I have an American Standard AccuClean Whole House Air Filtration System which is the Trane CleanEffects with the American Standard brand label. I've only had it about a month and I have already noticed the cleaner air and atmosphere in my home. Basically it just sits there and does it's job. I have never had a whole house air cleaner before but it beats the room units that I've used in the past. Sorry I cannot compare it with any of the competitors models since I've only had the American Standard unit a short time and I've never owned any of the others. I would definitely include the AccuClean again in any AC/Furnace upgrade.

Was thinking about it as well. can you give me an approximate price for these units? thanks

Thanks for the info "aurora ca"!

scfa99 - I don't know the cost of the unit itself but I can tell you what I was quoted to have it installed. Interesting to note is that I haven't decided on a split system or a package system and apparently the CleanEffects is easier to instal on the split system!

Here are the prices I got;

Trane Clean air for package unit is $1196.00

Trane Clean air for split system is $875.00

It's the same unit for either type of system but apparently it attaches right to the split system while they have to make attachment ducting for the package unit.

... or so I was told.

J0e

FYI - here is a reponse I got on another forum.
Of note to me is the cost of running an EAC! Of course this may be comparable to running individual HEPA filter units in every bedroom of your house 24/7.

A passive filter unit would be a much more cost effective solution ... if it did the same job.
posted Tue 6 Jun 14:45

When it comes to removing particulates, the Trane Clean Effects is one of the best systems on the market. The downside is the maintenance involved to keep it operating at full capacity. For example, Trane recommends cleaning the pre-filters every 3-4 months, and cleaning the plates every 6-9 months. If you have ever had to clean an electronic air cleaner, you will know it is a bit of a hassle. Also, EAC's can cost you more on your electric bill (it has been said it can be up to $30/month, but I have not personally seen this).

I recommend the Lennox MERV 16 media filtration system. MERV is the rating put on filtration systems (although electronic filters cannot be rated), and 16 is the highest MERV rating available (HEPA would be considered slightly higher than MERV 16). Also, the Lennox is a fraction of the cost of the EAC's. The only downside is the cost of the replacement filter (which gets replaced once a year). For research, look up the Lennox Healthy Climate 16 (HC16).

Just to add to what has already been said. Any EAC will work ok but if for whatever reason it loses power or a cell dies you get zero filtration. You can get 5" media filters like Aprilaire that will do a comparable job and will filter no matter what happens. Plus it is much cheaper.

The new clean effects, unlike the old styles, operates off of the low voltage circuit and does not cost any where near $30. a month to operate.Cleaning the clean effects can be done with a vacuum cleaner so you dont have to drag them out and wash with a hose.Water will ruin the carbon cells.There is not a more efficient air cleaner that I am aware of on the market.If you can change a filter you can clean this aircleaner.

I am about to buy the Accu-Clean as a replacement for my Honeywell EAC. The Honeywell unit is about 9 years old and failing. I bought a complete Trane HVAC system(Trane 19i, the furnace and air handler) last year and the Accu-Clean will fit in perfectly. Since I already leave my system fan on 24/7 and clean the unit monthly this will be a perfect solution. My HVAC contractor already comes out every six months for tune-ups and they will hand me the plates for vacuuming. I will also clean the prefilters on those visits and do one cleaning between their visits.

They have quoted me approximately $1,200.00 fully installed and they will remove the existing cleaner and retrofit the old return grille to accomdate the new system.

I'll try to remember to post my thoughts here after it has been in for a few months.

Bryant has a similar unit called the PureAir. You mentioned an issue, and my suggestion would vary based on the issue...a HEPA system is still going to offer the best filtration. The RGF Guardian Air or an HRV are good if odors and/or VOCs are the issue. As mentioned in one post, continuous fan operation is the key to realizing the benefit of these systems. If you don't have a variable speed furnace, consider buying a thermostat that will cycle the blower periodically even with no call for heat or ac (i.e. Honeywell Pro8000)

I've had the Trane CleanEffects for three months and you can read my mini review on this other thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Previous post

This Air Cleaner is new technology but similar in appearance to other electronic air cleaners. I have a Trane 19i and matching air handler. Aprilaire 5000 eac and model 700 humidifer, and dual uv lamps. The aprilaire uses less than a 50 watt lightbulb, requires no maintenence and filters are very efficient and easy to change. They last a year, even longer depending on circumstances and no babysitting required cleaning prefilters and all that jazz. The aprilaire unit is affordable and is highly rated. Just some food for thought. The Honeywell units stink and they tried to pawn them off on me to which i refused with an iron fist. Anyhoo do yourself a favor and get the Aprilaire 5000.

I have the Trane Clean Effects ($900), and bought it because my 3 year old has (had) a chronic cough for at least 3 months (and asthma runs in the family). Every 10 or so minutes, she would have a non-productive 'cough cough' that did not bother her, but definitely bothered me. The pediatrician said she had "Reactive Airway Disease" (look it up) and that her cough may be allergy related, but offered no guidance on prevention. I actually set an appt. with a pediatric pulmonologist because I wasn't satisfied with the pediatrician's lack of concern.

About 3 days after getting the Clean Effects installed, she stopped coughing altogether! I canceled the pulmonologist appointment. I believe Clean Effects works very well. Cleaning is a breeze with a good quality vacuum (our canister type offers better suction than our upright with a wand).

Regarding running the fan 24/7, this could cause a problem in the summer. While the system is cooling, moisture collects on the air handler's coil, which then drips into the drip pan and subsequently is drained outside. Forcing air through the coil when it is not cooling will evaporate moisture that was collected on the coil back into the duct system, and thus back into the house. As an illustration, try to drip all the water out of a straw while gently sucking on the other end. The water is held in place by the vacuum, preventing gravity from doing it's job.

The solution is a thermostat that has a "circulation" setting. It will run the air handler randomly when the system is not cooling or heating, which allows the coil to drain but will also clean the air more thoroughly. Another person advised of that in their post as well.

A trusted HVAC contractor told me about this when I said I was going to run the fan 24/7 because of my daughter's cough. He said that during winter running it 24/7 would be ok, but had an anguished face when talking about the summer months.

This is great information.

Does anyone has any more update?

I am looking into getting one of these too.

OK

So I have had the Clean Effects unit for a year now.
I was never really sure if I saw a real difference from it.
There was no "dramatic" overnight change in the dust or health levels.

Looking back though, I realize that nobody here got bronchitis this past winter (for a change), but maybe they just grew out of that.

When I cleaned the special electrostatic cleaner after 6 months it was quite dirty but I still wasn't sure if it was doing an EXTRA special job.
It WAS cleaning the air and I didn't notice any unusual spike in the utility bills.

THEN ... about 3 weeks ago I get a call from the HVAC installer telling me that TRANE had recalled the electrostatic filter. There was a potential fire hazard and I should pull the power on just the filter unit (not the whole HVAC).

So, this might be just a coincidence but within days we all seemed to be getting stuffier and stuffier at nights and then within the past week the kids got head colds (and then of course we did too).

Might just be a coincidence ... but I WANT MY CLEAN Effects back! :(

Please let us know when your HVAC dealer comes out and makes the fix to your CleanEffects system. I've had mine turned off for some time now and our installer said they still do not have the parts to correct the problem.

Sorry to be so late with a follow up on this.

ABout two weeks ago I called my Trane Dealer and they said they were still at the mercy of the Trane Company. So I ask for (and got) a phone number for Trane that I could call and ask about my filter.

I called and pleaded my case (2 young children with respiratory issues) and the nice Mrs. Lady on the other side of the phone took my name and the name of my Dealer and promised to try and expedite my replacement.

My dealer was out with the new filter 2 days later.

SIDE NOTE - These things aren't yet common enough that the guys working on them know what they are doing.

I have a large unit so the middle filter (cartridge) on my clean effects unit is actually 2 separate filters. When you pull one out, you have to reach inside and grab the handle of the second one and pull it out.
I found my HVAC "technician" crawling around under my house trying to find a 2nd HVAC unit. "Why" I ask.
"Well" he said "They sent two replacement cartridges so I figured you had two units. I guess they made a mistake. This is the 2nd time Trane had done this too!"

I had to show him that BOTH cartridges go in one unit.
Chagrined, he said that he was going to have to go back to another house and put their 2nd filter in.

My parents had theirs over a year, and mom been very pleased with it. She has a little trouble breathing at times, and since they had it, she can breath.. they hardly open the windows anymore.. They do have an air exchanger, so they are getting fresh air.

Trane did have a recall on the cells, Mostly the issues were on system that used the Air Handler vs gas Furnace.

The unit has a pre-filter that will do a good job keeping large stuff from going into the system if it did ever fail on you. Nice thing about this, you don't need to buy new filter once or twice a year.

I don't share the generally positive reviews for this item.
I think it is an elaborately disguised piece of junk.
Here is a letter I wrote to Trane.

07/15/07

Trane
PO Box 9010
Tyler, TX 75711-9010

Attention: Dale Green, VP Marketing & Sales
Marty McKown, VP Quality & Six Sigma

Gentlemen,

Im writing in response to the safety notice letter I received affecting this piece of junk CleanEffects unit I was sold. We had an XLi19 unit (10 year extended warranty) installed in our home in early 2006 as part of a $500K renovation. Our dealer  Terry Bowers (the only link to Trane that I have any confidence in) suggested the CleanEffects unit. To avoid unnecessary construction debris getting in the unit and due to limited availability we had a pleated filter installed until we actually moved in a few months ago.

Your presale brochure describes the ease of cleaning and how the system senses the dirt level. I will be sending a copy of your brochure to the Florida AGÂs office as there is no question in my mind that your literature is deceptive and misrepresented this product.

It is not easy to clean. The charging unit electrodes are supposed to be cleaned by a technician.

Are you people delusional or just disdainful of all consumers?

If I have to call and pay a technician how is it easy to clean?

It does not sense the dirt level. It measures total run time and changes the lights on the clean/dirty light bar display as a function of that run time. So assuming equal runs times - a consumer with a household of smokers, cats, dogs and dust will see the same display as a non-smoking, no pet home. This is what you considering sensing the dirt level? You people should be ashamed of yourselves. What a joke. Yes I know that your brilliant system allows customizing the cleaning intervals  but that is totally subjective and since you canÂt get the pre-filter back to its new white condition  how do you know when it is really clean?

The instructions I received for this unit are hilarious.
The instructions recommend vacuuming the unit. It does not vacuum clean. The plastic remains dirty. According to the instructions you canÂt use any chemical cleaners on the plastic and then wash it. You can only use plain water. My first cleaning attempt took days to dry and that was with high power fans blowing on it 24 hours a day.

Companies like yours show incredible disrespect for the intelligence of the buyers of your products. I am getting ready to have Bowers Heat & Air install a heat/cool unit in my 3500 sq. ft. workshop  one thing is for sure  it wonÂt be a Trane product going in there.

The salutation in your recall letter reads "customers expect only the best from Trane. Our heritage is built on quality and reliability  that is why we are taking this action."

As is so often the case these days  your tag line is just that  a line.

As far as I am concerned you people are out and out liars and you should be embarrassed by your actions. I shop very carefully to avoid Chinese made goods and try and buy American whenever possible. Your corporate behavior is what has helped the Chinese gain a greater and greater stranglehold on US buying habits. Grow up !!!

There is no need for a reply.
I donÂt respond well to BS.

Sincerely,

Jeff Weller
Dunnellon, Florida

i would check into the bryant or carrier perfect air purifier. i just put one in my house and it seems to be working great it is hard to tell if they really work like they say . the biggest thing about any indoor air quality is the maintainance. ask them how often you have to have it serviced and how much it cost. i hate the electronic air cleaners because they take so much service. the good thing about the perfect air purifier is that all you have to do is once a year you have to change the filter. no cleaning at all. anytime something needs cleaning a lot the worst it works. i like the perfect air purifier because it is cheap and easy to maintain

Jeff,

It is easy to clean for most people, put in dishwasher without soap and no heat dry, shake them off put back in furnace, airflow drys them and turn unit back on 24 hours later, how hard is that.

Your letter is childish & offbase.

Well, I would have to say that Jeff's letter is spot-on about a few items.

First is the "indicator light". Yes, you are led to believe by their marketing that it has some sort of sensor to indicate "dirt level". It doesn't.
The light is simply a timer.

The system has 3 filter units (one is actually two pieces so you could say it has 4) and the one with the needle is supposed to be cleaned only by a technition ... once a year.

Vacuming the electro-static filter or the main filters does feel a bit pointless as the dirt has become charged with static electricity or something and "sticks" to the filter.
It actually takes a damp rag and a bit of care to get these items "squeeky clean".

Here's the thing though. Trane recommends (and it has been my experience with my own unit)that you clean these filters every 6 months. That's it. The indicator light may be useless but it also really isn't needed.

As far as cleaning these things goes, if you don't want to pay the HVAC guy to come and do the cleaning you're just going to have to set an hour aside - twice a year - and spend a little quality time with them and several damp rags. This is because they work so well. If they weren't doing their job ... you wouldn't need to clean them.

Also, and this is only from my observations, you don't need to get them "factory fresh". You make sure that the "pre-filter" doesn't have a sweater of lint on it (Vacuum works well for this one) You give the main filter a once over with the vacuum and then the damp rag, then you give the electro-static filter a "once over" with damp rags.

You do have to be careful with this one because you DO NOT want to bend or break those needles.

I've had my Clean Effects unit for a year and a half now and am still quite pleased. With the exception of that silly, useless "indicator" light - The issues mentioned in Jeff's letter seem to be more a mater of un-met expectations rather then actually "problems" with the system. I do see where he could have been led down this path and it is a shame really.

In my experience, the Clean Effects unit works well enough that there is no need for Trane to even flirt with the sort of marketing material (or dealer sales pitch)that might give a buyer misguided ideas.

We have installed over 25 of them and have no negative reviews and many happy customers with instances of many challenges one old train station converted into office space the soot smel could not be cleaned or painted away but clean effects on two systems and the problems went away

Installed for 14 months now (March 07)

I disagree with the justa_j0e post suggestion that it needs cleaning only 2x/year.

Perhaps we have different models. I believe I have the smallest...

I too have had problems cleaning it.

Trane rep has told my installer (S&S) that they are supposed to be dirty looking after use. I won't dispute that. I do note that the collection cells are almost black now (with no chance of removing this it seems).

The problem actually seems to be that the field charger (the part with the sharp spikes which creates the ionic 'corona') is what actually collects the dirt and debris! If this was being trapped instead by the collection cells... I might have an easier time with this (it could be squirted out).

The real (real) problem is, that it seems the field charger gets terribly dirty after a month of use... then the unit begins to fail with Arcing (I am assuming this is the correct term - due to the electrical snapping sounds), and odd error codes which are not contained in the manual.

You then have to clean the field charger to get it to work again. This is a PIA. I am tempted to buy another, so I can let one soak for 1 week, then dry for 3 weeks.

I have tried cleaning everything else by process of elimination (on more than one occasion) and only cleaning the field charger seems to restore normal operation.

Additionally, the spikes became corroded (? or some other chemical reaction, but initially they were rusty looking) and eventually they become black and rough. The coloration was supposedly ok and expected per the rep's inquiry w/Trane. I did not inquire about the roughness. The roughness makes it difficult to clean (or determine if you have cleaned the spikes properly at least)

What I suspect further however - is that the spikes are physically deteriorating. Only time will tell - but they seem to be getting shorter and shorter. (disintegrating due to the corrosion?).

I will also second the notion that these cannot be run 24/7. Mine starts to arc and freak out as soon as the A/C starts running (or there is substantial moisture in the air, if during winter).

I will try the A/C cycle option mentioned if I have it. Alas, I had wanted this (and spec'd) that it run 24x7... that seems to be out the window (no pun!) now.

gearfreak - I have not notice this "arching" problem at all but it sounds like the thing they had the recall on last summer.
Did you get a recall notice and replacement filter?
If not you should call Trane directly and inquire about it. I would bypass the installer and talk directly with Trane and be insistent about your problem and the recall.

They described a problem where some units would have an arcing issue and even though they had no reports of fires they said there WAS the potential for such so they recommended shutting the electrostatic part down (un-plugging it) until the replacement filter units could be installed.

While I would expect some pitting and eventual wear down on these spikes due to the field they opperate in ... your problem does not sound at ALL normal.
Please check with Trane and let the rest of us know what they tell you.

Thanks.

I have to agree with Jeffs letter above. We have had a Trane unit for just over a year and can see very little difference in the "dust level in our home.

Still have not figured out how to clean it. When you take out the filter units they are basically clean that tells me they are collecting nothing. Cleaning them with a vacuum cleaner is a joke. The instructions specifically say "DO NOT PLACE IN A DISHWASHER". When you do wash them with water, the water is trapped in the unit and takes forever to get it dry again.

Basically the Trane unit is a rip-off and the local dealers have been left with a product that does not work. It is high priced, generates Ozone that Consumers Reports says DO NOT USE and does not collect dust.

Does Trane CE filter out VOC's and other chemicals in the home or is just standard stuff like pet dander, dust, pollen etc?

Thanks!

The Clean Effects has been proven to kill 99% of the flu virus.It also removes dust,pollen, smoke,pet dander,mold spores and bacteria.It is twice as effective as the older style electronic air cleaners.The Clean Effects will not elimanate the dust in your home.It will filter quite well when the system is running.All homes are different and may need more frequent cleaning than every 6 months.There are many things that can cause excessive dust in a home.Heavy traffic like kids going in and out.Leaky structures etc.I have seen many new construction homes with terrible dust problems for the first few months because the contractor ran the systems with dirty filters or removed the clogged filter.Once in a duct system it is very hard or impossible to remove all the dust.The recall on the Clean Effects was due to people washing the cells with water instead of vacuumimg or blowing out the cells.We prefer to use high pressure air to clean the cells and wash the rest.We have sold MANY Clean Effects since the were introduced and they have worked well for us.By the way they do not produce enough ozone to be harmfull in any way.A thunder storm produces more ozone.I actually like the ozone in my home.

I'm looking at an alternative to Trane Clean Effects. The Nordyne Electronic Air Cleaner filters .01 micron - Trane is .1 micron. But the Trane filters 99.98% (advertised) of the particles on any air that blows through (but generally 80% after a couple weeks). The Nordyne filters ~50% (I think, any info here?) on any air that blows through (if it goes through mulitple times, then it will eventually get more).

The Nordyne is a plate only technology (I'm told 8000 volts). The Trane is a combination of filters, one of which is a plate (1000 volts, I'm told). This is probably why Nordyne can filter .01 and Trane .1 micron.

Apparently Nordyne is easier to clean (only plates and a steal mess filter). I'm told the Trane filter (not the plate) eventually gets oily and can't be cleaned.

Anyone have any other info on the Nordyne or thoughts? Apparently Nordyne/Frigidaire is big everywhere except the US, where Trane dominates.

Thanks, Joanne

Joanne you were grossly misinformed.

The Nordyne is essentially an electronic air cleaner, much like Honeywell's. It operates on 120 volts and filters particles as small as .01 microns. The question is what efficiency level at .01 microns? Out of 1000 particles, how many would be captured?

The Trane Clean Effects, and American Standard AccuClean, filter particles as small as .01 microns, at a 99.98% efficiency! This is not only "as advertised", but independently verified. The fluted tubes on the filter add up to an area of 30+ square feet, and take much longer to get dirty. Much longer than 2 weeks. The average is 6 months to 1 year before it needs to be cleaned.

AprilAir, a big competitor in the air cleaner market, has been trying very hard to produce research against CleanEffects. So far they've been able to show that it's not as effective when the filter is very dirty (lack of maintenance), and when the blower is too strong (improper installation).

The CleanEffects operates on 24 volts. Nordyne is one of the largest HVAC manufacturers in the US.

Nordyne (parent co) of a dozen or so labels have never been known to be innovators in the HVAC market, with exception to the 23 SEER AC condensers with the Panasonic Inverter compressor. They have only been producing equipment since the mid to late 90's with exception to their mobile home and light commercial product. (Miller and Intertherm)

They jumped into the residential ring by hiring several people from other companies and designed and started producing simple yet functional equipment.

They may seem to have a big market share which was their intention and why they created so many labels. Last time I looked, they were at about 7% overall of residential shipments in North America. Good given their history but not big. With exception to the Maytag line that has some SS trim and cabinets, essentially all the guts are the same. The perception in quality levels is merely created by literature, price, name and warranty periods assigned.

With regards to the air cleaner question, as far as I know they have still yet to manufacturer any accessories on their own, simply relabeling others. In this case, I am positive their electronic air cleaner is a White Rodgers SST model (never was that good).

My CleanEffects is part of our Gas Furnace unit and does not have a pre-filter. My return air ducts also do not have pre-filters. I leave on the air handler 24/7 so I had expected a fairly rapid build-up on the removable CleanEffects collector. That build -up of dust has not happened after nearly 6 months. Our installer stated that the unit actually "burns" the dust particles so we should not expect to see build up on the Cell plate. I believe the unit is devective and not working.

Would appreciate any comments or similar problems with the Trane CleanEffects.

I have had a unit installed for 2 years. I never seen any noticeable build up of dust on the collectors. But there is a lot of dust inside my house. My unit has a prefilter which collects some dust but it is basically a coarse screen, so must of the dust goes through. I too thought that my unit was defective and called out the installer numerous times until they finally replaced the whole unit. But there was no difference! Trane claims that the collectors trap microscopic particles (even flu viruses). I hope that is true since it would partly justify the cost. But I had the unit installed to reduce dust, and it just has not done that at all. In their web site Trane say that an average house generates 40lb of dust per year and imply that the CleanEffects unit will remove most of it. If that's true, where does it go? Certainly not on the collectors. And as for it being "burned" away, even Trane don't claim that.

I also do not see any dust after two months of operation. Does anyone know how to ensure the unit is working?

If uncertain about the air cleaner removing dust, temporarily place a white 1" filter (such as a 3M filtrete) after the CleanEffects. The air leaving the CleanEffects should be clean and the 1" filter should not get dirty. Also set your blower to run all the time, not just when the AC or heat runs the blower, during the spring and fall the blower may not be running much.

In response to a letter written by Mr. Jeff Weller of Dunnellon Florida who was very dissatisfied with the Trane Clean Effects air cleaner.

He is correct in his comment that it is an elaborate disguised piece of junk. This air cleaning system was born in Tyler Texas at the Trane plant.
I was there on plant tour over 15 years ago when this was introduced as the premier filter system. Then it was introduce under the name of Perfect Fit Filter system.

It was only perfect in that it was the same dimensions as the unit it was attached to. The filters are extremely over priced and can only be gotten from an authorized Trane dealer.
Why was this created? It was created to tie the consumer to a Trane dealer for residual service calls, because the filters are not available from Home Deport, Lowe's or any where else but from Trane. This was brought out many times during the presentation.

This system has evolved into the Clean Effects filter system over the years which is an over priced and over rated filtration system. It does remove more particles then other filters but is really only needed by people with health and breathing issues.

The reason again was to lock the consumer into having to call a Trane dealer to get replacement parts and filters.
A %80.00 dollars service call to sell you a $75.00 filter.

Trane has in the past few years inflated it's parts prices by as much as 100% from one year to the next. Motors that once sold for under a hundred dollars now selling for $150.00 and up. Compressors that averaged 600 to 700 dollars and now 850.00-1000.00 up. Nothing changed to make the price go up but greed from corporate from one year to the next to make the bottom line fatter at the expense of the consumer.

Variable speed motor modules that once sold for around $89.00 are now $189.00, nothing changed but the price from one year to the next.

Trane is now pushing the Communication family of AC systems which allows hooking up a straight AC system or a Heat Pump system with only three stat wires rather then the 8 in the past for Heat pump. This is all due to digital signals from each piece of equipment talking to each other.
The indoor unit recognized the out door unit and vise-versa.

Trane is excellent equipment but your going to get more return on your investment if you stay away from the high end high priced systems.

The latest Consumer report moves Trane/American Standard equipment from the top spot to 2nd and third. A more moderate priced efficient brand is now at the top of the list with the least warranty and failure rates.

It appears Trane has lost sight of why they are in business. Trane has fallen to the greed factor driven by the bean counters.

had Trane var speed 14s system new installed 1997. Several problems but OK.2008 out of ext. warranty installed new system 18i with cleaneffect. In texas winter freezing rain the outside unit freezes up and the fan hits the ice, terrible noise and vibration. Happened winter-2008 4 times, no solution from Trane direct or dealer, I gave up and let it destroy itself.
Tx heat now, 100F+ outside, inside it gets up to 90F in the evening. Removed the both cleaneffect cells, systems gets an holds 77F inside. Dealer wants to replace all my ductwork (same dealer that installed the system 12 years ago including ductwork) to balance out the higher cfm of the new sytem !!!!. Are there "normal" filters available ins size to replace the 2 cleaneffect (or the pre filter) so I can keep my house clean and cool in summer heat with out spending additional 15,000$ on top of the 14,000$ I already spend on the second new system.
I am a good customer, but never TRANE again!!!

Help from TRANE = ZERO. they only protect there dealers !! not me the end user ! There where many more problems with the installation of this "new" and "best" system ..... not enough space to write here, but 7 repair visits in the first few month, replaced the new cleaneffect a.s.o......
But I have a nice and warm home in TX 90F inside!!
...... and expect in winter again the frozen up rattling fan hitting the ice and more nice visits from the friendly dealer that had made money on me several times.
My expenses and the TRANE warranty work ....
Yes.... I am a good customer !!!
Need help to replace the cleanffect prefilter oder the 2 cleaneffect or both with regular filter !!!
I do not want to go into a hotel with my family, so they can replace all the ductwork at 100F+ to accommodate my new "loved" TRANE 18i system !!!!
But i am a good loyal TRANE customer !!!!

There are the Trion He and the Honeywell F300 that will do the job for hundreds of dollars less, and you can buy the units online without getting sucked into a Trane crook.

CleanEffects ultimate users guide. And tips.

The CleanEffects air filter is the best but only
if you follow these handy do it yourself tips I've
learned installing them in a few houses.

Okay first off I will reply to the guy who said
the filtering blinking green light on the indicator
panel did not blink when using his fan 24/7 question.

The green blinking indicator light only blinks when
the filter is fully functional and will stop blinking
and be solid when in warm-up mode or waiting for the blower
to start up if the blower is set to auto. The filter light does
blink/turn on when using the fan only and/or when the A/C is on when
wired correctly by the installer. (read on for alternate solution)

Okay now for the tips i've learned & want to pass on
since I really like this filter and have one in my house
and installed one in my moms house recently aswell.

You will need a strong spray nozzle for your home water hose or one
of those small electric plug in water pressure cleaners to spray down
the plastic coils every 4 to 6 months because the really
dont get very clean with a vacuum cleaning only the pre-filter
can be cleaned with the vacuum. Vacuum usually once a
month will do for the pre-filter. So plan for this in advance as
you will need one or the other. (strong water hose nozzle or small electirc pessure cleaner).

The front door has two metal pins that slip into notches
on the unit. When these metal pins dont line up during
install they can get bent or come bent during shipping.
This is the cause of the door being excessively
hard to close on some installs. To fix this simply bend
these netal pins a little to the sides and the small bottom feet down or up so they line
up nicely and the door will open and close smoothly
& make cleaning the pre-filters & plastic coils a breeze.

Next I have noticed that some air handlers are so strong
that they can pull the plastic pre-filter that comes with
the CleanEffects unit within range of the electric metal
coils and cause the coil to turn off. To solve this
problem noted by several posters that noticed the coils
keep turning off causeing the yellow fault lights to blink or the green filter light to stay solid,
you can hang a small weight off of the pre-filters center frame
work to pull it away from the coils. a small string with a
weight handing off of it can do the job. I used some
plastic coated metal cloths hangers to form some small hooks
that i use to pull the pre-filter down away from the coils.
They hang perfectly from the pre-filters plastic support arms. This
will solve most of the problems with coils that turn off to
what seems to be randomly when its really do to some air
handlers being to strong and pulling the filter close to the
metal coils and causing coil faults.

I love my CleanEffects Trane air filter and I hope the above
tips solve a lot of confusion thats going on out there.
The filter really works great once the above ajustments
are made and looked for. (I have contacted Trane with the
above tweaks & hopefully they can tweak the plastic
pre-filter that seems to be the cause of many of the
troubles being reported.) But dont wait your health is to
important & the CleanEffects system really is a great air cleaner
even if a little quirky its worth having NOW & not worth
putting off until later since its so easy to tweak. =)

Feel free to post questions here as i will check up
on this post from time to time. Or email me at RikiiTikii at
yahoo d o t com

signed,
Ricky of Miami

p.s.
If you ever look up at the CleanEffects from underneath when
the A/C is on at night you will see an amazing Tesla coil
like Electrical light show, it really is that futuristic
& how youll know its truly working properly.

I am currently looking to replace the inside and outside units for my 75 yr old mother who has a lung disorder. I am looking at the Trane XL20i with their CleanEffects Clean Air System and also at the Lennox XP-21 system with their Pure Air Air Purification System �I would appreciate any feed back as to differences of the air systems of each and the advantages and disadvantages of these 2 units vs each other? any info is greatly appreciated

Trane CleanEffects whole-house air cleaner was installed in my house in 2007 (model number TFD215ALAH000AA). I have extensive experience with this air cleaner, which I'd like to share with others.

1. The ozone hazard is blown out of proportion. The amount of ozone that Trane CleanEffects produces is negligible, i. e. it is many orders of magnitude lower than what is considered safe for humans. In fact, the ozone level in my house was lower than the detection threshold of the ozone meter.

2. Trane CleanEffects does a perfect air cleaning job during the first three months (when it is new). Then the performance deteriorates, and after about one year it does not clean air at all (whether it is turned on or off, you will notice no difference). Cleaning the pre-filter and the collection cells does not make it work any better, although I have always cleaned the pre-filter and the collection cells on schedule and very thoroughly.

3. The pre-filter needs to be cleaned every two months. It takes just five minutes and requires a good vacuum cleaner.

4. The two collection cells must be cleaned once in six months, and this is a major work that takes about three hours. Vacuum-cleaning the collection cells does not make them any cleaner. I first rinse the collection cells with warm water under the shower for about 10 minutes; water runs through the cells and comes out black in color. Then I shake each cell for 15 minutes to reduce the amount of water stuck inside the cell. Then I repetitively wipe both sides of each cell with paper towels. Then I set each collection cell in front of a cold air blower and dry it for at least one hour. When both cells are dry, they can go back into the system.

5. In the summertime water condenses on the evaporator coil of the indoor air handler unit and drips down on the Trane CleanEffects air cleaner, causing it to malfunction. For some reason this did not happen during the first summer after installation, but since then it broke down on average twice per summer. Finally in the summer of 2011, i.e., after four years of work, the unit completely burned out (self-destructed) beyond repair. I am now looking for replacement.

I've had the CleanEffects system installed for about four years now. Installed as part of a full HVAC replacement for our 2100 square foot home.

I generally agree with all the positive comments posted here. But, those plastic/carbon filters CAN be a pain to clean, as least to visual satisfaction. To clean them I use a house central vac, which of course has a LOT of suction. The blackness of the plastic honeycombs never goes away, but I live with it.

A question I have is: What are the copper contacts on the edges of the electric filter and the plastic honeycomb filters for?

One of my copper contacts has gotten green from oxidation. I tried to sandpaper it and it sort of disgifured the contact.

I think they may some sort of contact on the back of the CleanEffects door when it is closed.

For the life of me, I can't think of what they are for as everything still seems to be working properly.

Any thoughts?

I have had a Cleaneffects since Oct 2007. I am very disappointed in its effectiveness. It was recommended highly by Consumers Reports at the time. They do not recommend it that highly any more.
We have severe respiratory problems here, so I was anxious to get it. I am embarrassed to admit that I was such a sucker, but hopefully it will help someone else.
I was told by two different installers that the filter wouldn�t work with my old furnace, and modifying the furnace to make it work would cost more than a new furnace. I got the new furnace (Trane) even though my old one worked well, and it wound up costing me about $7000 to get both the furnace and the Cleaneffects filter.
It would have been worth every penny if the filter had performed as Consumers Reports claimed, but it hasn�t even come close. I still had a couple of old room filters around and one night my wife got so stuffed up that she decided to pull one out and put it in the bedroom. It cleared her up right away. I bought a couple more room filters and we are using them extensively now. The air is much cleaner and the room filters cost a lot less than the whole-house system.
I have maintained the system with diligence and in accordance with the manual, so those who say that system failures are due to laziness of the maintainer are wrong in this case. Here is why I think many users, such as me, are disappointed:
When the contractors talk about how these things work, they say that enough air moves through the filter to account for changing all the air in the room several times a day. That is true, but it is misleading. If all the air in each room went through the filter even once a day, I believe the system would work pretty well. But in reality most of the air in any room takes the shortest path from the furnace output to the furnace intake. Some of the air gets exchanged (and therefore cleaned) over and over again, but most of the air remains undisturbed and un-cleaned. In my home, furnace outlets are near the ceiling as are the furnace intakes. So air near the floor doesn�t get churned up and seldom gets into the filter. A small room filter cleans the air near it, so the best solution is lots of small room air filters.
In other words, a furnace-mounted whole house system is a flawed concept. In order for the system to work properly the furnace fan would have to run constantly at high speed and the house ducting would have to be designed so that the air will always be well-mixed. Air can�t be cleaned by the main filter if it never gets into it. You can make it work better with a lot of small fans, but if you are going to do that you might as well use small room filters.
I wish Consumer is Reports had done a better job of reviewing this a few years ago, and I wish I had applied a little more common sense to my purchasing decision. It is true that I have a much better furnace now and possibly the best air cleaner I can get using a furnace-mounted system. That is looking at the bright side, but I often think about how I could have used that $7000 for other things � including more room air filters and the electricity to run them. It was an expensive lesson.

I bought a CleanEffects a year ago. The indicator never moved from "clean." Months went by. We did not suspect a broken sensor as it was brand new out of the box upon installation. And we run hepas all over the house, so not much dirt should be reaching the CleanEffects.

So at some point something in the furnace got tripped and it was determined the sensor or something in the front door was broken.

Has anyone else had this experience? Is it more likely a defective part or could it be an install error?

At this point I wonder how long we were breathing mold being blown through the house because we failed to realize the sensor was defective and it was anything but clean. We are trying to return it for refund (there is another issue - there is not enough clearance to service the air filter. there is 15" clearance instead of the required 28"). They are trying to get me to sign a release from liability before they will get the furnace and refund it. Yikes.