Air Ionizer Buying Tips
1. Type of Ioniser
A ‘needlepoint ioniser’, in which a high-voltage discharge is emitted through an electrode ‘pin’, is supposed to be one of the best types of ionisers. This type of device easily the most durable and produces by far the greatest ion output. The air-cleaning efficiency is directly proportional to the ion output. Among the other technologies that are being used is ‘ionising wire’. Also, there are systems in which negative ions are produced only as a by-product. The output of ions is minimal in both of these. Ionising wires are used in the most popular types of brand-name ionic air purifiers. However, these might become brittle and ineffective after a matter of months.
2. With Fan or Without Fan
Generally, air ionisers with a fan are more effective. These are capable of achieving better coverage by distributing the negative ions across a greater area. Also, a decrease in negative ion concentration as one gets farther away from the device is likely to be prevented by a fan. However, the advantage of the fan-less air ioniser is that it is virtually silent, so one can even sleep with it in the same room, without any disturbance.
3. Types of Needlepoints
There are a couple of noteworthy differences among the air ionisers that use needlepoint ionisation. One variable is the type of material the electrode pins are made from and the other is the number of needlepoints used.
Out of all the different types of materials used, stainless steel is by far the most durable. Other materials are rendered them prematurely ineffective, on account of corrosion within a matter of weeks or months. For the life of the air ioniser, stainless steel pins will produce a high ion output.
5. Collection of Particles and Contaminates
To be able to actually collect some of the airborne pollutants it removes from the air is a substantial advantage for negative ion generators. Removing such particles from the environment should result in cleaner air.
An air ioniser can cause black walls, causing the deposition of hard-to-remove darkened residue that covers walls and other surfaces within a few feet of the ioniser, without a collection device. The particles attach to the nearby surfaces since the concentration of ionised particles is extremely high within a few feet of the unit. Since ionised particles collect on the metal plate or filter before any other surface, a filter or a metal collector plate can prevent a ‘black wall’ from happening.
Metal dust collector plates eliminate the need for replacement costs and are easier to clean. Since a fan typically accompanies filters, these collect a lot more particulate, especially when a HEPA filter is used.
A metal dust collection plate, if it is used, should be made from stainless steel or some other corrosion resistant material.
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