Troubleshooting Electronic Air Cleaners
Most electronic air cleaners are equipped with a performance indicator light, which is usually mounted in the control panel with the other controls. If the unit performance indicator light is off and the unit switch is on when the furnace is running, the air cleaner power pack may be burned out or disconnected from its power source, or the pressure switch used to sense airflow and charge the grids is defective. Each of these problems requires opening up the power pack and exposing dangerous high voltages. These repairs should be done only by a qualified electrician or HVAC technician.
A flickering performance indicator light is not necessarily an indication that the air cleaner is malfunctioning. It is not unusual for the light to flicker when the unit needs cleaning. Another indication that grid cleaning is required is loud snapping sounds caused by electrical shorts when dirt or other debris becomes stuck on the wire grid.
Table 12-1 lists the most common problems associated with operating an electronic air cleaner. For each operating problem, a possible cause and its remedy have been suggested.
