Platinum Carbon UV air purifier
Platinum Carbon UV: Replacement Lamps, Manual, and Service
The Platinum Carbon UV has been replaced by the Platinum PURE, and we still look after the ones already installed: stocked replacement UV lamps, the manual, and service visits across Southwestern Ontario.
Replacing it? The Platinum PURE is the current model
Replacement furnace UV lamps
Platinum Carbon UV Replacement Lamps
The Platinum PCO and the Platinum Carbon UV take the same replacement lamp. The Platinum PURE is the exception: it takes a different one.
Each lamp is rated for two or three years of continuous use, depending on the lamp you choose. After that its UV output declines, and replacement is recommended.
- Pick-up or mail delivery from Platinum Air Care
- Lamps ship anywhere in North America
- Some models take a second lamp for the coil, and the manual lists the lamp part numbers for each model. Not sure which lamp? Call (519) 686-3595
Because UV-C light is dangerous to skin and eyes, it is recommended that our qualified technicians do the replacement for you.
Service and the manual
Platinum Carbon UV Service and the Manual
Service visits and lamp changes
Our technicians change lamps and service the Platinum Carbon UV across Southwestern Ontario, the same area our installs cover.
When you get in touch, have the model name, roughly when it was installed, and what it is doing now. A photo of the unit or its label is just as good if the name has worn off.
Lifetime warranty Platinum Air Care provides a lifetime warranty for the Platinum Carbon Ultra-Violet Light System on all parts except the replacement ultra-violet lamps.
The Platinum Carbon manual
The manual is the four-page Platinum IAQ spec sheet for the Platinum Carbon air purifier family: the models, the electrical specs, the dimensions, and the replacement lamp part numbers for each model.
It also covers the carbon cells. They are regenerative: under normal operation they need no maintenance and do not need to be replaced.
How it works
How the Platinum Carbon UV Works
A furnace UV-C light with a carbon PCO cell
The Platinum Carbon Air Purifier System is an advanced whole-house air purifier that uses Ultra-Violet Type-C (UV-C) light in combination with specially prepared activated carbon cells to create a photo-catalytic (PCO) reaction. Nearly all odors are caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Many VOCs, such as formaldehyde and toluene, are also toxic.
A PCO reaction is created when ultra-violet (UV) light shines on a photo-catalyst made with titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The reaction creates oxidizing hydroxyl radicals, which attack pollutants passing through the system, leaving only harmless water vapor and carbon dioxide. The Platinum Carbon UV’s PCO reaction is created by carbon-titanium dioxide (C/TiO₂), which is an improved type of photo-catalyst reaction.
Odors and VOCs
The Platinum Carbon neutralizes VOCs in a process similar to the way the catalytic converter in your car works. When VOCs are neutralized the odors are destroyed and the hydrocarbon molecules that cause them are reduced to harmless water vapor and carbon dioxide. Because the UV-C light in Platinum Carbon is positioned where it is, it can also disinfect the coils, air system interior, and air stream.
Out of sight, on the coil
The Platinum Carbon system is installed directly on top of your air conditioner coils to free them of build-up. Mold on the cooling coils robs the air system of efficiency by clogging up the hundreds of fine metal plates that make up the coils.
Its germicidal UV-C light sterilizes mold and other microbes, and the result is a significantly improved air system efficiency and longevity. Ultra-Violet light inhibits mold growth in the air conditioning system’s A-coils, which can save energy and maintenance costs. Platinum Carbon UV rays kill viruses, germs, mold, and bacteria in the air as it passes through the air system.
Watch the Platinum Carbon video
Independent testing
Platinum Carbon UV Lab Tests and Awards
Airmid Healthgroup: “highly effective” in lab testing
Test results from Airmid Healthgroup (a certified allergy testing lab) have proven the effectiveness of the PCO duct-mounted whole-house air purifier. The tests verified that the device has the capability to both sterilize microorganisms and reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and confirmed that the unit’s UV-C light was “highly effective” at inactivating microbes. The titanium-dioxide infused activated carbon PCO cells are “capable of reducing high concentrations” of VOCs commonly found in residential as well as commercial buildings, including hospitals, hotels, offices, and schools.
Testing was also performed on an ASHRAE Standard 52.2 test duct system. Airmid Healthgroup revealed that the test’s UV-C light inactivation results were:
- 98.85%Bacteria (S. epidermidis)
- 99.03%Virus (MS2 coliphage)
- 78.8%Mold (A. niger)
- 99.9%Odors (VOCs)
SARS-CoV-2 test (phase 1)
Products tested in this phase-1 test included the Platinum Carbon UV. The testing was conducted by Innovative Bioanalysis, a CAP, CLIA, and AABB certified laboratory in the USA.
The test was designed to model exposure time in the moving airstream inside an HVAC or ventilation system. The published result for the systems tested: greater than 99.99% inactivation of the virus within 0 to 2 seconds of exposure to the UV-C light.
Awards and validation
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The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) awarded the Platinum Carbon system the innovation award in the Indoor Air Quality category in 2011.
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The Platinum Carbon and Platinum PCO are validated to produce zero ozone.
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Designed, engineered, and assembled in the USA.
Questions
Platinum Carbon UV Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I purchase a replacement lamp (bulb) for my system?
You can purchase replacement lamps from Platinum Air Care via pick-up or mail delivery, or order one online. Because UV-C light is dangerous to skin and eyes, it is recommended that our qualified technicians do the replacement for you.
Does the Platinum PCO take the same lamp?
Yes. The Platinum PCO and the Platinum Carbon UV take the same replacement lamp. The Platinum PURE is the exception: it takes a different one.
Is the Platinum Carbon UV still sold?
No. The Platinum PURE is the current model. We still stock replacement lamps for the Platinum Carbon UV and service the units already installed.
Our air system isn’t running so why is the UV light still on? Is the light on 24 hours a day or only when the blower is on? Does the UV light stay on when I run my heater?
These products are intended to be on 24 hours a day. Mold growth doesn’t stop when the blower is off, and cycling the UV light on and off would shorten the life of the UV lamp.
How can we purify the air when the AC or heater isn’t on? If neither my furnace nor AC is running does this still purify the air?
Running the air system in “fan” mode will cycle air through the home without turning on the AC or heater. Many programmable thermostats have a setting for this as well.
Do HVAC UV lights produce ozone?
Other furnace photocatalyst UV systems may differ; the Platinum Carbon and Platinum PCO are validated to produce zero ozone.
Is UV light safe for children and pets?
When a UV light is installed in a central air system the germ-killing effect takes place inside the air system and is limited to that area. There is no danger to any living thing in the home except microbes that are carried by air into the central air system.
Is it OK to look at the UV light?
Never look at the UV light when it is lit. UV-C light can give your eyes a painful “sunburn.” Our technicians unplug or disconnect the unit to work on it.
Is it OK to look at the UV light with sunglasses?
No. Although UV-C light will not pass through plastic or ordinary glass there is still the risk to exposed skin. Always turn off the light or disconnect power to service the system.
Is reflected or distant UV-C light dangerous? Should people with glaucoma and similar eye conditions be concerned about indirect UV-C light (blue glow) from Platinum Carbon UV?
The effect of UV-C light falls off quickly with distance because it is filtered by the atmosphere (air) which is why microorganisms have no defense against it. One should always avoid close direct exposure of skin and eyes but reflected UV-C light at a distance is not dangerous.
Is UV light radioactive? Will radiation spread into my home?
No. All light is a type of radiation but not a dangerous kind. UV light kills germs by giving them an intense “sunburn” and it only affects things it shines on directly. Nothing spreads into the home except clean air.
How long does it take for the UV light to kill mold?
The germ-killing effect starts immediately with about 90% of surface microbes sterilized within the first few minutes, and about 99.99% sterilized after the first 24 hours.
Why does UV light kill germs?
UV-C light (the frequency used in germicidal UV lights) kills germs by disrupting their DNA which prevents them from reproducing, effectively killing them. In nature, this frequency of light is filtered out by the Earth’s atmosphere so microbes have no defense against it.
Will a UV light system kill mold in the walls?
No. UV-C germicidal irradiation can only kill microbes on surfaces that the light shines on directly (surface kill) or that pass by in the air stream (airborne kill).
Can UV light reduce radon in your home?
No. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep into your home from the ground below. It is not the product of any volatile organic compound (VOC) or biological contaminant so UV-C light has no effect on it. Radon needs its own test: see radon testing.
Which system is best for removing odors?
The Platinum Carbon is specifically designed to fight volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are the source of most household and chemical odors. Its current replacement, the Platinum PURE, is designed for whole-house odor and VOC reduction.
Do you recommend other air purifiers alongside the Platinum Carbon?
The Platinum Carbon does not collect or remove particulates. The Platinum TrueHEPA filter system is recommended for furnace installation, and the MedicAir® Pro is the all-in-one portable. Our free in-home air test evaluates the airborne particles in your home first.
Replacing it?
The Platinum PURE Is the Current Model
The Platinum PURE replaced the Platinum Carbon UV, just as the Carbon UV replaced the Platinum PCO. It is duct-mounted too, designed for whole-house odor and VOC reduction using UV-C light and PCO, with three panels of activated carbon cells. It takes a different lamp from the Carbon UV.
Whether it is the right fit depends on the house and the system. That is what the free in-home air test is for, and it costs nothing.
For a business? See commercial air purification or call (519) 686-3595.
Platinum Carbon UV owners
Keep Your Platinum Carbon UV Running
Order a replacement lamp, or have one of our technicians change it for you. Lamps ship anywhere in North America, and service visits cover Southwestern Ontario.