AprilAire E100 vs E100C: leveling feet, casters and gravity drainage

AprilAire’s E100 and E100C share a 100-pint-per-day rating class, ductable design, no-bucket gravity drain and local digital control. The documented differences are practical: the standard E100 has leveling feet and does not include a drain hose, while E100C has four casters and ten feet of drain tubing in the box. Neither is a portable tank model, and neither has a built-in pump.

Start with how the machine will sit

The exact E100 page lists leveling feet; the E100C package lists four casters instead. The shared manual’s leveling procedure specifically says it does not apply to the E100C. That makes the C model easier to reposition during installation or service, but it does not make a connected whole-home system easy to move. The cabinet weighs 64 pounds, has no collection bucket, and may be joined to ducts, a drain and electrical service. Do not assume the casters lock or that it is safe to roll while installed; plan the intended location and ask the installer how the unit must be supported and held level.

Then trace the condensate path

Both models require a continuous downhill gravity drain in the documented standard configuration. E100’s page says the drain hose is not included; it lists a barbed drain fitting. E100C lists the same fitting plus ten-foot drain tubing. The added tube helps only if it reaches a suitable lower outlet while maintaining slope. Ten feet of flexible tubing is a route length, not permission to lift water uphill. AprilAire separately documents the Model 4856 condensate pump, rated to lift up to 22 feet, but that is an external accessory. If gravity fall is impossible, include the separate pump and overflow protection in the plan rather than treating either suffix as pump-equipped.

Capacity and controls do not distinguish these suffixes

The E080/E100 family manual lists 100 pints/day for E100 and E100C at 80°F and 60% RH. EPA’s current record is under E100 and names E100C as an additional caster model; it lists 85 pints/day under Appendix X1, IEF 2.35 L/kWh, annual energy use of 821 kWh and Connected Capable: No. AprilAire’s pages also call out ENERGY STAR Most Efficient for 2025. These figures describe different test or program information, not guaranteed output in every house. The product pages’ 5,500-square-foot claim is not a load calculation.

The exact E100 page gives a washable MERV 8 filter, ten-inch duct collars, backdraft damper and eight-foot cord. E100C lists the same package items plus casters and the ten-foot drain tubing. Both pages describe a local built-in digital control; EPA’s connected-capable field is No. If app access is essential, compare the distinct E100W rather than assuming the caster model adds wireless features.

A practical selection

• Choose E100 when you have a stable installation point, will use the leveling feet, and can source a drain line that fits the plan.
• Choose E100C when the four casters and included ten-foot tube fit the installation or service plan better.
• Compare E100W if verified app control is required; ask whether its exact duct and drain plan suits the site.

Before purchase, have the installer confirm the exact suffix, duct static pressure, service clearances, drain fall, electrical nameplate and finished-space condensate protection. AprilAire routes these models through its Healthy Air Professional network; the product pages do not establish a local installed price or current local stock.