Bio Shield UV-C Air Sanitizer System OEM Replacement Lamp, Cleans Air of Bacteria, Germs, Mold and Allergens, 17-Inch Replacement Lamp, 51-BUVAS-RL-1

Only time will tell if these truly benefit our air quality in the long run, and I'll update my review in a year or so, but based on the quality of construction and ease of installation, assuming they do what they say, I give them 5 stars. I purchased 3 and installed 2 in my main unit and the 3rd one in my secondary unit. It was very easy to install if you just put it in the outlet plenum. I've had them in for about a week and noticed the air does smell cleaner, and I have less trouble with wheezing.I did A/C work for several years when I was younger, so I had a bit of an advantage, but as long as you don't drill into the main body of the A/C unit, you should be fine, so sticking it in the return or outlet plenum boxes should be fine as these are usually just big empty (usually aluminum) boxes where the ducts connect to the main unit. But make sure you know for certain there is nothing where you are drilling. As you open the hole up, be careful not to let the drill drive into the unit, and you can cut back the insulation with a knife and shine a flash light inside to be sure. Even if you are careful, you still run the risk of the guide bit (center bit in the hole saw bit) drilling through something on the inside without knowing it. If you feel any pushback or pressure, stop drilling and look.In my case, the return comes directly into the unit and is about 2 inches from the coil, so I don't have a return plenum. I had to do a bit extra work to install so that the light is shining between the A frame coil and the return duct. Basically, I just took the panels off the side, then took the outer panel off the coil, measured the location that had plenty of empty space around it in the center of the coil, put all the panels back on, then drilled through them with the provided bit. I only had to drill through the side of the A/C unit and the outer panel on the coil with the large hole saw and drilled a smaller hole, just big enough for the light rod through the inner coil panel. Again, The sticker template that came with it had clear instructions. All hardware was just as advertised and it included an extra screw which may seem small, but I consider it a good sign of quality control.As for the device itself, it's sturdy, was easy to install the bulb, and they engineered it with easy installation in mind. You simply drill the hole, place the outer plastic ring in the hole and screw it down, then install the bulb into the socket, insert the bulb and socket through the ring, and twist it to install. Then, when you twist on the power adapter for power, it covers that small yellow latch which prevents you from being able to pull the light out while it is plugged in (which is a nice safety feature since you shouldn't look at or feel the light). Again, I find this to be a nice touch by the designers.Ignore the review about exposed electrodes. I'm an electrical engineer, and there is nothing dangerous about this device if you install it correctly. The only thing damaging would be exposing the light to your body.Overall, I'm so impressed with the design that I'm satisfied with the money I spent on it, even if it has a minimal impact on my getting sick, though obviously I hope it will help our sick trends.

When I purchased this unit I really wasn't expecting it to be a miracle worker and to make any major differences in the quality of air in the house. After installing it and letting it do its thing for a month now I can say it's mildly noticeable. But where it's really shining is keeping that weird smell from running the A/C all day used to create since I installed it in an "advanced installation" right above the A coil. So that alone made it worth it to me.What ultimately led to my decision to purchase this unit wasn't the claims of cure all UV magic the sales department typed on the box or description; it was the fact it came with very clear instructions, there was a how to video online, the kit is incredibly simple, and most of all it comes with the hole saw needed. The included hole saw is a quality piece that I ended up putting it in my drill kit.When it came to installing the unit, all went well and I only have a few pointers to share. Drill a small pilot hole for the hole saw, the bit on the hole saw was walking when I tried it on the metal duct. Next, you may want to have a magnet on an extendable stick to retrieve the piece the hole saw cuts out if you are doing an install above the A coil. It probably wouldn't hurt anything, but I didn't want it rattle around or fall into the blower and make a bunch of noise. Lastly, the instructions say to take a hammer and a nail to make a pilot for the mounting screws then tighten with a screw driver; no, just no, don't even bother. I used a 3/32 drill bit to make a pilot hole and a Philips bit to tighten the screws down with a drill; careful not to crack the mounting plate. The included screws are the self drilling kind so I guess if you didn't want to make pilot holes, you wouldn't have to, it just makes it easier.A little technical info for those who are interested. The actual light ballast is 24V AC/DC and the wall wart is a simple 120VAC to 24VAC that supplies 1 amp on the secondary side. When it comes to energy wasted as heat, the ballast doesn't get all that warm but the wall wart does get kind of warm which is to be expected from a mostly sealed transformer running at nearly 100% of its rating, not a real issue at all.Overall, I am satisfied with what I got for the price and is performance. If you're on the fence about this unit and know what to expect from an air handler UV lamp system, go for it because I don't think you're going to find anything any better for around the same price.