Replies

1. Expert Member
   Akos | Feb 15, 2023 11:09am | #1

   https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/balancing-erv-panasonic-erv-200cfm

   post #20

1. 
   mxdwds | Feb 16, 2023 10:35am | #8

   Thanks Akos. I saw that post before I posted, but couldn't tell where the consensus landed on which tool had the right sensitivity.

   Cheers,

2. 
   Tim_O | Feb 15, 2023 11:15am | #2

   Back when I owned a 4 carburetor bike, I would balance the carbs with a home made Utube manometer. A board, some clear tubing, and I filled it with transmission fluid incase something got sucked in. With ERV, something similar with water/food coloring would do the trick. Different pressures, so I'm not sure if a homemade Utube would have the fidelity for the low pressure of an ERV?

3. 
   DennisWood | Feb 15, 2023 03:08pm | #3

   I'm using one of these, which works great and is relatively inexpensive:

   https://www.itm.com/product/dwyer-2001d-magnehelic-differential-pressure-gauge-0-1-0-250pa?ksearch_click=dwyer%2B0-1

   You'll need this as well:
   https://www.itm.com/product/dwyer-a-481-installer-kit?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1-yviqqY_QIVJBxlCh2Y8gZ7EAQYAiABEgK5VvD_BwE

   You can use it later to check on furnace filter or ERV filter pressure drops etc. Quite handy to have around.

4. 
   user-5946022 | Feb 15, 2023 03:41pm | #4

   @DennisWood - it would be awesome if you could post, or post a link to, how to use these two tools to balance a system.

   ...and @mxdwds: It is awesome that PG&E has a tool lending library. Electric utilities in most other parts of the country have no such thing. Mine seems intent on causing people to use more power, rather than conserve it.

1. 
   mxdwds | Feb 16, 2023 10:34am | #7

   Sorry to hear mate - I hope your utility provider changes their tune soon! It should be noted though that PG&E does see intent on continuing to kill Californians with wildfire and the occasional exploding gas pipeline!

5. 
   DennisWood | Feb 15, 2023 08:24pm | #5

   The magnehelic gauge has a high side port and low side port. Your ERV has ports for the fresh air and stale air measurements (one on the low side, other on the high pressure side of the ERV core) If you connect the gauge wrong, the needle will go negative...so just reverse the tubes. See the attached pic showing a magnehelic gauge connected to door ports on an HRV.

   Look at the manual here on page 14 for the balancing chart (I've attached a screen shot)
   https://panasonic.ca/brochures/EN/housing/ventilation/submittals-forms_OI/IntelliBalance/IntelliBalance_FV-10VE2_FV-10VEC2_Installation_en.pdf?_ga=2.169505249.1313615950.1676509653-1892001808.1676509653

   So at 80 CFM on the fresh air ports (model FV-10VE2), you should see a reading of 70 Pa on the gauge. On the stale side ports, 80 CFM (model FV-10VE2) will give you a reading of 155 Pa on the gauge. To balance, you set the CFM controls on the Panasonic until you see the same CFM flow for both fresh and stale from the chart. The readings are different because pressure drop is not the same for the fresh air vs stale air side of the ERV core.

   Once you get the gauge in hand and play around it will make more sense :-)

   You can also put a tube outside your house, close the door (don't crush the tube) leaving the other inside and check to see if your house is showing negative or positive pressure. Turn on some exhaust fans, close windows/doors etc. and you'll get a good idea of how leak or tight your home is as well. Same thing for a furnace filter. Compare a new one to an old one using the Mag tubes inserted into the ducting before/after the filter.

   
1. 
   mxdwds | Feb 16, 2023 10:32am | #6

   Dennis - thank you so much for this, I really appreciate it.

6. 
   DennisWood | Feb 16, 2023 11:09am | #9

   No worries..good luck with your project :-)