These days, there are so many negative ion generators or ionizers available in the market, that you may find yourself at a crossroads when choosing the best one to invest your money in. You probably think that that the only differences among those ionizers are shape and size. However, not all ionizers are created equal. There are four main points you need to consider when choosing the best negative ion generator. Those are:
- Scope of negative ions’ travel path
- To what extent the negative ions spread out
- Performance
- Specifications
Hence, here is an informative guide to help you choose the best negative ion generator according to your prerequisites.
Scope of Negative Ions’ Path
No matter how low you’ve dropped the temperature of your air conditioner on an extremely hot day, if the cool air doesn’t reach you, then you’re practically just wasting electricity. The same is true with negative ion generators. You’re basically wasting energy if turn on the ionizer but none of the negative ions is reaching you.
Generally, the count of negative ions is measured in (pcs/cc). That doesn’t mean, though, that you can sorely rely on that value to gauge the performance of an ionizer. Even 1,000,000 (pcs/cc) of negative ions generated by an ionizer can be good or poor. Why is that? Because it doesn’t indicate there the distance in which the amount of negative ions can be detected, and that’s an important factor.
Distance is important because negative ion count goes down significantly as you move away from the generator. With that said, you can presumably gauge the performance of an ionizer based on the negative ion count at a particular distance from the ionizer. Some brands will show the negative ion count it can detect at the blow-off point but not in angled directions, while very few can detect negative ion 50cm away from the generator. An ideal ionizer will indicate ion counts from both directions (blow-off and angled).
It’s important to know how much negative ions are emitted a certain distance away from the ionizer since it’s an indication of how far the negative ions are able to travel to do its job of cleansing and purifying the air.
As a general rule, negative ion count that is below 10,000 (pcs/cc) detected at 1m away from the ionizer is poor.
Here is a good reference you can use to gauge the performance of negative ion generators:
| ION COUNT | DISTANCE | PERFORMANCE |
| 300 (pcs/cc) | 50cm | Poor |
| 3,000 (pcs/cc) | 50cm | Somewhat poor |
| 20,000 (pcs/cc) | 1m | Good |
| 100,000 (pcs/cc) | 1m | Very good |
Extent That Negative Ions Spread Out
You need to realize that the extent at which negative ions spread out is not always determined by its blow-off direction (straight path).
It was mentioned in the previous section that negative ion count decreases significantly as you move away from the negative ion generator. That doesn’t only happen with the blow-off direction but also with angled directions. In fact, negative ions coming out of an ionizer from a 30-degree angle may not be detected. If that’s the case, you will need to position yourself directly in the blow-off direction to get the most out of the negative ion generator.
Unlike an air conditioner that spreads cool air throughout your room and the coldness stays as the air conditioner stays on, negative ions do not stay as time passes. These evaporate quickly, which is why it’s important that the negative ions spread in multiple directions so you can get the most out of it. The simple equation is: negative ion generator + narrow coverage = impractical investment.
Unfortunately, many models of ionizers disperse negative ions either from the blow-off direction or angled ones. How can you make sure that negative ions are spreading in multiple directions? There are two things you need to keep in mind – coverage area and negative ion distribution.
Typically, the coverage area is something a manufacturer of negative ion generators will decide on its own. It usually doesn’t follow an industry standard, so it’s practically something meant for a buyer’s reference only.
Negative ion distribution basically refers to the extent negative ions spread in different directions once these are released. Unfortunately, the data is seldom disclosed by many manufacturers.
The important thing to note is that figures will vary depending on the ionizer’s air purification levels and the surroundings. Hence, it will be ideal for you to see how negative ions spread out based on actual ions count.
Performance
“Looks can be deceiving,” they say, and that can’t be truer with negative ion generators. Remember, appearance doesn’t always equate with performance. Yes, appearance can factor in, especially if you’re placing an ionizer in a room where other people may see it. However, when choosing a negative ion generator, you should give more importance to performance.
As discussed previously, one of the factors that matter most in an ionizer is its negative ion distribution data. It’s ideal that you contact the ionizer’s manufacturer for that data if the device only shows the negative ion count as detected from the blow-off direction or a particular distance. If not, you may end up purchasing an “almost, but not quite” ion generator.
Specifications
There are several features you need to keep in mind when shopping for a negative ion generator. These features will help you decide whether you’re choosing the best one or not. These features answer these 14 questions:
- How many negative ions are there in the blow-off direction?
- How many negative ions are there in the angled direction?
- What is the scope of the ionizer’s coverage area?
- What is its lifespan?
- Is it safe to use?
- How well can it purify the air?
- Is it stable?
- How long will its ionizing needles last?
- How many positive ions does it produce?
- What about its ozone gas production?
- Is there a built-in detector?
- Is it high or low maintenance?
- Will you need to purchase other items like filters for instance?
- Does it generate a loud sound?
Different Features of a Good Negative Ion Generator
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Negative ion count from the blow-off direction (straight path)
It will be impossible for you to gauge the extent that negative ions travel without the ion counts from the blow-off direction. Moreover, you can’t determine how well a negative ion generator performs if you don’t have any idea what the negative ion count is.
About a million negative ions may be detected at the blow-off point but move 50, 100, or 200 cm away and there may be very few molecules detected. If the detectable count falls less than 2,000 or 3,000 (pcs/cc) at a distance of 1 m, then it’s safe to deduce that the ionizer’s performance is poor. It doesn’t mean, though, that the ionizer is a complete waste. It’s still good for mobile or other special use.
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Negative ion count from angled directions
If ion counts from the blow-off direction show you how far negative ions travel, the counts coming from angled directions tell you how extensive the reach of negative ions are. This is something most manufacturers fail to disclose, but it’s very important to know that. Otherwise, you will be wasting electricity if only a handful of negative ions can be detected coming from angled directions.
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Maximum coverage area of the ionizer
This feature doesn’t really follow an industry standard. It’s something the manufacturer of the ionizer decides on and purely for your reference. Obviously, when shopping around for a negative ion generator, you must choose the one with the widest coverage area. For instance, an ionizer that covers 40 square meters or 430 square feet is high performing. Knowing the negative ion count from angled directions and the scope of coverage will help you deduce how the ions will be distributed.
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Lifespan of the negative ion generator
Obviously, you’ll want to invest your money in a negative ion generator you can use for a long time. There’s no point purchasing one that’s only good for a few uses. Ideally, an ionizer should last at least five years or more. The ionizing needles greatly affect the lifespan of a negative ion generator. These ionizing needles are responsible for discharging negative ions. If the ionizing needles wear out, either the negative ion count or generation of highly-concentrated ozone will decrease.
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Safeness of the ionizer
Don’t forget that a negative ion generator has internal circuits charged with high voltages that are necessary to make the device work as it should. As much as possible, choose an ionizer with circuits that are well-hidden so you will not accidentally touch those. At the same time, choose an ionizer that doesn’t produce harmful ozone gas once the ionizing needles wear out.
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Capacity to purify the air
Negative ions purify the air by latching on to dust and other harmful particles floating in the air and dragging these down until these fall to the floor. Obviously, an ionizer that emits plenty of negative ions in a room has increased capacity to remove more allergens in the shortest time. Manufacturers don’t always disclose such information, but a safe guide to determine the capability of an ionizer to purify the air is if it can cleanse 98% of 0.1-0.3 micron particles from the air in just five minutes.
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Stability
Here’s the thing: the performance level of a negative ion generator can drastically drop due to changes in temperature and humidity. Basically, when the temperature in the atmosphere gets low or high, negative ion counts can fluctuate. As such, you will not be able to take full advantage of the negative ion generator. Even if the temperature fluctuates, choose an ionizer designed to sustain optimum performance. You know you have a gem in your hands if the device performs well even under extreme conditions.
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Longevity of ionizing needles
As mentioned in item number four, the ionizing needles affect the lifespan of an ionizer. Through repetitive charging and discharging of ions or due to chemical reactions, these ionizing needles can wear out. Worn out ionizing needles either product harmful ozone gases or lower negative ion counts. Hence, you need to verify the lifespan of the ionizing needles before purchasing or at least see to it that these can be replaced once these wear out.
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Production of positive ions
A negative ion generator generates both positive and negative ions at the same time through the so-called “corona” discharge. Ironically, positive ions are harmful to your health while negative ions are beneficial. Hence, you will do well to choose a negative ion generator that doesn’t produce positive ions at all. Remember, negative ion counts decrease when positive ions are present since they cancel each other out.
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Ozone gas production
Majority of negative ion generators in the market these days produce both negative ions and ozone gases at the same time. The production of ozone gas is necessary since it is responsible for sterilizing or deodorizing the air. However, it’s a known fact that high concentrations of this gas are harmful to the body. You won’t know that you’re already inhaling ozone gas because it is odorless. Nevertheless, once it reacts with other airborne substances, it will give off an offensive, stimulating smell. It will do you well to choose a negative ion generator that meets the safety limit set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is 0.05 ppm (parts per million). You need to keep looking for one that does if the ionizer doesn’t meet the safety limit..
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Built-in ion detector
Since ions are invisible to the naked eye, it’s impossible for you to tell whether your negative ion generator is working properly or not. You cannot actually see allergens falling down as soon as negative ions latch onto them. Hence, it’s best to choose an ionizer that has a built-in ion detector and/or indicator light that lets you know the device is generating negative ions.
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Ease of maintenance
Not all negative ion generators are created equal. Some are easy to maintain while some are not. In addition, there are negative ionizers that will require you to replace filters or clean the ionizing needles regularly. On the other hand, negative ionizers that work by crashing water may require you to clean and/or refill the incorporated water tanks. It’s best that you ask what type of maintenance work is required of the negative ion generator before you go and purchase one. Remember, maintenance work is necessary if you want the ionizer to perform well all the time.
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Consumables
Ask if you’re required to purchase consumables like filters, ionizing needles, and others before purchasing. Such consumables will add to your regular expenses. Make sure you’re committed to spending before making a final decision.
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Generated noise
You will find that some negative ionizers have motors or built-in fans that may or may not produce sound when turned on. Depending on how loud the noise is, it can prove to be a distraction to you. When you’re resting at night, the least you want is be disturbed by the noise. Therefore, before you purchase one, it will do you well to know whether the negative ionizer generates noise or not, and if so, how loud it can get.
True, there are several factors that need careful consideration when you’re choosing the best negative ion generator for your home, office, or car. Nevertheless, the most important factor is whether the negative ions emitted will reach you wherever you are or not.
Even if a product boasts that it emits 2,000,000 negative ions per second, it doesn’t guarantee that the negative ions will reach you. Remember, disclosed coverage area is merely for your reference. It’s not an industry standard.
Pay close attention to the negative ion counts from the blow-off and angled directions. These show if the negative ions will reach you (in your position) or not.
Keep these things in mind, and you’re sure to find the best negative ion generator to keep you and your family healthy and safe. In the same vein, do check out Alpha Ionic for some of the best negative ion generators in the market today.
