I have the Aprilaire 600. It drips from the bottom latch/button area occasionally, rather than everything going down the drain tube.

The unit is clean, recently serviced, with a new pad.

I checked the mounting angle, it may be 2 degrees from a perfect 90, which does not seem like enough to miss the drain.

My furnace is a newer one that starts on a slower fan speed. It's all inside the garage where the current air temperature is 45 degrees, so no freezing issues. The guy that serviced it recently thought the pad might be freezing a little causing the drip.

Fortunately, it usually lands in the drip pan of my water heater.

Is the pad installed correctly?
Yes, it looks the same, but there's a black dot that must be on top or it will/can leak.

* Note Every Filter Panel has a black mark indicating which is the top of the panel when reinstalling into Humidifier.

I've had Aprilaire humidifiers for the past 30+ years.

I've had this happen once - dripping on the floor instead of going down the drain. The cause in that case was a pad that was clogged with minerals. As a result, instead of water traveling down to the bottom of the pad, it was splashing out the side of the pad, hitting the cover, and bypassing the drain.

In your case you indicated the pad was new. Have you tried leaving the cover off, and observing the water flow through the pad?

Try pouring around 32 ounces of white vinegar down the drain. That should free up/flush any mineral or algae build up in the drain piping and pad.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
Is the pad installed correctly?
Yes, it looks the same, but there's a black dot that must be on top or it will/can leak.

* Note Every Filter Panel has a black mark indicating which is the top of the panel when reinstalling into Humidifier.

In my case, a “red” mark - seeing as I changed mine yesterday. And I just went down and checked, because of this thread.

Brand new pad and just serviced. The entire unit is 1 year old. I first noticed this in January on the other pad.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Brand new pad and just serviced. The entire unit is 1 year old. I first noticed this in January on the other pad.

So what are you saying...

...you're not going to check it?
...can't happen with a new pad?
...that the tech couldn't screw up?
...can't be true, because two filters couldn't have been installed wrong?

quote:

Originally posted by feersum dreadnaught:

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
Is the pad installed correctly?
Yes, it looks the same, but there's a black dot that must be on top or it will/can leak.

* Note Every Filter Panel has a black mark indicating which is the top of the panel when reinstalling into Humidifier.

In my case, a “red” mark - seeing as I changed mine yesterday. And I just went down and checked, because of this thread.

Well, stupid me. I didn't know these pads were "directional". I just went and checked mine - I had a red mark as well, but I had installed it upside down, with the red mark at the bottom. I re-oriented it with the red mark at the top.

Sigforum fixed a problem I didn't even know I had!

Mine did that when I turned it on this year, checked the nozzle and it appeared everything was in properly and stopped after that initial first 30 seconds. No clue why, or why it stopped.

Also my saddle valve has a one drop a day leak, not even enough to fall to the ground, but I'm going to replace it.

Would this be the right product to use?

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

Would this be the right product to use?

Yes, if using 1/4 plastic, be sure to use a brass line insert.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

Would this be the right product to use?

Yes, if using 1/4 plastic, be sure to use a brass line insert.

Picked one up at lowes yesterday, going to swap it out today. Existing line is 1/4 CU, will either be reusing that or replacing it with the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
Is the pad installed correctly?
Yes, it looks the same, but there's a black dot that must be on top or it will/can leak.

* Note Every Filter Panel has a black mark indicating which is the top of the panel when reinstalling into Humidifier.

Yeah, that is what I always thought too. I bought a replacement pad at Home Depot, Honeywell brand I believe, and could not find any mark on top or bottom? Anyhow I put it in and it is not leaking.

quote:

Originally posted by grumpy1:

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
Is the pad installed correctly?
Yes, it looks the same, but there's a black dot that must be on top or it will/can leak.

* Note Every Filter Panel has a black mark indicating which is the top of the panel when reinstalling into Humidifier.

Yeah, that is what I always thought too. I bought a replacement pad at Home Depot, Honeywell brand I believe, and could not find any mark on top or bottom? Anyhow I put it in and it is not leaking.

The note is for the OP's Aprilaire, brand specific OEM pad.
And yes, they can leak if installed incorrectly.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Brand new pad and just serviced. The entire unit is 1 year old. I first noticed this in January on the other pad.

So what are you saying...

...you're not going to check it?
...can't happen with a new pad?
...that the tech couldn't screw up?
...can't be true, because two filters couldn't have been installed wrong?

Pink stripe was at the top. Fairly clean tray. Drain is open.

As the drip lands in my water heater pan, I let it be. Today I discovered the pan will hold 1” of water before it drains and shut off the pilot light. Looks like the small drips added up. I may try to find a new Aprilaire water panel today even though this one was just replaced a couple months ago.

I am wondering if they put the orifice in the line.

EDIT - no orifice in plastic supply at top but I discovered the bigger problem - the grey plastic line was leaking quite a bit at the solenoid when it was activated. I tightened it up. I don't see any leaks now, but I will have to watch it when it runs again and keep an eye on it. I'm not sure if this was related to the original problem as that seemed to stop after a minute.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Oz_Shadow,

The orifice is in the tube by the soleniod.
The line at the top of the filter is just an open 1/4 line.