Vapac MiniVap LMV2 User manual

MiniVap
Humidifier
Models LMV2 &LMV4
Please read these Instructions
BEFORE
Installation and Start-up
Failure to observe manufacturer’s recommendations may invalidate warranty
Vapac Humidity Control Limited reservesthe right to change the design or specification
of the equipment described in this manual without prior notice.
Vapac equipment is manufactured in England by:
Vapac Humidity Control Limited
€

2
MiniVap
Positioning the MiniVap Unit
DOs
DO mount the unit indoors.
DO mount the unit close to the steam nozzle / steam pipe
position.
DO ensure adequate service access to the front of the unit
(min 700mm).
DO remove the cylinder, if necessary, to access the mounting
holes in the back of the steam section.
DO use M6 projecting type wall bolts or equivalent fixings to
mount the unit in position.
DO mount unit with a Room Distribution Unit (RDU) so that the
steam discharge is above head height. (An RDU includes a
steam nozzle and a small fan with 230Vac motor.)
DON’Ts
DON’T mount the unit outside.
DON’T install the unit close to sources of strong electro-
magnetic emissions eg variable speed lift motor drives, KVA
transformers, etc.
DON’T mount unit in an unventilated enclosure.
DON’T mount in a position requiring ladder access to the unit.
DON’T install the unit behind a false ceiling or other situation
where an unusual malfunction (eg water leak) would cause
damage.
DON’T install the unit in an area which will be hosed down.
DON’T install the unit where the ambient air temperature can
exceed 35°C.
DON’T mount the unit inside a cold-room or other place where
temperature and humidity conditions can cause condensation
on electrical components.
DON’T mount the unit where the sound of a contactor opening
/ closing and water flow in a pipe would be unacceptable eg
libraries, private apartments, etc.

3
MiniVap
Plumbing –Cold Water Connections
DO’s
DO connect only to normal town piped water supplies.
DO install a ‘filter-ball valve’ or stop-valve / shut-off valve plus
strainer close to the unit.
DO provide a water supply with sufficient pressure and pipe
size to ensure an adequate flow rate (1.2 litres/min) to the
unit.
DO use the flexible water connection provided.
DO thoroughly flush through new pipework before connecting
to the unit.
DON’Ts
DON’T connect to a water supply that has been softened using
a salt exchange system (sometimes called base exchange or
ion exchange system).
DON’T connect to demineralised water supplies.
DON’T over-tighten the water supply connection with a wrench
or spanner –a flexible connection with nylon nut and washer is
provided to allow a firm hand-tightening –if water seepage
occurs, undo the nut, wipe the washer clean and then re-seat
it.
Plumbing –Drain Connections
DO’s
DO use copper pipe or plastic pipe rated for 100°C.
DO arrange to discharge drain water from the unit into a
vented and trapped drain at a position where flash steam rising
from the drain line tundish will not pose a problem for the
Vapac or other equipment.
DO provide adequate fall for the drain pipework to allow free
flow of water drained from each unit.
DO ensure drain line pipe size will accommodate water being
drained at the same time from other equipment connected to
it.
General
DO ensure metal drain and supply water pipework is grounded
electrically close to the unit.
Water quality:
Hardness 50 –500 ppm (mg/l)
Conductivity: 80 -1000µS/cm
Water Pressure: 1 –8 bar
Water Flow Rate: 1.2 litres/min
a) Tundish fill-cup
b) Steam cylinder
c) Drain pump
d) Drain trap
e) Feed valve with flow restrictor
f) Feed/Drain manifold
g) Water connection ¾”
h) Flexible connector with ¾” nut at both ends
i) ‘Filterball’ valve (or strainer plus stop valve)
j) •35mm steam hose + hose clips
k) •35mm copper pipe + support
l) Tundish

4
MiniVap
Steam Nozzle / Pipe and Hose
DO’s and DON’Ts
General Positioning
The position of the steam nozzle / pipe in the air conditioning
system relative to other items –bends, filters, heat
exchangers, etc, is critical and must be decided by the design
engineer responsible for the project.
DO obtain project engineer’s instruction / drawing for chosen
location of pipe.
DO obtain project engineer’s instruction / drawing for pipe
position relative to the top and bottom of the duct (or sides if
airflow is vertical).
Steam Nozzle Installation
Note:
The steam nozzle can be installed in either the side or the
bottom of an air-duct.
DO ensure that the condensate outlet is at the lowest point.
DO arrange for a local drain position for the condensate line
from the nozzle.
DO use tubing suitable for 100°C for the condensate line.
Steam Pipe Installation
Note:
The steam pipe can only be mounted in the side of an air-duct.
DO ensure that the holes are on the top of the pipe when it is
mounted in the duct.
Steam Hose Connection:
DO use steam hose / copper pipe of equivalent size to the
steam cylinder outlet (•22mm).
Do use Vapac steam hose or well insulated copper pipe.
Do keep steam hose as short as possible –under 2m for
maximum efficiency.
DO arrange to have a vertical rise immediately over the unit of
300mm.
DO use the full height available between unit and steam nozzle
to provide maximum slope (min 12-20% for condensate to
drain back to the steam cylinder (or down to a condensate
separator). Always provide a continuous slope.
DO provide adequate support to prevent sagging.
Fit pipe clips every 30-50cm
Support straight lengths on cable trays or in heat
resistant plastic pipe.
DO use a Vapac condensate separator or simple trapped pipe
connection to drain off condensate from extended steam lines.
DO ensure radius hose bends are fully supported to prevent
kinks developing when in service.
DO add extra insulation to steam hose for longer runs (2m-
5m) and in cold ambient conditions to avoid excess condensate
and reduction in delivered output.
DO arrange for the condensate from the steam nozzle to be
discharged into the Tundish installed for the drain water from
the humidifier. Use 6mm diameter (100°C rated) tubing to
connect to 6mm copper pipe or to discharge direct into the
tundish.
DON’T allow steam hose to develop kinks or sags.
DON’T include horizontal runs or 90° elbows in the steam line.

5
MiniVap Electrical Connections
The wiring to the Vapac should be done by a qualified
electrician and the external over-current protection and wiring
should comply with the appropriate Regulations and Codes of
practice. The standard MiniVap unit is designed to suit 230V
single phase electrical supply.
External Protection
A fused disconnect / isolator or MCB should be used in the
electrical supply to the unit and this should be located adjacent
to the Vapac cabinet or within easy reach and readily
accessible.
MiniVap Terminals (see Fig.1)
Terminals L1 and L2 are for the power supply connections.
Terminals 1 and 2 are for the external control circuit
connections.
Terminals A and B are for connection of an RDU (Room
Distribution Unit).
Control Circuit Connection
The MiniVap can be operated by a single step humidistat /
hygrostat which has volt-free contacts.
Note:MiniVap terminals 1 &2 must NOT be used for
security circuit purposes.
Security Circuit
When a high limit humidistat, interlock or airflow switch are in
use, these should be wired to interrupt the power supply to the
MiniVap unit either indirectly or directly.
Cable Entry
Cable glands are provided and must be used to ensure cables
are held securely at the entry position.
Output Reduction
There are two standard outputs; LMV2 = 2kg/hr and LMV4 =
4kg/hr. Both units can have their outputs changed from
1kg/hr to 5kg/hr by changing the value of UCP 1. If this is
required, please request change from manufacturer or
distributor supplier of the unit, or at time of order.
Making the Electrical Connection
Releasing the Electrical Section:
To make the electrical connections to the
unit it is necessary to detach the electrical
section. To do this, open the door,
disconnect the hose and the electrode caps
from the steam cylinder, thenremove the
steam cylinder from the cabinet by lifting it
out of the manifold.
Next undo and remove the two screws
which hold the electrical panel to the outer
cabinet (see Fig.2) and ease the whole
electrical section forward (see Fig.3) to
disengage it from the locating slots in the
back panel.
Then undo the two holding screws to
release it from its top and bottom runner.
The electrical panel is then free and can be
rested at an angle within the cabinet (see
Fig.4) to allow the wiring connections to be
made to the terminal block.
Completing the Connection:
Remove the knock-outs in the top and/or side (for
MiniVap with RDU) and fit the glands provided.
Pass the cables through the cable glands and
make secure connections to the appropriate
positions of the terminal block then tighten the
cable glands.
Note: If an RDU is fitted, there is a small knock-out
on the top and a hard plastic grommet provided for
the fan motor leads.
On completion, re-attach the electrical panel to its
runners, slide it back and secure in position before
replacing and reconnecting the steam cylinder.
Important:
1When replacing the cylinder, make sure its o-
ring seal and capping ring are in position on
the manifold.
2The position for the white cap (water level
sensing electrode) has a label marked
‘white’, the electrode cable N° 1 must be put
on the electrode nearest the white cap.
To gain a
ccess to the electrical section open front door; undo these
2 screws then ease electrical section out and release it by undoing
the two guide screws.
Fig 2. Fig 3
A B L1 L2 1 2
220-240V
50 / 60 Hz
R.D.U.
PE
External Connections
Power
Control
- + DC Signal
On / Off
Humidistat
Fig
1

6
Start-Up Instructions
With the installation, plumbing and electrical connections
complete:
Turn on the water supply to the MiniVap.
Close the fused disconnect/isolator or circuit breaker on the
electrical supply to the MiniVap.
Put On/Off switch on facia panel to position 1.
The MiniVap is now ready to operate when the humidistat /
hygrostat switches the unit On.
Commissioning / Start-Up
With the correct electrical and water connections completed,
the MiniVap unit can be switched on. When the humidistat/
hygrostat switches, electrical power is applied to the electrodes
and cold water flowsinto the cylinder. The MiniVap program
arranges for the water to be introduced in stages until the full
operating current is reached. The level of electrical current
depends on the minerals present in normal town water supply.
It is unlikely that the full operating current will be reached
when the cold water first enters the cylinder; in this case, the
cold water feed valve will close when the water reaches the
water level detection electrode which is located at the top of
the cylinder and prevents the cylinder overfilling.
The current which flows between the electrodes will heat the
water until it boils. The steam produced will be carried up the
steam hose to the steam pipe or nozzle. As the boiling
continues more cold water will be added bringing in more
minerals until the mineral concentration required for full output
is reached.
Thereafter, the MiniVap system will continuously monitor and
control the concentration of the boiling water by adjusting the
amount of water drained from and fed into the cylinder.
During the initialisation process the user LEDs should be in the
following state:
User LED State
Description
RED Flashing 2
second period
Unit initialising. If it remains in this
state the unit does not have a valid
UCP1 fitted.
Prior to the start of the initialisation process, the LEDs will flash
Green, Red, Amber repeatedly for 10 seconds to check that the
LEDs are operating correctly.
Features of the MiniVap Operation
The MiniVap system of control is designed to adjust the
function to keep the unit operating in the face of changing
water quality in the cylinder and changing electrode condition
even if,in an adverse operational circumstance, this results in
some reduction in output whilst the situation exists.
Note: The MiniVap PCB disconnects the power to isolate the
electrodes during drainage to avoid earth leakage.
The MiniVap unit will stop operating in response to extreme
fault conditions identified as:
High Over-current STOP
Drain Fault STOP (no drain function)
Feed Fault STOP (water not reaching cylinder)
The ‘stop’ condition on the MiniVap PCB will be cleared by
switching the unit off and on. When a ‘stop’ condition occurs,
follow the service and maintenance procedure to inspect the
steam cylinder and the drain pump.
User LEDs
Description
1
OFF
Unit in shutdown.
2
OFF
Unit in standby.
3
Green Amber
Flashing
variable
RED Flashing
Variable period
or ON
Unit in
Start
-
up
.
Unit Online.
The Variable period is determined by the
demand signal.
Demand LED ON RED LED OFF
<12.5% 0.5second 3.5 seconds
<25% 1.0second 3.0seconds
<37.5% 1.5seconds 2.5seconds
<50% 2.0seconds 2.0seconds
<62.5% 2.5seconds 1.5seconds
<75% 3.0seconds 1.0second
<87.5% 3.5seconds 0.5second
>=87.5% ON RED continually
The above are purely indications of the current state of the unit
and require no action from the operator. When the state
changes, the indication will automatically change.
End of Cylinder Life
The steam cylinder needs to be exchanged for a new one when
the output of the unit is excessively reduced by the build up of
scale deposits.
Cylinder Exchange
Cylinder Life
The water hardness and humidity demand at site will
determine the effective life of a steam cylinder. Units located
in areas with naturally soft waters will experience the longer
cylinder life, possibly upwards of 12 months in calendar terms.
With hard waters, a more frequent cylinder exchange must be
expected and cylinder exchange 2 or 3 times a year can be the
average situation. The normal scaling up of the Vapac steam
cylinder is outside the Vapac warranty.
Procedure for Cylinder Exchange
1With power connected to the unit, use the Manual Drain
switch to empty the steam cylinder.
2Disconnect the Vapac from the electrical supply by means
of the external isolator / disconnect switch or circuit
breaker.
3Open the lockable door to the cylinder chamber and
carefully ease off the red electrode caps and the white
electrode cap.
4Loosen the hose clip and disconnect the hose from the
top of the steam cylinder.
5Using a twisting movement, lift the cylinder clean of its
seating in the feed / drain manifold and carefully remove
the used cylinder from the unit.
6Inspect the feed / drain manifold to ensure this is clear of
sediment.
7The small drain pump can be removed for inspection /
cleaning by applying steady hand pressure onto its inlet
housing to ease it back on its mounting and to release it
from is ‘O’ ring connection in the side of the feed / drain
manifold.
The diagram shows the assembly arrangement of the
feed / drain manifold and pump. The pump motor body
is a sliding fit into its mounting plate.

7
8With the pump back in position after cleaning, make sure
the o-ring seal and capping ring are in position on the
manifold then insert the cylinder into the feed / drain
manifold, pushing it down firmly, and reconnect the
steam hose.
9The electrode caps must be reconnected in accordance
with the details on the collar supplied with the new
cylinder –electrode N°1 on the electrode nearest to the
white cap.
10 The Vapac unit is supplied with electrode cables routed to
avoid contact with the door. After a cylinder exchange it
is important to replace the cables as close as possible to
their original route.
Service and Maintenance
As the operation of the MiniVap is entirely automatic, it
normally requires no attention on a day-to-day basis. General
cleaning and maintenance of the component parts of the
MiniVap are recommended at intervals of about one year but
this is largely dependent upon the frequency of its use and the
quality of the water supply. Where the MiniVap is part of an
air-conditioning system being serviced regularly, the MiniVap
should be inspected at the same time.
Steam and Condensate Hoses
The hoses used with and in the Vapac should be inspected at
the normal service visits as part of normal maintenance. At
the first signs of deterioration, a hose should be removed and
replaced.
Feed Valve with Strainer
The nylon bodied solenoid valve incorporates a small nylon
strainer which is a push fit in the ¾” inlet of the valve. With a
new plumbing installation, loose solid material in the pipework
could partially block the strainer after start-up. If,for this or
any other reason, a restriction of the water flow is suspected
(outside supply pressure considerations), it would be possible
to clean the strainer as follows:
Turn off the water supply to the unit.
Undo the nylon nut connecting the flexible water connection to
the valve inlet.
The strainer can be removed using
‘long-nosed’ pliers to grip the centre
flange provided on the strainer for
this purpose.
Withdraw the strainer.
Wash and replace it..
Reconnect pipework.
Turn on water supply.
Reconnect electrical
supply to allow unit to
operate.
Note: Always replace the strainer after cleaning as it is needed
to prevent material lodging in the valve seat or blocking the
small flow control restrictor which is fitted in the valve.
Fault / Service Indications –Requiring Operator Intervention
User LED 1 State
Description
1
AMBER
Drain fault
2
AMBER flashing 1
second period
Feed fault
3
AMBER flashing 2 second period
Over current fault
4
GREEN
Service now
1,2&3 Fault Stop: Once the problem has been cleared the
fault can be reset by the following procedure:
Power the unit right off using the local isolator (not
the unit on/off switch), wait ten seconds then re-
apply power.
4Service the unit by following the instructions within
the Manual.
Drain Pump
The pump should be inspected and cleaned regularly. It is
recommended that this be done at each cylinder exchange,
especially in hard water areas. Failure to keep the pump clear
and operational will result in reduced cylinder life.
To remove the pump for maintenance purposes, proceed as
follows:
1Depress and hold the manual drain switch to empty the
cylinder. The pump ‘sound’ changes distinctly once the
cylinder is empty. When this occurs release the switch.
2Disconnect unit electrical supply and follow the cylinder
exchange procedure.
3If, due to an electrical or mechanical fault, the cylinder
cannot be emptied by the pump it will be possible to
drain most of the water into a bucket by disconnecting
and lowering the top end of the tube which feeds cold
water to the cylinder from the fill cup. The remaining
cold water will run into the base tray when the pump is
withdrawn from its ‘o’ ring connection and / or the
cylinder is lifted out.
4Ease the pump free of the feed / drain manifold ‘o’ ring
connection, slide it fully off its base plate and release the
connecting tube.
5To dismantle and re-assemble pump, refer to diagram
below.
6In operation,the stainless steel shaft remains stationary
whilst the rotor and impeller rotate on it. Remove all
scale build-up on the shaft so the impeller can rotate
freely.
7Ensure that the ‘o’ ring seal is correctly positioned when
fitting the inlet housing to the main pump motor body.
When re-assembling, make sure the brass spinner is
replaced on the shaft in front of the impeller. A smear of
multi-purpose grease should be applied to the ‘o’ ring so
that the impeller housing can be rotated into position
without distorting the ‘o’ ring underneath it and so
maintain the water seal.

8
MiniVap
Trouble
-
Shooting Check
-
List
Preliminary Check:
-
Use manual drain position
of the switch to check pump operation.
Symptom:
Red ‘Power-On’ Neon –not lit
Check / cause / remedy
-Check main power is connected and switched on.
-Check security circuit is complete (fan interlock, high humidity over-ride).
-Check power supply fuses.
-Check Power-on neon.
Red ‘Power
-
On’ Neon
–
lit
Water in the cylinder
No current
-
Check the switch is in the position marked 1 (unit On position).
-Check MiniVap internal control circuit fuse.
-Check humidistat is calling for Demand.
-Slow start-up situation with a new cylinder.
Low conductivity (soft) water. Add Alka Seltzer to boost conductivity of the water.
If above action is not successful and condition returns, an alternative lower resistance
cylinder may be necessary.
Red
‘Power
-
On’ Neon
–
lit
Water at top of the cylinder
and low current.
-
Reduced output due to scale deposits.
Remove cylinder for rinsing out and re-use or fit a new replacement cylinder.
-Water level circuit not functioning.
Check that 230V phase is connected to electrode that is nearest to the white cap.
Feed Fault:
-
Check the water supply is turned on; check the mains pressure is greater than 1Bar;
check there are no obvious leaks; check the feed water is entering the cylinder and not
running to drain (too much back pressure in steam hose or problem with Tundish fill cup
internal u-tube),
Drain Fault:
-
Check drain pump operates; check when draining the water runs to drain and doesn’t
return to the cylinder via the Tundish fill cup (blocked internal drain hose or problem with
the Tundish fill cup internal u-tube).
Over
-
Current Fault:
-
check the unit drains correctly; check the cylinder electrodes are not damaged or mis
-
aligned in the cylinder.
MiniVap Specification
Model Ref LMV2 & 4
Nominal Output Kg/hr 12345
Nominal Output Lb/hr 2.2 4.4 6.6 8.8 11
Voltage V230 230 230 230 230
Average Power Input kW 0.77 1.53 2.3 3.07 3.72
Electrical Supply Ph ph + N or 2ph ph + N or 2ph ph + N or 2ph ph + N or 2ph ph + N or 2ph
N° Electrodes 22222
Full Load Current A3.5 710.5 14 17
Maximum Over-current A5.25 10 15.75 20 25
Fuse Rating / Phase A10 10 16 20 25
Cable Terminals Size mm244444
Wiring Diagram A4-LZD-603
Cabinet Size 1
Control System
-
On / Off
(unless specified at time of order when water level control is available with the following
control signal options: 0-5V; 0-10V; 2-10V; 1-18V; 0-20V & 4-20 mA.
Steam Hose
-
Internal Diameter 22mm
Steam Hose Length
-
Recommended maximum 2m with continuous fall back to the
MiniVap
Unit
Condensate Hose
-
Internal diameter 6mm
Water Connection
(underside)
-
¾ threaded connection to
MiniVap
feed valve
–
use flexible connector supplied with unit which
has ¾ threaded nylon nut at each end
Drain Connection
(underside)
-
Has connection size 35mm diameter unthreaded
–
use short l
ength of hose to interconnect
onto
copper pipe and discharge drain water to one side of unit into an open tundish.

9

10
Vapac Humidity Control Ltd
Fircroft Way –Edenbridge –Kent – TN8 6EZ
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.eaton-williams.com
INSTALLATION NOTES