Whole house humidifier keeps leaking

Submitted by everybanana t3_10ogc49 in DIY

I changed my humidifier filter in October, and in December I started experiencing leaks. The old filter was 2+ years old in poor shape and was literally stuck and falling apart when I took it out to replace but did not leak at all. There is a sticker for the water panel model at the bottom of the humidifier that shows: 318518-761. This is the filter I replaced it with. It looked exactly the same as the one I took out.

Here are some things I've tried:

  • Tested solenoid and verified it turns off and on when needed
  • Checked to see if the drain line is blocked - I did this by putting a drip line in the drainage hole and turning the water on full force
  • Tried reducing the pressure from the water supply
  • Changed out the water supply line since it was very very dirty
  • Sprayed out the new filter.

I've tried cleaning the original water supply line since it had A LOT of sediment in it before replacing it, but could not really get it clean. I noticed that a bunch of black specks were in the water and maybe this could have clogged the new filter. The new filter looks all right and does seem to drain. When the filter is in place it seems to create suction against the drainage hole and barely allows the water to drain out. When I lift up the filter and run water through it, the water is able to drain with little to no problem. The leak usually appears 2 days after I turn my humidifier back on. My next step is probably to try a new filter even though the current one isn't too old. Is there anything else you guys would recommend?

Pic of filter

Pic of filter bottom

Video of the leak

Video of the filter lifted slightly

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Comments

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Rubix321 t1_j6evdwo wrote

What's with the piece of cloth/material on the bottom? That's probably getting wet and causing the suction effect you're thinking about about. Can it be removed?

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everybanana OP t1_j6ezmo3 wrote

I think it helps it filter out stuff? I'm not completely sure, but that's how it arrived and it was also on the previous one. I tried to see if I could take it off earlier, but it didn't really budge.

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GrimResistance t1_j6igd73 wrote

The felt strip is meant to go on the top, it's to distribute the water evenly across the panel. You installed the panel upside-down.

https://www.diypartsusa.com/product/318518-761-bryant-carrier-humidifier-water-panel/
>The 318518-761 humidifier water panel includes an integral aluminum frame and felt wick on top for even distribution of water through the media.

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everybanana OP t1_j6ihaan wrote

THANK YOU! Now that you mention it, the amazon link I posted shows it with the felt on top in the pic as well lol. I thought it was supposed to be at the bottom due to how the original filter was in it originally.

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Rubix321 t1_j6f0vaz wrote

I'm betting that it's getting sitting on the drain... Looks like it has a little valley in it that should let water through from the sides, but I bet it's covering up the hole now.

If it were mine, I'd probably find something flat and plastic to prop it up a bit on either side to let the water under it better.

It's just going out into the drain, I wouldn't think it would need to be filtered at that point.

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everybanana OP t1_j6f1yjd wrote

It drains into a condensate pump which then pumps it into the drain. I'm thinking the cloth is there to help prevent the pump from building up a bunch of stuff. I had the same idea about using plastic shortly after making this post. I 3d printed a 2mm thick plastic thing that clipped onto the bottom to raise it up slightly. So far it seems to be working fine.

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Rubix321 t1_j6f2cid wrote

Ah okay, mine drains straight down into a drain in the floor (via gravity).

I thought about how 3d printing could help, but not everyone has access to such goods yet so I didn't mention it.

Hope it works!

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_j6g8vw6 wrote

When you changed the water supply line did you replace the small restricter in the line? Mine was yellow and in the water supply line at the solenoid on the water filter side of the solenoid.

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everybanana OP t1_j6ga7yy wrote

The leak appeared before I replaced the water line, but I didn't see any kind of restrictor when I changed it. The only thing that was on the line was a compression sleeve on the outside and the compression nut.

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