Thanks everyone, this post has helped me a lot. I have long been planning to automate my air exchanger at home.

I want fresh air to enter the room but not all the time, I need a timer to turn it off according to my schedule.

You don't need a separate timer, just use the ISY to schedule on and off times. A Mini Remote, KPL or any other Insteon controller will allow manual control.

Thanks everyone, this post has helped me a lot. I have long been planning to automate my air exchanger at home.

I want fresh air to enter the room but not all the time, I need a timer to turn it off according to my schedule.

I cycle mine in coordination with the furnace fan cycles so that they share a common fan cycle.

 

I decide whether to short cycle (3 minutes) or long cycle (50 minutes) the HRV depending on these criteria.

 

-Evening cool down

House Temperature >= Setpoint

AND

House temperature >= Outside temperature

AND

(

House humidity >= humidity setpoint

AND

House humidity dewpoint >= outside humdity dewpoint

)

OR

(

House humidity <= humidity setpoint

AND

House humidity dewpoint <= outside humdity dewpoint

)

 

...OR

 

-Morning recovery

House Temperature <= Setpoint

AND

House temperature <= Outside temperature

AND

(

House humidity >= humidity setpoint

AND

House humidity dewpoint >= outside humdity dewpoint

)

OR

(

House humidity <= humidity setpoint

AND

House humidity dewpoint <= outside humdity dewpoint

)

 

If either of the two conditions are true then the HRV gets a long cycle, otheriwse it gets a short cycle.

 

I have a large room humidifier for the whole house and if I bring in too much fresh ait in the winter I have to fill 3 gallons of containers with water almost twice per day.

 

By managing it with ISY I can fill them about every two-three days.

 

 

If I shut the HRV off totally after about a week we feel lethargic and not well.

Yes, our home is air tight within an inch of it's life and double 2x4 walls, each with R-13 insulation, and completely covered in crack sealed 2" of Styrospan for an additional R-10 with no framing stud breaks.

 

Some walls are thicker and fully insulated. HRV air is needed or our clothes dryer would not work or the range burner exhaust fan. We have to breathe as a compromise to saving heating costs.