[arunkumar_rec]

Hi.
Has anyone used the car ionic air purifier in your car? If yes, please give me more details on its performance, price, where it is available etc.
I have this problem in my GETZ A/C. I am not so comfortable with the quality of air blown on my face by the A/C. The dealers said the filter is fine. For few seconds, some unpleasant smell comes from the A/C duct before throwing a somewhat better air. But I dislike the quality of air.
Please help. Thats why I am thinking of using a IONIC air purifier. But will it help??

Thnx
Regards,
Arun
Email: s_arunkumar@infosys.com

[srishiva]

It has been found that ionic air purifiers do nothing by un-biased testing done in the U.S (consumer reports etc.,). Some might even emit ozone which is unhealthy.
I don't know if anything has changed after the findings.

[finetuning]

Hi arunkumar_rec,

I m using crompton greaves car air purifier as well as room air purifier since last few years without any trouble.

car air purifier is a small box type unit & is very much functional.It removes bad odour inside cabin & refresh air through ionization process.Its ozone emission is well below standard level for us.I m never driving without it any time.The moment you get in your car you get feeling of refreshment.Also in long driving conditons on highway with ac on this is really proved beneficial for my family.Every member can feel it.

If you want more information do not hesitate to pm me.Its costing about Rs 2500/- for car & 5000/- for home use.

Heres is a link for ionization function.....

http://www.negativeions.com/ai

[arunkumar_rec]

Thnx for your info. Can you please provide me more details. I have one basic question. Do we have to mount it onto the air ducts or can it be mounted anywhere?? Suppose, I want to drive the car with windows down, will it be effective? What are the replacement/maintenance costs etc.
Thanx.

Regards,
Arun

[tsk1979]

Air purifier's whether indoor or in car are 2 types
1. Ionizer only
2. Air filter only
3. Both

Take the type three and ensure the air filter is HEPA.
It will remove smoke, pollen etc., and the ionizer will ionize the air and cause dust to settle down instead of being suspended.
I have a holmes indoor unit and it does a 12ftx12ft room easily.
For HEPA read this link
HEPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Make sure that the particulate filter is HEPA, because if its not it will not take care of fine smoke, for example diesel exhaust.

[arunkumar_rec]

Friends,
Please advise where to buy the HEPA filters. I am in Mysore now.
Can I order it online??
Thnx.
Arun

[finetuning]

Hi arun,

The machine I m using can be placed above dashboard.It sucks air from cabin,purifies it with ionization principle & pass on fresh air.It can not be placed inside air duct.It can be connected through cigar lighter outlet.
Since this works on ionization principle breaking air with high voltage emitting negative ions,it filters even suspended particles that we can see in sun beam.We can see dark carbon layer after few days on needles provided for ionization.

I have also converted small room ionizer for use in my car.It emitts negative electrons & settles flying dusts.What we need to do is wipe interiors of car with wet cotton cloth.It also makes car fresh & removes flying carbon & dusts which we inhale.It is also working very well.We need to connect it through 12volt pin.Any electrician can fit it.

Reg maintenance we need to clean needles & filters.Nothing more.

I will post photo.

[tsk1979]

@finetuning. ionization and filteration are two different things.
Ionization just emits -ve ions, which make suspended particulate matter settle down.
Filteration means passing air through a porous material, which lets through air molecules but traps dust.

Ionizers are real cheap, and in developed markets can be had for as low as 10$. After all its just a simple circuit involving 10 diodes and resisters.

However if you want to go for a HEPA grade filter, you need to spend more.
If your car AC filter is not faulty, it will take care of dust. If dust is coming in, it means your car filter is misaligned.
However unless its a luxury car, or an open astra(which had a HEPA grade filter I think), the car filter will not purifiy diesel smoke and other smoke.
So the air coming out of the AC vents will be smoked laced, and since its directly hits your face, you will breathe some of it, irrespective of the filter on the dashboard. However over time, it will be purifying the air, and instead of staying with diesel smoke for a longer period, this filter will prevent prolonged inhalation of smoke.
Most of these HEPA filters need to be changed after couple of years of use. So one DIY could be buy a spare filter, cut it to size and put it inside the main AC vent.
This way the air coming into the cabin will be clean from source. Ionizer can take care of any suspended particulate matter already in the car.

[ram_hyundai]

hey arun,

you dont have to do anything ,just ask the guys at *** to remove the filter and have the a/c ducts cleaned.stop using an air freshner crap available in the market.that thing makes a fine deposite in the duct and after being in the sun the deposit emitt that foul smell.i had the same problem in my verna,after doing the above its ok now.

ram

[arunkumar_rec]

tsk1979, can you please elaborate more on how the HEPA filter can be fitted into the car? and cost and whereabouts of the same.

[arunkumar_rec]

Hi Ram,
Yeah. You are right. I am using the ambipur car freshener in my car. But little confused by your statement of the deposit it will leave on the duct. When the air blows from the duct, how the deposit can go in the reverse direction into the duct?
Please explain.

Regards,
Arun

[gbpscars]

[quote=finetuning;640347]
I have also converted small room ionizer for use in my car.It emitts negative electrons & settles flying dusts.What we need to do is wipe interiors of car with wet cotton cloth.It also makes car fresh & removes flying carbon & dusts which we inhale.It is also working very well.We need to connect it through 12volt pin.Any electrician can fit it.[quote]

@finetuning:
could you please let me know if the unit can be mounted anywhere else, like a place where it will be hidden from view? will it be equally effective as your option of placement on the dashboard?

i have this room version by Eureka Forbes - Bionair. i can convert it to run on 12VDC. i dont use this anyway in the room.

planning to run this in my car after seeing your post and this thread.

pls advice.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by arunkumar_rec

tsk1979, can you please elaborate more on how the HEPA filter can be fitted into the car? and cost and whereabouts of the same.

I purchased my home air filter from the US. Its holmes brand. I guess you need to scout the market(Home store etc.,, futurebazaar).
HEPA filter will prominently display HEPA. Ask for spare filter for the same. It can usually be had from the company service center.
After that you need to contact an AC mechanic to identify
1. Main AC duct. Put the filter there.
2. Open vent duct : Put filter there. when vent is open(external air mode) this air filter will stop all dust/pollen from getting in.

[finetuning]

Hi tanveer,

Yes, you are right,ionization & filtration are different but many machines works both way.They have ionization units having grid of pointed needles which are fed high voltage by step up transformer and when the needle emits negative ions this makes metal grid (called collector plate)of negative charge therby attracting flying dust & other micron level particles.Air is being sucked through a small fan through this grid so we get dustless pure air.Also this units have HEPA filters which are nothing but High Efficiency Perticulate Air Filters having activated carbon layers.

However most of aftermarket ionizer are dirt cheap ozone generators.There is only one such ionizer I came to know which works even in medicle application is of Elanra,an australian company.Most units doesnt generate small negative ions which are ingestible by humans for beneficial purpose.Bigger ions has less penetration power & mobility.Its difficult to produce such ions consistantly.

Hi gbpscars,

You can connect your Bionair spare unit in car.You just need to get 12volt line.You might need a female socket and a switch.Any electrician can perform this job.Since we need to keep it firm while car is in motion we place it on dashboard else you can place it near instrument panel.i think it doesnt make much difference in working.

Closed car cabin is having so much stale air & high concentration of positive ions due to lack of fresh air.This makes one uneasy on long drives with ac.If a person is sensitive to such high concentration of positive ions then its difficult for him to even concentrate in driving.Hence we feel to open window for a few minutes to get fresh air which consists of negative ions.In nature there is balance of both & areas near water fall & high mountain we get plenty of such beneficial negative ions which makes us so tranquill.Using any kind of air freshner doesnt remove such positive ions.They merely give sense of fresh aromatic sensation.Allergic persons cant even breath or sit for more time in such conditions.

[arunkumar_rec]

eBay India: Air Purifier with IONIZER +HEPA +TiO2+ UV +Aromatherapy (item 290185917095 end time 03-Dec-2007 14:46:43 IST)
can anyone tell me whether the above listed HEPA ionic filter is good?
Thnx.
Arun