Build Equinox CERV2-6EC Operating and maintenance instructions

INSTALLATION MANUAL
Models CERV2-6EC, CERV2-8EC
Build Equinox
[email protected]
(773)-492-1893
Rev 0.1 - 05/10/2018
© Build Equinox 2018

Contents
Specifications................................................................................................................................................................................3
General Considerations ................................................................................................................................................................6
Installation Procedure ..................................................................................................................................................................7
Unit Installation & Ducting................................................................................................................................................7
Insulating.........................................................................................................................................................................11
Water Drain.....................................................................................................................................................................11
Electrical .....................................................................................................................................................................................12
General Wiring Guidelines ..............................................................................................................................................12
Electrical Installation.......................................................................................................................................................12
Filters ..........................................................................................................................................................................................13
Starting and Commissioning the System....................................................................................................................................14
Touch Screen Interface ...................................................................................................................................................14
ECM Fan Speed Configuration ........................................................................................................................................14
Appendix –WiFi Setup................................................................................................................................................................15
Appendix –Fan Speed Configuration .........................................................................................................................................17
Appendix - Electrical...................................................................................................................................................................18

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Specifications
Electrical
Voltage Supply
120V (60hz)
Min Circuit Size
15 A
Connection
NEMA 15-5P Plug, 6ft cord
System
Unit Dimensions
25.5” W x 40” L x 38” H
Unit Weight
139 lbs (6EC), 142lbs (8EC)
Airflow Rate
100-300 CFM
Air Filter Size
10” x 20” x 1”
Duct Size
8” Main
3” Utility
Condensate Drain
3/4" PVC
Sensors
Temperature
-40 to 185F
+/- 0.36F
Relative Humidity
0 to 100%
+/- 2%
CO2
0 to 5000ppm
+/- 25ppm +/- 3%
VOC
450 to 2000ppm
CO2Equivalent
VOCs Detected
Alcohols, Aldehydes, Aliphatic Hydrocarbons, Amines, Aromatic
Hydrocarbons, CO, CH4, LPG, Ketones, Organic Acids
Sensors are self-calibrating and do not require maintenance
Warranty
Parts and Labor
1st Year
Parts
5 Years

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Performance
Heating: 47F Outside, 68F Inside
Heating Capacity (Btu/h)
4731 (recirc)*
6531 (vent)**
Heating Efficiency (COP)
(excludes fan power - see below)
3.6 (recirc)
4.8 (vent)
Heating Elec Power (W)
(excludes fan power - see below)
379 (recirc)
399 (vent)
Heating: 32F Outside, 68F Inside
Heating Capacity (Btu/h)
3702 (recirc)
6789 (vent)
Heating Efficiency (COP)
(excludes fan power - see below)
3.3 (recirc)
5.4 (vent)
Heating Elec Power (W)
(excludes fan power - see below)
331 (recirc)
366 (vent)
Heating: 17F Outside, 68F Inside
Heating Capacity (Btu/h)
2674 (recirc)
7046 (vent)
Heating Efficiency (COP)
(excludes fan power - see below)
2.8 (recirc)
6.2 (vent)
Heating Elec Power (W)
(excludes fan power - see below)
283 (recirc)
332 (vent)
Cooling: 95F(DB)/75F(WB) Outside, 80F(DB)/67F(WB) Inside
Cooling capacity (Btu/h)
2230 (recirc)
5314 (vent)
Sensible cooling (Btu/h)
1318 (recirc)
3891 (vent)
Latent cooling (Btu/h)
912 (recirc)
1423 (vent)
Dehumidification (Liters/day)
9.6 (recirc)
14.9 (vent)
Cooling Efficiency (COP)
(excludes fan power - see below)
3.2 (recirc)
7.6 (vent)
Cooling Elec Power (W)
(excludes fan power - see below)
202 (recirc)
204 (vent)
Fans
Total fan power (W)
ECM Fans (heating & cooling)
38.6(50% speed)
98.1(70% speed)
* Recirculation mode heating and cooling capacity is relative to indoor conditions
** Ventilation mode heating and cooling capacity is relative to outdoor air conditions

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General Considerations
DANGER: Risk of electric shock. Can cause injury or death: disconnect all remote
electric power supplies before servicing.
1. Please review entire manual before proceeding with installation. Improper installation or deviation
from instructions can result in damage and warranty being voided.
2. Ensure that all components are on hand and free from defects or damage.
3. Installation and service should be performed by qualified personnel with a thorough understanding of
electrical safety precautions. Units must be properly grounded.
4. Beware of sharp edges when assembling duct connections and do not lift CERV2 by duct fittings or
front electrical enclosure.
5. Units should be secure and level. If installing on a platform, ensure levelness and structural stability of
the platform.
6. Fresh air inlet and exhaust outlet ducts to house from outside:
a. Must be sufficiently above ground to avoid blockage from snow or other obstructions. Two feet
above ground is recommended.
b. Ducts to the outside must use a coarse screen or mesh to prevent insects, birds, etc from
entering, but fine screens, dampers, flaps, etc should be removed so as to eliminate any
restrictions.
c. If possible both inlet and exhaust should be on same side of house to avoid pressure
differential, which can impact flow.
d. Inlet and exit ducts should be a minimum of 4’ apart in any orientation. Inlet separation from
any other possible sources of contamination should be considered and local codes followed.
7. Ducts must be insulated as directed in ducting section. Improper or insufficient duct insulating can lead
to condensation and staining and/or water damage.
8. Water drain must be lower than the drain outlet from the CERV2 unit. If not, a condensate pump must
be used.
9. The CERV has an internal water trap for its condensate drain, and therefore no external water trap is
needed. If an external trap is added the CERV side should be open to atmosphere.

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Installation Procedure
Unit Installation & Ducting
1. Review Ducting section below to determine most applicable ducting scheme.
2. It is recommended to install the CERV2 in a plastic appliance basin if location is such that water
damage is a concern. A clogged condensate line can cause water to pool around the CERV2. A
moisture sensor and alarm can also be used to notify occupants of a problem.
3. Fix the CERV into position and ensure stability. Unit must be level. Vibration feet (not provided)
should be placed under CERV to reduce vibration and to keep CERV off of a potentially wet floor
surface.

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Insulating
In the winter, the unit will be bringing in cold air, passing it through the heat pump, and then
exhausting EVEN COLDER air. In the summer, the CERV will be bringing in hot air, passing through the
heat pump, and exhausting EVEN HOTTER air. It is therefore extremely important that the components
of the system are properly insulated, as to prevent any condensation on the ducting.
Ducts
All ducts except for the RETURN (from inside) must be insulated. It is recommended to use a
minimum of R4.0 insulation for supply to the inside and R8.0 on the ducts to and from the outside. In
colder climates, it may be necessary to add additional insulation if it appears that the ducts may be
showing signs of sweating.
Water Drain
1. Water drain must be lower than the drain outlet from the CERV2 unit. If not, a condensate pump must
be used.
2. The CERV has an internal water trap for its condensate drain, and therefore no external water trap is
needed. If an external trap is added the CERV side should be open to atmosphere.

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Electrical
DANGER: risk of electric shock. Can cause injury or death: disconnect all remote
electric power supplies before servicing.
Electrical Ratings
Voltage Supply
120VAC (60hz)
Minimum Circuit Size
15A
Connection
Standard NEMA 5-15P
Plug, 6ft Cord
General Wiring Guidelines
•All electrical wiring should be performed as to comply with National Electric Code NFPA 70.
Additionally, be aware of any additional city or utility code requirements before installation. Units
must be properly grounded.
•Supplied power to the unit must comply with the nameplate requirements.
•The CERV should have its own dedicated circuit.
•Never run control wiring and power wiring through the same conduit.
•Always use proper gauge stranded copper wire for power connections.
Electrical Installation
1. With the CERV unplugged, install any auxiliary field wiring to the unit. The CERV includes three
standard ¾” electrical knockouts, directly above the power switch. These should be used, along with
strain relief fittings, for any auxiliary input or output connections. See Appendix at the end of the
document for auxiliary wiring guidelines and specific examples.
2. Ensure that the front power switch on the CERV is OFF. The green rocker power switch should be in
the DOWN position.
3. The CERV plugs into a standard North American 3 prong outlet and is supplied with 6 feet of power
cord. Plug the CERV into its dedicated power outlet.

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Filters
The CERV2 contains filters for both incoming fresh air from outside and return air from inside. The
filters can be easily accessed by unscrewing the top two thumb-screws and removing the top filter
access cover. Before opening the filter access cover, it is important to stop fan operation during this
time. This can be done by either powering off the CERV2 by switching off the green main power switch
or the CERV2 can be set to “off” mode by navigating to the Main Menu, System, and Operation Mode.
When replacing the filters, care should be made not to drop any object into the openings.
The CERV2 comes standard with two MERV 13, 10”x20”x1” filters. Any 10”x20” filter 1” or 2” thick can
be used, although using filters higher than MERV 13 can cause higher fan power for little gain in
filtration. Ensure that the filter direction corresponds to the airflow direction sticker on the inside of
the CERV (points down). Filters should typically be replaced every 3 months, but indoor and outdoor
particulate levels may necessitate more frequent changing. The inside and outside filters may also have
different changing schedules. Inside filters may only need to be changed once every 3 months, while
the outside filter may need monthly changing depending on the time of the year. Logging filter changes
in the Notes section of this manual can help track the maintenance schedule. Regular filter
maintenance is important in keeping the inside air healthy and free from particulates as well as
allowing for peak system operating efficiency. Once the filters have been replaced and the access cover
secured, the system can be switched back on or set back to “auto” mode to continue normal
operation.

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Starting and Commissioning the System
Please review all ducting, insulating, condensate drain, and electrical sections before continuing. After all
electrical wiring has been completed and all connections have been double checked, apply power to the unit.
When the unit is first started, it takes approximately 30 seconds to initialize valves and check system health.
For the first 3 minutes after initialization, the CERV will go into an Assess mode. In this mode, it recirculates
air throughout the home and compares to the configured heating, cooling, and ventilation setpoints. For
commissioning the unit, it is important to check the following features of the unit:
Touch Screen Interface
1. The CERV logo will initially show on the screen, and then after approximately 15 seconds, you will enter
the home screen. This screen displays the inside and outside temperature and relative humidity, as
well as the CO2 and VOC indoor air quality levels.
2. In the top right corner of the home screen, there is a small WiFi connectivity icon. For information
regarding setting up the connection to your home router, please see the Appendix.
3. Once the wireless connectivity icon turns green, the CERV has successfully connected to the online
server and is ready to control through your computer or mobile device anywhere in the world!
ECM Fan Speed Configuration
The fan speed has been factory set to 50%. If airflow measurements are being taken for commissioning
purposes the fan speed can be increased or decreased by following the steps in the Appendix.

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Appendix –WiFi Setup

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Connection Status Troubleshooting
Wifi Connection Error
Probable Cause & Resolution
Couldn’t Find SSID
•If Manual setup was used to connect to the WiFi Network, check for
misspellings in the network name and try again.
•On another device (phone/laptop/etc), check that the network exists and
is exactly as entered on the CERV.
•The CERV currently only operates on 2.4GHz WiFi networks. 5GHz wifi is
not supported at this time.
Incorrect Password
•If Manual setup was used to connect to the WiFi Network, check to ensure
the network security is correctly set. Most modern WiFi networks use
WPA2. This can often be verified with on a computer or phone by
examining network properties.
•Ensure that the entered password is correct.
Timed out - try again
•There may be an issue with the internal WiFi configuration, and the
connection attempt timed out.
•Press the checkbox button on the bottom of the screen, which will take
you back to the “Getting WiFi Status” screen. Stay on this screen for a
minute to see if it was able to recover and make the connection. If not, try
adding the network again as before.
•If re-adding the network gives the same timed out error, try powering off
the CERV, then back on, and adding the network again. Resetting power
to the internal WiFi could potentially resolve the issue.
No Connection to Internet
Or
No Connection to Server
•Connection to the WiFi network was successful, but the CERV is having
trouble uploading data through the internet. This often resolves itself
after several minutes (depending on the network). Contact Build Equinox
if this does not resolve itself.
CERVICE Online Control & Monitoring Account Setup

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Appendix –Fan Speed Configuration
The inline fans included with the CERV can be configured to help maximize comfort and fresh air
delivery to the home. There are three configuration settings for the inline fans:
•Normal Operation: This will be the default fan speed for the system as it ventilates,
recirculates, heats, and cools your home. In Recirculation Heating and Recirculation Cooling
modes, the outside fan may increase to a higher speed to help boost the efficiency and
capacity of the CERV.
•Triggered Ventilation: If a wireless switch is pressed to trigger a ventilation period, the fans
will increase to the Triggered Ventilation fan speed setting. This fan speed setting also applies
if you start a timed ventilation event from the wireless controller.
•Scheduled Recirculation: When no heating, cooling, or ventilation is needed, but the
Scheduled Recirculation setting is greater than 0%, the inside fan will recirculate air throughout
the home. This fan speed setting allows you to recirculate at a higher or lower airflow than
normal operation.
The user may also specify a supply/exhaust fan balance setting for the system. If the fan balance
setting is nonzero, the exhaust fan will run higher or lower than the supply fan while ventilating in
order to compensate for ducting losses for balanced ventilation. For example, if the user sets a -10%
fan balance, and the “Normal Operation” fan speed is 50%, if the CERV is ventilating due to VOC or
CO2 levels, the supply fan to the home would run at 50%, and the exhaust would run at 40%. With a
+10% fan balance, the supply would be 50% and exhaust would be 60%.

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Appendix - Electrical
DANGER: risk of electric shock. Can cause injury or death: disconnect all remote electric
power supplies before servicing.
CERV Internal Wiring Diagram

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Front Panel Removal and Auxiliary Input/Output (X0 and I0) Access
These instructions show how to access the internal input/output connections in the CERV2. Before removing
any access covers, power to the CERV2 should be turned off and the unit either unplugged or the electric
breaker switched off. Remove the lower front plastic cover by removing the 13 screws shown below.

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Once the lower front cover is off, the four screws for the lower access panel can be removed. Screw locations
are shown below. With the screws removed, the panel will be free to come out.
On the right side is the power conditioning and distribution electronics assembly. The I/O terminals are
located at the front of this assembly. Three ¾” knockouts are provided for running wires to the I/O terminals.
Conduit or wire strain relief fittings should be used in these knockouts.