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Right Size Air product guide

Membrane Solutions MSA3 Air Purifier

Buyers happy to commit to the maker's own filters for a mid-size room

The Membrane Solutions MSA3 uses one composite pre-filter, HEPA and carbon cartridge with a filter-recognition sensor that refuses non-brand filters. The maker lists a 112 CFM CADR, but its room-size figures conflict. The filter reminder comes at 1,700 hours, and registration within 30 days adds a second warranty year.

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Published specifications

  • Maker: CADR 112 CFM (188 m³/h), standard not stated
  • Maker table: 840 sq ft in 60 min; headline 1,590 sq ft
  • Handbook: filter reminder at 1,700 run hours
  • Handbook: genuine filters only (Hall sensor)
  • Handbook: 7.7 x 13.1 x 21.5 in, 13.7 lb, 44 W
  • Handbook: 1-year warranty plus 1 year if registered in 30 days

Fit and limits

Strengths

  • Single composite filter with life lights and a 1,700-hour reminder
  • Timer, lock, sleep and Turbo on the panel
  • Second warranty year with early registration

Caveats

  • Will not run with non-Membrane Solutions filters
  • Room-size and filtration claims conflict across sources
  • No auto mode or air-quality sensor

The MSA3 only runs with Membrane Solutions filters

The most important detail is in the handbook: the filter has an identification module at its base that a Hall sensor in the purifier reads. A filter from another brand will not be recognised and the purifier will not start. The Amazon listing makes the same point and names its genuine filter listings.

The handbook also says the maker will not provide warranty service for customers using non-original filters. Before buying, check that genuine MSA3 filters are available to you, since you will depend on them for the life of the unit.

What it is and how it is built

The MSA3 uses a single composite triple filter. Controls cover three fan speeds, Turbo, sleep mode, a 1 to 8 hour timer, a light switch and a lock held for three seconds. The handbook describes no auto mode or air-quality sensor.

The handbook lists the unit at 7.7 by 13.1 by 21.5 inches, 13.7 pounds, 44 watts at 120 volts, and an operating range of 32 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit and 20 to 90 per cent humidity. There is no auto mode or air-quality sensor described in the handbook.

Room size claims conflict

The maker's parameter table gives a CADR of 112 CFM, or 188 cubic metres per hour, without naming a test standard or AHAM verification. Its own coverage table says 840 square feet takes 60 minutes and 420 square feet 30 minutes, which describes one air change per hour at 840 square feet.

The same page, the Amazon title and the listing all advertise up to 1,590 square feet, with the page saying in as little as an hour; the table beside it implies about 120 minutes for 1,680 square feet. Size it for a room of a few hundred square feet if you want the air cleaned several times an hour.

Filtration figures differ between documents

The Amazon bullets say 99.97 per cent of particles down to 0.3 microns with an H13 filter. The maker's page says 99.97 per cent of particles as small as 0.03 microns. The handbook says its original filter filters 98.99 per cent of 0.01-micron particles.

We could not reconcile these figures and repeat none of them as settled. The listing and the maker's page call the unit ozone-free, a maker claim we do not verify, and cite ETL, FCC, CE and RoHS; neither mentions CARB. The handbook describes no ionizer.

Filter reminder, cleaning and placement

The filter indicator comes on after 1,700 run hours; the Amazon table suggests replacing every 6 to 8 months. The handbook describes filter-life lights that show remaining life. Hold the filter reset button for three seconds after a change. The filter cannot be washed.

The handbook asks for indoor use on a flat, level, dry surface out of direct sunlight, away from heaters and fireplaces and not in damp or smoky rooms. It gives no clearance distance, so leave open space around the intake and outlet.

Warranty: one year, two if you register

The handbook gives a one-year warranty, extended by a further year if you register on mspurelife.com within 30 days of purchase. The maker's page describes the same one-plus-one year warranty with a 30-day free return, and the Amazon warranty field mentions a 24-month extended warranty for Amazon buyers.

Warranty service is refused for units run with non-original filters, according to the handbook. Register promptly and keep proof of purchase, and read the handbook's warranty page for the full conditions, which we did not record in detail.

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Primary sources

  1. Membrane Solutions product page for the MSA3 air purifier
  2. Membrane Solutions MSA3 operator and maintenance handbook supplied with the listing

Primary sources checked .

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