Hi Reactor,

Well, there you go. Your quesiton motivated my to send another email to Toyota. I enclose what I just sent them below. Will keep you posted on their response. Btw, why are you interested in turninig it off? My curiosity about it stems from some articles I read about ionizers (including the positive/negative ions systems). It looks like there are some potentially negative aspects of with using those (health-wise) and I simply would like to be able to turn the system off. Btw, the car is fantastic.
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Thank you for your response.

My wife and I are proud owners of the TCH now. We like that car a lot.

I still do have a question about the Plasmacluster system, though. In the
response to my question, you stated that while the climate control is on, the
Plasmacluster system cannot be disabled. So: when I have the AC on, I can hear
the faint buzzing noise from the driver's side vent. The manual on page 235
states that this s normal to hear per the operation of the Plasmacluster
system. Now, when I completely close off that driver's side vent (by turning
the vent's dial), that buzzing noise cannot be heard any more - it stops.

Should I take it to mean that that when the driver's vent is completely
closed, the Plasmacluster system is off / not in operation?

If you answer, "yes, closing the driver's side vent turns off the
Plasmacluster system", fair enough.

If you answer, "no, closing the driver's side vent does not turn off the
Plasmacluster system" then I have following questions: where do the ions
discharge when the driver's side vent is closed? Are they directed to other
vents? If so, which ones?

I am looking forward to your response.

 

Here is the link to the site that has some info about plasma technology. I will be curious to hear your thoughts on this (btw, I also checked that info that Sharp has on its Canadian site -much more useful than what they have on the US site). I don't know how reputable or how reliable this Allergo Healthcare site is. It looks like that are selling/marketing some air-purifying products that use different than plasmacluster technology. So, obviously that have a bit of bias/agenda. However, they do provide links to what they claim is peer reviewed research on the subject. Of course, that in itself does not mean that Plasmacluster system can be harmful. But, it was enough for me to investigate if I can simply turn that system off in my car if I want to do it.
http://www.allergy.com.sg/aircareFAQ.html#ozone
and here is the relevant section from that site - for whatever it's worth:
"What exactly is plasma cluster technology?
Plasma cluster technology involves the generation of positive H+and negative O2- ions (also called superoxides) alternatively. These ion clusters are blown into the air and they diffuse to various parts of the room.

These ion clusters are attracted to airborne particulates (actually any matter), and collide with the particulates and also to one another. The collision of 2H+ and O2- creates very reactive OH radicals, otherwise known as hydroxyl radicals. Hydrogen peroxide (H202) may also be formed, but these will also finally turn into OH radicals.

These OH hydroxyl radicals are very unstable, and each OH group will extract one hydrogen (H) atom from anything it comes into contact with, forming water (H20). Extracting one hydrogen atom from a single-celled organism like bacteria will kill it. That is what makes plasma cluster technology so effective at killing single-celled organisms.

Fortunately, humans are not single-celled organisms. Our lungs, though extremely sensitive, are not made of single cells, and we will not die when exposed to OH radicals. However, the unstable OH radicals have been linked to diseases in humans including cancer (see below).



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If OH radicals are carcinogenic, why is its use not banned?
Like ozone (which is another harmful ROS, that is already listed by National Environmental Agency and World Health Organization as a contaminant harmful to humans), OH radicals do exist naturally in the atmosphere. However, the atmospheric concentration of OH radicals are small.

As important oxidants, both ozone and OH radicals play an important part in killing germs and pollution control within the atmosphere. However, this does not change the fact that human exposure to them presents a health risk. Afterall, it is the same properties that are so effective at killing single-celled organisms that present a risk to humans.

First, let us review the links between hydroxyl radicals, which is part of the harmful free radical family, with cell mutations, DNA destruction, various diseases including allergies (asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis) and cancer:

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (peer-reviewed medical journal). Concludes that "there is ample evidence that allergic disorders, such as asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis, are mediated by oxidative stress," which is caused by excessive exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS - hydroxyl radicals are part of this family), which leads to "a damage of proteins, lipids, and DNA." Mentions "environmental exposure to air pollution and cigarette smoke" as a source of such oxidative stress, thus clearly linking airborne ROS like OH radicals as "air pollution", not something good for the family. >>more
Columbia University Health Sciences Division, in an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) sponsored research, found that arsenic causes cancer by first spurring production of superoxide, very unstable free radical that is quickly turned into hydrogen peroxide. This in turn breaks down to "hydroxyl radicals, extremely reactive and damaging free radicals that attack cell membranes and DNA to create mutations." >>more

Life Extension Foundation reports on the devastating effects of hydroxyl radicals on the human body: "It reacts at diffusion rates with virtually any molecule found in its path including macromolecules such as DNA, membrane lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. In terms of DNA, the hydroxyl radical can induce strand breaks as well as chemical changes in the deoxyribose and in the purine and pyrirnidine bases." >>more

University of Natal: hydroxyl radicals are "highly reactive, oxidising most organic compounds at almost diffusion controlled rates (K> 10 per molar per second, Dorfman and Adams 1973). Due to its high reactivity it is indiscriminate, reacting with the first substrate available. It therefore has a high destructive and mutanogenic potential." >>more

University of Canterbury research links free radicals, including hydroxyl radicals with coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis, alzheimers and cataracts. Cancer genes may be switched on by hyrdoxyl radicals causing mutations in our DNA. >>more

Biochemical Journal research reports that ROS (including OH hydroxyl radicals and ozone) "posess many characteristics of carcinogens, and mutagenesis could contribute to the initiation of cancer. >>more
Smoking is linked to lung cancer, but it took several decades before firm action was taken, and even today it is not banned - it is just mostly controlled to protect non-smokers from secondary smoke. Partly because smoking does not guarantee lung cancer.

Similarly, exposure to OH radicals does not necessarily guarantee cell mutation, cancer and other age-related diseases.*

* Notwithstanding, as there has yet been no study that demonstrate that the use of OH radicals in air cleaners causes cancer (as seen in the tobacco industry, such studies require deep commitment by way of time, budget and independence), no one should conclude a priori that the use of such an air cleaner will lead to cancer."

 

Peter,


Ionizers are not good because they produce black dust, however, this is not going to change my mind since I am putting an order in for a Barcelona Red with Tan leather but ultimately I would like to be able to shut it off.....See the link below..


http://www.air-purifier-power.com/FPN60CX.html

 

I use a standalone Plasmacluster unit in the house and did quite a bit of research before buying one. Regarding hydroxyl radicals, they're only formed by the reaction of clustered ions on small particles, and are not generated by the Plasmacluster unit. Large bodies immediately neutralize the ions on contact, but small particles have a limited ability to neutralize ions, and once that capacity is overwhelmed, then the reactions that generate hydroxyl radicals occur. Anything larger than a dust mote is not affected.

In regards to dust, a plasma generator differs from a normal ion generator, in that the air exiting the plasma generator is electrically neutral, although composed of charged particles. Positive and negative charges are balanced, while in the negative ion generator, air leaves with a net negative charge. The negative ions attach themselves to dust particles, which are then statically attracted to the nearest surface. Particles passing through a plasma cloud should attract both positve and negative ions equally, and stay electrically neutral. As a consequence dust plating out on surfaces should be less of a problem.

 

Peter...Did you get a response from Toyota....I called a couple dealers and they also seem to think if you shut the drivers side vent that the ionizer will not work....Also, the blower fan is located on the right side of the vehicle. Thanks in advance....I wish I could get a final answer on this...

 

[QUOTE=Droid13]... the plasmacluster only works from the driver's side dash vent. So I suppose if you close this vent and just use the center console vents you can stop it from working....QUOTE]

Moving the driver's slider to the "closed" position does not close the top outlet

See photo:

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...4/pcluster.jpg

What is the shiny bit (circled) and does it have anything to do with the Plasmacluster?

 

Good point.
Alas, I have no idea what that is...

 

Not yet. The last time I emailed them I thnk it took them about a week to respond.

 

Isn't there any toyota technicians around here? When I tried out the camry hybrid the driver side air vent was able to be totally closed...A technician I spoke to today said that the blower fan is on the right side..Confusing.....

 

Nope. They're all in the hospital being treated for ion poisining.

IMHO, I don't think it'll prove to be trememdously good or bad for your health. It's one little port spewing some ions. It's not like it's spewing microwaves or something. It is kinda funny that the car itself is known for reducing emissions out of the tailpipe, and yet here we are discussing added emissions in the cabin. Hmmm....