Electrolux Air Purifier: Electronic

The Electrolux air cleaners can be run without the carbon filter.

Costs: Electronic Filters

Electronic air filter costs, at one per year, are reasonable. Assuming 4 carbon air filters yearly adds $100 to the tab. This still takes 2.7 years to equal original air purifier purchase price, above average air purifier filter economy.

Using 20 watts, 30 watts, and 70 watts on each of 3 speeds makes the 510a purifier pretty frugal on electrical energy.

Electronic Ozone?

A couple safety issues arise with all electronics; ozone and ions. The name "corona wire" implies ozone emissions. A corona is the blue halo around a steady electrical discharge. That blue halo is photons in a characteristic wavelength being emitted from single oxygen atoms split from the diatomic form. Some of these combine with with normal oxygen molecules to form ozone.

Testers at AllergyBuyersClub could not smell ozone in their extensive tests, but the lack of communication of this critical data from the manufacturer is another weak point.

Secondly, since the ionization is positive and the collector negatively charged, do some positive ions escape the air cleaner? One vendor website has the phrase "exhaust ionizer." The manufacturer is silent again on important points. Is there a secondary negative ionizer or not? The online users manual is similarly unhelpful.

Automatic and Quiet Purifier

Here is something good I can say about these electronic air purifiers: they have very advanced electronics.

The rotary switch has 5 settings, 3 manual fan speeds and two automatic modes.

A sound sensor can automatically adjust the air purification level and fan speed to ambient room noise. This is the only air cleaning machine I have found that can do this. When the sound mode is selected, it has a digital display which shows the room noise level.

A separate air quality (particle) sensor can also control cleaning levels automatically. Three colored smiley faces electronically communicate air purity to the user. Indicators on the air cleaner display panel tell users when to clean and replace the air filters, and current fan speed. The filter monitor is a true pressure switch, not a timer.

Due to the free breathing design this air cleaner is pretty quiet.

31db(A), 44db(A), 63db(A) are the published sound numbers. Unfortunately, we can't accurately gauge a sound to air volume effectiveness ratio due to the builder's vague performance data. These are fairly quiet numbers, but compared to what air cleaning? Sound alone tells us only that it is quiet enough for the bedroom on low.

Air Cleaners: Maintenance

I consider this purifier high maintenance, with frequent filter washing/vacuuming required to keep it cleaning effectively. Unfortunately, the manufacturer offers no clues. Since the air purifier will run without the carbon post-filter, I would expect a certain number of users to scrap that after the first one clogs.

Electrolux electronic air purifiers measure 19" wide by 12.5" deep and 19" high. Weighing 18 pounds the air cleaner is easy to carry with a built in handle. Electrolux has an 8 foot cord is long enough to avoid air purifier "short cord syndrome" which limits effective placement of some inexpensive air purifiers.

Warranty and Service

Warranty is 1 year on all components except the motor, warranted 5 years. Air filters and corona wires that require replacement under normal use are excluded from the warranty.

Imported from, and manufactured in, Sweden.

The only review posted on the web (Amazon.com) speaks directly to the issues of communication skills and service quality raised above;

"This was purchased thru Amazon. The first arrived with the wires outside the case. Amazon replaced it without any problem. Now the reset light and button does not work. I've spoken to Electrolux and they don't have any answers. They referred me to a local repair site. When I spoke with them, they said the item was probably made abroad and they will not fix it or know anything about it. I again called Electrolux and they gave me two other repairs sites. Both told me they don't repair. I'm stuck with a $500+ item that no one knows how to repair or will take responsibility for it."

Testers cited above reported an odor during break-in that lasted a few days.

I am concerned about the fragility of the corona wire and difficulty of replacing it for the average user. Every electronic air purifier, ionizer, and electrostatic precipitator shares the problem of decay of electrical parts where the arcs interface. Thin ionizing wires or pins oxidize and break, collector plates burn small pits which grow and cause zapping noises as the electronic purifier ages.

Conclusions

While many are seeking an alternative to the Friedrich electronic air purifiers, I don't think Electrolux 510a electronic is it. I rank the two air cleaners about the same. The more powerful Friedrich has ozone and styling issues, Electrolux is cleverly automated but has support and communication issues. Elsewhere I rant about deceptive marketing of air purity products. Here, it looks more like ineptitude.

Each of ten factors gets up to 10 points, 100 is perfect and very unlikely.

1. First do no harm; minimal out gassing, no ozone.

Score: 7 of 10, ozone questions unanswered, out gassing when new.

2. Serious gas and odor removal is a requirement if health benefits are expected: Units with real carbon VOC capability rank higher.

Score: 5 of 10, no real gas and odor capability.

3. Quality construction; case, gaskets, seals, and precision fitting eliminate bypassing and assure high efficiency at filtering sub-micron particles.

Score: 9 of 10, this is an attractive, well constructed machine.

4. The design maximizes the lifespan of each filter stage by allowing independent replacement of filters. Ideally this is combined with electronic monitoring of filters.

Score: 10 of 10

5. Unit has long lived filters, low maintenance requirements, and reasonable operating costs.

Score: 8 of 10, cheap to maintain if carbon post filter is scrapped. Be ready to wash filters.

6. Purifier produces low noise levels and meaningful air flow rates relative to noise.

Score: 8 of 10, fairly quiet, but true noise evaluation impossible with vagueness from mfr.

7. Manufacturer has a track record, with many units in the field and a reputation for supporting what they sell. Warranty period and average service life are long.

Score: 6 of 10, 1-year warranty should be longer.

8. Purifier is a value in terms of price/performance ratio. Every price range should be included, “models above $1,200 are best”, while true, is not useful to most consumers.

Score: 7 of 10, I think the market is soft for this model, with substantial discounting going on.

9. No dirt; unit and manufacturer should be devoid of class-action suits, high returns, recalls, consumer complaints, and legitimate negative consumer reviews.

Score: 7 of 10, manufacturer not air quality specific.

10. Unit is stylish, portable, comfortable, and convenient for consumer use.

Score:10 of 10, easy automatic interface.

Air-Purifier-Power Numeric Rating;77,