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Grow Changing charcoal in a air filter

Shredder

Shredder

Dogs like me
Has anyone done this?

I have 2, eight inch can fan lites, and they're no longer keeping up. ($275 each)

I'm going to strip off the pre filter tonight at lights on. I'll look then but I'll probably have to cut off the bottom to get to the charcoal.
 
I purchased a big bag of activated carbon and swapped it out on my old can filter bu t it did not help so upgraded the whole system to a larger spec and have not had to swap the new one out yet. I think it should work, I think I just did not pack it hard enough. Maybe use some kind of vibrating method to get the charcoal to settle more closely.
It is a very dirty job to undertake but worth another try. Let us know how you go.
 
LesPlenty said:
I purchased a big bag of activated carbon and swapped it out on my old can filter bu t it did not help so upgraded the whole system to a larger spec and have not had to swap the new one out yet. I think it should work, I think I just did not pack it hard enough. Maybe use some kind of vibrating method to get the charcoal to settle more closely.
It is a very dirty job to undertake but worth another try. Let us know how you go.
Click to expand...

It looks like it could be done. I have a harvest coming up in a couple weeks.
I'll do something with it then.

One is hanging by chains over my plants now. (10 foot ceiling) At 42 lb, 12 inch diameter, 3 ft long it's awkward.

I need 30 some pounds for each and 55lb of activated charcoal grannules at one source is $166. A new filter is $273.

That will give time to think about packing the charcoal. Maybe a ride in my truck on a bumpy road? Lots of them around, lol.
 
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Moses Baca said:
How important is odor control where you live? Are you in a legal state?

Most carbon filters are not designed to be refilled so it'll be a makeshift job and probably won't work as well as a new filter. I'd buy new.

Do it once. Do it right the first time. Then move on.
Click to expand...



I live in a legal state, but I still don't want my place smell like a skunk farm, lol.

An air filter is pretty simple in design. If I can pack the charcoal good I think it will work. That's how a factory does it.

A friend has a cement vibrator and I can rig something up, I think, to vibrate it to settle charcoal.

And there's the question of waste. Throwing out otherwise good filters just for new charcoal?

I'll compost old charcoal.
 
From my days of having aquariums that used 'activated charcoal' I remember trying to refresh the carbon to save a few cents. Some things I've tried; Putting the charcoal in a hot oven (450 degrees), leaving in the sun 4-6 hours, and soaking in a vinegar and baking soda bath. The vinegar and baking soda bath seemed to work the best.

I wonder if a few hepa filters would work. Are you venting outside? A dryer sheet, or several sheets, may help.
 
BD9 said:
From my days of having aquariums that used 'activated charcoal' I remember trying to refresh the carbon to save a few cents. Some things I've tried; Putting the charcoal in a hot oven (450 degrees), leaving in the sun 4-6 hours, and soaking in a vinegar and baking soda bath. The vinegar and baking soda bath seemed to work the best.

I wonder if a few hepa filters would work. Are you venting outside? A dryer sheet, or several sheets, may help.
Click to expand...

I'm venting outside, but it's a fairly big job. I have two air 8 inch filters in my flower room.

One just circulates air, and one pulls inside air through the filter to vent outside. I also have a newer 6 inch air filter in my veg room.

Reversing the fan on the recirculating fan helped a little. And washing the pre filter helped. But at 3 years it's time.

I don't have AC so I have to move a lot of air in summer. 2 eight inch exhaust fans/duct to a 8/12 inch Y. I doubt a hepa could keep up.
 
arb said:
No way jose.........tried it and it is a massive hassle for little savings.
I have quit them at all for years now and don't miss them a bit.
Click to expand...

Now I gotta do it, lol.

For me with 3 air filters the cost adds up. For $300+ I (think i) can deal with the hassle. I can do it outside and wear a mask.

I talked with my friend and he has a cement vibrator I can use. I think we are going to try one and go from there. Mike, my friend has two even bigger filters, so he is all in, lol.
 
Shredder said:
Now I gotta do it, lol.

For me with 3 air filters the cost adds up. For $300+ I (think i) can deal with the hassle. I can do it outside and wear a mask.

I talked with my friend and he has a cement vibrator I can use. I think we are going to try one and go from there. Mike, my friend has two even bigger filters, so he is all in, lol.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I said...........if you sit on it while it's vibrating it helps hold it still and is a LOT of fun,if you are brave enough.
:aaaaa:
 
arb said:
Exactly what I said...........if you sit on it while it's vibrating it helps hold it still and is a LOT of fun,if you are brave enough.
:aaaaa:
Click to expand...
IMG_20180322_012645_674.jpg
 
LesPlenty said:
I purchased a big bag of activated carbon and swapped it out on my old can filter bu t it did not help so upgraded the whole system to a larger spec and have not had to swap the new one out yet. I think it should work, I think I just did not pack it hard enough. Maybe use some kind of vibrating method to get the charcoal to settle more closely.
It is a very dirty job to undertake but worth another try. Let us know how you go.
Click to expand...

I refilled my filter today. It took two of us, so I enlisted a good friend.

Where's @arb ?

I emptied it and got it reassembled it enough to refill it myself. And I bought a 55lb sack of activated charcoal granuals. It takes 35lb for this filter, a 8 inch can fan lite.

We put the filter on a pallet. And filled the space between the inner and outer walls. While we did my friend operated his cement vibrator from a step ladder while I filled it.

When it was filled we put the vibrator in a groove between two boards of the pallet and I balanced the filter on the vibrator. The charcoal went down another inch.

We refilled and when it stopped going down we reassembled it by stuffing foam in the top flange and forcing the flange in place. I secured it with short sheet metal screws.

It wasn't easy ( a lot of cussing) and I won't know how it will work for a while, but I think we did well in this project.

I'll post again when it has a chance to work.
 
The next few weeks is the real test, I believe you will be fine with the methods you used to fill but fingers crossed anyway.
 
LesPlenty said:
The next few weeks is the real test, I believe you will be fine with the methods you used to fill but fingers crossed anyway.
Click to expand...

So at 7 weeks in flower I started to get a whiff of weed outside my barn and it was obvious inside my flower room it wasn't keeping up.

I changed from a 8 in duct booster fan to a larger 8 in duct fan. Big difference in smell. Nothing outside, and very little in the grow room. And now I'm at almost 8 weeks in flower.

I'm about ready to claim victory. Where's @arb ?
 
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