Harbor Freight Gem - 2HP Dust Collector

[KC7CN]

The Harbor Freight coupon page in this months issue of WOOD magazine (Issue 202 Dec/Jan 2010/2011) has the 2HP Industrial 5 Micron Dust Collector for $139.99. :tool:

I think that qualifies for a good deal - I paid $149.99 in the spring of 2006 for the 30 micron bag version, and thought that was a good price!

-Don

 

[merrill77]

Does anyone have this same unit? If you do, can you tell me if the motor can be rewired for 220V?

LINK: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html

TIA!
Chris

 

[Outa Square]

The manual doesn't show that it can; but HF is notorious for the manual, website, and actual product having some variation. I have the new version with the motor that might be closer to 2 true hp than the old one. I would look but my is in storage at my parents. Here's the link to the manual, if that helps you.

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/97000-97999/97869.pdf

 

[merrill77]

The manual doesn't show that it can; but HF is notorious for the manual, website, and actual product having some variation. I have the new version with the motor that might be closer to 2 true hp than the old one. I would look but my is in storage at my parents. Here's the link to the manual, if that helps you.

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/97000-97999/97869.pdf

I'm normally a manual-reading type person. But with HF, I don't trust their manuals enough to even open them. I was hoping somebody that has one (and doesn't have it in storage!) would check their motor plate for me. Thanks, though.

Chris

 

[KC7CN]

I'm normally a manual-reading type person. But with HF, I don't trust their manuals enough to even open them. I was hoping somebody that has one (and doesn't have it in storage!) would check their motor plate for me. Thanks, though.

Chris

The one I purchased in 2006 was 120V only; no provisions to rewire for 220V! HF rates this DC at 2HP although I believe it's closer to 1-1/2HP. In any case, I never had any problems with a standard 120V- 20A Square D circuit breaker. On the other hand, my 1-1/2HP Delta DC requires a Hi-Mag style circuit breaker to prevent trips on start-up.

-Don

 

[kooshball]

Mine is running on a 15a circuit with other stuff on it as well so I doubt it is 2hp or needs 240v. I posted a thread a while back testing the cfm and it performed well as long as you use a good filter. Just search for my previous posts if you are interested.

 

[eyekode]

When I was looking for a DC I saw this question posted in many forums. Although they have switched motors at least once everyone who responded said it could not be rewired for 220v. I ended up buying a used grizzly for a couple bucks more (wanted my DC on a separate circuit and already had it wired for 220v).
Salem

 

[merrill77]

Thanks, all! I picked one up today and just finished assembling it. It seems to move a good bit more air than my current DC, a 1 hp HF model from many years back. The bag on the new one is a LOT bigger, which should cut the number of bag-emptying trips in half, or less

There is no plate on the motor, so I opened up the junction box - there are only two wires coming from the windings...so it cannot be wired for 220V.

 

[KC7CN]

Thanks, all! I picked one up today and just finished assembling it. It seems to move a good bit more air than my current DC, a 1 hp HF model from many years back. The bag on the new one is a LOT bigger, which should cut the number of bag-emptying trips in half, or less

There is no plate on the motor, so I opened up the junction box - there are only two wires coming from the windings...so it cannot be wired for 220V.

Good deal - it's always fun to get a new tool! :tool:

Have you thought about building a pre-separator? Check out Phil Thien's forum for details on the one I made. Never have to empty the DC bag or worry about foreign objects damaging the impeller!



Phil's forum: http://www.cgallery.com/smf/index.php

Link to Pre-separator album: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=1022&ppuser=0

-Don

 

[merrill77]

Have you thought about building a pre-separator?

This bag is about as big as I'd want to carry. Also, I'm pretty tight on space...and this is just a step on the way to getting a cyclone. The biggest obstacle for me is the time to run the ductwork and get all the tools hooked up properly. Unlike my previous model, this one can be hung upside-down putting the intake near the ceiling. So I can start running some ductwork and see how it works out, before committing to the cost of a ClearVue.

 

[JimmyC]

The HF 2hp DC is a great bargain, but as previously said it is a true 1.5hp and that's why it's just 110v. No real need for 220v wiring.

Good luck with it, they work real well with the Wynn filter setup http://www.wynnenv.com/35A_series_cartridge_kit.htm and the Thien collector. Abargain for the price.

 

[boxxmaker]

I picked this unit up on thanksgiving day(yup they were open)and paid a grand total of 149.00 for it including tax and a full replacement two yr warranty. :gar-La; but anyway I just got off the phone with there tech guy and he said its not a 2 hp rated motor,but a full 2 hp motor and it can't be rewired for 220,anyway everywhere I read before geting it, everybody gave it great reviews.Hooked it up just to see if it worked,it did,but it won't get a true test till I get back to NC in April.:gar-Bi

 

[lwhughes149]

I am using a 1 hp that is Harbor Freight. It work very well but like everyone else I want more hp.

 

[ehpoole]

The Harbor Freight coupon page in this months issue of WOOD magazine (Issue 202 Dec/Jan 2010/2011) has the 2HP Industrial 5 Micron Dust Collector for $139.99.

-Don

Just be sure to upgrade that 5-micron filter to a good quality 1-micron cartridge or bag filter ASAP unless you intend to vent the exhaust outdoors. 5-micron filtration is only a deal so long as you intend to vent the exhaust outdoors, otherwise it gives you a visually neat and clean shop, but allows only the most harmful and dangerous particles to escape and be inhaled. A good 1-micron filter should reliably filter particles down to as little as 0.3 microns once the filter has been adequately seasoned.

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but I really wish vendors would stop selling these 5+ micron filters for dust collection and air filtration given what we know these days regarding the respiratory health consequences (cancer, scarring, allergic reactions, etc.) of extended exposure to fine wood dust.

For those who are just getting into dust collection, it is also a great time to investigate ambient air cleaners to complement your dust collection system. The dust collectors role is to capture as much fine (and coarse) dust as possible at the source, thus preventing it from getting airborn. The ambient air cleaners role is to capture the fine suspended dust that inevitably escapes primary dust collection, thus significantly reducing the occupant's overall exposure to inhaled fine dust. Again, look for a model with a good 1-micron filtration system and which filters enough air to scrub all the air in shop (cubic feet/minute) atleast 6-8 times each hour. Beware that many vendors quote their cubic feet/minute based on the air filters being removed, for these vendors you should expect to get only about 2/3rds the quoted cubic feet/minute with filters installed. (I know JDS quotes true filtered air in cubic feet/minute, but Jet and others quote air volume with filters removed, so a 750 cfm JDS air filter is comparable to a 1050 cfm Jet model, for comparisons sake).

And before I forget, congratulations on your new dust collector purchase.

 

[merrill77]

Just be sure to upgrade that 5-micron filter to a good quality 1-micron cartridge or bag filter ASAP unless you intend to vent the exhaust outdoors. 5-micron filtration is
only a deal so long as you intend to vent the exhaust outdoors, otherwise it gives you a visually neat and clean shop, but allows only the most harmful and dangerous particles to escape and be inhaled. A good 1-micron filter should reliably filter particles down to as little as 0.3 microns once the filter has been adequately seasoned.

Even with a 1 micron cartridge, this DC doesn't move anywhere near enough air to properly collect the dust at the tool. This is strictly a keep-the-shop-clean purchase. I'd like to get a ClearVue, but before that will help, I need a lot of duct work as well as improvements to each tool station to collect the dust at the point of creation. I'm not a believer in the air cleaners. By the time the air cleaner can do anything, you're already breathing the harmful air. And once I have a cyclone, I'll just run that to clean the air...it will cycle the air in the shop a lot quicker than an air cleaner.

C

 

[JonT]

On the subject of DC filters/bags and upgrading -- I've got an old Grizzly DC with a flimsy filter-bag that I've been told is only 30-micron! (It produces a cloud of dust on startup and seems like anything smaller than a 2x4 goes right through.) Works great as a shop-vac but I need better filtration or I'll be coughing up splinters. Do you guys know of any local-to-Raleigh/Greensboro/Fayetteville sources for a 1-micron filter/bag? I like to spend locally where possible, but neither Woodcraft nor Klingspor seem to have anything. Not sure where else to look. Thanks.

 

[merrill77]

On the subject of DC filters/bags and upgrading -- I've got an old Grizzly DC with a flimsy filter-bag that I've been told is only 30-micron! (It produces a cloud of dust on startup and seems like anything smaller than a 2x4 goes right through.) Works great as a shop-vac but I need better filtration or I'll be coughing up splinters. Do you guys know of any local-to-Raleigh/Greensboro/Fayetteville sources for a 1-micron filter/bag? I like to spend locally where possible, but neither Woodcraft nor Klingspor seem to have anything. Not sure where else to look. Thanks.

You should start a new thread in the "where to find?" forum. There are probably only a handful of people still following this thread.

 

[Canuck]

On the subject of DC filters/bags and upgrading -- I've got an old Grizzly DC with a flimsy filter-bag that I've been told is only 30-micron! (It produces a cloud of dust on startup and seems like anything smaller than a 2x4 goes right through.) Works great as a shop-vac but I need better filtration or I'll be coughing up splinters. Do you guys know of any local-to-Raleigh/Greensboro/Fayetteville sources for a 1-micron filter/bag? I like to spend locally where possible, but neither Woodcraft nor Klingspor seem to have anything. Not sure where else to look. Thanks.

Although not local, Highland Woodworking in Atlanta have a felt bag that may work for you that is pretty reasonably priced. Here.........

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/shakerfeltpolyestermicronfilterbag20x32.aspx

Their shipping is pretty quick and a pretty good company to deal with.

HTH

Wayne

(I ended up replacing my upper bag on my HF DC with a Wynne Environmental filter. Works great!:icon_thum)

 

[boxxmaker]

I meant to say that I was looking at the cartridge filter,but thats still a good price for the bags,I still have to replace the one on my Delta 1 hp.Wanna know why ???? I found out the hard way that you can wash em,BUT DO NOT put them in the dryer :no: :no: it melts those little fibers in the material together and the bag don't work so good no more :gar-Cr