DC cartridge filter cleaning.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Those of you with cyclones know that if you overfill the dust bin so that the sawdust backs up into the cyclone, the cyclonic flow is disturbed and sawdust starts going into the cartridge filter. Depending on when you discover the problem it can be a real pain to clean the filter, especially since the air flows inside to outside in the cartridge filter of most DC/cyclones. My DC is down in the garage, my shop is above it, so I can't see the dust bag unless I check it whenever I'm passing through the garage. This time I discovered the overflow very late.

The first time I clogged my cartridges, I tried to clean it with my shopvac and compressed air hose. (Do you know what happens when you run a shopvac without the cap on the bottom of the filter?

it was a real mess even without that error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I came up with a little attachment to clean the filters.

My DC system has two filters installed side by side. I removed one filter and put a (white) blankout cover over the hole.

Then I made a simple base from MDF that I can put the cartridge filter on. The base connects to one of my DC ports via a 6" hose. Here it is connected to the port where the jointer is normally connected.

I set the cartridge filter on the base- the cartridge has a gasket that, along with the suction, seals it to the base. Once the filter is on the base and the DC turned on I can clean it with little mess. The air passing through the filter the opposite direction, some solid tapping all around the outside, and and some compressed all help to clean all the dust embedded in the pleats on the inside of the filter.

I have some electronics and will be working on a full bag alarm.

 

[toolferone]

I have some electronics and will be working on a full bag alarm.

My dust can is also out of sight. I would be VERY VERY interested in a electronic alarm system you come up with.
Please keep us posted on that.

Oh and your idea on cleaning the filter is great!

 

[McRabbet]

Alan -- Very ingenious solution to your problem! One thing in your photos caught my eye -- I'm having some problems finding a good fit for flex hose into standard S&D fittings -- yours look nice and snug without clamps -- please elaborate on your methods and material (what flex hose?). Thanks.

Rob

 

[D L Ames]

Dang Alan.........another cool tip.:icon_thum Did your DC come with 2 filters or is that a modification you added?

D L

 

[junquecol]

Thanks for reminding me why I chose filter socks from Onedia. Each time the DC shuts down, the socks deflate and most filter cake drops in plentium at bottom. Only had to clean plentium once in five years. I was running a moulding head making some V-groove sidingwith a ship lap joint along edges, and forgot to empty the drum. :BangHead: I think Onedia is the source of the bin-o-later(sp?) which shuts down DC when bin is full.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Alan -- Very ingenious solution to your problem! One thing in your photos caught my eye -- I'm having some problems finding a good fit for flex hose into standard S&D fittings -- yours look nice and snug without clamps -- please elaborate on your methods and material (what flex hose?). Thanks.

Rob

It's a little tight, but I work at it and just cram the flex inside an S&D fitting or in this case the flared end of a scrap piece of S&D pipe. Not sure of the brandor where I got it, but some of my flex has wire and some has plastic reinforcing.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Dang Alan.........another cool tip.:icon_thum Did your DC come with 2 filters or is that a modification you added?

D L

I built a (Pentz design) cyclone with an old Grizzly 3 hp blower with 14" impeller. In my previous setup I had only one cartridge filter but added the second one in this installation. I get better flow.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Thanks for reminding me why I chose filter socks from Onedia. Each time the DC shuts down, the socks deflate and most filter cake drops in plentium at bottom. Only had to clean plentium once in five years. I was running a moulding head making some V-groove sidingwith a ship lap joint along edges, and forgot to empty the drum. :BangHead: I think Onedia is the source of the bin-o-later(sp?) which shuts down DC when bin is full.

The only problem I see with filter socks is that you are reducing the square area of the cartridge filter drastically. My filters have over 500 sq. ft. of surface and I think something like you describe would have less than 20 sq. ft. in my installation. Oneida wants $200 for the sensor or $358 for the complete kit!!!! That's more than I paid for my entire system!!!!

 

[J. Fred Muggs]

My dust can is also out of sight. I would be VERY VERY interested in a electronic alarm system you come up with.
Please keep us posted on that.

Here ya go!
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/binsensor.html

 

[chris99z71]

Just ran across this and I thought that you guys might be interested. He claims the total cost around $20.
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/DustLevelSensor.cfm

In fact, I found his whole site pretty informative. He's got some instructions on there for a home made cyclone.