instance, every 70 seconds etc. Even a low speed fan can move a lot of air when your space is less than 600 cubic feet.
Of these, I am favouring the Climate because it's electricity draw is low. I'm sure their stated draw is on the lowest fan speed, but since my area (~95 sq/ft) is below their recommended area, I don't expect I would need to use a high setting much. Also, I will occasionally have steam from cooking or showering. Electricity for me is a premium, though I have a large 24v, 14k watt battery and will have 8 full size solar panels, I will have several items that run on electricity and don't want to waste it if it can be helped.
Can anyone tell me if running an appliance like these for an area smaller than their recommended coverage will cause some sort of problem? The Pioneer 150, for instance, is rated for 200 to 500 sq/ft. What might happen if you used it in space around 100 sq/ft?
First reply will be: "Open a window"
In short the way these work is to move air from inside at the same time air is pulled from outside. The streams don't meet but move through an exchange that sucks the heat or cold (a/c) from the inside air and passes most of it to the incoming air. Home based models can be in the 95% efficiency range.
If you live in a modern home, you probably have one of these in your utility room. If you have an older house (like me) this might be new to you.
My plan for my conversion is to build from the outside - in. That is, erect the frame, put on the outside panels, install plumbing and wiring in the walls, then use spray foam insulation everything to seal the room eliminating the need for a vapor barrier. However, moisture will come from just breathing or tracking it in on rainy/snowy days. Also, such a tight structure will see co2 rise, possibly to fatal levels.
I'm writing this wondering if anyone has already used and can recommend a unit?
I have searched the web for a small unit and come up with 3 possibilities - these can get expensive, but I can afford it. If you think it's a waste of money and just want to open a window, good for you, you do you. Most are overkill, but bigger units tend to come with more capabilities. Also, some of these units can filter incoming air for particulates which could be useful for health reasons or if the outside air is particularly smokey. If the perfect unit cost more than any of these, I would consider it depending how much more.
The Pioneer EcoAsis150. This is a CERV. $735
The Mini. This is a HRV $850
The Climate. This is a ERV $500
There's also the EcoAsis 50. $335 You can find this type of model made by many different companies. I don't feel it would be best for my situation just because I have 3" walls, and its minimum installation calls for 15". I also don't know if it has the same capabilities of the 150 in terms of co2 monitoring and moisture removal.
I hope I'm not reading it wrong, but the Climate and Mini appear to run on 12v.
Dometic makes a unit, available only in Europe that mounts on the ceiling, for RV's. Unfortunately, my roof is spoken for - this is where my solar panels will live.
A smart ERV might not be so special as all of these units tend to run 24/7 in intervals of X seconds, for instance, every 70 seconds etc. Even a low speed fan can move a lot of air when your space is less than 600 cubic feet.
Of these, I am favouring the Climate because it's electricity draw is low. I'm sure their stated draw is on the lowest fan speed, but since my area (~95 sq/ft) is below their recommended area, I don't expect I would need to use a high setting much. Also, I will occasionally have steam from cooking or showering. Electricity for me is a premium, though I have a large 24v, 14k watt battery and will have 8 full size solar panels, I will have several items that run on electricity and don't want to waste it if it can be helped.
Can anyone tell me if running an appliance like these for an area smaller than their recommended coverage will cause some sort of problem? The Pioneer 150, for instance, is rated for 200 to 500 sq/ft. What might happen if you used it in space around 100 sq/ft?
First reply will be: "Open a window"
Last edited:
