Trash Can - Carbon Air Filter

[emilya]

After looking at many of the available inline filters available out there I decided that this probably was not rocket science, and I took on the challenge. I wanted a cheap design that could be adjusted later if necessary to provide more or less protection.

So I had another excuse to go to that Hunky Man Meat Market that we all know of as Lowe's. Soon I came home with the following:

30"x50" of chicken wire, cut in half
3 activated carbon smell reduction furnace filters (the most expensive item)
1 4" duct inlet
1 plastic trash can
1 roll of duct tape

I liked the idea of using a trash can in order to slow down the air flow a bit with an expansion chamber so the charcoal could work better. I am not sure yet if the 3 carbon filters in this design will be enough to scrub the air coming out of my fan. More carbon is on the way to me, but I thought it would be good to try a first attempt with simply what was available at Lowe's today.

First I cut a slit at the bottom to allow the cleansed air to escape below a final scrub area. The outlet hole is below this wire layer. If I need a bit more scrubbing with this design I will pour a pure carbon layer out onto a fiber filter at this level with the chicken wire supporting it. For now, the chicken wire simply supports the final furnace filter level.


For now, I am not ducting to the attic. Therefore, instead of putting an outlet duct at the far end of the filter, I simply cut a hole for the scrubbed air to exit the system.


I used the remaining chicken wire to force an air layer between the final filter and the upper filters.


I folded two more complete filters into the remaining space and taped up the can after putting the inlet duct in the lid. Made sure it was well sealed to ensure air flow through the system.


Hooked up to the fan and tested.

Conclusions:
I could not believe the difference in here in the first 15 minutes. I decided that I was just used to the fragrance and that I should leave for a while so I could come back and smell the house after I came back home. When I walked in the door 2 hours later, I could not believe how fresh and clean it smelled. No trace of the previous problem could be discerned. I can have friends over again! :thumbsup:

Emmie

emilya Reviewed by emilya on 01-11-2011. Trash Can - Carbon Air Filter After looking at many of the available inline filters available out there I decided that this probably was not rocket science, and I took on the challenge. I wanted a cheap design that could be adjusted later if necessary to provide more or less protection. So I had another excuse to go to that Hunky Man Meat Market that we all know of as Lowe's. Soon I came home with the following: 30"x50" of chicken wire, cut in half 3 activated carbon smell reduction furnace filters (the most Rating: 5

[johneg]

A carbon filter is the LAST thing to be tightass with!!
Just buy one. saves getting jacked or arrested!
Good on you for effort tho!

[Lynhal]

The last two pictures aren't coming up for me when I click through but it sounds like you have solved your problem. :thumbsup:

[Stellybutton]

The last two pictures aren't coming up for me when I click through but it sounds like you have solved your problem. :thumbsup:

Same for me . No last 2

[emilya]

Same for me . No last 2

I think I know what I did wrong and attachments is turned off for me all of a sudden. I must have been a bad girl. Is there an attachment limit?

try going to my catalog to see these pictures
Emmie's Albums

Emmie

[Lynhal]

I think I know what I did wrong and attachments is turned off for me all of a sudden. I must have been a bad girl. Is there an attachment limit?

You can do up to five per post I believe if I am not mistaken. Sometimes I think it is just easier to attach the photo to the post because then the readers can just click through them without having to open a new page to view each photo individually. :joint1: As for being a bad girl sometimes being bad is a GOOD thing. :thumbsup:

[emilya]

Conclusions:
I could not believe the difference in here in the first 15 minutes. I decided that I was just used to the fragrance and that I should leave for a while so I could come back and smell the house after I came back home. When I walked in the door 2 hours later, I could not believe how fresh and clean it smelled. No trace of the previous problem could be discerned. I can have friends over again! :thumbsup:

lol... I wrote that a bit early I think. I should have waited another 6 hours. Thats when the smell started leaking out again... but I told myself... no, its not too bad.
At about 5 days and a total repacking of the trashcan filter and I realized that it was time to go commercial...

A carbon filter is the LAST thing to be tightass with!!
Just buy one. saves getting jacked or arrested!
Good on you for effort tho!

Thanks johneg... you ended up being totally correct about this. Let me explain what I learned. First and most impressive... did you know that there is 16 lbs of charcoal in a medium sized filter?
I was trying to do it at first with 3 thin "carbonized" sheets. Then in my enthusiasm I thought adding 1lb of activated carbon to it would help.

What I now know:
There is a lot of science in these filters. It turns out that rocket science is exactly what it is! The trick to a good carbon air scrubber is to slow the air flow down enough to let it come in contact with the carbon for a tick or two. This is not exactly what was happening in that trash can wind tunnel I had designed. Maybe if I added 16 Lbs of charcoal to it it would block the air flow enough... But wait... blocking is not what is needed... air flow is what is needed... yet slower ... much slower.

So for not a whole lot more than I would have had invested in 16LBS of charcoal, and certainly with more engineering pride than I had put into my trashcan-duct tape filter, I came home with a nice filter.

End of problem. Lasts 1 year. Rinse, Repeat. Another lesson learned.

Emmie