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COMPACT AIR TREATMENT UNIT
PENTACARE-V12 SERIES
PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY
AND KEEP IT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
Page 1: ...Serial Number Purchase date Reseller Reseller s Tel COMPACT AIR TREATMENT UNIT PENTACARE V12 SERIES PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY AND KEEP IT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE ...
Page 2: ... operate with its digital control designed to focus on the factors directly affecting comfort and air quality Whether it is about the ventilation rate temperature or humidity level the information is always available at a quick glance Furthermore you can rest assured knowing that you will no longer be left behind when new features become available thanks to the MINOTAIR s USB Port This makes it po...
Page 3: ...nt Installation Requirements 16 Personal Safety 16 Regulations 16 Device Inspection 16 Choosing where to install the MINOTAIR 16 Choosing an Installation Method 17 Connection to a Forced Air Ventilation System Simplified Method 17 Connection to a Forced Air Ventilation System Extraction at the Source 18 Connection to an Independent System of Ventilation Ducts 19 Calculating Ventilation Airflow 20 ...
Page 4: ...Wall Mounting 35 Connecting the MINOTAIR 36 Digital Control Basics 37 Main Screen 37 Digital Control Buttons 38 Explanation of Symbols 39 Adjusting Display Contrast 40 Boot Sequence 40 Turning the Device On and Off 41 Adjusting Indoor Temperature 42 Adjusting Indoor Relative Humidity 43 Activate the Virtual Bathroom Timer 44 Main Menu 45 1 Ventilation Settings 45 Ventilation settings screen 45 Ven...
Page 5: ...n cont d 56 4 Adjusting Program Settings 57 Program settings screen 57 Program settings screen cont d 58 5 Adjusting Filter Settings 59 Filters settings screen 59 6 Other Settings 60 Other settings screen 60 Clock screen 1 61 Clock screen 2 61 Tenant Mode screen 62 7 System Info 63 System info Odometer screen 63 System info Software version screen 63 Alarm Descriptions 64 Maintenance 68 Limited Wa...
Page 6: ...ustion products Never proceed with the installation of an extraction grille in an enclosed space containing fuel burning equipment that may be prone to back drafting of combustion products such as an oil furnace hot water gas heater stove fireplace gas dryer etc Combustion products can cause serious poisoning or death CAUTION Risk of head injury Use caution when opening the main access panel while...
Page 7: ...he supply of air naturally entering the home through cracks and openings exceeds the MINOTAIR handling capacity In this case a point of equilibrium will form which will tend be more humid in summer and drier in winter Ventilation rate Too much ventilation will bring in an excessive amount of dry air in winter and humid air in summer This could make it difficult to maintain humidity levels at the d...
Page 8: ...ation of outside equipment other than the fresh air intake and stale air exhaust hoods o Dehumidifies and cools air in summer heats air in winter Air Purifier with HEPA filtration o Standard antimicrobial filters remove air dust which could otherwise damage the device These filters are MERV 8 G4 rated and stop more than 90 of dust particles as small as 3 0 µm o Standard MERV 15 F9 High Efficiency ...
Page 9: ...amper housing Fresh air intake Motorized damper Motorized damper actuator Energy recovery coil Extraction side Stale air outlet Constant airflow exhaust fan Sensor Defrost temperature MERV 8 G4 prefilter Exhaust side Sensor Indoor humidity and temperature Stale air intake Condensate pan cap 1 MERV 8 G4 prefilter Supply side 2 High efficiency MERV 15 F9 filter Microcontroller with integrated contro...
Page 10: ...e four installation hooks designed to suspend the device are each secured with a bolt which allows the hooks to be positioned at an angle This in turn enables more flexibility when aligning the hooks with their anchor points The installation hooks and their polypropylene straps are designed so as to attenuate the propagation of vibrations from the device to the structure of the house The transport...
Page 11: ...he motorized damper makes a full clockwise rotation until it is in contact with the angled walls In this mode the microcontroller sets the same airflow for each fan Air Exchanger Mode features include o Filters air while removing pollutants from the house and oxygenates indoor air with fresh air from outside o Dehumidifies and cools air in the summer o Dehumidifies and recovers heat in the winter ...
Page 12: ...ans because the goal is to optimize the current operation heating cooling and dehumidification Thus the left fan will usually have a lower airflow than the right fan which should be close to the maximum possible airflow Heat Pump Mode features include o Dehumidifies and cools air in summer and heats air in winter o Filters air while providing uniform humidity and temperature conditions o Can also ...
Page 13: ...es at the airflow set by the microcontroller while the right fan is practically stopped except when measuring the outside air temperature Recirculation Mode features include o Filters indoor air while providing uniform humidity and temperature conditions o Ultra low energy consumption When to use o When it is not possible or desired to have a supply of fresh air and there is no reason to heat cool...
Page 14: ... before switching to Heat Pump Mode for 30 minutes and so on Intermittent 40 Activates Air Exchanger Mode for 40 minutes before switching to Heat Pump Mode for 20 minutes and so on Intermittent Mode features include o Lower energy consumption o All the benefits of Air Exchanger and Heat Pump Modes depending on the type of intermittency selected When to use o When it is necessary to have a guarante...
Page 15: ...to heat pump mode upon calls for heat or cooling o Switches to Free Cooling no compressor or to Turbo Cooling free cooling with compressor when outside temperature permits o Goes into recirculation mode when the fresh air requirement is met and there is no need to heat cool or dehumidify When to use o Always Unless you have a specific reason to use a different mode the Smart mode is the ideal and ...
Page 16: ...ilitate maintenance and repairs Avoid lounging areas offices and bedrooms It is recommended to soundproof the selected location if it is too close to rooms where quietness is desired In this case use a solid core door and affix a rubber door sweep weather strip at its bottom to seal the space between the bottom of the door and floor Do not use louvred or accordion doors as they have no soundproofi...
Page 17: ...ilation system Stale air and humidity extraction is done through the return plenum which could make humidity management more difficult than if the extraction were done at the source This method is only possible if the MINOTAIR can be installed in the same room where the forced air system ventilator is located It is required that the forced air ventilator runs continuously or ventilator operations ...
Page 18: ...r stale air and moisture will be extracted directly at the source through dedicated ducts to ensure better humidity management This option is only possible if the MINOTAIR can be installed in the same room where the forced air system ventilator is located It is required that the forced air ventilator runs continuously or ventilator operations is interlocked with the G terminal of the MINOTAIR Figu...
Page 19: ...s mandatory to include a section of acoustic flexible duct measuring 1 m 3 ft at the end of each supply branch This will soundproof the air supply The same must be done for the ducts serving the rooms where silence is sought IMPORTANT Only use acoustic flexible ducts capable of withstanding a negative static pressure of 1 5 in H2O to prevent the extraction ducts liner from imploding Moreover if th...
Page 20: ...oom 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Each floor not already serviced by air supply 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Basement if not already serviced by air supply 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Optional rooms to be supplied with fresh air Dining room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Family room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Play room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Kitchen This will help the range hood work better 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Any other fur...
Page 21: ...droom two persons 20 30 10 15 5 6 125 150 Home office 10 20 5 10 5 5 125 125 Main lounging room living room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Each floor not already serviced by air supply 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Basement if not already serviced by air supply 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Optional rooms to be supplied with fresh air Dining room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Family room 10 20 5 10 5 6 125 150 Play room 10 20...
Page 22: ...cts you must favor the main distribution duct fresh air to building to minimize the ventilation noise at the supply grilles IMPORTANT In high speed or heat pump mode airflow increases significantly To minimize the noise of the air in motion it is recommended to have a minimum number of supply and return ducts based on whether the main ducts are 6 150 mm or 8 200 mm in diameter o Main ducts 6 150 m...
Page 23: ...R 4 RSI 0 7 to minimize energy losses when distributing heated or cooled air If this is not possible it is nonetheless advisable that at least the first 6 feet 2 m of the supply ductwork starting from the Minotair be insulated CAUTION During cooling and dehumidification operations condensation could form on the outside walls of the unit and the supply ducts which could cause water damage In this c...
Page 24: ...nd easy installation of insulation sleeve using 6 to 8 increasers Acoustic ducts It is mandatory to install a section of acoustic flexible duct measuring about 3 ft 1 m at the end of each supply run to reduce ventilation noise and ensure optimal soundproofing of the distribution network see next figure The same can also be done for the return ducts for optimum sound comfort Acoustic flexible duct ...
Page 25: ...thstanding a negative static pressure of 1 5 in H2O to prevent the extraction ducts liner from imploding Moreover if the flexible duct must move moist air humidifier bathrooms the insulation must be protected by a vapor barrier located between the liner and the insulation The Minotair AcoustiCare series of flexible ducts and prefabricated mufflers are products that meet all these requirements for ...
Page 26: ...g surfaces must be performed by a range hood It is also possible to perform air extraction through floor registers However floor registers are prone to capturing debris that could clog the inside of the air return ducts LOCATION OF OUTSIDE HOODS Outside hoods must be wall type All outside hoods which go through the building envelope must o Be hermetically sealed on their perimeter to the sealing s...
Page 27: ...water column 400 Pa of static pressure within the ductwork This margin of error is within standards For added accuracy or if the building regulations for your area so require it is possible to further balance the intake and exhaust airflow This is accomplished by using a differential pressure gauge capable of measuring 0 to 0 5 inches of water column 0 to 125 Pa and two flexible plastic tubes Proc...
Page 28: ...ners Ensure there is a space of at least 16 40 cm in front of and under the device to open the access panel If that is impossible the panel can be removed completely by sliding it to the right In that case ensure there is a space to the right of the device of at least 2 in 5 cm Allow for a minimum space of in 1 cm between the device and the walls Do not install the device directly against a wall b...
Page 29: ...lure to form a water trap as just described will also create a passageway where stale air will contaminate the fresh air It is thus recommended to fill the trap with water before starting the device for the first time in order to avoid contamination as well as suction noises The other end of the pipe must end its course in the floor drain or a condensate pump Using a bucket is not recommended beca...
Page 30: ...ich will send a 24 VAC signal when the MINOTAIR operates in Recirculation or Heat Pump modes In these modes a fifth port will ensure household odors from the kitchen or bathrooms will not be introduced into the living spaces of the home environment In all cases mentioned above each device s common control wire must be connected to the C terminal on the MINOTAIR Figure 16 Connection to a forced air...
Page 31: ...uch as a furnace In the case of an electric coil its 24 VAC common control wire must be connected to the C terminal on the MINOTAIR see Figure 16 CONNECTING TO AN AUXILIARY HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION OPTION It is possible to connect a heat pump to the MINOTAIR In this case there must be a 120 VAC relay not supplied that will connect in parallel with the reversing valve Terminal NO2 on the microcontrol...
Page 32: ...ic components such as bathroom timers and the microcontroller The use of a contactor is strictly prohibited Ask us for advice if in doubt Figure 18 Connecting to a dry contact controlled humidifier with the use of a relay CONNECTING TO A BATHROOM TIMER INSTALLATION OPTION Bathrooms can be equipped with timers to activate ventilation in air exchanger mode when needed The MINOTAIR timers can be turn...
Page 33: ...re or humidity sensors in the wall mount control which means it can be installed just about anywhere However we recommend an easily accessible location where it can often be consulted For example hallways leading to the bedrooms the living room or the dining room are good locations The digital control is installed on the wall using four screws supplied The height should be chosen to facilitate rea...
Page 34: ...ted on top of the MINOTAIR Figure 21 Cable configuration for a single wall mount digital control Warning Be sure not to cross endings as this will render all communications with the microcontroller impossible Note that this will not damage the digital control but a NO LINK message will appear Figure 22 Wrong configuration If the installation includes two wallmount digital controls a cable splitter...
Page 35: ... back piece A in one of two ways 1 On an electrical box In this case use the corresponding rounded head screws supplied and make sure the electrical box is mounted horizontally or 2 Directly onto the wall In this case use the plastic pins supplied as required and the corresponding rounded head screws supplied Ensure the back piece A is level Then proceed to connect the phone cable by passing it th...
Page 36: ... connected to a different circuit Figure 25 Connecting the device IMPORTANT If you suspect the power source to be of poor quality i e subject to transient overvoltage spikes brownouts electrical noise etc it is required to install a surge protector to avoid damages to the electronic components contained in the microcontroller and the fans The surge protector must be installed upstream of the MINOT...
Page 37: ...ing with setpoint temperature displayed under Ventilation speed low high Ventilation mode Air Exchanger Recirculation Heat Pump and Intermittent 10 20 30 40 Smart Outside the house Current airflow cfm cubic feet per minute l s liters per second Outside temperature with its trend upward stable downward Date day of the week and current time 1 For information purposes only The actual screen may diffe...
Page 38: ...e state of various alarms if applicable It is also used to turn on and off the unit NOTE The buttons light up when pressed They shut off after 10 minutes of idle time NOTE The screen lights up when a button is pressed It shuts off after 10 minutes of idle time unless it is configured to always stay backlit This setting is accessible from the main menu NOTE The Alarm A button flashes red to indicat...
Page 39: ...ring Ventilation On Off Low Speed High Speed or or or Intermittent Mode Air Exchanger Mode Heat Pump Mode Recirculation Mode or or Smart Mode Temperature Heating Auxiliary Heating Cooling Auxiliary Cooling Free Cooling Turbo Cooling Humidity or Dehumidification or Humidification Winter Conditions 7 Day Program or Day Setpoint or Night Setpoint or Away Setpoint Various or or Exception Alarm or Self...
Page 40: ...ts approximately 30 seconds During this period the digital control is not in operation and the screen may be blank or display messages like No Link Once the boot sequence is complete Figure 28 the device will resume its operation as it was before it was rebooted or lost power and will remember its settings Figure 28 30 second boot sequence screen NOTE If the device is turned on for the first time ...
Page 41: ...TAIR s ventilation must be in operation for this information to show NOTE The MINOTAIR does not control auxiliary heating and cooling units when it is turned off The MINOTAIR s ventilation must be in operation to control these devices Figure 30 To turn on the MINOTAIR press A To turn off the device simply hold down the A button for 3 seconds Ventilation will stop and the screen becomes as shown on...
Page 42: ...t The device will automatically correct it if needed o Desired setpoint when the device is in cooling mode To change this value the mode must be set to COOLING In Automatic mode the cooling setpoint must always be higher or equal to the heating setpoint The device will automatically correct it if needed 2 Mode o HEATING The device will only function in heating mode o COOLING The device will only f...
Page 43: ...setpoint and the effect of automatic winter decrease 1 Setpoint o 30 to 60 Set the desired relative humidity During the winter months a 35 indoor humidity level is ideal 30 40 while a 45 indoor humidity level is very comfortable 40 60 2 NOTE o If humidity was set to winter automatic mode in the main menu the setpoint displayed on the main screen will automatically decrease as the outside temperatu...
Page 44: ...oint button P a second time to activate the timer for 20 minutes Press the setpoint button P a third time to activate the timer for 30 minutes Press the setpoint button P a fourth time to stop the timer Note that physical bathroom timers always take precedence over the virtual timer Note also that the bathroom timer ventilation speed is set in the Main menu Figure 34 Activation of the Virtual Bath...
Page 45: ... between options Once the desired option is selected press R to change the setting Figure 36 The following options are available Figure 36 Examples of options to adjust ventilation mode fresh air setpoint and units 1 1 Mode o AIR EXCHANGER The device ventilates and continuously renews the air It filters air while removing pollutants from the house and oxygenates indoor air with fresh air from outs...
Page 46: ...o provide fresh air over a predefined period of time varying between 10 20 30 and 40 minutes per hour Intermittent 10 mode is ideal during long absences in which the house is unoccupied 1 2 Fresh Air Setpoint o 20 to 180 cfm 10 to 85 l s Set the ventilation supply rate according to the fresh air requirement of the house3 NOTE It is important to choose a ventilation supply rate that corresponds to ...
Page 47: ...um airflow rate allowed by the machine 180 cfm 250 cfm 85 l s 120 l s This cannot be changed VENTILATION SETTINGS SCREEN CONT D Figure 38 Examples of options to adjust winter limits 1 6 Air exchanger mode outside temperature limit o 30 C to 0 C 22 F to 32 F This setting applies to air exchanger mode during winter months Set the minimum outside temperature at which the device will stop ventilation ...
Page 48: ...um airflow 1 9 Maximum Airflow o 250 cfm 180 cfm 120 l s 85 l s Adjust this setting to the highest airflow rate that will allow the static pressure to remain lower than or equal to 1 6 WC when the unit is operating in either Air Exchanger mode and Recirculation mode at High speed Start by setting the Minotair to Recirculation mode at High speed with a Fresh Air setpoint of 125 cfm 60 l s i e will ...
Page 49: ...onnected to the MINOTAIR s minimum airflow must be confirmed To do this run the forced air system ventilator at full speed while running the MINOTAIR at its lowest speed i e 80 cfm 40 l s and verify that the static pressure reported by the MINOTAIR is greater than or equal to 0 1 W C 25 Pa If it is not i e the pressure is equal to 0 0 W C 0 Pa you will need to install a register key and adjust it ...
Page 50: ...ired option is selected press R to change the setting Figure 43 Figure 43 Examples of options to adjust the temperature setpoint mode and units 2 1 Setpoints o Desired setpoint when the device is in heating mode To change this value the mode must be set to HEATING In Automatic mode the heating setpoint must always be lower or equal to the cooling setpoint The device will automatically correct it i...
Page 51: ...ation with that of the MINOTAIR 2 4 Auxiliary Heating o NO The MINOTAIR does not control any auxiliary heating unit o YES The MINOTAIR controls an auxiliary heating unit The control signal follows a call for heat for which the MINOTAIR was unable to reach the requested temperature setpoint within 5 to 25 minutes depending on outside air temperature or if indoor temperature is 1 C 1 8 F under the t...
Page 52: ... 24 VAC signal When these devices are forced air systems the MINOTAIR can control their ventilation NOTE Forced air units must be connected to the G terminal to synchronize ventilation with that of the MINOTAIR 2 5 Auxiliary Cooling o NO This MINOTAIR does not control any auxiliary cooling unit o YES This MINOTAIR will send a signal to the Y cooling terminal on the terminal board and will let the ...
Page 53: ...the difference the more precise the calibration will be 2 7 Calibrating outside temperature Press R to start the calibration process The device will take 300 seconds to stabilize During this time measure the outside temperature with a thermometer Once the device is stable press R to display two arrows U D making it possible to increase or decrease the setpoint using the U and D buttons Increase th...
Page 54: ...f options to adjust humidity settings and automatic winter adjustment 3 1 Setpoint o 30 to 60 Set the desired relative humidity During the winter months a 35 indoor humidity level is ideal 30 50 while a 45 indoor humidity level is very comfortable 40 60 At all time the indoor humidity setpoint may be hard to maintain if your house is not airtight 3 2 Decrease humidity if outside air is below freez...
Page 55: ...indows and the amount of water vapor in the air there may be fogging on the windows This is normal and the fog will disappear as the shower detector exhausts water vapor out of the room o NO The detector is not operational 3 3 1 Sensitivity o NORMAL This is the default detection sensitivity in most installations There will be detection when there is an actual shower running It may take up to 2 min...
Page 56: ...external heat source to humidify the air The MINOTAIR will start the humidifier when it next calls for heat o NO This humidifier generates its own water vapor and can be started without having to wait for a call for heat 3 4 2 By o MINOTAIR The required heat source must be the MINOTAIR This presumes that the moisture generated by the humidifier is mixed with the MINOTAIR s distribution air o AUXIL...
Page 57: ...s Once the desired option is selected press R to change the setting Figure 54 Figure 54 Examples of options to adjust program settings 4 1 Enabled o NO The 7 day program is not enabled It is not possible to access the subsequent screen or the temperature setpoints o YES The 7 day program is enabled 4 2 Setpoints o Day temperature o Night temperature o Away temperature NOTE To facilitate the adjust...
Page 58: ...le to another Press R to select the day to copy the current profile to Press D to access the details of the current profile o Copy to day Press U or D to select the day to which to copy the current profile Press R to jump to the copy option NO The profile is not copied YES Press U or D to copy the profile The current profile is copied to the selected day Press R to return to the current Day profil...
Page 59: ...filters to ensure proper functioning Two prefilters protect the MINOTAIR from dust which can quickly clog its coils and fan blades The prefilters must be replaced every three months o Operation The number of hours of fan operation since the prefilters were last replaced This counter is only active when ventilation is running o Reset counter Resets the prefilter counter There needs to be a reset af...
Page 60: ...s running o Reset counter Resets the HEPA filter counter There needs to be a reset after every change of HEPA filter normally after 12 months of ventilation 6 OTHER SETTINGS Press the P button for 3 seconds to display the main menu and use the U and D arrows to navigate to the Other Settings submenu Press R to select Figure 58 Figure 58 Main menu Other settings OTHER SETTINGS SCREEN There are 4 av...
Page 61: ...te of the system clock CLOCK SCREEN 1 Figure 60 Examples of options to adjust clock settings 1 Hour Adjust the hour between 00 and 23 hours Minute Adjust minutes between 00 and 59 minutes Format o 24hr Displays the time in 24hr format o 12hr Displays the time in 12hr format AM and PM Account for daylight saving time o YES The MINOTAIR will automatically adjust the time at 2 am on the second Sunday...
Page 62: ...restrict the ability to power on and power off the unit change temperature and humidity setpoints 6 4 2 System On Off o NO Do not allow end users to turn system On and Off o YES Allow end users to turn system On and Off 6 4 3 Temp Setpoints o NO Do not allow end users to modify the heating and cooling temperature setpoints mode and units o YES Allow end users to modify the heating and cooling temp...
Page 63: ...Examples of information available in the System info Odometer screen Ventilator Number of days the ventilators have been in operation This counter is incremented only when ventilation is running Compressor Number of days the compressor has been in operation This counter is incremented only when the compressor is running SYSTEM INFO SOFTWARE VERSION SCREEN Figure 66 Examples of information availabl...
Page 64: ...ll try to solve the problem by itself If it succeeds it will automatically reset the alarm and add it to the log If it is not successful after a maximum of five attempts it will display the alarm to bring it to the attention of the owner Figure 67 Alarm button Press the A button to display the description of the current active alarm Press A once more to reset the active alarm Reset is only possibl...
Page 65: ...he cause before replacing it 2 Otherwise this is a problem which requires the intervention of a qualified technician 3 Microcontroller will cease all operations but will keep controlling auxiliary units if applicable In this case it remains possible to trigger the auxiliary heating or cooling systems by manually setting the indoor temperature setpoint Note that the displayed temperature and humidi...
Page 66: ...nsor Defective controller 1 This is a problem which requires the intervention of a qualified technician Problem with the defrost temperature sensor Possible cause Defective or disconnected B3 sensor Defective controller 1 This is a problem which requires the intervention of a qualified technician 2 The microcontroller will default to a 15 C 5 F to force a defrost cycle at regular intervals in orde...
Page 67: ...Possible causes Dirty filters Outside intake grille clogged Dirty coils Implosion of flexible ducts due to negative static pressure Obstructed ventilation ducts or improperly installed Ventilation duct diameters are too small Supply or return grilles closed or clogged 1 Check filters and outside intake and outlet grilles Replace or clean if needed 2 Microcontroller will cease all operations but wi...
Page 68: ...theMINOTAIRbyclosingthecircuitbreakerorthecircuit switch 2 Using a vice grip squeeze the flexible condensate pipe at its lowest point to preventdrippingintothefloordrain Donotsqueezetoostrongly asitcould damagethepipewall 3 Access the motorized damper Figure 3 You can take this opportunity to vacuumtheinteriorbybeingcarefulnottodamagethewiresandsensors 4 Remove the orange plug located on the motor...
Page 69: ...inal proof of purchase which we will return to you after the claim has been validated LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS This Warranty does not cover consumable items such as filters fuses batteries etc This Warranty does not cover third party equipment such as humidifiers condensate pumps heating coil etc Refer to the manufacturers of these devices to learn more about their respective warranties This War...
Page 70: ...70 MINOTAIR Ventilation Inc www minotair com PENTACARE V12 OWNER S MANUAL 2019 Rev 014 NOTES ...
