Product Focus - Second Wind Air Purifier 2000 Series

Our 2000 Series of Whole Home Air Purifiers is the workhorse of our product line, producing the most intense ultraviolet light is residential air quality systems.  These lamps are partnered with our Photo-Catalytic Oxidation system which reduces household odors and breaks down bacteria, viruses, molds and other contaminants that may be found in your home's air.

Original Design, circa 2005

The design for this purifier began in 2000, as the US was taking notice of the dangerous effects of ozone to the human respiratory system.  Second Wind had used ozone producing lamps to provide the air purification solutions to homeowners through its 1000KCS, 2150 and other purifier models when its business began, but a new technology was sought after that could purify the air without the residual ozone creation.  The intent of the design was to provide the safest method of air purification with no potentially harmful by-products.By harnessing the naturally occurring hydroxyl radical that is created by photo-catalytic oxidation this goal was accomplished.

In 2011 design changes were tabled as essential and the focus was placed on improving installation and appearance of the unit.  Upgrades were:

2011 Redesign

• Finished in gun-metal grey powder coat paint - no more 'Lennox' brown
• Hinged cover to improve serviceability and installation - no loose parts
• Pre-installed gasket material 
• UV Lamp/PCO module shipped uninstalled - less damage incurred during installation
• UV Lamp/PCO module cross-section decreased - 2-3/4 dia hole saw large enough for placement into airspace or can still use tinsnips
• Steel components replaced by aluminum - save shipping costs

These upgrades have been well received, as our customers have been able to advertise reduced installation times and a durable looking design that differs from our competitors.  Our redesign kept all replacement parts exactly the same as the original design, so SKU's of wholesalers and dealers were not affected either.  

The decision as to which model from the 2000 Series you should consider purchasing depends on a small set of questions.  Try this an see what results comes up for you.

2018: (1) HO lamp with PCO odor control system

2000: (2) HO lamps with double the PCO of 2018

2000-230: same as 2000, but provided for 240V power supply

2181: smaller lamp design (9" long) for shallow ducting, 240V power supply

Input Voltage 

120V use model 2000 or 2018

 240V use model 2000-230 or 2181

Duct Cross Section 

Less than 17" across longest part of duct: use 2181

Greater than 17" across longest part of duct: 2000, 2018 or 2000-230

Square Footage of Facility

Less than 1700 sq ft: use 2018 if answer is 'no' to below

Breathing problemsAllergy/Asthma Sufferer or Strong Odor Issues in Home 

If yes: use 2000 or 2000-230

If no: 2018 if square footage of facility meets criteria

Remember - you can never have too much UV intensity in your HVAC system, but you can have too little. 

If you wish to only sell one model of air purifier, the 2000 is our best seller in the family as it addresses the broadest spectrum of needs.  It is our recommendation to use this device for your 'plug-in' & duct-mounted weapon of choice.  Please comment here or email for any support information at  any time!   

Photocatalyst Video - Best I've seen Titanium Dioxide TiO2

I couldn't wait for my next blog to show this video off, I was so thankful to see it clearly explained by these talented people!  If you have any questions about it, please let me know and I'll be happy to help-Tom

Ozone Production in Air Purification

Ozone was proposed as a new substance in air in 1840 and its formula O₃ was determined in 1865.  It was named after the Greek verb ozein ("to smell"), from the peculiar odor after lightning storms. Ozone's odor is sharp, reminiscent of chlorine, and detectable by many people at concentrations of as little as 10 parts per billion in air. 

Ozone is a powerful oxidant. This same high oxidizing potential, however, causes ozone to damage mucus and respiratory tissues in animals, and also tissues in plants, above concentrations of about 100 parts per billion. This makes ozone a potent respiratory hazard and pollutant near ground level. 

In air purification, ozone can be manufactured by different processes: Corona Discharge, Cold Plasma and Ultraviolet light.  Here is a small explanation of each process and facts regarding each.

Corona Discharge: These units usually work by means of a corona discharge tube. They are cost-effective and do not require an oxygen source other than the ambient air to produce ozone concentrations of 3–6%. They also produce nitrogen oxides as a by-product. A product using this method creates audible and radio frequency noise.

Cold Plasma: In the cold plasma method, pure oxygen gas is exposed to a plasma created by dielectric barrier discharge. The diatomic oxygen is split into single atoms, which then recombine in triplets to form ozone.Cold plasma machines utilize pure oxygen as the input source and produce a maximum concentration of about 5% ozone. They produce far greater quantities of ozone and are very expensive.

Ultraviolet: UV systems generate ozone by producing a narrow-band ultraviolet light in a wavelength of 185 nanometers (Vacuum UV part of light spectrum).  These systems are less expensive than others and produce ozone with a concentration of about 0.5% or lower.  Unlike corona discharge systems, this production method does not produce harmful nitrogen by-products. 

Second Wind Air Purifier model 1000KCS

The use of ozone was the first method employed by Second Wind Air Purifier for air purification.  This process would treat the rapidly passing air with UV-C light at the same time as producing  ozone, which after creation would move into the living spaces of homes to prolong the reactive oxidation process.  If the unit was only producing ozone, it would be less efficient in its purification of the air.  We still use ozone producing spliced lamps in many of our products where it is desired to treat very irritating odors like those from cigarette smoke, but for most normal applications, our Photo-Catalytic Oxidation process is sufficient, and no ozone is created or noticeable by its own odor.

Ozone purification is still used by many of Second Wind's competitors, but the fears of ozone its effects on people led us to move to the Photo-Catalytic Oxidation process that we discussed in our last post as our preferred method of air purification.  After all, we need our customers healthy!