AUSTIN AIR ANALYSIS
The comparison is listed below:
|
Austin
Air
|
Care
2000
|
|
| Total unit weight in pounds |
45
|
50
|
| Unit size in inches |
23.5
x 14.5 sq
|
29
x 14 x 15
|
| HEPA filter square foot |
80
|
80
|
| Speed Control |
3
speed switch
|
variable
|
| Filter monitoring |
none
|
pressure
guage
|
| UVGI monitoring |
none
|
LED
light
|
| Ease of filter replacement |
complete
unit disassembly
|
simple
door
|
| Carbon weight in pounds |
13-15
|
15
|
| Noise level in decibels |
98
high
|
55
high
|
|
58
low
|
43
low
|
|
| UVGI lamp wattage |
none
|
2
@ 9 w
|
| Lamp germicidal irradiation |
none
|
64 m w-s/cm2 with 2 lamps
|
| UV effective chamber size |
0
|
14"
x 15" x 10"
|
|
Micro watt sec/cm squared of effective irradiation power used for killing airborne pathogens |
0
|
12,456
|
This unit has NO UV lamps. The CARE irradiation would be 43,600 m w-s/cm2 at low speed.
The airflow pattern set up with the supply air, out of the side, is poor. Especially on low speed, short cycling of clean air is prevalent. Clean air must be directed into the breathing zone. This way people would be breathing the cleanest air possible, all the time. The CARE 2000 accomplishes this by sending air to the ceiling so as to wash the entire room with clean air and force the dirty air back to the unit along the floor.
The airflow rate is listed at 400 cfm. The measured airflow is actually 320 cfm. The unit would not typically be used on high speed because of the noise; one actually could not carry on a conversation. Medium speed is much lower at 150 cfm.
The "low speed" setting is so low that no real, effective air changes are made and at minimal air cleaning. CFM is tested at 75 cfm.
Filter changing is not indicated with any type of monitor. The CARE is by actual pressure drop across the filter.
The mfg advertises a high efficiency split capacitor motor, which is really a standard 3-speed type motor.
