The easiest and most effcient way to clean electronic air cleaner cells is remove them. Fill a utility tub with HOT water and 1 cup of Electrasol Dishwasher detergent. Soak and agitate the cells for 20 minuites or so and rinse them in clean hot water. This is the preferred method that is outlined in the original user information. I have an F50A that is 20 plus years old and have never had a problem cleaning or replaced one single part. They are cleaned 4 times a year. Save your money on expensive cleaning solutions, and leave the ionizer wires alone, however they can be replaced if need be. Constant arching represents either a shorted cell, or wet cells that have been installed after cleaning. Manually wiping them is useless, this is not were the charged dirt collects.

A hard start kit will only make a small dent in the starting load for the HP. Wiring it differently may help by keeping the heat strips out of the backed-up circuits, but you may notice their absence. An HVAC consult is not likely to help you much unless you are considering a HP replacement. In that case, you will need to find a detail-oriented HVAC pro to help you choose a system (inverter-driven, perhaps) that will play best with a relatively small power source, and have better low-temperature performance so it can heat your home without the need for resistance heat back-up if you get a cold snap. (For all we know, you already have that.) In the end, you have three choices: First, dumb load shedding (simple transfer panel with auto switch) with a relatively small genset, second a big, dumb genset, third, intelligent load shedding with a relatively small genset. The first gives you no versatility powering a limited number of loads, limits fuel consumption and limits your investment in expensive genset and switching hardware. The second will have higher fuel consumption because the genset will be running at a low load a great deal of the time, and higher (genset) hardware costs. The third is more expensive from an auxiliary hardware (controls) point of view, but less into a genset. Fuel consumption will be lower. There is a question about the reliability of automatic load shedding vs. a big dumb generator or a dumb auto transfer switch, but it might be only in my mind. Read up about it. Your decision might depend on how long your outages are. If they are short, fuel is not so much of an issue. Start putting numbers together to see what works best with your needs in mind. There is a 4th alternative that might or might not make sense from a money standpoint. Maybe someone with more hardware experience can be a guide. You get a relatively small genset with an automatic transfer panel supplying your critical loads for when you are absent, heat pump, water heater and refrigerator). Have a second genset attachment to your main panel with a manual transfer switch or lock-out. When you are home, you manage your loads yourself after disconnecting the genset, and reconnecting at the main panel. That might mean turning off your heat pump when you want to do much of anything else.

What your hvac guy said sound;s reasonable and prices are in line. I'm a fan of high merv filters for all homes and don't subscribe to the idea they harm effeciency. What you are allergic to will determine if light is necessary. Even without another vent,a return near tv coupled with existing vent on other end will turn over(exchange)air much faster resulting in more comfort. Need an extra nudge? The filter will cut down on amount of dust landing on furniture. I can add only one thing. If he hasn't already,have them inspect coils while installing filter to see if they need cleaning. Supply duct cleaning isn't worth what it cost and will progressively get cleaner with better filter. Return may or may not benefit from cleaning,filter installer's call.

I ask because my father, who was an air conditioning engineer, installed a large electrostatic cleaner in the AC system he had installed in our Chicago house in the mid '50s. It was very effective in removing dust, etc. from the dirty Chicago air. It had a water connection hard-plumbed into it (with a drain) and we would regularly flush it out. The draining water was black! It consisted of a large rectangular box with a collection of plates and wires with a high voltage (~20kV) between them.